After Jessica and Lorenzo exit, Antonio appears and informs Graziano that the masque is canceled for that evening because Bassanio is to set sail for Belmont immediately. Graziano is happy to hear this news, for he is also anxious to go to Belmont as soon as possible.
The next scene is set at Belmont. There thePrince of Moroccois making an attempt to win Portia as his bride. In order to win her, he must choose the correct casket – the one containing a small portrait of Portia. There arethree caskets: one made of gold, one of silver, and one of lead. Each casket also contains an inscription, a riddle, to help or hinder the suitor from choosing the correct one:
The Prince thinks carefully about the riddles. He rejects thelead casketbecause he finds it threatening. Moreover, he thinks that to hazard or gamble for wealth is foolish and beneath a person of