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Enter MUSICIANS
Come； ho； and wake Diana with a hymn； With sweetest touches
pierce your mistress' ear。 And draw her home with music。 ＇Music＇
JESSICA。 I am never merry when I hear sweet music。 LORENZO。 The
reason is your spirits are attentive； For do but note a wild and wanton herd；
Or race of youthful and unhandled colts； Fetching mad bounds； bellowing
and neighing loud； Which is the hot condition of their blood… If they but
hear perchance a trumpet sound； Or any air of music touch their ears； You
shall perceive them make a mutual stand； Their savage eyes turn'd to a
modest gaze By the sweet power of music。 Therefore the poet Did feign
that Orpheus drew trees； stones； and floods； Since nought so stockish； hard；
and full of rage； But music for the time doth change his nature。 The man
that hath no music in himself； Nor is not mov'd with concord of sweet
sounds； Is fit for treasons； stratagems； and spoils； The motions of his spirit
are dull：as night； And his affections dark as Erebus。 Let no such man be
trusted。 Mark the music。
Enter PORTIA and NERISSA
PORTIA。 That light we see is burning in my hall。 How far that little
candle throws his beams！ So shines a good deed in a naughty world。
NERISSA。 When the moon shone； we did not see the candle。 PORTIA。 So
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
doth the greater glory dim the less： A substitute shines brightly as a king
Until a king be by； and then his state Empties itself； as doth an inland
brook Into the main of waters。 Music！ hark！ NERISSA。 It is your music；
madam； of the house。 PORTIA。 Nothing is good； I see； without respect；
Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day。 NERISSA。 Silence bestows
that virtue on it； madam。 PORTIA。 The crow doth sing as sweetly as the
lark When neither is attended； and I think ne nightingale； if she should
sing by day； When every goose is cackling； would be thought No better a
musician than the wren。 How many things by season season'd are To their
right praise and true perfection！ Peace； ho！ The moon sleeps with
Endymion； And would not be awak'd。 ＇Music ceases＇ LORENZO。 That is
the voice； Or I am much deceiv'd； of Portia。 PORTIA。 He knows me as the
blind man knows the cuckoo； By the bad voice。 LORENZO。 Dear lady；
welcome home。 PORTIA。 We have been praying for our husbands' welfare；
Which speed； we hope； the better for our words。 Are they return'd？
LORENZO。 Madam； they are not yet； But there is come a messenger
before； To signify their coming。 PORTIA。。 Go in； Nerissa； Give order to
my servants that they take No note at all of our being absent hence； Nor
you； Lorenzo； Jessica； nor you。 ＇A tucket sounds＇ LORENZO。 Your
husband is at hand； I hear his trumpet。 We are no tell…tales； madam； fear
you not。 PORTIA。 This night methinks is but the daylight sick； It looks a
little paler； 'tis a day Such as the day is when the sun is hid。
Enter BASSANIO； ANTONIO； GRATIANO； and their followers
BASSANIO。 We should hold day with the Antipodes； If you would
walk in absence of the sun。 PORTIA。 Let me give light； but let me not be
light； For a light wife doth make a heavy husband； And never be Bassanio
so for me； But God sort all！ You are welcome home； my lord。 BASSANIO。
I thank you； madam； give welcome to my friend。 This is the man； this is
Antonio； To whom I am so infinitely bound。 PORTIA。 You should in all
sense be much bound to him； For； as I hear； he was much bound for you。
ANTONIO。 No more than I am well acquitted of。 PORTIA。 Sir； you are
very welcome to our house。 It must appear in other ways than words；
Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy。 GRATIANO。 ＇To NERISSA＇ By
yonder moon I swear you do me wrong； In faith； I gave it to the judge's
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THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
clerk。 Would he were gelt that had it； for my part； Since you do take it；
love； so much at heart。 PORTIA。 A quarrel； ho； already！ What's the matter？
GRATIANO。 About a hoop of gold； a paltry ring That she did give me；
whose posy was For all the world like cutler's poetry Upon a knife； 'Love
me； and leave me not。' NERISSA。 What talk you of the posy or the value？
You swore to me； when I did give it you； That you would wear it till your
hour of death； And that it should lie with you in your grave； Though not
for me； yet for your vehement oaths； You should have been respective and
have kept it。 Gave it a judge's clerk！ No； God's my judge； The clerk will
ne'er wear hair on's face that had it。 GRATIANO。 He will； an if he live to
be a man。 NERISSA。 Ay； if a woman live to be a man。 GRATIANO。 Now
by this hand I gave it to a youth； A kind of boy； a little scrubbed boy No
higher than thyself； the judge's clerk； A prating boy that begg'd it as a fee；
I could not for my heart deny it him。 PORTIA。 You were to blame； I must
be plain with you； To part so slightly with your wife's first gift； A thing
stuck on with oaths upon your finger And so riveted with faith unto your
flesh。 I gave my love a ring； and made him swear Never to part with it；
and here he stands； I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it Nor
pluck it from his finger for the wealth That the world masters。 Now； in
faith； Gratiano； You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief； An 'twere
to me； I should be mad at it。 BASSANIO。 ＇Aside＇ Why； I were best to cut
my left hand off； And swear I lost the ring defending it。 GRATIANO。 My
Lord Bassanio gave his ring away Unto the judge that begg'd it； and
indeed Deserv'd it too； and then the boy； his clerk； That took some pains in
writing； he begg'd mine； And neither man nor master would take aught But
the two rings。 PORTIA。 What ring gave you； my lord？ Not that； I hope；
which you receiv'd of me。 BASSANIO。 If I could add a lie unto a fault； I
would deny it； but you see my finger Hath not the ring upon it； it is gone。
PORTIA。 Even so void is your false heart of truth； By heaven； I will ne'er
come in your bed Until I see the ring。 NERISSA。 Nor I in yours Till I
again see mine。 BASSANIO。 Sweet Portia； If you did know to whom I
gave the ring； If you did know for whom I gave the ring； And would
conceive for what I gave the ring； And how unwillingly I left the ring；
When nought would be accepted but th