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

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2 3ro!ise !e ife, and I# confess the truth. PORTIA 0e then, confess and i$e. BASSANIO #4onfess# and # o$e# &ad "een the $ery su! of !y confession: + happy tor!ent, when !y torturer 5oth teach !e answers for de i$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$e !e, you wi find !e out. 1erissa and the rest, stand a a oof. ,et !usic sound whi e he doth !a%e his choice; Then, if he ose, he !a%es a swan( i%e end, -ading in !usic. &e !ay win; )nd what is !usic then6 Then !usic is 7$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%8st the fray. Music, whilst BASSANIO observes the caskets. *+19 (sung by ensemble) Te !e where is fancy "red, +r in the heart, or in the head6 &ow "egot, how nourished6 :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 6 In re igion,

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3 0hat da!ned error, "ut so!e so"er "row 0i " ess it and appro$e it with a te;t, &iding the grossness with fair orna!ent6 There is no $ice so si!p e "ut assu!es *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$e, Be !oderate; a ay thy ecstasy/ BASSANIO 0hat find I here6 O ening the lea!en casket -air 3ortia#s counterfeit/ 0hat de!i(god &ath co!e so near creation6 Mo$e these eyes6 +r whether, riding on the "a s of !ine, *ee! they in !otion6 &ere are se$er#d ips, 3arted with sugar "reath. &ere in her hairs The painter p ays the spider, and hath wo$en ) si %en !esh to entrap the hearts of !en, -aster than gnats in co"we"s; "ut her eyes,(( &ow cou d he see to do the!6 ha$ing !ade one, Methin%s it shou d ha$e power to stea "oth his )nd ea$e itse f unfurnish#d. >et oo%, how far The su"stance of !y praise doth wrong this shadow In underprizing it, so far this shadow 5oth i!p "ehind the su"stance. &ere#s the scro , The continent and su!!ary of !y fortune. "ea!s >ou that choose not "y the $iew, 4hance as fair and choose as true/ *ince this fortune fa s to you, Be content and see% no new.

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? If you "e we p eased with this )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.