PERSONS REPRESENTED. DUKE OF VENICE. PRINCE OF ARRAGON, suitor to Portia. PRINCE OF MOROCCO, suitor to Portia. Act II. sc. 6. Act III. sc. 3. SALARINO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio. Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 4; sc. 6; sc. 8. GRATIANO, friend to Antonio and Bassanio. Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act II. sc. 5. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1. TUBAL, a Jew, friend to Shylock. Appears, Act III. sc. 1. LAUNCELOT GOBBO, a clown, servant to Shylock. Appears, Act II. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4; sc. 5. Act III. sc. 5. Act V. sc. 1. Old GOBBO, father to Launcelot. BALTHAZAR, servant to Portia. Appears, Act III. sc. 4. STEPHANO, servant to Portia. PORTIA, a rich heiress. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 7; sc. 9. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2. NERISSA, waiting-maid to Portia. Act V. sc. 1. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 7; sc. 9. JESSICA, daughter to Shylock. Act V. sc. 1. Appears, Act II. sc. 3; sc. 5; sc. 6. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 4; sc. 5. Act V. sc. 1. Magnificoes of Venice, Officers of the Court of Justice, Gaoler, SCENE, PARTLY AT VENICE; Aand partly at BELMONT, THE SEAT 'THE MERCHANT OF VENICE' was first printed in 1600, two editions appearing in the same year-the one bearing the name of a publisher, Thomas Heyes, the other that of a printer, J. Roberts. The play was not reprinted till it appeared in the folio of 1623. In that edition there are a few variations from the quartos. All these editions present the internal evidence of having been printed from correct copies. The Merchant of Venice' is one of the plays of Shakspere mentioned by Francis Meres in 1598, and it is the last mentioned in his list. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I-Venice. A Street. Enter ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SOLANIO. ANT. In sooth, I know not why I am so sad; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, SALAR. Your mind is tossing on the ocean; Be with my hopes abroad. I should be still SALAR. My wind, cooling my broth, Would blow me to an ague, when I thought 7 What harm a wind too great might do at sea. I should not see the sandy hour-glass run, To kiss her burial. Should I go to church, And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks, And now worth nothing? Shall I have the thought Is sad to think upon his merchandise. ANT. Believe me, no; I thank my fortune for it, Therefore my merchandise makes me not sad. ANT. Fie, fie! SALAR. Not in love neither? Then let us say, you are sad Because you are not merry: an 't were as easy For you to laugh, and leap, and say you are merry, Because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus, Nature hath fram'd strange fellows in her time: Some that will evermore peep through their eyes, That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO. SOLAN. Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, Gratiano, and Lorenzo: Fare you well; We leave you now with better company. SALAR. I would have stay'd till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had not prevented me. > ANT. Your worth is very dear in my regard. And you embrace the occasion to depart. SALAR. Good morrow, my good lords. BASS. Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? Say, when? You grow exceeding strange: Must it be so? SALAR. We'll make our leisures to attend on yours. [Exeunt SALARINO and SOLANIO. LOR. My lord Bassanio, since you have found Antonio, We two will leave you; but at dinner-time I pray you have in mind where we must meet. GRA. You look not well, signior Antonio; ANT. I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; And mine a sad one. GRA. Let me play the Fool: With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come; Sleep when he wakes? and creep into the jaundice If they should speak, would almost damn those ears |