Page 139 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

Why one° cannot endure° a gaping pig 31 {he} {abide} / partake
32 33
Why one° is crazed to see° a harmless cat, {he} / fearful of
Why one° who hears the playing° of a bagpipe {he} /song / strains / notes
Must yield to shame by wetting his own pants, 34
So can I give no reason, more than° to say,° / but {nor I will not}
There is° a lodged° hate and a certain loathing 35 {More than} // staunch / long
I bear Antonio, that I follow° thus° / pursue // this
36 37
A losing° suit against him. Are you answered? / A gainless // Profitless
—Bassanio
This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
To° excuse the current° of thy cruelty. 38 / To thus // o’erflow

—Shylock
I am not bound to please thee with my answer.

—Bassanio
Do all men kill the things they do not love?

—Shylock
Do men not want to kill the things they hate? 39

—Bassanio
A first offense cannot bestow° such hatred. 40 / amass / afford / a’bring

— Shylock
What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

—Antonio

31. {Why he cannot abide a gaping pig} / cannot endure / cannot stomach
abide: tolerate, bear, be unaffected by, stand the sight of
32. / Why he is superstitious of a cat See Note 18 xx.
33. {Why he a harmless, necessary cat}
necessary: useful, needed to perform the function of catching mice
harmless: refers to an ordinary house cat, as opposed to a ‘harmful’ cat, as might be employed by a witch
34. {Must yield to such inevitable shame | As to offend, himself being offended,}
/ Is forced to bear the shame of wetting his | Own pants, offending others as himself.
35. / There is a long-standing hate and loathing
36. {More than a lodged hatred and a certain loathing | I bear Antonio, that I follow thus | A losing suit against him.
Are you answered?}
losing suit: an unprofitable action where Shylock gains a worthless pound of flesh as as opposed to the usual
monetary gain.
37. [See Additional Notes, 4.1.62]
38. / To excuse thy overflowing° cruelty / over-bounding
/ But mere excuse for thy vengeful cruelty° / boundless / flooding / avid / ardent
39. {Hates any man the thing he would not kill?}
/ Every man kills the thing that would kill him.° / he does hate.
40. {Every offence is not a hate at first} / How can there be such hatred from one offence?