What does Shakespeare mean by this, "I am a tainted wether of the flock, Meetest for death. The weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me. You cannot better be employed, Bassanio, Than to live still and write mine epitaph."

Antonio is filled with melancholy, he is a depressed and sick man. In this quote, he presents us with a sadness that could be perceived as suicidal. None-the-less, he is ready to sacrifice himself for his best friend without reservation.

Antonio is filled with melancholy, he is a depressed and sick man. In this quote, he presents us with a sadness that could be perceived as suicidal. None-the-less, he is ready to sacrifice himself for his best friend without reservation.