Even he that did uphold the very life

210

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;
My honour would not let ingratitude
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: Since he hath got the jewel that I loved,

And that which you did swear to keep for me,
I will become as liberal as you;

I'll not deny him any thing I have.

Ner. Nor I his clerk; therefore be well advised Kow you do leave me to mine own protection.

220

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;
And, in the hearing of these many friends,

I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes,
Wherein I see myself,-

Por.

Mark you but that!

In both my eyes he doubly sees himself;

230

In each eye, one: swear by your double self,
And there's an oath of credit.

Bass.

Nay, but hear me Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear

I never more will break an oath with thee.

Ant. I once did lend my body for his wealth°;
Which, but for him that had your husband's ring
Had quite miscarried°: I dare be bound again,
My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Will never more break faith advisedly.

240

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: pardon me, Bassanio.

Ner. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano.

Por. You are all amazed:

Here is a letter; read it at your leisure;

It comes from Padua, from Bellario:

There you shall find that Portia was the doctor,
Nerissa there her clerk: Lorenzo here

Shall witness I set forth as soon as you,
And even but now return'd; I have not yet
Enter'd my house. Antonio, you are welcome;
And I have better news in store for you

20

Than you expect: unseal this letter soon;
There you shall find three of your argosies
Are richly come to harbour suddenly:
You shall not know by what strange accident
I chanced on this letter.

260

Bass. Were you the doctor and I knew you not? Ant. Sweet lady, you have given me life and living; 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.

Ner. Ay, and I'll give them him without a fee. There do I give to you and Jessica,

From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift,

After his death, of all he dies possess'd of.
Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way
Of starved people.

Por.
It is almost morning,
And yet I am sure you are not satisfied
Of these events at full. Let us go in;
And charge us there upon inter'gatories,°
And we will answer all things faithfully.

Gra. Well, while I live I'll fear no other thing So sore as keeping safe Nerissa's ring.

270

[Exeunt.

NOTES

ACT I. SCENE I.

Venice. Although in the Elizabethan age in England there was almost no scenery on the rude stages of the London theatres, yet to Shakespeare, and to the people who saw his plays, the very mention of Venice must have suggested everything most brilliant and magnificent. Travellers who had recently returned to England gave almost incredible descriptions of the fair "Bride of the Adriatic," as Venice was called. The audience assembled in the theatre could easily picture the wondrously built Italian city; in the sunlight they could see the glow of white marble and gold from the walls of her palaces, and could catch the iridescent rays of color reflected from the mosaics that ornamented her churches, or at night they could hear the cry of the gondolier, as he pushed his boat around the winding canals.

The colored photographs of Venice, now comparatively inexpensive even in America, are very helpful in gaining some conception of this city. See, especially, the views of the Grand Canal, of the Rialto, of the Ducal Palace, and of St. Mark's.

However insufficient the scenery of the Elizabethan stage may have been, the actors were not failing in splendor of costume. We do not need to know the exact fashions at Venice in the sixteenth century, but we must imagine them as rich and picturesque. Antonio, Godwin thinks, would wear a doublet,

121

Over his shoulders would be a

trunk-hose, stockings, and shoes. large cape of silk or brocade, with a collar; around his neck and wrists ruffs; on his head a cap of some becoming shape, and on his hands gloves. Knight thinks that Bassanio would be similarly attired, but with somewhat more splendor apparently. His doublet and hose would be slashed into openings shaped like stars or crosses, and through these slashes would be seen brilliant silk linings. Gold buttons, lace, and velvet would add to the richness of his lover's outfit.

66099

[In the text a small mark, "o", is placed after words or phrases commented upon in the notes. The numerals below refer to the numbers of the lines. Until the end of the second scene no references are made to the metre, as this matter should not be considered at the very beginning of the play—not until the language has grown a little familiar, and the characters have won the student's interest.]

1. 2. It. What?

1. 3. caught it, found it, came by it. Are these three expressions synonymous ?

1. 6. want-wit. Of the several meanings given in the dictionary for wit, which is the one intended here ?

1. 8. ocean. Pronounce as a trisyllable.

1. 9. argosies. Large merchantmen, probably so named from the Adriatic port, Ragusa. Some scholars have maintained that the word argosy has some connection with Argo, the name of the ship in which Jason (I., i., 172) sailed for the Golden Fleece, but no reference to the ship Argo is traceable in the early use of the word.