Another One Bites The Dust

Yes! Great news!

The Moroccan Prince, who tried to steal Portia away from me, was a fool and the test got him! Yes, he can never marry in his lifetime because he failed the test! I sense that I’m much closer to my dear Portia… Yes…

I’m sure that the test will be easy. All the suitors whom I have heard of who failed the test must really be imbeciles, and I’m sure I’ll stand a much better chance at winning Portia’s hand than them.

You could say I have no reason to say so, but I guess it’s just my way to  comfort myself and reassure myself that I’ll be with my dear Portia… And more importantly, her money!

I’m currently sailing to Belmont… Each moment is slow and lonely as I await the moment when I can finally see Portia again… I busy myself with thinking about her, writing about her… And I recently came up with this poem which I hope to let her read when I do see her again. I hope it touches her heart just as her loving gaze touched mine the previous time I was in Belmont.

 

The bright pink stands out amongst the solemn aquamarine pages of my journal, but it’s just like how my dear Portia stands out, her beauty distinguishing her as the one and only love of my life.

– Bassanio

Off To Belmont

Although I was really looking forward to the masquerade tonight, I decided to cancel it and board the ship immediately since the winds were just right. After all, any reason is reason enough to leave earlier to be with Portia!

Sometimes I really doubt that Portia is human. Just look at her beauty, unmatched by any other woman in the world.

I think she’s true perfection. And this expresses exactly how I feel!

Since I saw her in Belmont, I have been willing to do just about anything to be with her, even turn to that lowlife Jew, Shylock, for money. (Author’s Note: I’m not really anti-semitic! ^^ )

Like me, Gratiano is rather keen on going to Belmont. I wonder… Is there somebody he is infatuated with too? I must find out.

More later. Bye everyone… Wish me luck!

– Bassanio

A New Servant

Today, two men – father and son – came to speak to me.

For some reason, they kept interrupting each other, in a sense completing each other’s sentences. They were somewhat… Nervous. Eventually, I asked them to stop beating around the bush, and it turned out that the younger man – Launcelot – wanted to work for me as a servant. Why not? I thought.

Later on, I instructed Leonardo – my other servant –  to prepare the necessary things for dinner tonight, with Shylock. I urged him to do his best since I really need the loan from Shylock, and he’ll surely use the slightest mess-up as a reason to say ‘no’, erasing my chances with Portia! NO! NEVER. Portia and I belong together.

Anyway, just as Leonardo left, Gratiano came looking for me, asking me to let him go with him to Belmont. Of course, Gratiano can get really wild and lose control sometimes, so I was afraid that he would give others a bad impression of me in Belmont. Rather than saying no – since he was so eager – I promised that as long as he does not lose his control of himself in Belmont, he would surely be able to come along.

Gratiano promised that although he may be his usual fun-loving self during dinner, he would not in Belmont. I can really trust this good friend of mine, and I’m sure he’ll keep to his word.

And I sure hope he does.

Because, Gratiano, if you don’t and Portia doesn’t choose me… YOU WILL DIE.

Metaphorically.

– Bassanio

My Competition Has Arrived

You could say that Portia is a social stalwart, and gossip is always on about her, so new on her activities are easily accessible, and I’ve just heard that the Moroccan prince has gone to try and win Portia’s hand in marriage!

I know he isn’t the only suitor after her, but this is a sure sign that competition has arrived. Of course, I can’t help but feel slightly worried, but at the same time I know that he won’t be able to make it past the test! I have not much of a reason for saying that, if I’m to be honest. But I just hope and pray that indeed he won’t have the wisdom to pass…

I hope that she’ll choose me, ultimately, because besides the money, I really do love her. She’s like… A goddess. I don’t exactly understand this song, but if the translations are accurate then I can safely say that this song applies to my situation! [Please click the YouTube logo to watch it on YouTube! Copyright issues…]

“Receive my heart, I’m anxiously waiting, baby…”

As you can see, there’s a lot of hope. A lot of things depend on hope… Something so uncertain. I just hope – see what I mean? – that fate is merciful and leaves me where I belong – with Portia…

– Bassanio

A Friend’s Enemy Who is My Friend… Wait… What?

I have decided to borrow money – in Antonio’s name – from Shy lock. But there’s a problem. The thing is: Antonio lends money without charging interest. Hence Shylock hates him. You see, Shylock is a money-lender, so his income comes from his interest. Still, Shylock has agreed to lend me three-thousand ducats.

We had a long discussion about it, before we came to an agreement that he would lend me three thousand ducats, which I would have to repay within three months. Crazy as it sounds, Antonio agreed that he would give A POUND OF FLESH to Shylock if he wasn’t able to repay him in time.

I thought this idea was stupid. But Antonio seemed confident that he would be able to pay Shylock back in time, and told me that it was a joke anyway. I suppose it was possible that Shylock was being sarcastic, but whatever it was, Antonio agreed.

It disturbs me that Antonio agreed to such a macabre idea, but the joy of having my money outweighs the worry… I suppose. Antonio has been such a good friend to me since we were children. The last thing I want to see is him getting hurt or killed while trying to help me…

Mixed Emotions.

That’s what I have now. I’m elated to have the three thousand ducats and a chance to marry Portia, I’m worried that I won’t pass the test, and I’m utterly disturbed by the agreement that Antonio made. Regardless, I guess I’ll let my worry subside… And let the positive thoughts inundate me.

I just hope everything turns out alright for Antonio. I… I guess he’ll be able to pay Shylock back… Yeah! That’s it. He’ll be able to pay back Shylock. No worries… Why worry when there’s MONEY?! The wondrous stuff that makes the world go round… Yes… Money… No worries!

Haha, I’m feeling great again. Money ❤

(Thanks so much, Antonio! You’re a great friend! But please don’t be so reckless in the future…)

– Bassanio

The Test: A Sneak Peek?

I have been considering who I should raise a loan from. Antonio suggested asking in Venice, since he has a good reputation amongst the people there.

But I have been slightly disillusioned recently. Rumors are going around all over that Portia in Belmont has been thinking about how she should choose a husband. The details are very sketchy since Portia only discusses such things with her gentlewoman Nerissa in privacy, but what I know so far is that somebody – I’m not quite sure who – has devised a test for anybody who wishes to marry Portia. It involves three caskets – a gold, silver and lead one. I don’t know exactly what I’m supposed to do.

That makes me utterly nervous.

The image that has been floating around endlessly in my mind recently is this:

I’m seriously worried! What am I supposed to do? What if I choose wrongly? What if I make the obvious choice and it’s wrong? I must vow never to marry… I can’t imagine that!

I just hope things turn out right – that I can marry Portia and live with her happily. And of course, pay off my debts. My fate lies in these three caskets…

I’ll be sure to update you as I find out more.

– Bassanio

YES. MONEY.

I feel so accomplished that words can’t even describe it!

Earlier today, I asked my friend, a merchant named Antonio, if he could lend me some money. I know it seems like I’ve gone over the limit, but as I explained in the previous  entry, with that money I will be able to win Portia’s hand in marriage, and I’ll pay off my debts with her money!

But there’s one thing I’m still rather worried about. That is: how will I do in the test that every suitor must take to even stand a chance to win her hand? Regardless, here is how it all played out…

At first, when I went to speak to Antonio with my two friends, Lorenzo and Gratiano, he was talking Salerio and Salanio. They were leaving, and we all agreed to meet for dinner, which I’ll be doing after this post.

He seemed quite depressed, and Gratiano made an attempt to cheer him up before leaving, an attempt which I continued later, before asking him to lend me some money. I explained to him that yes, I was well aware of my umpteen debts – how could one forget the heartache of spending money? – and that I wished to borrow some from him one last time. I spewed out my entire plot to him, trusting him since he’s my close friend.

Although he didn’t have enough money to loan me, he allowed me to raise a loan with his name as guarantor. Antonio is such a great friend!

I’m so elated right now. Just the thought of having a chance to marry Portia makes me want to shout out to the world that I’m feeling so joyous!

With all this joy in me, this is exactly how I feel tonight will be – smash the replay button as many times as you want:

– Bassanio

I Need This Gold To Get That Gold



 

Doesn’t it just look great?

You feel like you want to reach out and touch it, don’t you? Money. What a wondrous thing. The problem is: I don’t have enough of it.

I suppose my friends are right – I spend way too much. I enjoy the luxuries that money brings, but I don’t really like working for it. It’s a bad habit and it’s not good for me and all that, I know… But… I wish somebody understood. I owe tonnes of money to countless people, but like a pestilence that just gets worse, I keep spending more and more!

But I have found a solution!

Deciding which is more beautiful – the problem or the solution – is like choosing between one’s parents!  Her name is Portia, and I wouldn’t believe you if you spilled into my ear the blasphemy that her beauty doesn’t astound you. Indeed, I can’t choose between the two, but with the clever plan I have thought up, I will not have to, because I can have both!

You see, Portia is no ordinary lady with nothing but looks. She’s an heiress. I’ll be straight to the point with this: If I can get her to marry me, her fortune is surely more than enough to pay off my debts!

Now, I know what you’re thinking. What a mercenary! But really, I’m not just after her money, I am infatuated. Our eyes met once in Belmont. The look in her eyes told me that I wasn’t the only one who was in love.

Still, not just anybody can marry her. I’ve heard that there’s a test one must pass if he wishes to even have a chance to marry her, with the consequences of failing being so macabre that… I don’t even want to talk about it. I’ll blurt it out. FailTheTestAndOneMustSwearNotToEverMarry. Horrid, isn’t it?

As if that wasn’t enough of a challenge, I still need a lump sum of money to even have a chance to win her hand. But I have come up with a solution for that too! I’ll just turn to my friend Antonio, ask him for a loan, take the test (details…) and pay off my debts with Portia’s money (Shh!).

I’m going tomorrow – since it’s way too late now – and I’ll let you know how it goes, so until then,

S T A Y    T U N E D !

(Is that the correct phrase?)

Bye

– Bassanio