Merchant of Venice. - Repositories

186 NOTES [ACT V
1. 66. Diana. The goddess of the moon. See also I., ii.,
103, note.
1. 70. spirits. Mind. Read again II., vii., 46, and IV., i.,
361, and tell in what two other meanings this word has already
been used in Shakespeare.
1. 70. attentive. Fastened on serious thoughts, and not,
therefore, free and merry.
1. 77. mutual. General, common.
1. 79. poet. Probably referring here to Ovid, from whom
Shakespeare drew many of his stories of Greek and Roman
mythology.
1. 80. feign. Pretend, by his imaginative invention.
1. 80. Orpheus. The famous musician who accompanied
Jason on his expedition after the Golden Fleece. He was said
to be able to draw after him, by the power of his music, the
trees, the stones, and the rivers, and to guide and rule the wild
beasts.
1. 86. spirit. With which of the three meanings that we
have had thus far is this word used here ?
1. 86. dull. Slow, or gloomy.
I. 87. Erebus. The extremely dark and gloomy passage
through which the souls of the dead had to pass on their way
from Earth to Hades.
II. 1-88. Has Jessica changed in character ? Why does she
seem different here ?
1. 91. good deed. What verse in the Sermon on the Mount
does this remind you of ?