Home
This site uses cookies
log out

The Merchant of Venice: Act I, Scene 3

Sign in with Google to add your annotations.
2 annotations

The Merchant of Venice
Act I, Scene 3

Venice. A public place.

Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

You come to me, and you say, “Shylock, we would have moneys”

Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice

1914

  1. Enter Bassanio with Shylock the Jew.

Shylock

1
  1. Three thousand ducats, well.

Bassanio

2
  1. Ay, sir, for three months.

Shylock

3
  1. For three months, well.

Bassanio

4
  1. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound.

Shylock

5
  1. Antonio shall become bound, well.

Bassanio

6 - 7
  1. May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your
  2. answer?

Shylock

8
  1. Three thousand ducats for three months, and Antonio bound.

Bassanio

9
  1. Your answer to that.

Shylock

10
  1. Antonio is a good man.

Bassanio

11
  1. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?

Shylock

12 - 22
  1. Ho, no, no, no, no! My meaning in saying he is a good man is
  2. to have you understand me that he is sufficient. Yet his
  3. means are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to
  4. Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon
  5. the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England,
  6. and other ventures he hath, squand’red abroad. But ships are
  7. but boards, sailors but men; there be land-rats and
  8. water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves, I mean pirates,
  9. and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The
  10. man is notwithstanding sufficient. Three thousand ducats; I
  11. think I may take his bond.

Bassanio

23
  1. Be assur’d you may.

Shylock

24 - 25
  1. I will be assur’d I may; and that I may be assur’d, I will
  2. bethink me. May I speak with Antonio?

Bassanio

26
  1. If it please you to dine with us.

Shylock

27 - 32
  1. Yes, to smell pork, to eat of the habitation which your
  2. prophet the Nazarite conjur’d the devil into. I will buy
  3. with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and
  4. so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you,
  5. nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto? Who is he comes
  6. here?
  1. Enter Antonio.

Bassanio

33
  1. This is Signior Antonio.

Shylock

34 - 45
  1. Aside.
  2. How like a fawning publican he looks!
  3. I hate him for he is a Christian;
  4. But more, for that in low simplicity
  5. He lends out money gratis, and brings down
  6. The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
  7. If I can catch him once upon the hip,
  8. I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
  9. He hates our sacred nation, and he rails
  10. Even there where merchants most do congregate
  11. On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
  12. Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe
  13. If I forgive him!

Bassanio

46
  1.                   Shylock, do you hear?

Shylock

47 - 55
  1. I am debating of my present store,
  2. And by the near guess of my memory,
  3. I cannot instantly raise up the gross
  4. Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
  5. Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
  6. Will furnish me. But soft, how many months
  7. Do you desire?
  8. To Antonio.
  9. Rest you fair, good signior,
  10. Your worship was the last man in our mouths.
Boothroyd Fairclough as Shylock

Boothroyd Fairclough as Shylock

Felix Octavius Carr Darley, circa 1875

Antonio

56 - 61
  1. Shylock, albeit I neither lend nor borrow
  2. By taking nor by giving of excess,
  3. Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
  4. I’ll break a custom.
  5. To Bassanio.
  6.                      Is he yet possess’d
  7. How much ye would?

Shylock

62
  1.                    Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Antonio

63
  1. And for three months.

Shylock

64 - 68
  1. I had forgot—three months—
  2. To Bassanio.
  3.                            you told me so.
  4. Well then, your bond; and let me see—but hear you,
  5. Methoughts you said you neither lend nor borrow
  6. Upon advantage.
    Mar 11, 2019 Miko
    With interest

Antonio

69
  1.                 I do never use it.

Shylock

70 - 73
  1. When Jacob graz’d his uncle Laban’s sheep—
  2. This Jacob from our holy Abram was
  3. (As his wise mother wrought in his behalf)
  4. The third possessor; ay, he was the third—

Antonio

74
  1. And what of him? Did he take interest?

Shylock

75 - 89
  1. No, not take interest, not as you would say
  2. Directly int’rest. Mark what Jacob did:
  3. When Laban and himself were compromis’d
  4. That all the eanlings which were streak’d and pied
  5. Should fall as Jacob’s hire, the ewes being rank
  6. In end of autumn turned to the rams,
  7. And when the work of generation was
  8. Between these woolly breeders in the act,
    Mar 11, 2019 Miko
    In the act of having sex
  9. The skillful shepherd pill’d me certain wands,
  10. And in the doing of the deed of kind,
  11. He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,
  12. Who then conceiving did in eaning time
  13. Fall parti-color’d lambs, and those were Jacob’s.
  14. This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;
  15. And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

Antonio

90 - 94
  1. This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv’d for,
  2. A thing not in his power to bring to pass,
  3. But sway’d and fashion’d by the hand of heaven.
  4. Was this inserted to make interest good?
  5. Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

Shylock

95 - 96
  1. I cannot tell, I make it breed as fast.
  2. But note me, signior.
Scene designs, probably by Charles Marshall

From: Scene designs, probably by Charles Marshall

Antonio

97 - 102
  1.                       Mark you this, Bassanio,
  2. The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
  3. An evil soul producing holy witness
  4. Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
  5. A goodly apple rotten at the heart.
  6. O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

Shylock

103 - 104
  1. Three thousand ducats—’tis a good round sum.
  2. Three months from twelve; then let me see, the rate—

Antonio

105
  1. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholding to you?

Shylock

106 - 129
  1. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
  2. In the Rialto you have rated me
  3. About my moneys and my usances.
  4. Still have I borne it with a patient shrug
  5. (For suff’rance is the badge of all our tribe).
  6. You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
  7. And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,
  8. And all for use of that which is mine own.
  9. Well then, it now appears you need my help.
  10. Go to then, you come to me, and you say,
  11. “Shylock, we would have moneys,” you say so—
  12. You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
  13. And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
  14. Over your threshold; moneys is your suit.
  15. What should I say to you? Should I not say,
  16. “Hath a dog money? Is it possible
  17. A cur can lend three thousand ducats?” Or
  18. Shall I bend low and in a bondman’s key,
  19. With bated breath and whisp’ring humbleness,
  20. Say this:
  21. “Fair sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last,
  22. You spurn’d me such a day, another time
  23. You call’d me dog; and for these courtesies
  24. I’ll lend you thus much moneys”?

Antonio

130 - 137
  1. I am as like to call thee so again,
  2. To spet on thee again, to spurn thee too.
  3. If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
  4. As to thy friends, for when did friendship take
  5. A breed for barren metal of his friend?
  6. But lend it rather to thine enemy,
  7. Who if he break, thou mayst with better face
  8. Exact the penalty.

Shylock

138 - 143
  1.                    Why, look you how you storm!
  2. I would be friends with you, and have your love,
  3. Forget the shames that you have stain’d me with,
  4. Supply your present wants, and take no doit
  5. Of usance for my moneys, and you’ll not hear me.
  6. This is kind I offer.
Rough drawings for scenes from Shakespeare

From: Rough drawings for scenes from Shakespeare

John Masey Wright, circa 1900

Bassanio

144
  1. This were kindness.

Shylock

145 - 153
  1.                     This kindness will I show.
  2. Go with me to a notary, seal me there
  3. Your single bond; and in a merry sport
  4. If you repay me not on such a day,
  5. In such a place, such sum or sums as are
  6. Express’d in the condition, let the forfeit
  7. Be nominated for an equal pound
  8. Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
  9. In what part of your body pleaseth me.

Antonio

154 - 155
  1. Content, in faith, I’ll seal to such a bond,
  2. And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

Bassanio

156 - 157
  1. You shall not seal to such a bond for me,
  2. I’ll rather dwell in my necessity.

Antonio

158 - 161
  1. Why, fear not, man, I will not forfeit it.
  2. Within these two months, that’s a month before
  3. This bond expires, I do expect return
  4. Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

Shylock

162 - 172
  1. O father Abram, what these Christians are,
  2. Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
  3. The thoughts of others! Pray you tell me this:
  4. If he should break his day, what should I gain
  5. By the exaction of the forfeiture?
  6. A pound of man’s flesh taken from a man
  7. Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
  8. As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
  9. To buy his favor, I extend this friendship.
  10. If he will take it, so, if not, adieu;
  11. And for my love I pray you wrong me not.

Antonio

173
  1. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

Shylock

174 - 179
  1. Then meet me forthwith at the notary’s;
  2. Give him direction for this merry bond,
  3. And I will go and purse the ducats straight,
  4. See to my house, left in the fearful guard
  5. Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
  6. I’ll be with you.
  1. Exit.

Antonio

180 - 181
  1.                   Hie thee, gentle Jew.
  2. The Hebrew will turn Christian, he grows kind.

Bassanio

182
  1. I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind.

Antonio

183 - 184
  1. Come on, in this there can be no dismay,
  2. My ships come home a month before the day.
  1. Exeunt.

...and for these courtesies I’ll lend you thus much moneys?

Edwin Austin Abbey, 1888

© 2021 Unotate.com • contact • privacy policy • Creative Commons text from PlayShakespeare.com • All illustrations are public domain or Creative Commons