But mercy is above this sceptered sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's

5 When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this, —
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render

10 The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much,
To mitigate the justice of thy plea,
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

Shylock. My deeds upon my head. I crave the law, 15 The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Portia. Is he not able to discharge the money?

Bassanio. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court; Yea, thrice the sum: if that will not suffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,

20 On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart:
If this will not suffice, it must appear

That malice bears down truth: and, I beseech you,
Wrest once the law to your authority:

To do a great right, do a little wrong;

25 And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Portia. It must not be; there is no power in Venice Can alter a decree established :

'Twill be recorded for a precedent;

And many an error, by the same example,

30 Will rush into the State.

It can not be.

:

Shylock. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel : O wise young judge, how I do honor thee!

Portia. I pray you, let me look upon the bond.
Shylock. Here 'tis, most reverend Doctor; here it is.
Portia. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee.
Shylock. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven.
Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?

No, not for Venice.

Portia.

Why, this bond is forfeit;
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant's heart. - Be merciful :
Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
Shylock. When it is paid according to the tenor.
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law, your exposition

Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law,

Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment. By my soul I swear
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me: I stay here on my bond.

Antonio. Most heartily I do beseech the court

To give the judgment.

Portia.

Why, then, thus it is:

You must prepare your bosom for his knife.
Shylock. O noble judge! O excellent young man!
Portia. For the intent and purpose of the law

Hath full relation to the penalty

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

Shylock. 'Tis very true: Ο wise and upright judge!

5

10

15

20

25

How much more elder art thou than thy looks!

Portia. Therefore lay bare your bosom.
Shylock.

Ay, his breast;

So says the bond-doth it not, noble judge ?

Nearest the heart:

those are the very words.

5 Portia. It is so.

Are there balance here to weigh

The flesh?

10

Shylock. I have them ready.

Portia. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge,

To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

Shylock. It is not nominated in the bond.

Portia. It is not so express'd; but what of that?

'Twere good you do so much for charity.

Shylock. I can not find it; 'tis not in the bond.
Portia. Come, merchant, have you anything to say?
Antonio. But little: I am arm'd and well prepar'd. -

15 Give me your hand, Bassanio. Fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein Fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: it is still her use

To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
20 To view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow
An age of poverty; from which lingering penance
Of such misery doth she cut me off.
Commend me to your honorable wife;
Tell her the process of Antonio's end;

25 Say how I loved you, speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
Repent not you that you shall lose your friend,

And he repents not that he pays your debt;
For if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it instantly with all my heart.

Bassanio. Antonio, I am married to a wife
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world,
Are not with me esteem'd above thy life:
I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all

Here to this devil, to deliver you.

5

Portia. Your wife would give you little thanks for 10

that,

If she were by, to hear you make the offer.

Gratiano. I have a wife, whom, I protest, I love:

I would she were in heaven, so she could

Entreat some power to change this currish Jew.
Nerissa. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back;
The wish would make, else, an unquiet house.
Shylock. [Aside. These be the Christian husbands! I

have a daughter;

Would any of the stock of Bárrabas

Had been her husband rather than a Christian!

[TO PORTIA.] We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sen

tence.

Portia. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine : The court awards it, and the law doth give it.

Shylock. Most rightful judge!

Portia. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast: The law allows it, and the court awards it.

Shylock. Most learned judge! A sentence! prepare.

15

20

25

Come,

Portia. Tarry a little; there is something else. This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood; The words expressly are, a pound of flesh :

Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;. 5 But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed

10

15

20

One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are by the laws of Venice confiscate

Unto the State of Venice.

Gratiano. O upright judge! - Mark, Jew: O learned

judge!

Shylock. Is that the law?
Portia.

Thyself shalt see the Act:

For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desirest.

Gratiano. O learned judge! - Mark, Jew: a learned judge!

Shylock. I take his offer, then; - pay the bond thrice,

And let the Christian go.

Bassanio.

Portia. Soft!

Here is the money.

The Jew shall have all justice; soft! no haste:
He shall have nothing but the penalty.

Gratiano. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge !
Portia. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.

Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less nor more
But just a pound of flesh: if thou tak'st more
Or less than a just pound, be it but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance
25 Or the division of the twentieth part

Of one poor scruple - nay, if the scale do turn