Trees

Merchant of Venice, [5.1.70-88]. Lorenzo. The reason is, your spirits are attentive./ For do but note a wild and wanton herd,/ or race of youthful and unhandled colts,/ Fetching made bounds, bellowing and neighing loud,/ Which is the hot condition of their blood;/ If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound,/ Or any air of music touch their ears,/ you shall perceive them make a mutual stand,/ Their savage eyes turn’d to a modest gaze by the sweet power of music. Therefore the poet/ Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods,/ Since nought so stockish, hard, and full of rage,/ But music for the time doth change his nature./ The man that hath no music in himself,/ Nor is not mov’d with concord of sweet sounds,/ Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils;/ The motions of his spirit are dull as night/ And his affections dark as Erebus./ Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.