Gra. My Lord Bassanio gave his ring away Unto the judge that begg'd it and indeed Deserved it too; and then the boy, his clerk, 180 That took some pains in writing, he begg'd mine; And neither man nor master would take aught But the two rings. Por. What ring gave you, my lord? Not that, I hope, which you received of me. Bass. If I could add a lie unto a fault, 185 I would deny it; but you see my finger Por. Even so void is your false heart of truth. If you did know to whom I gave the ring, 190 If you did know for whom I gave the ring 195 And would conceive for what I gave the ring When nought would be accepted but the ring, 200 If you had pleased to have defended it 205 Bass. No, by my honour, madam, by my soul, Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me 210 Even he that did uphold the very life Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady? I was enforced to send it after him; I was beset with shame and courtesy ; 215 So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady; For, by these blessed candles of the night, Had you been there, I think you would have begg'd The ring of me to give the worthy doctor. Por. Let not that doctor e'er come near my house: 220 Since he hath got the jewel that I loved, 225 And that which you did swear to keep for me. I'll not deny him anything I have. Ant. I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels. Por. Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwithstanding. Bass. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, Por. Mark you but that! 230 In both my eyes he doubly sees himself; 235 240 In each eye, one: swear by your double self, Bass. Nay, but hear me: Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear Ant. I once did lend my body for his wealth; Will never more break faith advisedly. Por. Then you shall be his surety. Give him this And bid him keep it better than the other. Ant. Here, Lord Bassanio; swear to keep this ring. Bass. By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor! Por. I had it of him. You are all amazed: 245 Here is a letter; read it at your leisure; It comes from Padua, from Bellario: There you shall find that Portia was the doctor, Shall witness I set forth as soon as you, Enter'd my house. Antonio, you are welcome: Bass. Were you the doctor, and I knew you not? 260 For here I read for certain that my ships Are safely come to road. Por. How now, Lorenzo! My clerk hath some good comforts too for you. 265 From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Por. [Exeunt. EXPLANATORY NOTES ACT I. SCENE I Enter Salarino and Salanio. The names of these gentlemen are variously spelled in the early Folios and Quartos, and the similarity of the abbreviations there used has led modern editors to question what is the proper assignment of speeches. As the two are not important persons of the play, our uncertainty as to Shakespeare's intention need. not trouble us. 5 I am to learn. We should now say, “I have to learn,” i.e. “I do not know." On the line, see Introduction, IV. d. 8 ocean. A trisyllable, as in Milton's Hymn on the Nativity, where it rhymes with “began." See Introduction, IV. h. 2. 9 argosies: large merchant ships, which, it is now supposed, took their name from the Dalmatian seaport Ragusa, sometimes called in sixteenth-century English Arragosa. The associations of the word are rich, as these vessels had generally a precious freight. 11 pageants. Shakespeare probably had in mind here the huge representations of divers objects-ships among them – drawn about the London streets in a procession, like the "floats" of modern times. Line 11 is parenthetical. (A pageant seems to have been, originally, the wagon or movable stage on which a single play of the Collective Mysteries was presented. The word was next applied to the short Scriptural play itself, as, for example, "the pageant of Noah's flood"; and later it was used for any gorgeous spectacle.) 12 traffickers: traders; here used, it is evident, for small trading-vessels. 85 |