The pedigree of Honey 1
Does not concern the Bee,
Nor lineage of Ecstasy
Delay the Butterfly
On spangle journeys to the peak 5
Of some perceiveless thing－
The right of way to Tripoli
A more essential thing.
Does not concern the Bee,
Nor lineage of Ecstasy
Delay the Butterfly
On spangle journeys to the peak 5
Of some perceiveless thing－
The right of way to Tripoli
A more essential thing.
(F.1650/J.1627)
[1–8]:: The word Tripoli appears three times in The Merchant of Venice and once in The Taming of the Shrew. Pedigree to concern hints at the the love of Lorenzo and Jessica, a Venetian and Jew.
[1] Honey:: sweetheart, indicating Shylock's daughter Jessica.
[2] Bee:: a diligent man, Lorenzo, a Venetian who pursued Jessica without concerning her pedigree as a Jew.
[3] lineage of Ecstasy:: Bassanio's swelling nature exhausted his estate; he asked for Antonio's help.
[4] Butterfly:: a light-headed person like butterfly, Bassanio.
[5] spangle:: glittering of gold and silver, a hint on Portia's casket lottery. peak:: the peak of Bassanio's life after he won Portia.
[6] perceiveless:: the condition of choosing the right casket among the three.
[7] Tripoli:: destination of one of Antonio's merchantmen.
[8] essential:: returning of the merchant.
BASSANIO:
How much I have disabled mine estate,
By something shewing a more swelling port
Than my faint means would grant continuance:
Nor do I now make moan to be abridged
From such a noble rate,
TUBALL:
Hath an Argosy cast away coming from Tripolis.
─ The Merchant of Venice