Home
This site uses cookies
log out

The Merchant of Venice: Act II, Scene 8

Sign in with Google to add your annotations.

The Merchant of Venice
Act II, Scene 8

Venice. A street.

But there the Duke was given to understand that in a gondilo were seen together Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica

19th century

  1. Enter Salerio and Solanio.

Salerio

1 - 3
  1. Why, man, I saw Bassanio under sail,
  2. With him is Gratiano gone along;
  3. And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.

Solanio

4 - 5
  1. The villain Jew with outcries rais’d the Duke,
  2. Who went with him to search Bassanio’s ship.

Salerio

6 - 11
  1. He came too late, the ship was under sail,
  2. But there the Duke was given to understand
  3. That in a gondilo were seen together
  4. Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica.
  5. Besides, Antonio certified the Duke
  6. They were not with Bassanio in his ship.

Solanio

12 - 22
  1. I never heard a passion so confus’d,
  2. So strange, outrageous, and so variable
  3. As the dog Jew did utter in the streets.
  4. “My daughter! O my ducats! O my daughter!
  5. Fled with a Christian! O my Christian ducats!
  6. Justice! The law! My ducats, and my daughter!
  7. A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,
  8. Of double ducats, stol’n from me by my daughter!
  9. And jewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,
  10. Stol’n by my daughter! Justice! Find the girl,
  11. She hath the stones upon her, and the ducats.”

Salerio

23 - 24
  1. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
  2. Crying, his stones, his daughter, and his ducats.

Solanio

25 - 26
  1. Let good Antonio look he keep his day,
  2. Or he shall pay for this.

Salerio

27 - 33
  1.                           Marry, well rememb’red.
  2. I reason’d with a Frenchman yesterday,
  3. Who told me, in the Narrow Seas that part
  4. The French and English, there miscarried
  5. A vessel of our country richly fraught.
  6. I thought upon Antonio when he told me,
  7. And wish’d in silence that it were not his.

Solanio

34 - 35
  1. You were best to tell Antonio what you hear,
  2. Yet do not suddenly, for it may grieve him.

Salerio

36 - 50
  1. A kinder gentleman treads not the earth.
  2. I saw Bassanio and Antonio part:
  3. Bassanio told him he would make some speed
  4. Of his return; he answered, “Do not so,
  5. Slubber not business for my sake, Bassanio,
  6. But stay the very riping of the time;
  7. And for the Jew’s bond which he hath of me,
  8. Let it not enter in your mind of love.
  9. Be merry, and employ your chiefest thoughts
  10. To courtship, and such fair ostents of love
  11. As shall conveniently become you there.”
  12. And even there, his eye being big with tears,
  13. Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
  14. And with affection wondrous sensible
  15. He wrung Bassanio’s hand, and so they parted.

Solanio

51 - 54
  1. I think he only loves the world for him.
  2. I pray thee let us go and find him out
  3. And quicken his embraced heaviness
  4. With some delight or other.

Salerio

55
  1.                             Do we so.
  1. Exeunt.
Performance of "The Merchant of Venice" by members of the Oxford University Philothespian Club

Performance of "The Merchant of Venice" by members of the Oxford University Philothespian Club

circa late 19th century

© 2021 Unotate.com • contact • privacy policy • Creative Commons text from PlayShakespeare.com • All illustrations are public domain or Creative Commons