The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (471 page)

Enter NERISSA, dressed like a lawyer's clerk

DUKE

Came you from Padua, from Bellario?

Have you come from Padua from Bellario’s?

NERISSA

From both, my lord. Bellario greets your grace.

From both, sir. Bellario sends his greetings.

Presenting a letter

BASSANIO

Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?

Why are you sharpening your knife so eagerly?

SHYLOCK

To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt there.

To cut my payment from that bankrupt man over there.

GRATIANO

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

Thou makest thy knife keen; but no metal can,

No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness

Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?

You shouldn’t do it on the sole of your shoe, but on your soul, cruel Jew,

You’d sharpen the knife better than any metal can.

Not even the hangman’s ax could be half as sharp

As the hate inside you. Can no prayers reach you?

SHYLOCK

No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.

No, none that you have the intelligence to make.

GRATIANO

O, be thou damn'd, inexecrable dog!

And for thy life let justice be accused.

Thou almost makest me waver in my faith

To hold opinion with Pythagoras,

That souls of animals infuse themselves

Into the boxs of men: thy currish spirit

Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaughter,

Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,

And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam,

Infused itself in thee; for thy desires

Are wolvish, bloody, starved and ravenous.

Oh, go to hell, you unmovable dog!

You should be killed in the name of justice.

You almost cause me to be unsteady in my beliefs,

And to agree with the philosopher Pythagoras

That the souls of animals are born again

As humans. Your dog-like soul

Came from a wolf who was slaughtered for killing humans.

As he hung from the gallows his savage soul fled

And—while you were in the unholy womb of your mother—

It came into you. Your desires

Are wolfish, bloody, starved and insatiable.

SHYLOCK

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.

Until you can rant the seal off of my contract,

You just hurt your lungs to yell so loudly.

Recover your senses, young man, or you will fall

apart. I have the law on my side.

DUKE

This letter from Bellario doth commend

A young and learned doctor to our court.

Where is he?

This letter from Bellario recommends

A young and well-educated legal expert to our court.

Where is he?

NERISSA

He attendeth here hard by,

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

He waits nearby

To hear whether you will admit him into the court.

DUKE

With all my heart. Some three or four of you

Go give him courteous conduct to this place.

Meantime the court shall hear Bellario's letter.

I welcome him with all of my heart. Three or four of you

Go give him a courteous escort here.

In the meantime, the court will hear Bellario’s letter.

Clerk

[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 Balthasar. 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.

[Reads]

Please understand that even though I received

your letter, I am very ill at the time. However, when

your messenger delivered the letter, I was being visited by

a young doctor from Rome whose name is Balthasar. I

told him about the controvery regarding

the Jew and Antonio the merchant. We looked over

many books together. He is aware of my

opinion on the matter, which was made better with his knowledge,

which is so broad I could not recommend him more, and he brings

my opinion with him, since I am not able to do so, and will fill your

request in place of me. Please do not let his young age

fool you into thinking he is not worthy of respect

and high esteem. I’ve never known such a young body graced with

such a wise head. I leave him for you

to accept into court. Once you see what he can do, he

will commend himself by his actions.

DUKE

You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he writes:

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

You hear the wise Bellario has written.

And here comes the expert he recommends.

Enter PORTIA, dressed like a doctor of laws

Give me your hand. Come you from old Bellario?

Please, shake my hand. Have you come from Bellario?

PORTIA

I did, my lord.

I did, sir.

DUKE

You are welcome: take your place.

Are you acquainted with the difference

That holds this present question in the court?

Welcome, and please take a seat.

Are you acquainted with the case

That is currently before the court?

PORTIA

I am informed thoroughly of the cause.

Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?

I am thoroughoy familiar with the case.

Which is the merchant, here, and which is the Jew?

DUKE

Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.

Antonio and Shylock, please step forward.

PORTIA

Is your name Shylock?

Is your name Shylock?

SHYLOCK

Shylock is my name.

My name is Shylock.

PORTIA

Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;

Yet in such rule that the Venetian law

Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.

You stand within his danger, do you not?

The case you present is very strange,

Yet is so valid that the Venetian law

Cannot dispute it as you go forward with it.

You stand within danger here, don’t you?

ANTONIO

Ay, so he says.

Yes, that’s what he says.

PORTIA

Do you confess the bond?

Do you acknowledge the contract?

ANTONIO

I do.

I do.

PORTIA

Then must the Jew be merciful.

Then the Jew must show mercy.

SHYLOCK

On what compulsion must I? tell me that.

Why should I do that? Tell me.

PORTIA

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:

'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes

The throned monarch better than his crown;

His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,

The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;

But mercy is above this sceptred sway;

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's

When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,

Though justice be thy plea, consider this,

That, in the course of justice, none of us

Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render

The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much

To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice

Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

Mercy is not something that can be forced.

It drops like soft rain from heaven

Upon the place beneath it. It twice blesses:

It blesses he who gives it and he who receives it.

It is influential in the most influential people. It makes

A king look better than his own crown does.

His scepter shows his power and strength on earth,

It is a credit to his awe and grandness.

Within it sits the dread and fear of kings,

But mercy has more power and is higher than the scepter.

It is enthroned within the hearts of kings.

It is a credit to God himself,

Earthly power seems most like God’s power

When mercy is added to justice. So, Jew,

Although it is justice you want, consider this.

Following the course of justice alone

won’t save you. We pray for mercy,

And saying the prayer teaches us to give

mercy. I have said all of this

To persuade you to reduce the severity of your claim,

Which, if you follow through, this strict court of Venice

Will have to serve sentence against the merchant there.

SHYLOCK

My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,

The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

My actions are my own! I want the law—

The payment for the forfeit of the contract.

PORTIA

Is he not able to discharge the money?

Can’t he the contract just be dimissed with payment?

BASSANIO

Yes, here I tender it for him in the court;

Yea, twice the sum: if that will not suffice,

I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,

On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart:

If this will not suffice, it must appear

That malice bears down truth. And I beseech you,

Wrest once the law to your authority:

To do a great right, do a little wrong,

And curb this cruel devil of his will.