What do you do for living?

[sesame]

Originally Posted by ila

Could be dangerous. Sesame might want a pound of flesh as debt repayment

I am not a moneylender, and certainly not Shylock! Shakespeare didnt mean Shylock by the title 'The merchant of Venice', ila dear, he referred to Antonio, the romantic hero! (that would be me ) I'm always ready to help my friends. Friendship is the most precious thing in my life.

Shaky and I were good friends around the 1590s. He was deeply inspired by the high romantic strain in my character. Around 1598, I went to Venice to spend some quality time with my fiance. Shaky intimated me in his letter that he has completed a play based on my character. He also included my friend and his wife Portia in his play! He changed my friend's name on my request to Bassanio to give him some privacy. He mixed up our attorney Balthasar with Portia and added drama to his work. Clever man! Anyway, I allowed him to retain the name of my business rival Shylock as it is! We even went to a hunting adventure, me and Shaky! The poor doe turned out to be a runaway from his majesty's park! I explained to the guards that we thought it was a wild animal, but they hardly listened! Anyway, my wise friend Balthasar cleared our names. And Shaky immortalized him later in gratitude.