SEARCH TEXTS  

Plays  +  Sonnets  +  Poems  +  Concordance  +  Advanced Search  +  About OSS

The Merchant of Venice

print/save print/save view

---
       

Act II, Scene 8

Venice. A street.

       
---

[Enter SALARINO and SALANIO]

  • Salarino. Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail:
    With him is Gratiano gone along;
    And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.
  • Salanio. The villain Jew with outcries raised the duke, 1075
    Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship.
  • Salarino. He came too late, the ship was under sail:
    But there the duke was given to understand
    That in a gondola were seen together
    Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica: 1080
    Besides, Antonio certified the duke
    They were not with Bassanio in his ship.
  • Salanio. I never heard a passion so confused,
    So strange, outrageous, and so variable,
    As the dog Jew did utter in the streets: 1085
    'My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
    Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!
    Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!
    A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,
    Of double ducats, stolen from me by my daughter! 1090
    And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,
    Stolen by my daughter! Justice! find the girl;
    She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats.'
  • Salarino. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
    Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats. 1095
  • Salanio. Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
    Or he shall pay for this.
  • Salarino. Marry, well remember'd.
    I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday,
    Who told me, in the narrow seas that part 1100
    The French and English, there miscarried
    A vessel of our country richly fraught:
    I thought upon Antonio when he told me;
    And wish'd in silence that it were not his.
  • Salanio. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear; 1105
    Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.
  • Salarino. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
    I saw Bassanio and Antonio part:
    Bassanio told him he would make some speed
    Of his return: he answer'd, 'Do not so; 1110
    Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio
    But stay the very riping of the time;
    And for the Jew's bond which he hath of me,
    Let it not enter in your mind of love:
    Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts 1115
    To courtship and such fair ostents of love
    As shall conveniently become you there:'
    And even there, his eye being big with tears,
    Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
    And with affection wondrous sensible 1120
    He wrung Bassanio's hand; and so they parted.
  • Salanio. I think he only loves the world for him.
    I pray thee, let us go and find him out
    And quicken his embraced heaviness
    With some delight or other. 1125

[Exeunt]