TUSH, never tell me, I take it much unkindly, hate. Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, My mediators; for, certes,' says he, Forsooth, a great arithmetician, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife; More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric, (1) Saluted. (2) Circumlocution. (3) Certainly. Herald. Desdemona, daughter to Brabantio, and wife to Emilia, wife to Iago. Bianca, a courtezan, mistress to Cassio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, &c. Scene, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a sea-port in Cyprus. And I, (God bless the mark!) his Moorship's an cient. Rod. By heaven I rather would have been his hangman. Iago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curse of service; Preferment goes by letter, and affection, Not by the old gradation, where each second I Rod. I would not follow him then. Whip me such honest knaves: Others there are, their coats, Do themselves homage: these fellows have some And such a one do I profess myself. It is as sure as you are Roderigo, (5) Theory. (4) For wife some read life, supposing it to al-sums with counters. Jude to the denunciation in the Gospel, wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you. (8) Related. ! (9) Outward show of civility. Rod. What a full fortune does the thick lips owe,'| Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. As when, by night and negligence, the fire Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! signier Brabantio, Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! Brabantio, above, at a window. Bra. What is the reason of this terrible mons? What is the matter there? Jago. You are a senator. Bra. This thou shalt answer: I know thee, Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I be If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent I thus would play and trifle with your reverence: Rod. Signior, is all your family within ? Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; Bra. What, have you lost your wits? voice? Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is My house is not a grange. Rod. Bra. Strike on the tinder ho! Another of his fathom they have not, I must show out a flag and sign of love, Lead to the Sagittary the rais'd search; How didst thou know 'twas she? O, thou deceiv'st me Most grave Brabantio, In simple and pure soul I come to you. Iago. Zounds, sir, you are one of those, that will Past thought!-What said she to you?-Get more not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we tapers; come to do you service, you think we are ruffians: Raise all my kindred,-Are they married think you? You'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary Rod. Truly, I think, they are. horse; you'll have your nephews neigh to you: you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans." Bra. What profane wretch art thou? Jago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. Bra. O heaven!-How got she out!-0 treason of the blood! Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds Rod. (6) Midnight. (8) Approbation. Yes, sir; I have indeed. (7) A waterman. (9) Wandering. (10) Dismiss. (11) Old age. Yet do I hold it very stuff o'the conscience, I had thought to have verk'd him here under the ribs. Oth. 'Tis better as it is. Nay, but he prated, That, with the little godliness I have, I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray, sir, Oth. Let him do his spite: Enter Cassio, at a distance, and certain Officers with torches. Iago. These are the raised father, and his friends: Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant. When, being not at your lodging to be found, Oth. [Exit. Ancient, what makes he here? Jago. 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carack;8 I will but spend a word here in the house, If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever. Iago. He's married. To who? my daughter? Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her: Oth. Hold your hands, Bra. And many of the consuls, rais'd, and met, What if I do obey? 'Tis true, most worthy signior, Are at the duke's already: You have been hotly The duke's in council; and your noble self, I am sure, is sent for." (5) Unsettled. (7) Searchers. 4 A (9) To terrify, not delight. Bra. How! the duke in council! In this time of the night-Bring him away: Mine's not an idle cause: the duke himself, Or any of my brothers of the state, Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own: For if such actions may have passage free, Bond-slaves, and pagans,' shall our statesmen be. 1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor. Enter Brabantio, Othello, Iago, Roderigo, and Officers. Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you [To Brabantio. [Exeunt. Against the general enemy Ottoman. SCENE III.-The same. A council-chamber. I did not see you; welcome, gentle signior; We lack'd your counsel and your help to-night. Bra. So did I yours: Good your grace, pardon me; The Duke, and Senators, sitting at a table; Of ficers allending. Duke. There is no composition in these news, That gives them credit. 1 Sen. Indeed, they are disproportion'd; My letters say, a hundred and seven galleys. Duke. And mine, a hundred and forty. 2 Sen. And mine, two hundred: But though they jump not on a just account (As in these cases, where the aim' reports, 'Tis oft with difference,) yet do they all confirm A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus. Duke. Nay, it is possible enough to judgment; I do not so secure me in the error, But the main article I do approve In fearful sense. Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business, Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general care Take hold on me; for my particular grief Duke. Why, what's the matter? Bra. My daughter! O, my daughter! Dead? Ay, to me; Sen. Bra. She is abus'd, stol'n from me and corrupted Sailor. [Within.] What ho! what ho! what ho! For nature so preposterously to err, Enter an Officer, with a Sailor. Off. A messenger from the galleys. Now? the business? Being not deficient, blind or lame of sense, Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul pro- Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes; Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, So was I bid report here to the state, By signior Angelo. Duke. How say you by this change? 1 Sen. This cannot be, By no assay of reason; 'tis a pageant, To keep us in false gaze: When we consider The importancy of Cyprus to the Turk; And let ourselves again but understand, That, as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes, So may he with more facile question bear it, For that it stands not in such warlike brace, But altogether lacks the abilities That Rhodes is dress'd in :-if we make thought of this, We must not think, the Turk is so unskilful, Enter a Messenger. Mess. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious, Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes, Have there injointed them with an after-fleet. 1 Sen. Ay, so I thought:-How many, as you guess? Mess. Of thirty sail: and now do they re-stem Their backward course, bearing with frank ap pearance Their purposes towards Cyprus.-Signior Montano, Duke. "Tis certain then for Cyprus.- 1 Sen. He's now in Florence. Duke. Write from us; wish him post-post-haste: despatch. (1) The pagans and bond-slaves of Africa. (2) Consistency. (4) Easy dispute. (3) Conjecture. (5) State of defence. Bra. Nothing but, this is so. Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, My very noble and approved good masters, That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter It is most true; true, I have married her; The very head and front of my offending Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little bless'd with the set phrase of peace; For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith, Till now some nine moons wasted, they have us'd Their dearest action in the tented field; And little of this great world can I speak, More than pertains to feats of broil and battle; And therefore little shall I grace my cause, In speaking for myself: Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver What conjuration, and what mighty magic That will confess-perfection so could err Why this should be. I therefore vouch again, Duke. Did you by indirect and forced courses Oth. I do beseech you, Send for the lady to the Sagittary,' And let her speak of ine before her father: If you do find me foul in her report, The trust, the office, I do hold of you, Not only take away, but let your sentence Even fall upon my life. Duke. Fetch Desdemona hither. Oth. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place.- [Exeunt Iago and Attendants. And, till she come, as truly as to heaven So justly to your grave ears I'll present Duke. Say it, Othello. Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; From year to year; the battles, sieges, fortunes, I ran it through, even from my boyish days, Of hair-breadth 'scapes i'the imminent deadly breach; Of being taken by the insolent foe, And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven, It was my hint to speak, such was the process; And of the cannibals that each other eat, The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful: She wish'd, she had not heard it; yet she wish'd That heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me; And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her, Enter Desdemona, Iago, and Attendants. Duke. I think this tale would win my daughter And so much duty as my mother show'd Bra. I here do give thee that with all my heart, Which, as a grise, or step, may help these lovers When remedies are past, the griefs are ended, Do grow beneath their shoulders. These things to By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended. hear, Would Desdemona seriously incline: But still the house-affairs would draw her thence; To mourn a mischief that is past and gone, The robb'd, that smiles, steals something from the thief; He robs himself, that spends a bootless grief. (7) Intention and attention were once synonymous. (8) Grise from degrees. (9) i. e. That the wounds of sorrow were ever cured by the words of consolation. |