Merchant of Venice. - Repositories

168 NOTES [ACT III
1. 274. impeach the freedom of the state. From what is
said later in Act IV., it seems as if Shakespeare forgot that
Venice was a free city, and thought of her as an English city
possessing a charter from the state of which she was a part.
This charter, which granted certain rights and a considerable
amount of independence, could be taken away from a city if she
did not fulfil the conditions under which the charter had been
granted — if, for instance, she did not show justice to foreign
merchants.
I. 276. magnificoes. Nobles.
II. 280-286. In these words of Jessica's, is any light thrown
upon the question as to when and how the plot against Antonio
grew in the mind of Shylock ?
1. 289. best-condition'd and unwearied. Where in II,, I.,
did we have a similar example of this condensed manner of
expressing the superlative of two adjectives connected by and ?
What word must be supplied here to-day to make the meaning
fully clear ? Where in L, ii., was condition used with the same
meaning as here ? Where, a few lines above, did we have a
proof of these qualities in Antonio's character ?
1. 291. ancient Roman honour. Recall from Julius Cmar
the words of the Roman Brutus : —
** Set honour i' the one eye and death i' the other.
And I will look on death indifferently."
L 308. cheer.
Countenance.
1. 315. you and I. Not right according to grammatical