Now, for your answer:

As there is no firm reason to be rendered,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,
More than a lodged hate, and a certain loathing,
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him. Are you answered ?

Bass.

This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
To excuse the current of thy cruelty.

Shy.

I am not bound to please thee with my answer.

Bass.

Do all men kill the things they do not love?

Shy.

Hates any man the thing he would not kill?

Bass.

Every offence is not a hate at first.

Shy.

What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

Ant.

I pray you, think you question with the Jew:
You may as well go stand upon the beach,
And bid the main flood bate his usual height;
You may as well use question with the wolf,
Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb;
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their high tops, and to make no noise,
When they are fretted with the gusts of heaven;

You may as well do any thing most hard,

As seek to soften that (than which what's harder?)
His Jewish heart:-Therefore, I do beseech you,
Make no more offers, use no further means,
But, with all brief and plain conveniency,
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.

Bass.

For thy three thousand ducats here is six.

Shy.

If every ducat in six thousand ducats

Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,

I would not draw them, I would have my bond.

Duke.

How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none?

Shy.

What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchased slave,
Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts,
Because you bought them :- -Shall I say to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
Why sweat they under burthens ? let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be seasoned with such viands? You will answer,
The slaves are ours: -So do I answer you:
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought; 't is mine, and I will have it:
If you deny me, fie upon your law!

There is no force in the decrees of Venice:
I stand for judgment: answer, shall I have it?

Duke.

Upon my power, I may dismiss this court,

Unless Bellario, a learnèd doctor,

Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Come here to-day.

Salarino.

My lord, here stays without

A messenger with letters from the doctor,
New come from Padua.

Duke.

Bring us the letters; call the messenger.

[Exeunt Solanio and Saiarino.

Bass.

Good cheer, Antonio! What, man! courage yet!
The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.

Ant.

I am a tainted wether of the flock,

Meetest for death; the weakest kind of fruit
Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me:
You cannot better be employed, Bassanio,
Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.

[Re-enter Solanio and Salarino with Nerissa,
who is dressed like a lawyer's clerk. Shylock
kneels to whet his knife.

Duke.

Came you from Padua, from Bellario?

Ner.

[To Nerissa.

From both, my lord: Bellario greets your grace.

[Presents a letter, and then sits at table c.

Bass.

Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?

Shy.

To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.

Gra.

Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew,

Thou mak'st thy knife keen.

[To Shylock.

Can no prayers pierce thee?

Shy.

No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.

Gra.

O, be thou damned, inexorable dog!
And for thy life let justice be accused.
Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,

That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men: thy currish spirit
Governed a wolf, who, hanged for human slaughter
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallowed dam,
Infused itself in thee; for thy desires
Are wolfish, bloody, starved, and ravenous.

Shy.

Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond,
Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud:
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
To cureless ruin.- I stand here for law.

Duke.

This letter from Bellario doth commend

A young and learnèd doctor to our court:
Where is he?

Ner.

He attendeth here hard by,

To know your answer, whether you 'll admit him.

Duke.

With all my heart:- Go, some of you,

And give him courteous conduct to this place.—

[Rises.

[Exeunt Salarino, Solanio, and Gratiano R. I. E. Meantime, the court shall hear Bellario's letter. [Reads. "Your grace shall understand that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very sick but in the instant that your

messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young doctor of Rome; his name is Balthazar: I acquainted him with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er many books together he is furnished with my opinion; which, bettered with his own learning (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend), comes with him, at my importunity, to fill up your grace's request in my stead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend estimation; for I never knew so young a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his commendation."

You hear the learned Bellario what he writes:

[Re-enter Gratiano.

And here, I take it, is the doctor come.

[Re-enter Salarino and Solanio, with Portia, who is dressed like a Doctor of Laws.

Give me your hand: Came you from old Bellario?

You are welcome: take your place.

[Portia goes to desk R.

Are you acquainted with the difference

That holds this present question in the court?

Por.

I am informed throughly of the cause.

Which is the Merchant here, and which the Jew?