8/14/2019 Bassanio and Portia, Merchant Blank

1/4

1

The Merchant of Venice, 3.2

SCENE II. Belmont. A room in PORTIA'S house.

PORTIAI pray you, tarry: pause a day or twoBefore you hazard; for, in choosing wrong,

I ose your co!pany: therefore for"ear awhie.

There#s so!ething tes !e, "ut it is not o$e,I woud not ose you; and you %now yoursef,

&ate counses not in such a 'uaity.

But est you shoud not understand !e we,(()nd yet a !aiden hath no tongue "ut thought,((

I woud detain you here so!e !onth or two

Before you $enture for !e. I coud 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$e o#eroo%#d !e and di$ided !e;

+ne haf of !e is yours, the other haf yours,

Mine own, I woud say; "ut if !ine, then yours,)nd so, a yours. cutting

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! eection.

BASSANIOet !e choose

-or as I a!, I i$e upon the rac%.

PORTIA

pon the rac%, Bassanio/ then confess

0hat treason there is !inged with your o$e.

BASSANIO

one "ut that ugy treason of !istrust,0hich !a%es !e fear the enoying of !y o$e. cutting

PORTIA

)y, "ut I fear you spea% upon the rac%,0here !en enforced do spea% anything.

BASSANIO

8/14/2019 Bassanio and Portia, Merchant Blank

2/4

2

ro!ise !e ife, and I# confess the truth.

PORTIA0e then, confess and i$e.

BASSANIO#4onfess# and #o$e#

&ad "een the $ery su! of !y confession:

+ happy tor!ent, when !y torturer5oth teach !e answers for dei$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.

erissa and the rest, stand a aoof.

et !usic sound whie he doth !a%e his choice;Then, if he ose, he !a%es a swan(i%e end,

-ading in !usic. &e !ay win; cutting, oined ine)nd what is !usic then6 Then !usic is

7$en as the fourish when true su"ects "ow

To a new(crowned !onarch: such it is)s are those ducet sounds in "rea% of day

That creep into the drea!ing "ridegroo!#s ear,

)nd su!!on hi! to !arriage. ow 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 howing Troy

To the sea(!onster: go, &ercues/ cut, co!"ined inei$e thou, I i$e. 0ith !uch, !uch !ore dis!ay

I $iew the fight than thou that !a%8st the fray.

Music, whilst BASSANIO observes the caskets.

*+9 (sung by ensemble)Te !e where is fancy "red,

+r in the heart, or in the head6

&ow "egot, how nourished6

epy, repy.

BASSANIO

*o !ay the outward shows "e east the!se$es:The word is sti decei$ed with orna!ent.

In aw, what pea so tainted and corrupt,

But "eing seasoned with a gracious $oice,+"scures the show of e$i6 In reigion,

8/14/2019 Bassanio and Portia, Merchant Blank

3/4

3

0hat da!ned error, "ut so!e so"er "row

0i "ess it and appro$e it with a tet,

&iding the grossness with fair orna!ent6There is no $ice so si!pe "ut assu!es

*o!e !ar% of $irtue on his outward parts. cutting

Therefore, thou gaudy god,&ard food for Midas, I wi none of thee;

or none of thee, thou pae and co!!on drudge

#Tween !an and !an. But thou, thou !eager ead,0hich rather threatenest than dost pro!ise aught,

Thy paeness !o$es !e !ore than eo'uence;

)nd here choose I; oy "e the conse'uence/

PORTIA

et oo%, how farThe 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 fas to you,Be content and see% no new.

8/14/2019 Bassanio and Portia, Merchant Blank

4/4

?

If you "e we peased with this

)nd hod your fortune for your "iss,

Turn you where your ady is)nd cai! her with a o$ing %iss.

) gente scro. -air ady, "y your ea$e;I co!e "y note, to gi$e and to recei$e.

#hey kiss.