_Gratiano._ O upright judge!--Mark, Jew:--O learned judge! _Shylock._ Is that the law? _Portia._ Thyself shalt see the act: For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desirest. _Gratiano._ O learned judge!--Mark, Jew:--a learned judge! _Shylock._ I take this offer, then: pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go. _Bassanio._ Here is the money. _Portia._ Soft! The Jew shall have all justice;--soft! no haste:-- He shall have nothing but the penalty. _Gratiano._ O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge! _Portia._ Therefore, prepare thee to cut off the flesh. Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less nor more But just a pound of flesh: if thou tak'st more Or less than a just pound,--be it but so much As makes it light, or heavy, in the substance, Or the division of the twentieth part, Of one poor scruple; nay, if the scale do turn But in the estimation of a hair,-- Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. _Gratiano._ A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew! Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip. _Portia._ Why doth the Jew pause? Take thy forfeiture. _Shylock._ Give me my principal, and let me go. _Bassanio._ I have it ready for thee; here it is. _Portia._ He hath refus'd it in the open court: He shall have merely justice, and his bond. _Gratiano._ A Daniel, still say I; a second Daniel!-- I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word. _Shylock._ Shall I not have barely my principal? _Portia._ Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be so taken at thy peril, Jew. _Shylock._ Why, then the devil give him good of it! I'll stay no longer question. _Portia._ Tarry, Jew: The law hath yet another hold on you. It is enacted in the laws of Venice, If it be prov'd against an alien That by direct or indirect attempts He seek the life of any citizen, The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive Shall seize one half his goods; the other half Comes to the privy coffer of the state; And the offender's life lies in the mercy Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice. In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st; For it appears, by manifest proceeding, That, indirectly, and directly too, Thou hast contriv'd against the very life Of the defendant; and thou hast incurr'd The danger formerly by me rehears'd. Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke. _Gratiano._ Beg that thou mayst have leave to hang thyself: And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state, Thou hast not left the value of a cord; Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's charge. _Duke._ That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit, I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it: For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's; The other half comes to the general state, Which humbleness may drive unto a fine. _Portia._ Ay, for the state; not for Antonio.