10. signiors . . . burghers: great and powerful lords of the

ocean.

11. pageants of the sea. Originally pageants were large platforms drawn about the streets and used as stages for acting the miracle plays. They have been compared to our "floats 99 in parades.

day. forth out, abroad. So later Shylock says, "I am bid

forth to supper."

17. still: ever, perpetually.

18. sits the wind: not the direction from which, but the quarter towards which, the wind is blowing.

19. roads: haven, harbor,

stead.

as in Hampton Roads and road

23. a'-gue: à condition of cold, trembling, and fever.

25. sandy hour-glass: a device for measuring time by running fine sand through the narrow neck of a glass vessel. Similar instruments may be bought to-day for measuring three or five minutes when cooking eggs. Look up "hour-glass" and "clepsydra" in any large encyclopædia. You will find "Ancient Methods of Telling Time" an interesting subject for a theme or a talk.

27. Andrew: the name of Salarino's imaginary vessel. 28. vailing lowering.

29. burial: burial place or grave.

31. bethink me straight: think at once, straightway.

35-36. now ... now. The costly spices and silks which, until the vessel struck, were his, now suddenly vanish from his possession. Were you acting the part of Salarino, how would you read these lines, and what gestures would you make? 38. bechanced: having happened.

42. bottom, of the ship, for the ship itself. Compare this figure (metonymy) with "a fleet of twenty sail."

44. upon the fortune. That is, trusted to the fortune.

He was

50. Janus.

The Roman god of gates and entrances.

generally figured as facing both ways, often with one laughing face and one of serious features.

52. peep through their eyes, which are wrinkled and half shut with laughter.

54. other: others.

56. Nestor. Inasmuch as Nestor was the oldest and gravest of the Greek warriors, a jest that he considered laughable would naturally be very amusing.

61. prevented: anticipated, got ahead of me.

64. embrace the occasion: take this opportunity. 67. exceeding strange: a great stranger to us.

70. dinner-time. In Shakespeare's London of 1597 this would have been probably about eleven A.M.

74. respect upon: regard for.

75. it: the "world" of the previous line.

78. A stage, etc. Compare these lines of Antonio with the famous speech by Jacques in "As You Like It," beginning “All the world's a stage." Why was it natural for Shakespeare to compare life to acting on the stage?

79. play the fool. It would be a monstrous mistake to understand "fool" in its modern sense. Gratiano wants to play the part of the jester, or professional fun-maker, of the plays in Shakespeare's day, such as Touchstone in "As You Like It," or Launcelot in this comedy. If you have read "Ivanhoe,” you will remember that Wamba was far from a fool or simpleton. 82. mortifying: causing death.

84. cut in alabaster. "Why should I be as cold and hard as a marble effigy on the tomb of my grandfather?"

86. peevish: cross, disagreeable, difficult to please.

88. visages: faces.

89. a standing pond: a stagnant, sluggish pool. "Some men's faces," says Gratiano, 66 are masked and hidden by affected looks of wisdom and gravity, much as a stagnant pool is covered with slime."

90. entertain: maintain an obstinate silence.

91–92. opinion of wisdom: reputation for wisdom.

92. conceit. Not pride, but in its original sense of "thought,” "mental ability."

93. As who should say: like one who should say.

96. are reputed wise. That is, there are people whose reputation for wisdom depends solely on their saying nothing.

98. would almost damn those ears. According to Scripture (Matt. v. 22), "Whoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire." It is of this verse that Gratiano is thinking when he says that those who could not refrain from calling their silent brothers fools would probably be damned.

101. melancholy bait: the "wilful stillness," the obstinate silence and sadness.

102. this fool gudgeon. A stupid fish easily caught, and worth nothing when taken.

104. exhortation: sermon; lecture of advice.

108. moe: more, as often in Shakespeare.

110. for this gear: for this matter.

114. an infinite deal: a huge amount.

116. chaff the husks of grain. You remember the lines in "The Village Blacksmith":

"They love to see the flaming forge,

And hear the bellows roar,

And catch the burning sparks that fly

Like chaff from the threshing floor."

120. swore a secret pilgrimage. What do you know about pilgrims and vows to make secret pilgrimages? Any good encyclopædia will help you out.

124. something . . . a more swelling port: by living somewhat beyond my means. Port: style of living.

126. make moan to be abridged. I do not complain now that I am cut down or curtailed.

129. prodigal: extravagant, wasteful.

130. gaged: bound, engaged, pledged.

132. warranty: right, warrant.

136. still always, as in line 17.

137. within the eye of honor. That is, "You stand in range of what can be viewed, or considered, honorable." What figure of speech is this?

140. shaft: arrow. Archery was a much more popular sport in 1600 than it is to-day.

141. self-same flight. Bassanio chose for his second arrow one that was feathered and tipped to fly the same distance as the one he had lost.

142. advised: careful.

143. forth out, as in line 15.

144. childhood proof: this test of my childhood days.

145. pure innocence. Of this expression Dr. Furness says, "I think it is by no means certain that 'pure innocence' does not mean here' 'pure foolishness.' Bassanio assuredly was aware how flimsy was his pretext for Antonio to send more good money after bad, and that his best argument was drawn from childish games." The fact that four other interpretations of these words are possible illustrates well the differences of opinion among editors of Shakespeare. Can you think of any of the other meanings? 148. self: same.

151. latter hazard: your second risk, — that is, the money now wanted.

153. herein in these words of yours.

154. circumstance: circumlocution, "beating about the bush," round-about talk.

156. making question, etc. "You wrong me,” says Antonio, "by doubting my willingness to do everything for you within my power."

160. prest unto it: ready to do it.

165. nothing undervalued: in no way inferior to Cato's daughter.

166. Brutus' Portia. If you have read "Julius Caesar,” written by Shakespeare a few years after "The Merchant of Venice," you will remember the important parts played by Brutus and by his wife Portia in that tragedy.

170. like a golden fleece. In III, 2, Gratiano refers again to the story of the Argonauts, when he says to Salerio, "We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece." Colchos, or Colchis, was a country at the eastern end of the Black Sea. There it was that Jason found the Golden Fleece and the sorceress Medea. You should know the beautiful old story of Jason and the Argo, of Medea and old Æson. References to it occur throughout Eng lish literature, and even in the daily papers. "As cruel and envious as Medea."— Boston Herald. 171. seat: estate, residence. (See Dramatis Personæ.) 175. presages me such thrift.

which promises me success.

I have a feeling, we should say,

178. commodity: property, merchandise. 181. racked: stretched, strained.

183. presently: instantly, at once,

- as often in Shakespeare.

185. my trust or for my sake. "I do not doubt my ability," says Antonio, "to obtain the money either on my credit as a business man, or as a personal favor.”

184-185. make

...

sake. Notice that the last two lines rhyme. See also the last lines of the following three scenes, and find other places where the "rhyme tag" occurs. This practice of rhyming at the close of a scene was common in Shakespeare's time. It served as a climax or final flourish, a sort of signal that one episode of the play was over and another was about to begin. We can better understand the purpose of this "rhyme tag," or signal, when we remember that in a play of 1600 one scene followed directly after another, without a wait, without music, without a curtain, and with but little or no changing of scenery. (See page 184, for a fuller account of the acting of an Elizabethan play.)

QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Describe the scene at the opening of the play as you imagine it.