Download pdf - Bassanio and Portia, w Paraphrase

8/13/2019 Bassanio and Portia, w Paraphrase

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The Merchant of Venice, 3.2

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 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.

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.

BASSANIO

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

PORTIApon 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.

PORTIA

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

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

et !e pic%

Because as I a! now, I i$e in torture

othing e4cept the "etraya of suspicion,0hich !a%es !e afraid of enoying !y o$e.

ro!ise you5 et !e i$e and I5 gi$e up the truth.


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PORTIA

0e then, confess and i$e.

BASSANIO

#6onfess# and #o$e#

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

+ happy tor!ent, when !y torturer7oth 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;

)nd what is !usic then8 Then !usic is9$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 TroyTo the sea(!onster: go, &ercues/

i$e thou, I i$e. 0ith !uch, !uch !ore dis!ay

I $iew the fight than thou that !a%5st the fray.

Music, whilst BASSANIO observes the caskets.

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

+r in the heart, or in the head8

&ow "egot, how nourished8epy, 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$i8 In reigion,

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

6onfess and o$e

0oud "e the whoe of !y confession:

+ooh happy anguish, when !y torturerTeaches !e the answers for reease/

But et !e go to !y fate and the "o4es.

Their outward appearances !ust "e east i%e their truecontents:

The word is sti decei$ed "y e!"eish!ents.

In the court of aw, what stained and per$erted appeaMade !ore peasing with a o$ey $oice


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

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

=)side> &ow a the other passions feet to air,

)s dou"tfu thoughts, and rash(e!"raced despair,)nd shuddering fear, and green(eyed eaousy/ +

o$e,

Be !oderate; aay thy ecstasy/

BASSANIO

0hat find I here8

Oening the lea!en casket

-air ortia#s counterfeit/ 0hat de!i(god

&ath co!e so near creation8 Mo$e these eyes8

+r whether, riding on the "as of !ine,*ee! they in !otion8 &ere are se$er#d ips,

arted with sugar "reath. &ere in her hairs

The painter pays 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 coud he see to do the!8 ha$ing !ade one,

Methin%s it shoud ha$e power to stea "oth his

)nd ea$e itsef unfurnish#d. ?et oo%, how farThe su"stance of !y praise doth wrong this shadow

In underprizing it, so far this shadow

7oth 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,

6hance as fair and choose as true/*ince this fortune fas to you,

Be content and see% no new.

If you "e we peased with this

0i turn it to ad$antage and ustifies it with a piece of

*cripture,

&iding the shoc%ing offense with fair e!"eish!ent8There is no ha"itua sin so si!pe that it doesn5t ta%e on

*o!e sign of goodness in its e4terior parts.

Therfore, you showy god,

Inedi"e food of


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)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.

)nd see your fate as the happiest thing possi"e,

Turn to your ady

)nd cai! her with a passionate %iss.

) o$ey scro. Beautifu ady, with your aowance,

I co!e with this scro, to gi$e !y o$e and to recei$eyours.