Page 120 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

The most benev’lent and unwearied° spirit 52 / tireless / giving
In serving others;° and one in whom {in doing courtesies}
The ancient Roman honour more appears 53
Than any man who draws breath in Italia. 54

—Portia
What sum owes he the Jew?

—Bassanio
For me, three thousand ducats.

—Portia What—no more? 55
Pay him six thousand and deface° the bond. / delete / annul
Double six thousand and then triple° that 56 {treble}
Before a friend of this description 57
Shall° lose a hair through° Bassanio’s fault. / Should // through my
First go with me to church, and call me ‘wife,’° / and take your vows
And then away to Venice, to your friend. 58
For never shall you lie by Portia’s side
59
With an unquiet soul. You shall have gold
To pay the petty debt twenty times over. 60
When it is paid, bring your friend home with you.
Meantime, my good Nerissa and myself {My maid Nerissa and myself, meantime}
Shall live as maids° and widows. Come, away, / virgins > as if unmarried

52. {The best-conditioned and unwearied spirit}
best-conditioned:
53. / Embodies more of ancient Roman honor
54. / Than any who draws breath in Italy.
55. To preserve the meter, the verse could be rectified as follows:
Portia: What sum owes he the Jew?
Bass: Three thousand ducats.
Portia: A mere three thousand ducats—and no more?
56. / I would double the six and triple that | Before . . .
Portia is offering to resolve the issue with a generous show of more and more money. At this point she is
still unaware of, or unconvinced of, Shylock’s resolve to take Antonio’s flesh even after hearing from Salerio
[3.2.270-2] and Jessica [3.2.284-85] that no amount of money would cause ‘the Jew’ to ‘deface’ the bond.
57. / of such kindness and worth / so endearing and true
58. This directive is to prompt the distracted Bassanio (who is, in his heart, already in Venice) to the temple to take
his wedding vows, before he rushes off. Clearly Bassanio’s concern for Antonio has eclipsed all the joy found in his
newly won love and wealth. (There is no indication that rings were ever exchanged as part of this wedding
ceremony.)
59. Portia is saying: I will not let you lay by my side with an unquiet soul (a restless and disturbed mind); I will only
let you lay by my side when you can give yourself to me fully, when you can be with me whole-heartedly—without
such concerns, or thoughts, distracting you. She could also be implying thus: You will never be able to lay by my
side with a quiet soul until you settle this matter—so go off to Venice and take care of this.
60. Again, Portia is not fully convinced or aware of Shylock’s true intention, nor aware that the bond cannot be
cured with wealth, even 20 times the wealth, as this is the specific number that Jessica previously mentions, saying,
That he would rather have Antonio’s flesh | Than twenty time the value of the sum | That he did owe him. [3.2.284-
86]