Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Italy: Vols. XI–XIII. 1876–79.
Shylock and Antonio
By William Shakespeare (1564–1616)S
In the Rialto you have rated me
About my monies and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug;
For sufferance is the badge of all our tribe;
You call me—misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears you need my help:
Go to then; you come to me, and you say,
“Shylock, we would have monies”: you say so;
You that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold; monies is your suit;
What should I say to you? should I not say
“Hath a dog money? is it possible
A cur can lend three thousand ducats?” or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondsman’s key,
With ’bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this,—
“Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last:
You spurn’d me such a day; another time
You call’d me—dog; and for these courtesies
I ’ll lend you thus much monies?”