The Merchant of Venice: Act 4

Question 1

A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.

Answer 1

Duke to Antonio

Question 2

 I have heard
Your grace hath ta’en great pains to qualify
His rigorous course.

Answer 2

Antonio to Duke

Question 3

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 armed
To suffer with a quietness of spirit
The very tyranny and rage of his.

Answer 3

Antonio to Duke

Question 4

’tis thought
Thou’lt show thy mercy and remorse more strange
Than is thy strange apparent cruelty,

Answer 4

Duke to Shylock

Question 5

And where thou now exacts the penalty—
Which is a pound of this poor merchant’s flesh—
Thou wilt not only loose the forfeiture
But—touched with human gentleness and love,—

Answer 5

Duke to Shylock

Question 6

We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.

Answer 6

Duke to Shylock

Question 7

I sworn
To have the due and forfeit of my bond.
If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter and your city’s freedom.

Answer 7

Shylock to Duke

Question 8

You’ll ask me why I rather choose to have
A weight of carrion flesh than to receive
Three thousand ducats.

Answer 8

Shylock to Duke

Question 9

Some men there are love not a gaping pig,

Some that are mad if they behold a cat,

Answer 9

Shylock to Duke

Question 10

So can I give no reason, nor I will not
(More than a lodged hate and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio), that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answered?

Answer 10

Shylock to Duke

Question 11

This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,

Answer 11

Bassanio to Shylock

Question 12

I am not bound to please thee with my answers.

Answer 12

Shylock to Bassanio

Question 13

Do all men kill the things they do not love?

Answer 13

Bassanio to Shylock

Question 14

What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

Answer 14

Shylock to Bassanio

Question 15

You may as well use question with the wolf

Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb.

Answer 15

Antonio to Bassanio

Question 16

Therefore I do beseech you
Make no more offers, use no farther means,
But with all brief and plain conveniency
Let me have judgment and the Jew his will.

Answer 16

Antonio to Bassanio

Question 17

For thy three thousand ducats here is six.

Answer 17

Bassanio to Shylock

Question 18

If every ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them. I would have my bond.

Answer 18

Shylock to Bassanio

Question 19

What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?
You have among you many a purchased slave,
Which—like your asses and your dogs and mules—
You use in abject and in slavish parts
Because you bought them. Shall I say to you,
“Let them be free! Marry them to your heirs!
Why sweat they under burdens? Let their beds
Be made as soft as yours and let their palates
Be seasoned with such viands”? You will answer,
“The slaves are ours.” So do I answer you.
The pound of flesh which I demand of him
Is dearly bought. ‘Tis mine and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law—

Answer 19

Shylock to Bassanio

Question 20

A messenger with letters from the doctor,

New come from Padua.

Answer 20

Salerio to Duke

Question 21

The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones and all,

Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.

Answer 21

Bassiano to Antonio

Question 22

I am a tainted wether of the flock,

Meetest for death.

Answer 22

Antonio to Bassanio

Question 23

Of a strange nature is the suit you follow,
Yet in such rule that the Venetian law
Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.—

Answer 23

Portia to Shylock

Question 24

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed:

Answer 24

Portia to Shylock

Question 25

But mercy is above this sceptered sway.
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings.
It is an attribute to God himself.
And earthly power doth then show likest God’s
When mercy seasons justice.

Answer 25

Portia to Shylock

Question 26

Though justice be thy plea, consider this—
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation.

Answer 26

Portia to Shylock

Question 27

I crave the law,

The penalty, and forfeit of my bond.

Answer 27

Shylock to Portia

Question 28

It must not be. There is no power in Venice

Can alter a decree establishèd.

Answer 28

Portia to Shylock

Question 29

A Daniel come to judgment, yea, a Daniel!—

O wise young judge, how I do honor thee!

Answer 29

Shylock to Portia

Question 30

Why, this bond is forfeit!
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A pound of flesh to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant’s heart.—Be merciful.
Take thrice thy money

Answer 30

Portia to Shylcok

Question 31

Most heartily I do beseech the court

To give the judgment.

Answer 31

Antonio to Duke

Question 32

Why then, thus it is:

You must prepare your bosom for his knife.

Answer 32

Portia to Antonio

Question 33

Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your charge,

Answer 33

Portia to Shylock

Question 34

Antonio, I am married to a wife

Which is as dear to me as life itself.

Answer 34

Bassanio to Antonio

Question 35

I would lose all—ay, sacrifice them all

Here to this devil—to deliver you.

Answer 35

Bassanio to Antonio

Question 36

Tarry a little. There is something else.

This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood.

Answer 36

Portia to Shylock

Question 37

Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh,
But in the cutting it if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are by the laws of Venice confiscate
Unto the state of Venice.

Answer 37

Portia to Shylock

Question 38

Thyself shalt see the act.

For as thou urgest justice, be assured

Answer 38

Portia to Shylock

Question 39

Soft!

The Jew shall have all justice.

Answer 39

Portia to Bassanio

Question 40

Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh.
Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou less nor more
But just a pound of flesh. If thou takest more
Or less than a just pound, be it but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance
Or the division of the twentieth part
Of one poor scruple—nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair,
Thou diest and all thy goods are confiscate.

Answer 40

Portia to Shylock

Question 41

Give me my principal, and let me go.

Answer 41

Shylock to Portia

Question 42

He hath refused it in the open court.

He shall have merely justice and his bond.

Answer 42

Portia to Shylock

Question 43

If it be proved against an alien
That by direct or indirect attempts
He seek the life of any citizen,
The party ‘gainst the which he doth contrive
Shall seize one half his goods. The other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state,

Answer 43

Portia to Shylock

Question 44

I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it.

For half thy wealth, it is Antonio’s.

Answer 44

Duke to Shylock

Question 45

You take my house when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house. You take my life
When you do take the means whereby I live.

Answer 45

Shylock to Duke

Question 46

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.

Answer 46

Antonio to Duke

Question 47

Three thousand ducats due unto the Jew

We freely cope your courteous pains withal.

Answer 47

Bassanio to Portia

Question 48

He is well paid that is well satisfied.
And I, delivering you, am satisfied,
And therein do account myself well paid.

Answer 48

Portia to Bassanio

Question 49

Take some remembrance of us as a tribute,

Not as a fee

Answer 49

Bassanio to Portia

Question 50

And for your love, I’ll take this ring from you.
Do not draw back your hand. I’ll take no more,
And you in love shall not deny me this.

Answer 50

Portia to Bassanio

Question 51

This ring, good sir—alas, it is a trifle.

I will not shame myself to give you this.

Answer 51

Bassanio to Portia

Question 52

My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring.
Let his deservings and my love withal
Be valued against your wife’s commandment.

Answer 52

Antonio to Bassanio