Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean. Page 4
30. {Misfortune to my ventures, out of doubt | Would make me sad.}
/Misfortune to my ventures would, no doubt | But make me sad
31. By this description, and the preceding ones, we see that Salarino and Salanio are well-versed in the jargon of
merchants, and both appear to be involved in the business of trade, as is Antonio.
32. {And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand,}
/ And how my ship, the Andrew, rife with wealth, | Might fall a-ground and die a woeful° death / piteous
33. / Laid out upon her burial like a shroud / Just like a shroud placed upon her grave / A shroud that kisses the
ground of her burial / And now to kiss the ground wherein she lies
34. {Vailing her high-top lower than her ribs | To kiss her burial}
vailing: lowering, bringing down
ribs: the hull of a ship, made up of wooden ribs or center beams
The image here is that of a ship overturned, with her top-sails now lower than her hull; the top-sails are now
kissing the ground, which is the place of the ship’s burial (and the once proud sails have now become its burial
shroud. [ See Additional Notes, 1.1.28]
35. / Would scatter all her spices on the wave
36. / I, too, would have a mind that’s fraught with sadness°
/ besieged by worry / filled with distress / sad and distraught
Salarino (and Salanio) are describing Antonio’s risky business ventures, which would elicit concern, worry,
agitation, stress, etc. rather than sadness. (Thus, ‘sadness’ in this context should be taken to mean, ‘worry, concern,
distress,’ etc.) This talk of Antonio’s sadness seems to be an import of an earlier draft of the play, where the play
initially opened with Antonio talking with Gratziano and Lorenzo about his (Antonio’s) sad nature. Later in the
scene we see the same conversation about Antonio’s sadness repeated with Gratziano—and this relates to Antonio’s
sad and depressed nature, and not a new-arising sadness, related to a specific conditions (as is the subject of the
conversation with Salarino and Salanio).
37. / Is worried when he thinks upon his ventures
These two lines are superfluous and appear too bold for either Salarino or Salanio—sounding more like
something Gratziano would say. These lines may be vestiges of an earlier draft which involved a conversation
between Antonio and Gratziano. Thus, these two lines could be deleted without any a meaningful loss and perhaps.
/Misfortune to my ventures would, no doubt | But make me sad
31. By this description, and the preceding ones, we see that Salarino and Salanio are well-versed in the jargon of
merchants, and both appear to be involved in the business of trade, as is Antonio.
32. {And see my wealthy Andrew docked in sand,}
/ And how my ship, the Andrew, rife with wealth, | Might fall a-ground and die a woeful° death / piteous
33. / Laid out upon her burial like a shroud / Just like a shroud placed upon her grave / A shroud that kisses the
ground of her burial / And now to kiss the ground wherein she lies
34. {Vailing her high-top lower than her ribs | To kiss her burial}
vailing: lowering, bringing down
ribs: the hull of a ship, made up of wooden ribs or center beams
The image here is that of a ship overturned, with her top-sails now lower than her hull; the top-sails are now
kissing the ground, which is the place of the ship’s burial (and the once proud sails have now become its burial
shroud. [ See Additional Notes, 1.1.28]
35. / Would scatter all her spices on the wave
36. / I, too, would have a mind that’s fraught with sadness°
/ besieged by worry / filled with distress / sad and distraught
Salarino (and Salanio) are describing Antonio’s risky business ventures, which would elicit concern, worry,
agitation, stress, etc. rather than sadness. (Thus, ‘sadness’ in this context should be taken to mean, ‘worry, concern,
distress,’ etc.) This talk of Antonio’s sadness seems to be an import of an earlier draft of the play, where the play
initially opened with Antonio talking with Gratziano and Lorenzo about his (Antonio’s) sad nature. Later in the
scene we see the same conversation about Antonio’s sadness repeated with Gratziano—and this relates to Antonio’s
sad and depressed nature, and not a new-arising sadness, related to a specific conditions (as is the subject of the
conversation with Salarino and Salanio).
37. / Is worried when he thinks upon his ventures
These two lines are superfluous and appear too bold for either Salarino or Salanio—sounding more like
something Gratziano would say. These lines may be vestiges of an earlier draft which involved a conversation
between Antonio and Gratziano. Thus, these two lines could be deleted without any a meaningful loss and perhaps.
Page 5
with a slight improvement in the flow of the text.
38. Previously, Antonio’s sadness was thought to be venture-related, then love-related—both causes of which
Antonio denied. Here Salanio is surmising that Antonio must be sad because it is his nature to be sad. This
philosophical address of Antonio sad nature is repeated later in the scene by Gratziano. It is likely, that in an earlier
draft, Salanio’s words were mouthed by Lorenzo (or possibly Gratziano) and herein transposed (somewhat
imperfectly) to Salanio. Salanio (and Salarino) seem to know a lot about Antonio’s business venture but little about
his sad nature. [See Additional Notes, 1.1.47]
39. / Neither in love? Ah, then you must be sad
40. {Now, by two-headed Janus}
Janus: the Roman god of exits and entrances, who has two faces (not two heads) which looks in opposite
directions; one face is smiling and the other is frowning. One god, having two opposite faces, suggests the singular
root of both comedy and tragedy.
41. / Now, by Janus’s | Two faces, one which laughs and one which cries
/ But here we see | Two sides of Janus—one laughing, one crying
/ But here are Janus’ | Two heads, that face in opposite directions
42. {some that will evermore peep through their eyes}
This line refers to people who smile so much so that their cheek muscles have atrophied and now keep their
eyes half-shut—and now they can only peep through them. The image, akin to the laughing face of Janus, is of a
person smiling so much that it looks as if he is wearing the mask of a smiling face.
/ Some that can barely see through so much smiling / Some that e’er peep through eyes half-shut by smiling
43. laugh like parrots: a) refers to the parrot who by rote response laughs at everything, even a mournful tune.
Hence, laughing like a parrot refers to one who laughs at everything; one who is always laughing. b) implies a loud
screeching laughter rather than the actual laughter of a parrot.
44. {at a bagpiper} The music of a bagpipe was considered woeful, which should bring on tears, not laughter.
45. / And there be others of such gloomy aspect (/sullen mode) / And others of such a vinegary aspect (/ sullen
temperament) / And there be others of such sour mode / And there are others, so sour and tart.
38. Previously, Antonio’s sadness was thought to be venture-related, then love-related—both causes of which
Antonio denied. Here Salanio is surmising that Antonio must be sad because it is his nature to be sad. This
philosophical address of Antonio sad nature is repeated later in the scene by Gratziano. It is likely, that in an earlier
draft, Salanio’s words were mouthed by Lorenzo (or possibly Gratziano) and herein transposed (somewhat
imperfectly) to Salanio. Salanio (and Salarino) seem to know a lot about Antonio’s business venture but little about
his sad nature. [See Additional Notes, 1.1.47]
39. / Neither in love? Ah, then you must be sad
40. {Now, by two-headed Janus}
Janus: the Roman god of exits and entrances, who has two faces (not two heads) which looks in opposite
directions; one face is smiling and the other is frowning. One god, having two opposite faces, suggests the singular
root of both comedy and tragedy.
41. / Now, by Janus’s | Two faces, one which laughs and one which cries
/ But here we see | Two sides of Janus—one laughing, one crying
/ But here are Janus’ | Two heads, that face in opposite directions
42. {some that will evermore peep through their eyes}
This line refers to people who smile so much so that their cheek muscles have atrophied and now keep their
eyes half-shut—and now they can only peep through them. The image, akin to the laughing face of Janus, is of a
person smiling so much that it looks as if he is wearing the mask of a smiling face.
/ Some that can barely see through so much smiling / Some that e’er peep through eyes half-shut by smiling
43. laugh like parrots: a) refers to the parrot who by rote response laughs at everything, even a mournful tune.
Hence, laughing like a parrot refers to one who laughs at everything; one who is always laughing. b) implies a loud
screeching laughter rather than the actual laughter of a parrot.
44. {at a bagpiper} The music of a bagpipe was considered woeful, which should bring on tears, not laughter.
45. / And there be others of such gloomy aspect (/sullen mode) / And others of such a vinegary aspect (/ sullen
temperament) / And there be others of such sour mode / And there are others, so sour and tart.
Page 6
46. {Though Nestor swear the jest be laughable}
Nestor: a Greek officer of the Iliad, famous for his soberness and gravity.
/ Not even at a jest that able to rouse | Stern-browèd Nestor to rambunctious laughter.
/ Not even at a joke that could bestir | The somber Nestor into drunken laughter.
/ E’en at a jest that would rouse stern-browèd | Nestor into a most rambunctious laughter.
47. The name of these two characters, Salarino and Salanio, are never mentioned in the play even though it is
customary to name a character upon his entrance or during the first scene in which he appears. The failure to ever
mention the names of these minor but significant characters may be because these they were not conceived as part of
the original draft but added as part of a later draft. Thus, throughout the play, these two characters remain nameless.
To rectify this omission, a line which includes both their names, could be added here.
48. {You grow exceedingly strange. Must it be so?}
exceedingly strange: (a) like strangers, (b) strange in your ways, i.e, too reserved, too serious, not willing to get
together for a laugh.
Must it be so?: (a) i.e., it should not be that way and we must do something about it—such as get together for a
laugh. (b) must you be so serious and not willing to laugh with us.
49. In Q1 the speech heading reads Sal. which is most often attributed to Salarino. Due to the confusion in
abbreviations found in Q1, and because Salarino and Salanio often talk in tandem, this line is attributed to Salanio.
50. This exchange seems more of a gratuitous gesture than an actual intention to get together. We sense a cordial
distance between Bassanio and Salarino-Salanio, as they all seek Antonio’s attention. Bassanio may view the Sals as
fans, supporters, and ‘lesser friends’ of Antonio.
Nestor: a Greek officer of the Iliad, famous for his soberness and gravity.
/ Not even at a jest that able to rouse | Stern-browèd Nestor to rambunctious laughter.
/ Not even at a joke that could bestir | The somber Nestor into drunken laughter.
/ E’en at a jest that would rouse stern-browèd | Nestor into a most rambunctious laughter.
47. The name of these two characters, Salarino and Salanio, are never mentioned in the play even though it is
customary to name a character upon his entrance or during the first scene in which he appears. The failure to ever
mention the names of these minor but significant characters may be because these they were not conceived as part of
the original draft but added as part of a later draft. Thus, throughout the play, these two characters remain nameless.
To rectify this omission, a line which includes both their names, could be added here.
48. {You grow exceedingly strange. Must it be so?}
exceedingly strange: (a) like strangers, (b) strange in your ways, i.e, too reserved, too serious, not willing to get
together for a laugh.
Must it be so?: (a) i.e., it should not be that way and we must do something about it—such as get together for a
laugh. (b) must you be so serious and not willing to laugh with us.
49. In Q1 the speech heading reads Sal. which is most often attributed to Salarino. Due to the confusion in
abbreviations found in Q1, and because Salarino and Salanio often talk in tandem, this line is attributed to Salanio.
50. This exchange seems more of a gratuitous gesture than an actual intention to get together. We sense a cordial
distance between Bassanio and Salarino-Salanio, as they all seek Antonio’s attention. Bassanio may view the Sals as
fans, supporters, and ‘lesser friends’ of Antonio.
Tags-
William Shakespeare.
Merchant Of Venice.
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