Some P resonances in The Merchant of Venice

[Smoke Teff]

And now here's Portia on mercy and/vs justice, 4.1.176ff, with a little
bonus on the holy unmercy of the law...

PORTIA Do you confess the bond?

ANTONIO I do.

PORTIA Then must the Jew be merciful.

SHYLOCK On what compulsion must I? Tell me that.

PORTIA The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the imghtiest. It becomes
The thronèd monarch better than his crown.
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway.
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings;
It is an attribute to God himself,
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this:
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea,
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

SHYLOCK My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

PORTIA Is he not able to discharge the money?

BASSANIO Yes, here I tender it for him in the court,
Yea, twice the sum. If that will not suffice
I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart.
If this will not suffice, it must appear
That malice bears down truth. And, I beseech you,
Wrest once the law to your authority.
To do a great right, do a little wrong,
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

PORTIA It must not be. There is no power in Venice
Can alter a decree establishèd.
'Twill be recorded for a precedent,
And many an error by the same example
Will rush into the state. It cannot be.

On Thu, Oct 12, 2017 at 4:00 PM, Smoke Teff <smoketeff at gmail.com> wrote:

> Shylock implicitly citing inherent vice, which he knows well, as he takes
> stock of Antonio's wares and accounts, 1.3.13ff:
>
> Ho, no, no, no, no! My meaning in saying he is a good
> man is to have you understand me that he is sufficient. Yet
> his means are in supposition. He hath an argosy bound to
> Tripolis, another to the Indies. I understand moreover upon
> the Rialto he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England,
> and other ventures he hath squandered abroad. But ships are
> but boards, sailors but men. There be land rats and water rats,
> water thieves and land thieves--I mean pirates--and then
> there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The man is,
> notwithstanding, sufficient. Three thousand ducats. I think I
> may take his bond.
>
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