1 The Merchant of Venice, 3.

SCENE II. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house.

PORTIA I pray you, tarry: pause a day or two Before you hazard; for, in choosing wrong, I ose your co!pany: therefore for"ear awhi e. There#s so!ething te s !e, "ut it is not o$e, I wou d not ose you; and you %now yourse f, &ate counse s not in such a 'ua ity. But est you shou d not understand !e we ,(( )nd yet a !aiden hath no tongue "ut thought,(( I wou d detain you here so!e !onth or two Before you $enture for !e. I cou d teach you &ow to choose right, "ut I a! then forsworn; *o wi I ne$er "e: so !ay you !iss !e; But if you do, you# !a%e !e wish a sin, That I had "een forsworn. Beshrew your eyes, They ha$e o#er oo%#d !e and di$ided !e; +ne ha f of !e is yours, the other ha f yours, Mine own, I wou d say; "ut if !ine, then yours, )nd so, a yours. I spea% too ong; "ut #tis to peize the ti!e, To e%e it, and to draw it out in ength, To stay you fro! e ection. BASSANIO ,et !e choose -or as I a!, I i$e upon the rac%. PORTIA .pon the rac%, Bassanio/ then confess 0hat treason there is !ing ed with your o$e. BASSANIO 1one "ut that ug y treason of !istrust, 0hich !a%es !e fear the en2oying of !y o$e. PORTIA )y, "ut I fear you spea% upon the rac%, 0here !en enforced do spea% anything. BASSANIO 3ro!ise !e ife, and I# confess the truth. 3ro!ise you5 et !e i$e and I5 gi$e up the truth. 1othing e4cept the "etraya of suspicion, 0hich !a%es !e afraid of en2oying !y o$e. ,et !e pic% Because as I a! now, I i$e in torture

2 PORTIA 0e then, confess and i$e. BASSANIO #6onfess# and # o$e# &ad "een the $ery su! of !y confession: + happy tor!ent, when !y torturer 7oth teach !e answers for de i$erance/ But et !e to !y fortune and the cas%ets. PORTIA )way, then/ I a! oc%#d in one of the!: If you do o$e !e, you wi find !e out. 1erissa and the rest, stand a a oof. ,et !usic sound whi e he doth !a%e his choice; Then, if he ose, he !a%es a swan( i%e end, -ading in !usic. &e !ay win; )nd what is !usic then8 Then !usic is 9$en as the f ourish when true su"2ects "ow To a new(crowned !onarch: such it is )s are those du cet sounds in "rea% of day That creep into the drea!ing "ridegroo!#s ear, )nd su!!on hi! to !arriage. 1ow he goes, 0ith no ess presence, "ut with !uch !ore o$e, Than young ) cides, when he did redee! The $irgin tri"ute paid "y how ing Troy To the sea(!onster: go, &ercu es/ ,i$e thou, I i$e. 0ith !uch, !uch !ore dis!ay I $iew the fight than thou that !a%5st the fray. Music, whilst BASSANIO observes the caskets. *+1: (sung by ensemble) Te !e where is fancy "red, +r in the heart, or in the head8 &ow "egot, how nourished8 ;ep y, rep y. BASSANIO *o !ay the outward shows "e east the!se $es: The wor d is sti decei$ed with orna!ent. In aw, what p ea so tainted and corrupt, But "eing seasoned with a gracious $oice, +"scures the show of e$i 8 In re igion, 0hat da!ned error, "ut so!e so"er "row Their outward appearances !ust "e east i%e their true contents: The wor d is sti decei$ed "y e!"e ish!ents. In the court of aw, what stained and per$erted appea Made !ore p easing with a o$e y $oice <eeps the $isage of e$i in the dar%8 In re igion, 0hat detesta" e deception with a dignified countenance 0i " ess it and appro$e it with a te4t, &iding the grossness with fair orna!ent8 There is no $ice so si!p e "ut assu!es 6onfess and o$e 0ou d "e the who e of !y confession: +ooh happy anguish, when !y torturer Teaches !e the answers for re ease/ But et !e go to !y fate and the "o4es.

3 *o!e !ar% of $irtue on his outward parts. Therefore, thou gaudy go d, &ard food for Midas, I wi none of thee; 1or none of thee, thou pa e and co!!on drudge #Tween !an and !an. But thou, thou !eager ead, 0hich rather threatenest than dost pro!ise aught, Thy pa eness !o$es !e !ore than e o'uence; )nd here choose I; 2oy "e the conse'uence/ PORTIA =)side> &ow a the other passions f eet to air, )s dou"tfu thoughts, and rash(e!"raced despair, )nd shuddering fear, and green(eyed 2ea ousy/ + o$e, Be !oderate; a ay thy ecstasy/ BASSANIO 0hat find I here8 0hat is inside8 Beauteous 3ortia5s portrait/ 0hat ha f(god &as e$er co!e so near to perfect nature8 )re these eyes -air 3ortia#s counterfeit/ 0hat de!i(god !o$ing8 &ath co!e so near creation8 Mo$e these eyes8 +r "y dri$ing !ine do they si!p y +r whether, riding on the "a s of !ine, *ee! in !otion8 &ere are separated ips, *ee! they in !otion8 &ere are se$er#d ips, 3arted with enticing y sweet "reath. &ere in her hair 3arted with sugar "reath. &ere in her hairs The painter has p ayed the part of the spider, ha$ing wo$en The painter p ays the spider, and hath wo$en ) si %en net to ensnare the hearts of !en, ) si %en !esh to entrap the hearts of !en, More fir! y than gnats in co"we"s. But her eyes, &ow cou d he see to do the!8 &a$ing painted one, -aster than gnats in co"we"s; "ut her eyes,(( I wou d thin% it wou d ha$e had the strength to stea "oth &ow cou d he see to do the!8 ha$ing !ade one, of his eyes Methin%s it shou d ha$e power to stea "oth his )nd ea$e his face without what it needs. ?et oo% how )nd ea$e itse f unfurnish#d. ?et oo%, how far The su"stance of !y praise doth wrong this shadow far away The !eans of !y praise do in2ustice to the portrait In underprizing it, so far this shadow In under$a uing it. *o far away that the portrait 7oth i!p "ehind the su"stance. &ere#s the scro , 0a %s a!e y "ehind the rea !atter. &ere5s the scro , The continent and su!!ary of !y fortune. The in$entory and account of !y fate. "ea!s O ening the lea!en casket ?ou that choose not "y the $iew, 6hance as fair and choose as true/ *ince this fortune fa s to you, Be content and see% no new. If you "e we p eased with this ?ou that choose not "y oo%s &a$e good uc% and pic% correct y/ *ince this fate fa s to you, Be content and oo% for no one e se. If you are p eased with this 0i turn it to ad$antage and 2ustifies it with a piece of *cripture, &iding the shoc%ing offense with fair e!"e ish!ent8 There is no ha"itua sin so si!p e that it doesn5t ta%e on *o!e sign of goodness in its e4terior parts. Therfore, you showy go d, Inedi" e food of <ing Midas, I won5t pic% you. 1or you, wan and co!!onp ace currency Between !en. But you, "ase ead, 0hich are !ore !ore threatening than pro!ising, ?our ac% uster nature stirs !e !ore than f uent, forci" e anguage. )nd here I choose, 2oy "e what fo ows ne4t.

@ )nd ho d your fortune for your " iss, Turn you where your ady is )nd c ai! her with a o$ing %iss. ) gent e scro . -air ady, "y your ea$e; I co!e "y note, to gi$e and to recei$e. #hey kiss. ) o$e y scro . Beautifu ady, with your a owance, I co!e with this scro , to gi$e !y o$e and to recei$e yours. )nd see your fate as the happiest thing possi" e, Turn to your ady )nd c ai! her with a passionate %iss.