The man that hath no music in himself, 92 Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, 93 Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils; 94 The motions of his spirit are dull as night, 95 And his affections dark as <Erebus.> 96 Let no such man be trusted.
LORENZO
The reason is, your spirits are attentive. 78
For do but note a wild and wanton herd 79
Or race of youthful and unhandled colts, 80
Fetching mad bounds , bellowing and neighing loud, 81
Which is the hot condition of their blood, 82
If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound, 83
Or any air of music touch their ears, 84
You shall perceive them make a mutual stand , 85
Their savage eyes turned to a modest gaze 86
By the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet 87
Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and 88 floods , 89
Since naught so stockish , hard, and full of rage, 90
But music for the time doth change his nature. 91
The man that hath no music in himself, 92
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, 93
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils ; 94
The motions of his spirit are dull as night, 95
And his affections dark as < Erebus . > 96
Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music. 97
Enter Portia and Nerissa.
[Act 5 Scene 1]
Footnotes
81 . Fetching mad bounds: i.e., madly leaping
85 . make . . . stand: i.e., all stand still
87 –89. the poet . . . floods: Many poets wrote of Orpheus, the mythological musician whose music was so enticing that it drew even inanimate objects toward him. (See picture.) Probably the poet refers to Ovid. (See his Metamorphoses 10.86–103.) Orpheus. ( 5.1.88 ) From Ovid, Metamorphoseon . . . (1565).
90 . naught: nothing; stockish: i.e., like a stock or post
91 . his: i.e., its
94 . stratagems, and spoils: violent deeds and pillage
96 . affections: inclinations; Erebus: a place of darkness between Earth and Hades
97 . Mark: listen to
