The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 8 of 39
Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions typicality 0.74 · 541 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
In terms of choice I am not solely led By nice direction of a maidens eyes: Besides, the lottrie of my destiny Barrs me the right of voluntary choosing: But if my Father had not scanted me, And hedged me by his wit to yield myself His wife, who wins me by that means I told you, Yourself (renowned Prince) than stood as fair As any comer I have looked on yet For my affection. Even for that I thank you, Therefore I pray you lead me to the Caskets To try my fortune: By this Symitare That slew the Sophy, and a Persian Prince That won three fields of Sultan Solyman, I would ore-stare the sternest eyes that look: Outbrave the heart most daring on the earth: Pluck the young sucking Cubs from the she Bear, Yea, mock the Lion when a roars for pray To win the Lady. But alas, the while If Hercules and Lichas play at dice Which is the better man, the greater throw May turn by fortune from the weaker hand: So is Alcides beaten by his rage, And so may I, blind Fortune leading me Miss that which one unworthier may attain, And die with grieving. You must take your chance, And either not attempt to choose at all, Or swear before you choose, if you choose wrong Never to speak to Lady afterward In way of marriage, therefore be advised. Nor will not, come bring me unto my chance. First forward to the temple, after dinner Your hazard shall be made. Good fortune then, To make me blessed or cursed'st among men. Certainly, my conscience will serve me to run from this Iewe my Master: the fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me, Iobbe, Launcelet Jobbe, good Launcelet, or good Iobbe, or good Launcelet Iobbe, use your legs, take the start, run away, my conscience says no; take heed honest Launcelet, take heed honest Iobbe, or as aforesaid honest Launcelet Iobbe, do not run, scorn running with thy heels; well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack, sia says the fiend, away says the fiend, for the heavens rouse up a brave mind says the fiend, and run; well, my conscience hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me: my honest friend Launcelet being an honest man's son, or rather an honest woman's son, for indeed my Father did something smack, something grow to; he had a kind of taste; well, my conscience says Launcelet budge not, budge says the fiend, budge not says my conscience, conscience say I you counsel well, fiend say I you counsel well, to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Iewe my Master, (who God bless the mark) is a kind of devil; and to run away from the Iewe I should be ruled by the fiend, who saving your reverence is the devil himself: certainly the Iewe is the very devil incarnation, and in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Iewe; the fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run fiend, my heels are at your commandment, I will run.
seed 43: T13 · seed 44: T16 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
In termes of choyſe I am not ſoly led By nice direction of a maydens eyes: Beſides, the lottrie of my deſtenie Barrs me the right of voluntary chooſing: But if my Father had not ſcanted me, And hedgd me by his wit to yeeld my ſelfe His wife, who winnes me by that meanes I told you, Your ſelfe (renowned Prince) than ſtoode as faire As any commer I haue look'd on yet For my affection. Euen for that I thanke you, Therefore I pray you leade me to the Caskets To try my fortune: By this Symitare That ſlewe the Sophy, and a Perſian Prince That wone three fields of Sultan Solyman, I would ore-ſtare the ſterneſt eyes that looke: Out-braue the hart moſt daring on the earth: Pluck the young ſucking Cubs from the ſhe Beare, Yea, mock the Lyon when a rores for pray To win the Lady. But alas, the while If Hercules and Lychas play at dice Which is the better man, the greater throw May turne by fortune from the weaker hand: So is Alcides beaten by his rage, And ſo may I, blind Fortune leading me Miſſe that which one vnworthier may attaine, And die with greeuing. You muſt take your chaunce, And eyther not attempt to chooſe at all, Or ſweare before you chooſe, if you chooſe wrong Neuer to ſpeake to Lady afterward In way of marriage, therefore be aduiſ'd. Nor will not, come bring me vnto my chaunce. Firſt forward to the temple, after dinner Your hazard ſhall be made. Good fortune then, To make me bleſt or curſed'ſt among men. Certainely, my conſcience will ſerue me to runne from this Iewe my Maiſter: the fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, ſaying to me, Iobbe, Launcelet Jobbe, good Launcelet, or good Iobbe, or good Launcelet Iobbe, vſe your legges, take the ſtart, runne away, my conſcience ſayes no; take heede honeſt Launcelet, take heede honeſt Iobbe, or as afore-ſaide honeſt Launcelet Iobbe, doe not runne, ſcorne running with thy heeles; well, the moſt coragious fiend bids me packe, ſia ſayes the fiend, away ſayes the fiend, for the heauens rouſe vp a braue minde ſayes the fiend, and runne; well, my conſcience hanging about the necke of my heart, ſayes very wiſely to mee: my honeſt friend Launcelet beeing an honeſt mans ſonne, or rather an honeſt womans ſonne, for indeede my Father did ſomething ſmacke, ſomething grow to; he had a kinde of taſt; well, my conſcience ſayes Launcelet bouge not, bouge ſayes the fiend, bouge not ſayes my conſcience, conſcience ſay I you counſaile wel, fiend ſay I you counſaile well, to be ruld by my conſcience, I ſhould ſtay with the Iewe my Maiſter, (who God bleſſe the marke) is a kinde of deuill; and to runne away from the Iewe I ſhould be ruled by the fiend, who ſauing your reuerence is the deuill himſelfe: certainely the Iewe is the very deuill incarnation, and in my conſcience, my conſcience is but a kinde of hard conſcience, to offer to counſaile mee to ſtay with the Iewe; the fiend giues the more friendly counſaile: I will runne fiend, my heeles are at your commaundement, I will runne.