OTHELLO,

THE MOOR OF VENICE.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

DUKE OF VENICE.

BRABANTIO, a senator.

Other Senators.

GRATIANO, brother to Brabantio.

LODOVICO, kinsman to Brabantio.

OTHELLO, a noble Moor in the service of the

Venetian state.

CASSIO, his lieutenant.

IAGO, his ancient.

RODERIGO, a Venetian gentleman.
MONTANO, Othello's predecessor in the go-
vernment of Cyprus.

unkindly

That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.
Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me:
If ever I did dream of such a matter,
Abhor me.

ACT I.

Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.

SCENE I. Venice. A street.

1

Iago. Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service, Preferment goes by letter and affection,

Enter RODERIGO and IAGO.

Rod. Tush! never tell me; I take it much And not by old gradation, where each second Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge your

Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.

Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,

10

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Off-capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place :
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;
And, in conclusion,

Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he,
'I have already chose my officer.'
And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
+A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,
Wherein the toged consuls can propose
As masterly as he mere prattle, without practice,
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:
And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds
Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and
calm'd
30

20

Clown, servant to Othello.

DESDEMONA, daughter to Brabantio and wife
to Othello.

EMILIA, wife to Iago.
BIANCA, mistress to Cassio.

By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,
And I-God bless the mark!-his Moorship's

ancient.

Sailor, Messenger, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen,
Musicians, and Attendants.

SCENE: Venice: a Sea-port in Cyprus.

self,

Whether I in any just term am affined
To love the Moor.

Rod.
I would not follow him then. 40
Iago. O, sir, content you;

I follow him to serve my turn upon him:
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,
That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,
For nought but provender, and when he's old,
cashier'd:

Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty, 50 Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves, And, throwing but shows of service on their lords, Do well thrive by them and when they have lined their coats

Do themselves homage: these fellows have some
soul;

And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,
It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:
In following him, I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But seeming so, for my peculiar end:
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips

60

95

Oth. 'Tis better as it is.
Iago.

Nay, but he prated, And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms Against your honour

II

That, with the little godliness I have,
I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray you, sir,
Are you fast married? Be assured of this,
That the magnifico is much beloved,
And hath in his effect a voice potential
As double as the duke's: he will divorce you;
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law, with all his might to enforce it on,
Will give him cable.

Oth.
Let him do his spite:
My services which I have done the signiory
Shall out-tongue his complaints.
'Tis yet to

know,
Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,
I shall promulgate-I fetch my life and being 21
From men of royal siege, and my demerits
May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: for know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come
yond?
Iago. Those are the raised father and his
friends:

You were best go in.
Oth.

Not I: I must be found:
My parts, my title and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?
Iago. By Janus, I think no.

Enter CASSIO, and certain Officers with torches.

Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieu

tenant.

The goodness of the night upon you, friends!
What is the news?

Good signior, you shall more command with years
Than with your weapons.
61

Bra. O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd
my daughter?
Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her;
For I'll refer me to all things of sense,
If she in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid so tender, fair and happy,
So opposite to marriage that she shunn'd
The wealthy curled darlings of our nation,
Would ever have, to incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou, to fear, not to delight.
Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense
That thou hast practised on her with foul charms,
Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals
That weaken motion: I'll have 't disputed on;
'Tis probable and palpable to thinking,
30 I therefore apprehend and do attach thee
For an abuser of the world, a practiser
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant.
Lay hold upon him: if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

Enter BRABAntio, RoderigO, and Officers with torches and weapons.

Oth.
Holla! stand there!
Rod. Signior, it is the Moor.
Bra.

Down with him, thief! [They draw on both sides. Iago. You, Roderigo! come, sir, I am for you. Oth. Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.

70

Oth.
Hold your hands,
Both you of my inclining, and the rest:
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a prompter. Where will you that I go
To answer this your charge?

First Sen. Indeed, they are disproportion'd;
My letters say a hundred and seven galleys.
Duke. And mine, a hundred and forty.
Sec. 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 judge

ment:

I do not so secure me in the error,
But the main article I do approve
In fearful sense.

Sailor. [Within] What, ho! what, ho! what, ho!
First Off. A messenger from the galleys.

Duke. How say you by this change?
First Sen.

Enter a Sailor.

Duke.

Now, what's the business?
Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for
Rhodes;

So was I bid report here to the state
By Signior Angelo.

Rhodes.

First Off. Here is more news.

care

Take hold on me, for my particular grief
Is of so flood-gate and o'erbearing nature
That it engluts and swallows other sorrows
And it is still itself.
Duke.

Why, what's the matter?
Bra. My daughter! O, my daughter!
Duke and Sen.
Dead?
Ay, to me;

Bra.

She is abused, stol'n from me, and corrupted 60
By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks;
For nature so preposterously to err,
Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense,
Sans witchcraft could not.

Duke Whoe'er he be that in this foul pro-
ceeding

This cannot be, Hath thus beguiled your daughter of herself
And you of her, the bloody book of law

IO

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious, Steering with due course towards the isle of Rhodes,

Have there injointed them with an after fleet. First Sen. Ay, so I thought. How many, as you guess?

Mess. Of thirty sail: and now they do re-stem Their backward course, bearing with frank appearance

Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trusty and most valiant servitor,
With his free duty recommends you thus,
And
prays you to believe him.

Duke. 'Tis certain, then, for Cyprus.
Marcus Luccicos, is not he in town?
First Sen. He's now in Florence.
Duke. Write from us to him; post-post-haste
dispatch.

First Sen. Here comes Brabantio and the
valiant Moor.

Enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, IAGO,
RODERIGO, and Officers.

Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight em-
ploy you

Against the general enemy Ottoman.

[To Brabantio] I did not see you; welcome, gentle signior;

50

We lack'd your counsel and your help to-night.
Bra. So did I yours. Good your grace, par-

20

40

don me; Neither my place nor aught I heard of business Hath raised me from my bed, nor doth the general

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,

Bra. Nothing, but this is so.

We must not think the Turk is so unskilful
To leave that latest which concerns him first,
Neglecting an attempt of ease and gain,
To wake and wage a danger profitless.
Duke. Nay, in all confidence, he's not for 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:

Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend sig.
niors,

30

You shall yourself read in the bitter letter

After your own sense, yea, though our proper son
Stood in your action.

Bra.
Humbly I thank your grace. 70
Here is the man, this Moor, whom now, it seems,
Your special mandate for the state-affairs
Hath hither brought.
Duke and Sen. We are very sorry for't.
Duke. [To Othello] What, in your own part,
can you say to this?