" (I, iii, 45-48). Shylock accusesAntonio of verbally and physically abusing him in the past. " You call me misbeliever,cutthroat dog,/ And you spet upon my Jewish gaberdine," and Shylock even continues tosay, " You did void your rheum upon my beard/ And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur/Over your threshold!" (I, iii, 108-116). These actions at the time were acceptable forChristians and Antonio openly admits to them saying, " I am as like to call thee so again,/To spet on thee, to spurn thee too" (I, iii, 127-128). Antonio even ignores Shylock'spresence, referring to him in the third person. "Is he yet possessed?" (I, iii, 61).Later in the play, we discover that Antonio has actually rescued many of Shylock'sdebtors from their loans, thus preventing Shylock from collecting his interest. Antoniodescribes this when he says, "He seeks my life. His reason I well know:/ I oft deliveredfrom his forfeitures/ Many that have at times made moan to me. therefore he hates me"(III, iii, 21-24). This revelation later in the play shows Antonio following good Christianmorals in saving Shylocks debtors. He lends money without interest, in contrast to thegreedy Shylock. Shylock hates him for this generosity, a good Christian virtue. Thus,Shylock attacks not only a good Christian man, but Christian morals in general. Thisanti-Christian attitude has no ground in Elizabethan society.When the contract is initially made, Shylock is very cordial and acts as though thepound of flesh is a light hearted joke, even calling it a "merry bond"(I, iii, 170). He says, "A pound of a man's flesh taken from a man/ Is not so estimable, profitable neither,/ Asflesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say/ To buy this favor I extend friendship" (I, iii,162-165). Bassanio even warns Antonio at this time saying, "I like not the fair terms andvillain's mind" (I, iii, 176). During the play, Shylock's motive for the bond is eventuallyrevealed to be that of murder. He will rid himself...
