Chapter: SCENE 3.

Venice. A street

[Enter SHYLOCK, SALARINO, ANTONIO, and Gaoler.]

SHYLOCK.
Gaoler, look to him. Tell not me of mercy;
This is the fool that lent out money gratis:
Gaoler, look to him.

ANTONIO.
Hear me yet, good Shylock.

SHYLOCK.
I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond.
I have sworn an oath that I will have my bond.
Thou call'dst me dog before thou hadst a cause,
But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs;
The Duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder,
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond
To come abroad with him at his request.

ANTONIO.
I pray thee hear me speak.

SHYLOCK.
I'll have my bond. I will not hear thee speak;
I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more.
I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not;
I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond.

[Exit.]

SALARINO.
It is the most impenetrable cur
That ever kept with men.

ANTONIO.
Let him alone;
I'll follow him no more with bootless prayers.
He seeks my life; his reason well I know:
I oft deliver'd from his forfeitures
Many that have at times made moan to me;
Therefore he hates me.

SALARINO.
I am sure the Duke
Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

ANTONIO.
The Duke cannot deny the course of law;
For the commodity that strangers have
With us in Venice, if it be denied,
'Twill much impeach the justice of the state,
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go;
These griefs and losses have so bated me
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
To-morrow to my bloody creditor.
Well, gaoler, on; pray God Bassanio come
To see me pay his debt, and then I care not.

[Exeunt.]

 On a street in Venice, Shylock presses the jailer to go after Antonio, calling Antonio a fool who lent out money for free. Antonio keeps trying to plead his case, but to no avail. Shylock is hell-bent on having Antonio seized. He says they've sworn an oath, and he insists on getting the bond that was sworn for. Shylock notes that Antonio called him a dog before he had any reason to--but now he's determined to live up to his reputation. Continuing on his rant, Shylock demands justice from the Duke and the jailer, despite how hesitant everyone is. Shylock leaves in a huff, repeating that he'll have his bond with no interference from the Christians. Solanio is understandably stressed out and declares Shylock to be an impenetrable dog. Antonio understands why Shylock has it in for him--often people who had forfeited their debts with Shylock moaned about it to Antonio, who then rescued them. Antonio thinks this undercutting is the reason Shylock hates him. Antonio has concluded that there's nothing the Duke can do about the situation now. Venice allows foreign nationals some commercial privileges, which keeps trade alive. If the Duke were to impose on the rights of aliens for Antonio's sake, it would compromise justice, trade, and profit in the whole diverse city. At this point Antonio has basically given up--he's been so reduced by all this grief and loss that a pound of flesh doesn't matter to him anymore. In fact, he says, he's so wasted away that he doubts Shylock will even be able find a pound on his body to take. Resigned to his fate, he gives himself over to the jailer and hopes out loud that his beloved friend Bassanio will come see him. After that, Antonio doesn't care what happens.

