I would you had won the fleece that he hath lost!
-Solanio
The Merchant of Venice Act III, scene ii, line 241
Day three of Merchant.
We are in Belmont, and earlier in this scene Bassiano picked the correct casket and has won Portia’s hand. Now, Solanio has just arrived from Venice, and Gratiano is asking for news of Antoino.
How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio?
I
know he will be glad of our success;
We
are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.
To which Solanio replies with today’s semi-random line. Of course, the news he brings in a letter, which Bassanio and Gratiano have not yet read, is that Antonio has defaulted on the debt and is going to have to give a pound of flesh to Shylock. So it’s not particularly good news, is it.
Both Solanio and Gratiano are making reference to Jason and the Golden Fleece, a story from Greek mythology in case you’re not familiar with it. Jason and his crew go on a quest to bring back the Golden Fleece which was considered a great treasure. After many adventures, they succeed. Gratiano is comparing Bassanio and himself to Jason and his men. Solanio is talking about Antonio when he says the fleece that he hath lost, because Antonio has lost it all.
No comments:
Post a Comment