1    Three thousand ducats; well.

2    Ay, sir, for three months.

3    For three months; well.

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

5    Antonio shall become bound; well.

6    May you stead me? will you pleasure me? shall I
7    know your answer?

8    Three thousand ducats for three months and Antonio bound.

9    Your answer to that.

10   Antonio is a good man.

11   Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?

12   Oh, no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a
13   good man is to have you understand me that he is
14   sufficient. Yet his means are in supposition: he
15   hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the
16   Indies; I understand moreover, upon the Rialto, he
17   hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and
18   other ventures he hath, squandered abroad. But ships
19   are but boards, sailors but men: there be land-rats
20   and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves, I
21   mean pirates, and then there is the peril of waters,
22   winds and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding,
23   sufficient. Three thousand ducats; I think I may
24   take his bond.

25   Be assured you may.

26   I will be assured I may; and, that I may be assured,
27   I will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio?

28   If it please you to dine with us.

29   Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which
30   your prophet the Nazarite conjured the devil into. I
31   will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you,
32   walk with you, and so following, but I will not eat
33   with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What
34   news on the Rialto? Who is he comes here?

35   This is Signior Antonio.

Aside
36    How like a fawning publican he looks!
37   I hate him for he is a Christian,
38   But more for that in low simplicity
39   He lends out money gratis and brings down
40   The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
41   If I can catch him once upon the hip,
42   I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
43   He hates our sacred nation, and he rails,
44   Even there where merchants most do congregate,
45   On me, my bargains and my well-won thrift,
46   Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,
47   If I forgive him!

48   Shylock, do you hear?

49   I am debating of my present store,
50   And, by the near guess of my memory,
51   I cannot instantly raise up the gross
52   Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?
53   Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
54   Will furnish me. But soft! how many months
55   Do you desire?
To ANTONIO
56   Rest you fair, good signior;
57   Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

58   Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow
59   By taking nor by giving of excess,
60   Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
61   I'll break a custom. Is he yet possess'd
62   How much ye would?

63   Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

64   And for three months.

65   I had forgot; three months; you told me so.
66   Well then, your bond; and let me see; but hear you;
67   Methought you said you neither lend nor borrow
68   Upon advantage.

69   I do never use it.

70   When Jacob grazed his uncle Laban's sheep--
71   This Jacob from our holy Abram was,
72   As his wise mother wrought in his behalf,
73   The third possessor; ay, he was the third--

74   And what of him? did he take interest?

75   No, not take interest, not, as you would say,
76   Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.
77   When Laban and himself were compromised
78   That all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied
79   Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank,
80   In the end of autumn turned to the rams,
81   And, when the work of generation was
82   Between these woolly breeders in the act,
83   The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,
84   And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
85   He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes,
86   Who then conceiving did in eaning time
87   Fall parti-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.
88   This was a way to thrive, and he was blest:
89   And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

90   This was a venture, sir, that Jacob served for;
91   A thing not in his power to bring to pass,
92   But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven.
93   Was this inserted to make interest good?
94   Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams?

95   I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast:
96   But note me, signior.

97   Mark you this, Bassanio,
98   The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.
99   An evil soul producing holy witness
100  Is like a villain with a smiling cheek,
101  A goodly apple rotten at the heart:
102  O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!

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

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

106  Signior Antonio, many a time and oft
107  In the Rialto you have rated me
108  About my moneys and my usances:
109  Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
110  For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.
111  You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
112  And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,
113  And all for use of that which is mine own.
114  Well then, it now appears you need my help:
115  Go to, then; you come to me, and you say
116  'Shylock, we would have moneys:' you say so;
117  You, that did void your rheum upon my beard
118  And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
119  Over your threshold: moneys is your suit
120  What should I say to you? Should I not say
121  'Hath a dog money? is it possible
122  A cur can lend three thousand ducats?' Or
123  Shall I bend low and in a bondman's key,
124  With bated breath and whispering humbleness, Say this;
125  'Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;
126  You spurn'd me such a day; another time
127  You call'd me dog; and for these courtesies
128  I'll lend you thus much moneys'?

129  I am as like to call thee so again,
130  To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
131  If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
132  As to thy friends; for when did friendship take
133  A breed for barren metal of his friend?
134  But lend it rather to thine enemy,
135  Who, if he break, thou mayst with better face
136  Exact the penalty.

137  Why, look you, how you storm!
138  I would be friends with you and have your love,
139  Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
140  Supply your present wants and take no doit
141  Of usance for my moneys, and you'll not hear me:
142  This is kind I offer.

143  This were kindness.

144  This kindness will I show.
145  Go with me to a notary, seal me there
146  Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
147  If you repay me not on such a day,
148  In such a place, such sum or sums as are
149  Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
150  Be nominated for an equal pound
151  Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
152  In what part of your body pleaseth me.

153  Content, i' faith: I'll seal to such a bond
154  And say there is much kindness in the Jew.

155  You shall not seal to such a bond for me:
156  I'll rather dwell in my necessity.

157  Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it:
158  Within these two months, that's a month before
159  This bond expires, I do expect return
160  Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

161  O father Abram, what these Christians are,
162  Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
163  The thoughts of others! Pray you, tell me this;
164  If he should break his day, what should I gain
165  By the exaction of the forfeiture?
166  A pound of man's flesh taken from a man
167  Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
168  As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
169  To buy his favour, I extend this friendship:
170  If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;
171  And, for my love, I pray you wrong me not.

172  Yes Shylock, I will seal unto this bond.

173  Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;
174  Give him direction for this merry bond,
175  And I will go and purse the ducats straight,
176  See to my house, left in the fearful guard
177  Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
178  I will be with you.

179  Hie thee, gentle Jew.
Exit Shylock
180  The Hebrew will turn Christian: he grows kind.

181  I like not fair terms and a villain's mind.

182  Come on: in this there can be no dismay;
183  My ships come home a month before the day.