ÁLVARO Serrano Duarte - BARRANQUILLA (COLOMBIA)
Fragment of The Merchant from Venice, of William Shakespeare, adapted by MOUNTAIN ÁLVARO DUARTE
The facts of this history happen in Venice, Italian city recognized by their great trade.
One of their citizens, Basanio, wants to participate in the conquest of Porcia, but for he needs it a considerable sum of money that doesn't have in the moment.
Goes to Antonio, a well-known Venetian merchant that enjoys great prestige and commercial credit, to request him a loan.
Unfortunately, in the moment of their application, Antonio doesn't have that sum cash and it is awaiting three ships loaded with goods.
However the merchant is a very helpful person and he offers him his help for obtender the loan of another person.
For it, offers as bondsman before the Jewish Sylock, a rich foreign merchant, for the sum of 3.000 dukedoms, committing to pay it in the maximum term of three months.
But Sylock hates Antonio, the bondsman, because is a successful and very dear merchant in the city where he is recognized because he lends money without charging interests, that makes lower the rate of Venice in I deteriorate of its own business, you dressed with elegant braveries and is the biggest supplier of goods.
The Jew, after a lot to hesitate, he tells him:
—Because well... I want to give you a test of the desire that I have of serving you. Venid with me to a notary's house and you will sign me there the writing.
However, he wanted that... for a joke - only - he put on in the document the clause that if in the day and in the place that we will determine, you have not returned me the sum or the designated sums, you commit to lose a pound of your meat that I will be able to cut of the part that I am fancied to choose...
Basanio opposes herself to this condition to consider that it should not allow that its friend Antonio is exposed to a collection of that nature. But Sylock insisted:
—Oh, Father Abraham, I recognize the Christian well... the hardness of its procederes makes them suspect the same thing in the other ones...!
Tell me: what would I win with demanding that it completed their promise if I won't pay myself when conquering the fixed term?
A pound of man's meat is not as good neither so profitable as the cow meat, ram or of goat.
If I make him this offer of friendship, it is only to earn me their affection.
If it accepts, good; but that makes what he likes. I beg you that you don't interpret me bad this that induces me to make my desire of friendship.
Missed by so curious proposal, but for sure she would not be given for that before would have paid the debt, Antonio it accepted the treatment.
The term of three months fixed for the payment lapsed and it had not become effective because its ships didn't arrive in the foreseen term. Sylock who had only had in mind - as it showed it their later behavior - the vengeance for the offenses and received scorns.
In the face of the possibility of manifesting their hate demanded the execution of the clause and he abided strictly to the specified pain. It didn't accept any substitute:
—I want - it clamored - that that is completed specified in the agreement! That nobody dares to speak to me against him. I have sworn that it will be completed and it will be completed...
The case passed to the office of the Doge, as saying today to the tribunal, to decide the conflict, and that it threatened to the clementcia. But the creditor continued pawned in his collection.
—I have sworn for the sacred day of Saturday that I will demand what I am owed and the pain specified in the agreement.
If you deny it to me, unfortunate it is your Constitution and the freedoms of your Republic!
You will ask me, perhaps, why I prefer a pound of dead meat to three thousand dukedoms. To ésto I will only respond that each one has their pleasure...
And before the offer of Basanio that had duplicated the offer with 6.000 dukedoms that now yes it was under conditions of obtaining, Sylock said:
—That pound of meat that I request you belongs me... I have bought it to good price and I want it. If you deny it to me, fall the blemish on your laws!
The ordinances of the Senate of Venice won't have force from now on some...
The Doge, confused, sent to call to Belanio, famous Magistrate so that it solved the conflict.
It was presented disguised, instead of that, the same goddess of the justice who neither could move the strong decision of Sylock. Then, it dictated their failure:
—The agreement grants you exactly a pound of meat, but it doesn't grant you a single drop of blood.
He takes then, what grants you the agreement, takes the pound of meat; but if when taking it, you pour a single drop of Christian blood, your goods - according to the law of Venice - they will be confiscated in benefit of the State.
Sylock softened its hardness:
—In such a case, I accept the offer... that pay me triplicate the sum and that they put in freedom to the Christian...
But the goddess of the justice, disguised of Magistrate, insisted in that justice should be made:
—He will only be paid what specifies the agreement. Get ready, because, to cut the meat that belongs you, but don't pour blood, neither court more neither less than a fair pound.
If you cut something more or less, although it is the twentieth part of a gram, if the scale leans of the grosor of a hair, you will die and your goods will be confiscated.
The creditor went back again:
—You give me the sum without interests and allow me to leave...
The goddess of the justice persisted:
—You won't get more than what specifies the agreement; but but you take it, it will be to your bill and risk.
Sylock dispelled all its pretenses:
—In such a case that the devil gives you receipt... I don't want to discuss more.
But here the extraordinary lesson of the legend comes: the goddess of the justice said:
—A moment, Sylock... the justice is entitled other on you. It is written in the laws of Venice that if it is proven that a foreigner has attempted direct or indirectly against the life of a citizen, it must levy half of his goods to be given them to who could be his victim; the other half must enter in the Arks of the State, and the Doge can only forgive the video of the culprit that all the other judges will condemn to death...
Now then, you are in this case for that it is proven until the evidence that you have attempted direct or indirectly against this merchant's life and, therefore, you have incurred in the pain that I have just indicated...
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