Merchant of Venice. - Repositories

SCENE 1.] NOTES 177
1. 128. hang'd. Professor Thurber calls attention in his edi*
tion of the play to a curious account of '' Legal Persecutions of
the Lower Animals," Chambers's Bookof Da^s, Vol. L, p. 126.
It seems from this article that animals were once tried in court
for offences, excommunicated, imprisoned, and sometimes
hanged. The argument for so doing seems rather plausible
from one point of view. Because God had cursed the serpent,
and the Saviour had cursed the unproductive fig-tree, therefore
it was possible and consistent to curse and excommunicate the
lower animals. Since, however, the lower animals had been
created before man, it was argued that they were important and
worthy in the eyes of the Creator, and deserved a fair trial in
the court, with lawyers to defend their rights. Some editors
think that this reference to the wolf may have had a connection
with the execution of Dr. Lopez (see Sources of the
Play). The name of the doctor is similar to the Latin lupus,
a wolf.
Very likely, however, Gratiano merely alludes to a popular
fable.
1. 134. offend'st. Dost injure.
1.146. visitation. Now used only of apparently supernatural
visits, or of punishments.
1. 155. Two negatives in this line. What are they ? How
would it be necessary to change it in order to express the right
meaning to-day ?
1. 164. difference. A polite term for a lawsuit.
1. 172. impugn. Oppose.