Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/55

The Merchant of Venice, II. ix 

Por. Behold, there stand the caskets, noble prince:

If you choose that wherein I am contain'd,

Straight shall our nuptial rites be solemniz'd;

But if you fail, without more speech, my lord,

You must be gone from hence immediately.

Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath to observe three things:

First, never to unfold to any one

Which casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail

Of the right casket, never in my life

To woo a maid in way of marriage;

Lastly,

If I do fail in fortune of my choice,

Immediately to leave you and be gone.

Por. To these injunctions every one doth swear

That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Ar. And so have I address'd me. Fortune now

To my heart's hope! Gold, silver, and base lead.

Who chooseth me must give and hazard all he hath:

You shall look fairer, ere I give or hazard.

What says the golden chest? ha! let me see:

Who chooseth me shall gain what many men desire.

What many men desire! that 'many' may be meant

By the fool multitude, that choose by show,

Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach,

Which pries not to the interior, but, like the martlet,

Builds in the weather on the outward wall,

Even in the force and road of casualty.

I will not choose what many men desire,

 18 comes to hazard: incurs risk

19 address'd me: prepared myself

26 By: for

27 fond: foolish

28 martlet: martin (see Macbeth I. vi. 4)

30 force and road: 'in vi et via,' i.e., where accident occurs with the greatest violence and frequency 