SALARINO

SALARINO

My wind cooling my

Id get scared every time I blew on my soup to cool it, thinking of how a

broth

strong wind could wipe out my ships. Every time I glanced at the sand in an

Would blow me to an ague when I

hourglass Id imagine my ships wrecked on sandbars. Id think of

thought

dangerous rocks every time I went to church and saw the stones it was

What harm a wind too great at

made of. If my ship brushed up against rocks like that, its whole cargo of

sea might do.

spices would be dumped into the sea. All of its silk shipments would be

I should not see the sandy

sent flying into the roaring waters. In one moment Id go bankrupt. Who

hourglass run,

wouldnt get sad thinking about things like that? Its obvious. Antonio is sad

But I should think of shallows and

because hes so worried about his cargo.

of flats
And see my wealthy Andrew
docked in sand,
Vailing her high top lower than her
ribs
To kiss her burial. Should I go to
church
And see the holy edifice of stone
And not bethink me straight of
dangerous rocks,
Which, touching but my gentle
vessels side,
Would scatter all her spices on
the stream,
Enrobe the roaring waters with my
silks,
And, in a word, but even now
worth this,
And now worth nothing? Shall I
have the thought
To think on this, and shall I lack
the thought
That such a thing bechanced
would make me sad?
But tell not me. I know Antonio
Is sad to think upon his
merchandise.
ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Believe me, no. I thank my fortune

No, thats not it, trust me.

45

for it

Thankfully my financial situation is

My ventures are not in one bottom

healthy. I dont have all of my

trusted,

money invested in one ship, or one

Nor to one place, nor is my whole

part of the world. If I dont do well

estate

this year, Ill still be okay. So its not

Upon the fortune of this present

my business thats making me sad.

year.
Therefore my merchandise makes
me not sad.

50

SOLANIO

SOLANIO

Why then, you are in love.

Well then, you must be in love.

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Fie, fie!

Oh, give me a break.

SOLANIO

SOLANIO

Not in love neither? Then let us say

Youre not in love either? Fine, lets

you are sad

just say youre sad because youre

Because you are not merryand

not in a good mood. You know, itd

twere as easy

be just as easy for you to laugh

For you to laugh and leap and say

and dance around and say youre

you are merry

in a good mood. You could just say

Because you are not sad. Now, by

youre not sad. Humans are so

two-headed Janus,

different.

Nature hath framed strange fellows

in her time.

ORIGINAL TEXT

25

30

MODERN TEXT
SALARINO

SALARINO

My wind cooling my broth

Id get scared every time I blew on

Would blow me to an ague when I

my soup to cool it, thinking of how a

thought

strong wind could wipe out my

What harm a wind too great at sea

ships. Every time I glanced at the

might do.

sand in an hourglass Id imagine my

I should not see the sandy hourglass

ships wrecked on sandbars. Id

run,

think of dangerous rocks every time

But I should think of shallows and of

I went to church and saw the stones

flats

it was made of. If my ship brushed

35

40

And see my wealthy Andrew docked

up against rocks like that, its whole

in sand,

cargo of spices would be dumped

Vailing her high top lower than her

into the sea. All of its silk shipments

ribs

would be sent flying into the roaring

To kiss her burial. Should I go to

waters. In one moment Id go

church

bankrupt. Who wouldnt get sad

And see the holy edifice of stone

thinking about things like that? Its

And not bethink me straight of

obvious. Antonio is sad because

dangerous rocks,

hes so worried about his cargo.

Which, touching but my gentle

vessels side,
Would scatter all her spices on the
stream,
Enrobe the roaring waters with my
silks,
And, in a word, but even now worth
this,
And now worth nothing? Shall I have
the thought
To think on this, and shall I lack the
thought
That such a thing bechanced would
make me sad?
But tell not me. I know Antonio
Is sad to think upon his
merchandise.

45

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Believe me, no. I thank my fortune

No, thats not it, trust me. Thankfully

for it

my financial situation is healthy. I

My ventures are not in one bottom

dont have all of my money invested

trusted,

in one ship, or one part of the world.

Nor to one place, nor is my whole

If I dont do well this year, Ill still be

estate

okay. So its not my business thats

Upon the fortune of this present

making me sad.

year.
Therefore my merchandise makes
me not sad.
SOLANIO

SOLANIO

50

Why then, you are in love.

Well then, you must be in love.

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Fie, fie!

Oh, give me a break.

SOLANIO

SOLANIO

Not in love neither? Then let us say

Youre not in love either? Fine, lets

you are sad

just say youre sad because youre

Because you are not merryand

not in a good mood. You know, itd

twere as easy

be just as easy for you to laugh and

For you to laugh and leap and say

dance around and say youre in a

you are merry

good mood. You could just say

Because you are not sad. Now, by

youre not sad. Humans are so

two-headed Janus,

different.

Nature hath framed strange fellows

in her time.
Some that will

Some people will laugh at anything, and others are so grouchy they wont even crack a smile

evermore

when they hear something hysterically funny.

peep through
their eyes
And laugh like
parrots at a
bagpiper,
And other of
such vinegar
aspect
That theyll not
show their
teeth in way of
smile
Though
Nestor swear
the jest be
laughable.
Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO,

BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO enter.

and GRATIANO
Here comes Bassanio, your most

Here comes your cousin Bassanio. And Gratiano and

noble kinsman,

Lorenzo too. Goodbye, then. Well leave you to talk to

Gratiano, and Lorenzo. Fare ye well.

them. Theyre better company.

We leave you now with better

company.

60

SALARINO

SALARINO

I would have stayed till I had made

I wouldve stayed to cheer you up, if your nobler

you merry

friends hadnt shown up.

If worthier friends had not prevented

me.
ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Your worth is very dear in my regard.

Youre both very precious to me. But I understand.

I take it your own business calls on

You need to leave to take care of your own business.

you
And you embrace th' occasion to
depart.

65

SALARINO

SALARINO

(to BASSANIO, LORENZO,

(to BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO) Good

GRATIANO)

morning, gentlemen.

Good morrow, my good lords.

BASSANIO

BASSANIO

(to SALARINO and SOLANIO)

(to SALARINO and SOLANIO) Hello, friends. When

Good signors both, when shall we

are we going to have fun together again? Just name

laugh? Say, when?

the time. We never see you anymore. Does it have to

You grow exceeding strange. Must it

be that way?

be so?

70

SALARINO

SALARINO

Well make our leisures to attend on

Let us know when you want to get together. Were

yours.

available.

Exeunt SALARINO and SOLANIO

SALARINO and SOLANIO exit.

LORENZO

LORENZO

My Lord Bassanio, since you have

Bassanio, well say goodbye for now, since youve

found Antonio,

found Antonio. But dont forget, were meeting for

We two will leave you. But at

dinner tonight.

dinnertime
I pray you have in mind where we
must meet.
BASSANIO

BASSANIO

I will not fail you.

Dont worry, Ill be there.

GRATIANO

GRATIANO

You look not well, Signor

You dont look well, Antonio. Youre taking things too seriously. People with too

Antonio.

much invested in the world always get hurt. Im telling you, you dont look like

You have too much respect

yourself.

upon the world.

They lose it that do buy it
with much care.
Believe me, you are
marvelously changed.

80

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

I hold the world but as the

For me the world is just the world, Gratianoa

world, Gratiano

stage where every person has a part to play. I

A stage where every man

play a sad one.

must play a part,

And mine a sad one.

85

90

95

100

GRATIANO

GRATIANO

Let me play the fool.

Then Ill play the happy fool and get laugh

With mirth and laughter let old

lines on my face. Id rather overload my liver

wrinkles come.

with wine than starve my heart by denying

And let my liver rather heat

myself fun. Why should any living man sit still

with wine

like a statue? Why should he sleep when hes

Than my heart cool with

awake? Why should he get ulcers from being

mortifying groans.

crabby all the time? I love you, and Im telling

Why should a man whose

you this because I care about you, Antonio

blood is warm within

there are men who always look serious. Their

Sit like his grandsire cut in

faces never move or show any expression,

alabaster,

like stagnant ponds covered with scum.

Sleep when he wakes, and

Theyre silent and stern, and they think theyre

creep into the jaundice

wise and deep, important and respectable.

By being peevish? I tell thee

When they talk, they think everybody else

what, Antonio

should keep quiet, and that even dogs should

I love thee, and tis my love

stop barking. I know a lot of men like that,

that speaks

Antonio. The only reason theyre considered

There are a sort of men whose

wise is because they dont say anything. Im

visages

sure if they ever opened their mouths,

Do cream and mantle like a

everyone would see what fools they are. Ill

standing pond,

talk to you more about this some other time. In

And do a willful stillness

the meantime, cheer up. Dont go around

105

entertain

looking so glum. Thats my opinion, but what

With purpose to be dressed in

do I know? Im a fool.Lets go, Lorenzo.

an opinion

Goodbye for now. Ill finish my lecture after

Of wisdom, gravity, profound

dinner.

conceit,
As who should say, I am Sir
Oracle,
And when I ope my lips, let no
dog bark!
O my Antonio, I do know of
these
That therefore only are
reputed wise
For saying nothing, when I am
very sure
If they should speak, would
almost damn those ears
Which, hearing them, would
call their brothers fools.
Ill tell thee more of this
another time.
But fish not with this
melancholy bait
For this fool gudgeon, this
opinion.
Come, good Lorenzo.Fare
ye well awhile.
Ill end my exhortation after
dinner.
LORENZO

LORENZO

Well, we will

All right, well see you at dinnertime. I must be one of these silent so-called wise men

leave you then

Gratianos talking about, because he never lets me get a word in.

till dinnertime.
I must be one of
these same
dumb wise men,
For Gratiano
never lets me
speak.

110

GRATIANO

GRATIANO

Well, keep me company but two years

If you hang around me for two more years, youll

more,

forget the sound of your own voice. I wont ever let

Thou shalt not know the sound of

you speak.

thine own tongue.

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Farewell. Ill grow a talker for this

Goodbye. After that lecture of yours, Ill start talking

gear.

a lot.

GRATIANO

GRATIANO

Thanks, i' faith, for silence is only

Thank you. The only tongues that should be silent

commendable

are ox-tongues on a dinner plate and those that

In a neats tongue dried and a maid

belong to old maids.

not vendible.
Exeunt GRATIANO and LORENZO

115

GRATIANO and LORENZO exit.

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Is that any thing now?

Is he right?

BASSANIO

BASSANIO

Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of

Gratiano talks more nonsense than any other man

nothing, more than any man in all

in Venice. His point is always like a needle in a

Venice. His reasons are as two grains

haystackyou look for it all day, and when you find

of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff

it you realize it wasnt worth the trouble.

you shall seek all day ere you find

them, and when you have them they
are not worth the search.
ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Well, tell me now what lady is the

So, whos this girl, the one you said you were going

same

to take a special trip for? You promised to tell me.

To whom you swore a secret

pilgrimage,
That you today promised to tell me of?

125

BASSANIO

BASSANIO

'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio,

Antonio, you know how bad my finances have

How much I have disabled mine

been lately. Ive been living way beyond my means.

estate,

Dont get me wrong, Im not complaining about

By something showing a more

having to cut back.

swelling port

Than my faint means would grant

continuance.
Nor do I now make moan to be
abridged
From such a noble rate. But my chief
care
130

135

Is to come fairly off from the great

I just want to be honorable and pay off the big

debts

debts that piled up when I was living the high

Wherein my time something too

life. Im in debt to many people, and I owe most

prodigal

to you, Antonioboth money and gratitude.

Hath left me gaged. To you,

And because you care about me, I know youll

Antonio,

let me tell you my plan to clear all my debts.

I owe the most in money and in

love,
And from your love I have a
warranty
To unburden all my plots and
purposes
How to get clear of all the debts I
owe.

140

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

I pray you, good Bassanio, let me

Please let me know your plan, Bassanio. As

know it.

long as its honorable, you can be sure that Ill

And if it stand, as you yourself still

let you use all my money and do everything I

do,

can to help you.

Within the eye of honor, be assured

My purse, my person, my extremest
means
Lie all unlocked to your occasions.

145

BASSANIO

BASSANIO

In my school days, when I had lost

Back when I was a schoolboy, if I lost an arrow I

one shaft,

would try to find it by shooting another arrow in

I shot his fellow of the selfsame

the same direction, watching the second arrow

flight

more carefully than I had the first. By risking

The selfsame way with more

the second arrow, Id often get both of them

advisd watch

back. Im telling you this story for a reason. I

To find the other forthand by

owe you a lot, and like a spoiled kid Ive lost

adventuring both,

what I owe you. But if youd be willing to shoot

150

I oft found both. I urge this

another arrow the same way you shot the first,

childhood proof

Ill watch your arrow more carefully this time.

Because what follows is pure

Either well get back all the money I owe you, or

innocence.

else well get back what you lend me this time,

I owe you much, and, like a willful

and Ill just owe you what I already owe you.

youth,
That which I owe is lost. But if you
please
To shoot another arrow that self
way
Which you did shoot the first, I do
not doubt,
As I will watch the aim, or to find
both
Or bring your latter hazard back
again
And thankfully rest debtor for the
first.

155

160

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

You know me well, and herein

You know me better than that. Youre wasting

spend but time

your breath. All of this talk means you have

To wind about my love with

doubts about my friendship. Thats worse than

circumstance.

if you bankrupted me. Just tell me what to do,

And out of doubt you do me now

and Ill do it. Tell me.

more wrong
In making question of my uttermost
Than if you had made waste of all I
have.
Then do but say to me what I
should do
That in your knowledge may by me
be done,
And I am pressed unto it. Therefore
speak.

ORIGINAL TEXT

MODERN TEXT
BASSANIO

BASSANIO

In Belmont is a lady richly left,

Theres a girl in Belmont whos inherited a

165

170

175

And she is fair andfairer than

huge amount of money, and shes beautiful

that word

andeven bettershes a good person. I

Of wondrous virtues.

think she likes me. Sometimes the expression

Sometimes from her eyes

on her face tells me she likes me. Her name is

I did receive fair speechless

Portia. Shes as rich as that famous Roman

messages.

heroine Portia, the daughter of Cato and wife

Her name is Portia, nothing

of Brutus. Her wealth is world-famous.

undervalued

Famous and important men have come in

To Catos daughter, Brutus'

from all over the world to try to marry her. The

Portia.

hair that hangs down on her forehead is like

Nor is the wide world ignorant

gold, calling every adventurer to Belmont like

of her worth,

a gold rush. Antonio, if I only had enough

For the four winds blow in from

money to hold my own against those suitors, I

every coast

know I could win her!

Renownd suitors, and her

sunny locks
Hang on her temples like a
golden fleece,
Which makes her seat of
Belmont Colchos' strand,
And many Jasons come in
quest of her.
O my Antonio, had I but the
means
To hold a rival place with one
of them,
I have a mind presages me
such thrift
That I should questionless be
fortunate!

180

185

ANTONIO

ANTONIO

Thou knowst that all my

You know right now all my moneys tied up in

fortunes are at sea.

that cargo thats still at sea. I cant give you

Neither have I money nor

the cash you need because I dont have it. But

commodity

go ahead and charge things to me on credit,

To raise a present sum.

as much credit as I can get in Venice. Ill use

Therefore go forth,

all my lines of credit to help you get to

Try what my credit can in

Belmont, to Portia. Go see who will lend

Venice do

money, and Ill do the same. Im sure I can get

That shall be racked even to

something either as a business loan, or as a

the uttermost

personal favor.

To furnish thee to Belmont, to

fair Portia.
Go presently inquire, and so
will I,
Where money is, and I no
question make
To have it of my trust or for my
sake.