Aiton’s Encyclopedia
A Practical Reference Library in Five Volumes — keyed from the public-domain original
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Bassanio

bas-sa'ni-o, in Shakespeare's comedy, Merchant of Venice, a Venetian gentleman, friend of Antonio. Nerissa speaks of him as "a scholar and a soldier." These words describe the ideal man of the time. Bassanio is Portia's successful suitor, although his part in the play in unimportant. See Merchant Of Venice

Volume I · Aiton’s Encyclopedia