Page:Merchant of Venice (1923) Yale.djvu/84

70

Of what it likes, or loathes. Now, for your answer:

As there is no firm reason to be render'd,

Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;

Why he, a harmless necessary cat;

Why he, a woollen bagpipe; but of force

Must yield to such inevitable shame

As to offend, himself being offended;

So can I give no reason, nor I will not,

More than a lodg'd hate and a certain loathing

I bear Antonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd?

Bass. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,

To excuse the current of thy cruelty.

Shy. I am not bound to please thee with my answer.

Bass. Do all men kill the things they do not love?

Shy. Hates any man the thing he would not kill?

Bass. Every offence is not a hate at first.

Shy. What! wouldst thou have a serpent sting thee twice?

Ant. I pray you, think you question with the Jew:

You may as well go stand upon the beach,

And bid the main flood bate his usual height;

You may as well use question with the wolf,

Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb;

You may as well forbid the mountain pines

To wag their high tops, and to make no noise

When they are fretted with the gusts of heaven;

You may as well do anything most hard,

As seek to soften that—than which what's harder?—

His Jewish heart: therefore, I do beseech you,

Make no more offers, use no further means;

 56 woollen; cf. n.

62 losing: moneyless, unprofitable

64 current: steady flow

68 offence: resentment

70 question: converse

72 bate: reduce

73, 74 Cf. n.

76 and: and bid them 