Page 30 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

If I forgive him.

—Bassanio Shylock, do you hear?

—Shylock
I am considering° my present store, {debating of} / consid’ring of
And by the near° guess of my memory, / rough
I cannot instantly raise up° the gross° / acquire / obtain // the sum
Of full three thousand ducats. What of that?° / What to do?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, 29
Will furnish me. But wait!° How many months {soft}
30
Do you desire? [To Antonio] Rest you fair, good signior,
Your worship was the last man in our mouths.° 31 / that we mentioned

—Antonio
Shylock, although° I neither lend nor borrow {albeit}
By taking nor by giving with interest° {of excess}
Yet to supply the ripe° needs° of my friend / ready / pressing / urgent {wants}
32 33
I’ll break a custom. [to Bassanio] Does he know the amount,° {Is he yet possessed}
How much you want?

—Shylock Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

—Antonio
And for three months.

—Shylock

This line could be rendered in a more personal way: ‘Now am I supposed | To just forgive him?’
29. a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe:
Both the terms Hebrew and tribe are somewhat misplaced. Tribe may refer to one of the twelve tribes of Israel,
but Jews did not generally refer to themselves as tribe members. In a more indigenous language, Shylock may have
said, ‘Tubal, a rich man of my congregation.’
Shylock only expresses doubt about having the full sum after he sees Antonio enter. Here he is stalling so that he
might find an opportunity to engage with Antonio. Once Antonio agrees to the terms of the bond, we hear that
Shylock is going to purse the ducats straight [171] which suggests that he had ample store from the beginning and
that his involvement of Tubal was simply a rouse.
30. Shylock knows full well that the bond is for three months, as he has already stated it twice. Here is again staling
for time or, most likely, mindlessly repeating idle words (small talk) to Bassanio as he waits for Antonio to arrive.
31. Shylock’s words are most gracious, generously welcoming of Antonio, and what appear to be Shylock’s true
offer of friendship—which Antonio might now be inclined (or obligated) to accept, as Antonio is in need of
Shylock’s help. Yet, Antonio may see this overtly warm welcome as a usurer’s rouse, a pretense of friendship only
offered to gain advantage. Hence, Antonio neither accepts the welcome nor returns it. Antonio refuses to befriend
a usurer. [See Additional Notes, 1.3.57]
32. / I’ll break a custom to supply the ripe° / ready / pressing
Wants of my friend.
33. Antonio’s first words to Shylock—without even so much as a greeting—are an outright rejection of Shylock and
his business. Antonio is in need of Shylock’s money to help Bassanio yet Antonio wants to make it clear, from the
onset, that he is doing this out of duress, as an exception—and still upholds his harsh opinion of usury. Shylock, of
course, is ready to expose—and use to his advantage—this hypocrisy.