Page 90 - William_Shakespeare_-_The_Merchant_of_Venice_191

—Salarino
I hope° it might prove the end of his losses. 11 {would}

—Salanio
12
Let me say, ‘amen’ to that, lest the devil cross my prayer—for here he comes in the likeness of
a Jew.

Enter Shylock

How now, Shylock—what news among the merchants?

—Shylock
You knew—none so well, none so well as you—of my daughter’s flight. 13

—Salarino
14
That’s certain. I, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings on which she flew away. 15
—Salanio
16
And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was ready to fly —as it is the nature of all +young
17 18
girls, to leave the nest. nature: {complexion} / disposition
—Shylock
She is damned for it! 19

—Salarino

11. See note 27 for a possible way to rectify this scene. If rectified, Salarino and Salanio would exeunt here, lines
19-50 would be deleted, and Shylock would enter alone and deliver his famous speech, ‘Hath not a Jew eyes?’ to the
audience—and not to the disinterested Salarino and Salanio.
12. {Let me say ‘amen’ betimes} / Let me say ‘amen’ while there is still time / before it’s too late
betimes: while there is still time; right now / quickly
13. It seems that Jessica’s flight took place a few weeks ago—this is in accordance with Tubal’s return from Genoa,
which takes place later in the scene. (Genoa, by road, is some 200+ miles from Venice.) Shylock has seen Antonio
many times, and it is likely he would have also seen Salarino and Salanio. Yet, for dramatic consistency, we must
assume that this is the first time that Shylock sees Salanio and Salarino since Jessica’s flight.
14. A fanciful reference to a tailor who made Jessica’s wings; this could also be a reference to the tailor who made
the boy’s clothing that Jessica wore.
15. {she flew withal}
16. {fledge} A fledgling, ready to fly.
17. {leave the dam}: leave the nest. The substitution of nest for dam, which makes the line more understandable,
ruins the word association with the next line where Shylock says, ‘she is damned for it.’
18. In an earlier embodiment of the play, where Salarino alone existed (and had not yet been split into two identical
characters: Salarino and Salanio) all the lines in this scene belonged to Salarino. When Salanio was added, this line
(which has congruity as a single line) was split into two, with the first part remaining with Salarino and the second
part assigned to Salanio. Salanio’s superfluous closing line, [73-73], however, was not part of the original
embodiment (nor originally assigned to Salarino) but was likely added ex post facto (by someone other than the
author) after the final draft was complete. [See Note 41]
19. Here the blame quickly shifts from Salarino and Salanio to Jessica (where it belongs) and then blame changes
into his rage against Christians in general and Antonio in particular. Shylock’s words hereafter, to the two
Sallies—although he is being mocked—is friendly and cordial. He does not attack them in the way they attack him.