Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/117

The Merchant of Venice cally instead of logically. The comma after 'intermission' would thus mark the drop of the actor's voice, not the close of a clause in the sentence.

 Salanio. The original editions give the name as Salerio here and throughout the rest of the scene, and several of the most important modern editors, on the strength of this, include Salerio, as well as Salanio and Salarino, among the characters in the play. It is highly unlikely that Shakespeare intended to add this third unnecessary character for the purposes of a single scene: Salerio may be either a slip of the author's pen or a blunder of the compositor.

 the semblance of my soul. Antonio, whose likeness to Bassanio makes him also like the very soul of Portia.

 Unto the tranect, to the common ferry. The meaning of tranect, evidently an uncommon word, is purposely explained in the words that follow. Since no other example of 'tranect' has been found, Rowe, followed by most modern editors, substitutes 'traject,' which is taken to be an anglicized version of 'traghetto,' the contemporary name of the Venetian ferries.

 I shall be saved by my husband. See 1 Corinthians 7. 14: 'For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.'

 'cover' is the word. Launcelot here means by cover 'bring the meal to the table.' In his next speech (l. 60) he quibbles on another meaning, 'put on one's hat,' which it would be undutiful for him, a servant, to do in the presence of Lorenzo.

 mean it. Either, 'do not mean to lead an upright life,' or 'do not observe a mean (temperance, moderation).'

 a woollen bagpipe. Covered with woollen cloth. Among the many unnecessary emendations for