Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1: |
SCENE I. Venice. A Street.
Entre ANTONIO, SALARINO, and SALANIO
ANTONIO
In sooth, I know not why I am so sad: It wearies me; you say it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, where of it is born, I am to learn; And such a want-with sadness makes of me, That I have much ado to know myself.
SALARINO
Your mind is tossing on theocean; There, where your argosies with portly sail, Like seigniors and rich burghers on the flood, Or, as it were, the pageants of the sea, Do over peer the petty traffickers, That curtsy to them, do them reverence, As they fly by them with their woven wings.
SALANIO
Believe me, sir, had I such venture forth, the better part of my affections would be with my hopes abroad. I should be stillPlucking the grass, to know where sits the wind, Peering in maps for ports and piers and roads; And every object that might make me fear. Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt would make me sad.
SALARINO
My wind cooling my broth would blow me to an ague, when I thought what harm a wind too great at sea might do. I should not see the sandy hour-glass run, But I should think of shallows and of flats,And see my wealthy Andrew dock'd in sand, Vailing her high-top lower than her ribs To kiss her burial. Should I go to church And see the holy edifice of stone, And not bethink me straight of dangerous rocks, Which touching but my gentle vessel's side, Would scatter all her spices on the stream, Enrobe the roaring waters with my silks, And, in a word, but even now worth this, And now worthnothing? Shall I have the thought to think on this, and shall I lack the thought that such a thing bechanced would make me sad? But tell not me; I know, Antonio Is sad to think upon his merchandise.

ANTONIO
Believe me, no: I thank my fortune for it, My ventures are not in one bottom trusted, Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate upon the fortune of this present year: Therefore my merchandisemakes me not sad.
SALARINO
Why, then you are in love.
ANTONIO
Fie, fie!
SALARINO
Not in love neither? Then let us say you are sad, because you are not merry: and 'there as easy for you to laugh and leap and say you are merry, because you are not sad. Now, by two-headed Janus, Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time: Some that will evermore peep through their eyes and laugh like parrotsat a bag-piper, and other of such vinegar aspect That they'll not show their teeth in way of smile, Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable.
Enter BASSANIO, LORENZO, and GRATIANO
SALANIO
Here comes Bassanio, your most noble kinsman, Gratiano and Lorenzo. Fare ye well: We leave you now with better company.
SALARINO
I would have stay'd till I had made you merry, If worthier friends had notrevented me.
ANTONIO
Your worth is very dear in my regard. I take it, your own business calls on you and you embrace the occasion to depart.
SALARINO
Good morrow, my good lords.
BASSANIO
Good signiors both, when shall we laugh? Say, when? You grow exceeding strange: must it be so?

SALARINO
We'll make our leisure’s to attend on yours.
LORENZO
My Lord Bassanio, since you have foundAntonio, We two will leave you: but at dinner-time, I pray you, have in mind where we must meet.
BASSANIO
I will not fail you.
GRATIANO
You look not well, Signior Antonio; You have too much respect upon the world: They lose it that do buy it with much care: Believe me, you are marvelously changed.
ANTONIO
I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A stage where every man must play a part,And mine a sad one.
GRATIANO
Let me play the fool: With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come, and let my liver rather heat with wine than my heart cool with mortifying groans. Why should a man, whose blood is warm within, Sit like his grandsire cut in alabaster? Sleep when he wakes and creep into the jaundice by being peevish? I tell thee what, Antonio--I love thee, and it is my love that...