The Merchant of Venice:
A Contemporary English Version, by Jonathan Star
ACT ONE - Scene One
Venice. Enter Antonio, Salarino, and Salanio.
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EMENDED OPENING
{{—Antonio
I know this hatred mocks° all Christian virtue / hate befouls / hatred fouls
But they I loathe: their very sight abhors me.
They are° but vile infractions of nature, / They’re none
A plague on all that is righteous and good.
And the contracts they use to loan out money,
Made ‘neath the guile of friendship and trust
Are none but instruments of fell deceit.
They would have men sign bonds to borrow money,
And if the sums are° not repaid on time / loan is
Then, as forfeit, they would take everything;
All that a man has earned in his lifetime
Would come to naught and end in tearful ruin.
‘Tis an obscene,° despisèd greed they show— / It is a foul
These heartless usurers. There's a special place° / There is a place
In hell made just° for them. / reserved
— Salanio Those damnèd° Jews. / cursèd
—Antonio
No, ‘tis no Jewish thing this usury—
‘Tis but a godless thing; a cursèd° thing, / godless / damnèd
An aberration felling Jew and gentile—° / A thing bereft of all humanity
A wretched thing. Enough of my complaints
You know them well.
—Salarino And so we do, Antonio,
But here this face so sad, ‘tis not a sight° / thing / face
We know so well. Why look ye so, my friend? }}
______________________________________________________
—Antonio
In sooth I know not why I am so sad. ...
A Contemporary English Version, by Jonathan Star
ACT ONE - Scene One
Venice. Enter Antonio, Salarino, and Salanio.
______________________________________________________
EMENDED OPENING
{{—Antonio
I know this hatred mocks° all Christian virtue / hate befouls / hatred fouls
But they I loathe: their very sight abhors me.
They are° but vile infractions of nature, / They’re none
A plague on all that is righteous and good.
And the contracts they use to loan out money,
Made ‘neath the guile of friendship and trust
Are none but instruments of fell deceit.
They would have men sign bonds to borrow money,
And if the sums are° not repaid on time / loan is
Then, as forfeit, they would take everything;
All that a man has earned in his lifetime
Would come to naught and end in tearful ruin.
‘Tis an obscene,° despisèd greed they show— / It is a foul
These heartless usurers. There's a special place° / There is a place
In hell made just° for them. / reserved
— Salanio Those damnèd° Jews. / cursèd
—Antonio
No, ‘tis no Jewish thing this usury—
‘Tis but a godless thing; a cursèd° thing, / godless / damnèd
An aberration felling Jew and gentile—° / A thing bereft of all humanity
A wretched thing. Enough of my complaints
You know them well.
—Salarino And so we do, Antonio,
But here this face so sad, ‘tis not a sight° / thing / face
We know so well. Why look ye so, my friend? }}
______________________________________________________
—Antonio
In sooth I know not why I am so sad. ...