Speeches (Lines) for Lorenzo
in "Merchant of Venice"
Total: 47

1

I,1,74

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.

2

I,1,111

Well, we will leave you then till dinner-time:
I must be one of these same dumb wise men,
For Gratiano never lets me speak.

3

II,4,800

Nay, we will slink away in supper-time,
Disguise us at my lodging and return,
All in an hour.

4

II,4,807

'Tis now but four o'clock: we have two hours
To furnish us.
[Enter LAUNCELOT, with a letter]
Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

5

II,4,813

I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair hand;
And whiter than the paper it writ on
Is the fair hand that writ.

6

II,4,818

Whither goest thou?

7

II,4,821

Hold here, take this: tell gentle Jessica
I will not fail her; speak it privately.
Go, gentlemen,
[Exit Launcelot]
Will you prepare you for this masque tonight?
I am provided of a torch-bearer.

8

II,4,829

Meet me and Gratiano
At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

9

II,4,834

I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed
How I shall take her from her father's house,
What gold and jewels she is furnish'd with,
What page's suit she hath in readiness.
If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter's sake:
And never dare misfortune cross her foot,
Unless she do it under this excuse,
That she is issue to a faithless Jew.
Come, go with me; peruse this as thou goest:
Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.

10

II,6,931

Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode;
Not I, but my affairs, have made you wait:
When you shall please to play the thieves for wives,
I'll watch as long for you then. Approach;
Here dwells my father Jew. Ho! who's within?

11

II,6,939

Lorenzo, and thy love.

12

II,6,943

Heaven and thy thoughts are witness that thou art.

13

II,6,951

Descend, for you must be my torchbearer.

14

II,6,956

So are you, sweet,
Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.
But come at once;
For the close night doth play the runaway,
And we are stay'd for at Bassanio's feast.

15

II,6,965

Beshrew me but I love her heartily;
For she is wise, if I can judge of her,
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true,
And true she is, as she hath proved herself,
And therefore, like herself, wise, fair and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.
[Enter JESSICA, below]
What, art thou come? On, gentlemen; away!
Our masquing mates by this time for us stay.

16

III,2,1598

I thank your honour. For my part, my lord,
My purpose was not to have seen you here;
But meeting with Salerio by the way,
He did entreat me, past all saying nay,
To come with him along.

17

III,4,1750

Madam, although I speak it in your presence,
You have a noble and a true conceit
Of godlike amity; which appears most strongly
In bearing thus the absence of your lord.
But if you knew to whom you show this honour,
How true a gentleman you send relief,
How dear a lover of my lord your husband,
I know you would be prouder of the work
Than customary bounty can enforce you.

18

III,4,1785

Madam, with all my heart;
I shall obey you in all fair commands.

19

III,4,1791

Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you!

20

III,5,1867

I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if
you thus get my wife into corners.

21

III,5,1875

I shall answer that better to the commonwealth than
you can the getting up of the negro's belly: the
Moor is with child by you, Launcelot.

22

III,5,1881

How every fool can play upon the word! I think the
best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence,
and discourse grow commendable in none only but
parrots. Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner.

23

III,5,1886

Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid
them prepare dinner.

24

III,5,1889

Will you cover then, sir?

25

III,5,1891

Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show
the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray
tree, understand a plain man in his plain meaning:
go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve
in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.

26

III,5,1901

O dear discretion, how his words are suited!
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words; and I do know
A many fools, that stand in better place,
Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word
Defy the matter. How cheerest thou, Jessica?
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio's wife?

27

III,5,1920

Even such a husband
Hast thou of me as she is for a wife.

28

III,5,1923

I will anon: first, let us go to dinner.

29

III,5,1925

No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk;
I shall digest it.

30

V,1,2444

The moon shines bright: in such a night as this,
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees
And they did make no noise, in such a night
Troilus methinks mounted the Troyan walls
And sigh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.

31

V,1,2454

In such a night
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild sea banks and waft her love
To come again to Carthage.

32

V,1,2461

In such a night
Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew
And with an unthrift love did run from Venice
As far as Belmont.

33

V,1,2469

In such a night
Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

34

V,1,2475

Who comes so fast in silence of the night?

35

V,1,2477

A friend! what friend? your name, I pray you, friend?

36

V,1,2483

Who comes with her?

37

V,1,2486

He is not, nor we have not heard from him.
But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,
And ceremoniously let us prepare
Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

38

V,1,2492

Who calls?

39

V,1,2495

Leave hollaing, man: here.

40

V,1,2497

Here.

41

V,1,2502

Sweet soul, let's in, and there expect their coming.
And yet no matter: why should we go in?
My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you,
Within the house, your mistress is at hand;
And bring your music forth into the air.
[Exit Stephano]
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears: soft stillness and the night
Become the touches of sweet harmony.
Sit, Jessica. Look how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold:
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st
But in his motion like an angel sings,
Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;
Such harmony is in immortal souls;
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
[Enter Musicians]
Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn!
With sweetest touches pierce your mistress' ear,
And draw her home with music.

42

V,1,2526

The reason is, your spirits are attentive:
For do but note a wild and wanton herd,
Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,
Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud,
Which is the hot condition of their blood;
If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,
Or any air of music touch their ears,
You shall perceive them make a mutual stand,
Their savage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze
By the sweet power of music: therefore the poet
Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones and floods;
Since nought so stockish, hard and full of rage,
But music for the time doth change his nature.
The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils;
The motions of his spirit are dull as night
And his affections dark as Erebus:
Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.

43

V,1,2569

That is the voice,
Or I am much deceived, of Portia.

44

V,1,2573

Dear lady, welcome home.

45

V,1,2577

Madam, they are not yet;
But there is come a messenger before,
To signify their coming.

46

V,1,2585

Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet:
We are no tell-tales, madam; fear you not.

47

V,1,2766

Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way
Of starved people.