In the play The Merchant of Venice, Antonio hated Shylock very much, because Shylock lent usurious loan. Shylock hated Antonio too, because Antonio lent money without asking for interest, and Shylock had to descent his interest. In Act I, Sc. 3, because of his friend, Antonio decided to borrow money from Shylock and promised to pay Shylock the high interest. The dialogue between them is follow:.
SHYLOCK When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep £ This Jacob from our holy Abram was, As his wise mother wrought in his behalf, The third possessor; ay, he was the third £ .
ANTONIO And what of him? Did he take interest?.
SHYLOCK No, not take interest; not, as you would say, Directly int' rest; mark what Jacob did: When Laban and himself were compromis' d That all the eanlings which were streak'd and pied Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank, In end of autumn turned to the rams; And when the work of generation was Between these woolly breeders in the act, The skillful shepherd pill'd me certain wands, And, in the doing of the deep of kind, He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes, Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time Fall parti-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's. This was a way to thrive, and he was blest; And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not .
ANTONIO This was a venture, sir, that Jacob serv'd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven.
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The sly Shylock cited the allusion from Genesis for his purpose. He wanted money like the ewe to breed a lot of interest. In order to get money, he is no matter to adopt whatever method. It shows Shylock's greedy disposition.
Doubtless you will recall the story of Jacob and Laban who had an altercation over the division of their flocks. Jacob proposed that he should take all the spotted cattle, sheep and goats as his hire, and leave those that were of one colour to Laban.