Merchant of Venice. - Repositories

SCENE 1.] NOTES 185
See how the exact correspondence of stanza to stanza (known
as stichomythia) has the effect of rhyme. Notice where the
refrain occurs. It all brings back to our minds once more
the courtly Antonio, admired and loved by all his friends, the
happy, care-free Bassanio, and the beautiful, mirth-loving,
queenly Portia. These are the three that are to remain in our
thoughts as the play closes. Love has conquered hate and
mercy seasoned justice ; let Love sing her joy and proclaim her
triumph.
1. 39. Sola, sola! A cry to attract notice.
1. 67. Become. Are becoming to, or suited to.
1. 57. touches. He is probably thinking of the notes produced
by the touches of the hands on the instruments.
1- 59. patines. (Pronounced pa-tins.) These were small
gold plates used in the communion service in the church.
1. 61. sings. Perhaps Shakespeare recalled the Hebrew
verse, Job xxxviii. 7: "When the morning stars sang together,"
and thought of each star as singing by itself as it
revolves in its orbit.
1. 62. quiring. Singing in concert with cherubins. The
Hebrew plural of cherub is cherubim, or cherubin. Shakespeare
adds an English plural ending to this form. The cherubim
were one of the orders of angels. For the Hebrew conception
of the cherubim, see Ezekiel x.
1. 64. muddy vesture of decay. The body.
1. 65. cannot hear it. When only, according to Shakespeare,
may men expect to hear this singing of the stars ?