"I do oppose My patience to his fury, and am arm'd To suffer, with a quietness of spirit, The very tyranny and rage of his."
and again he will not contend, but begs the Court,
".... with all brief and plain conveniency Let me have judgement and the Jew his will."
"What, man, courage yet! The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones and all, Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood."
"I am a tainted wether of the flock, Meetest for death: the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground: and so let me: You cannot better be employed, Bassanio, Than to live still and write mine epitaph."
He will not be saved: he gives himself at once to that "sweet way of despair" which we have found to be the second Richard's way and Shakespeare's way.
Just as we noticed, when speaking of Posthumus in "Cymbeline," that Shakespeare's hero and _alter ego_ is always praised by the other personages of the drama, so this Antonio is praised preposterously by the chief personages of the play, and in the terms of praise we may see how Shakespeare, even in early manhood, liked to be considered. He had no ambition to be counted stalwart, or bold, or resolute like most young males of his race, much less "a good hater," as Dr. Johnson confessed himself: he wanted his gentle qualities recognized, and his intellectual gifts; Hamlet wished to be thought a courtier, scholar, gentleman; and here Salarino says of Antonio:
"A kinder gentleman treads not the earth,"
and he goes on to tell how Antonio, when parting from Bassanio, had "eyes big with tears":
"Turning his face, he put his hand behind him, And with affection wondrous sensible He wrung Bassanio's hand; and so they parted."
This Antonio is as tender-hearted and loving as young Arthur. And Lorenzo speaks of Antonio to Portia just as Salarino spoke of him:
"_Lor_. But if you knew to whom you show this honour. How true a gentleman you send relief, How dear a lover of my lord your husband, I know you would be prouder of the work Than customary bounty can enforce you."
and finally Bassanio sums Antonio up in enthusiastic superlatives:
"The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, The best-condition'd and unwearied spirit In doing courtesies, and one in whom The ancient Roman honour more appears Than any that draws breath in Italy."
