In sooth , I know not why I am so sad ; It wearies me ; you say , it wearies you ; But how I caught it , found it , or came by it , What stuff ‘ tis made of , whereof it is born , I am to learn ; And such a want-wit sadness makes of me , That I have much ado to know myself . Believe me , no : I thank my fortune for it , My ventures are not in one bottom trusted , Nor to one place ; nor is my whole estate Upon the fortune of this present year : Therefore my merchandize makes me not sad . Fie , fie ! Your worth is very dear in my regard . I take it your own business calls on you , And you embrace the occasion to depart . I hold the world but as the world , Gratiano ; A stage , where every man must play a part , And mine a sad one . Farewell : I 'll grow a talker for this gear . Is that any thing now ? Well ; tell me now , what lady is the same To whom you swore a secret pilgrimage , That you to-day promis 'd to tell me of ? I pray you , good Bassanio , let me know it ; And , if it stand , as you yourself still do , Within the eye of honour , be assur 'd My purse , my person , my extremest means , Lie all unlock 'd to your occasions . You know me well ; and herein spend but time , To wind about my love with circumstance ; Then do but say to me what I should do , That in your knowledge may by me be done , And I am prest unto it : therefore speak . Thou know'st that all my fortunes are at sea ; Neither have I money , nor commodity To raise a present sum : therefore go forth , Try what my credit can in Venice do ; That shall be rack 'd , even to the uttermost , To furnish thee to Belmont , to fair Portia . Go , presently inquire , and so will I , Where money is ; and I no question make , To have it of my trust , or for my sake . FOOTNOTES : Shylock , albeit , I neither lend nor borrow , By taking , nor by giving of excess . Yet , to supply the ripe wants of my friend , I 'll break a custom :— - Is he yet possess 'd How much you would ? And for three months . I do never use it . And what of him ? did he take interest ? This was a venture , Sir , that Jacob serv 'd for ; A thing not in his power to bring to pass , But sway 'd and fashion 'd by the hand of Heaven . Was this inserted to make interest good ? Or is your gold and silver ewes and rams ? Mark you this , Bassanio , The devil can cite scripture for his purpose . An evil soul producing holy witness Is like a villain with a smiling cheek ; A goodly apple rotten at the heart ; O , what a goodly outside falsehood hath ! Well , Shylock , shall we be beholden to you ? I am as like to call thee so again , To spet on thee again , to spurn thee too . If thou wilt lend this money , lend it not As to thy friends ; But lend it rather to thine enemy ; Who , if he break , thou may'st with better face Exact the penalties . This were kindness . Content , in faith ; I 'll seal to such a bond , And say , there is much kindness in the Jew . Why , fear not , man ; I will not forfeit it ; Within these two months , that 's a month before This bond expires , I do expect return Of thrice three times the value of this bond . Yes , Shylock , I will seal unto this bond . Hie thee , gentle Jew . This Hebrew will turn Christian ; he grows kind . Come , on ; in this there can be no dismay , My ships come home a month before the day . FOOTNOTES : Hear me yet , good Shylock . I pray thee , hear me speak . Let him alone ; I 'll follow him no more with bootless prayers . He seeks my life . The duke cannot deny the course of law , For the commodity that strangers have With us in Venice , if it be denied , ‘ Twill much impeach the justice of the state ; Since that the trade and profit of the city Consisteth of all nations . Well , gaoler , on :— Pray heaven , Bassanio come To see me pay his debt , and then I care not . FOOTNOTES : Ready , so please your grace . Duke , I am sorry for thee : them art come to answer A stony adversary , an inhuman wretch , Uncapable of pity , void and empty From any dram of mercy . I have heard Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify His rigorous course ; but since he stands obdurate , And that no lawful means can carry me Out of his envy 's reach , I do oppose My patience to his fury ; and am arm 'd To suffer , with a quietness of spirit , The very tyranny and rage of his . I pray you , think you question with the Jew . You may as well go stand upon the beach , And bid the main flood bate his usual height ; Yon may as well use question with the wolf , Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb ; You may as well forbid the mountain pines To wag their high tops , and to make no noise , When they are fretted with the gusts of heaven ; You may as well do anything most hard , As seek to soften that His Jewish heart :— Therefore , I do beseech you , Make no more offers , use no further means , But , with all brief and plain conveniency , Let me have judgment , and the Jew his will . Bas , For thy three thousand ducats here are six . I am a tainted wether of the flock , Meetest for death ; the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground , and so let me : You cannot better be employ 'd , Bassanio , Than to live still , and write mine epitaph . Ay , so he says . I do . Most heartily I do beseech the court To give the judgment . But little ; I am arm 'd and well prepar 'd .— Give me your hand , Bassanio ; fare you well ! Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you ; For herein fortune shows herself more kind Than is her custom : it is still her use , To let the wretched man outlive his wealth , To view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow , An age of poverty : from which lingering penance Of such a misery doth she cut me off . Commend me to your honorable wife : Tell her the process of Antonio 's end ; Say , how I lov 'd you , speak me fair in death ; And , when the tale is told , bid her be judge Whether Bassanio had not once a love . Repent not you that you shall lose your friend , And he repents not that he pays your debt ; For , if the Jew do cut but deep enough , I 'll pay it instantly with all my heart . So please my lord the duke , and all the court , To quit the fine for one half of his goods ; I am content , so he will let me have The other half in use , to render it , Upon his death , unto the gentleman That lately stole his daughter ; Two things provided more ,— That for this favour , He presently become a Christian ; The other , that he do record a gift , Here in the court , of all he dies possess 'd , Unto his son Lorenzo and his daughter . And stand indebted , over and above , In love and service to you evermore . My lord Bassanio , let him have the ring ; Let his deservings , and my love withal , Be valued ‘ gainst your wife 's commandment . No more than I am well acquitted of . I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels . I once did lend my body for his wealth ; Which , but for him that had your husband 's ring , Had quite miscarried : I dare be bound again , My soul upon the forfeit , that your lord Will never more break faith advisedly . Here , lord Bassanio ; swear to keep this ring . Sweet lady , you have given me life , and living ; For here I read for certain , that my ships Are safely come to road .