SENATORS, OFFICERS, SERVANTS, &c.

SCENE,-In the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, in the Island of Cyprus.

OTHELLO.

ACT THE FIRST.

SCENE I.

Venice.

A Street.

Enter IAGO and RODERIGO.

Rod. Tush, ne'er tell me, I take it much unkindly That thou, lago,-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.

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,

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Oft 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

That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows

More than a spinster :

He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

And I, (Heaven bless the mark!) his Moorship's

ancient.

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

Iago. Now, sir, be judge yourself,

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

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

I follow him, to serve my turn upon him:
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But seeming so, for my peculiar end :

For, when my outward action does demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But 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 owe,

If he can carry it thus !

Iago. Call up her father,

Rouse him; make after him, poison his delight;
Though that his joy be joy,

Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,

As it may lose some colour.

Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud.
Jago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell,

5

As when, by night and negligence, the fire
Is spied in populous cities.

Rod. What ho! Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho!
Iago. Awake! what ho!

thieves! thieves !—

Brabantio! thieves!

Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!Thieves! thieves!

Enter BRABANTIO above, at a Window.

Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons? What is the matter there?

Rod. Signior, is all your family within?
Iago. Are
your doors lock'd?

Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this?

Iago. Sir, you are robb'd:-For shame, arise, arise!

Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,

Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you :Arise, I say!.

Bra. What, have

you lost your wits?

Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my voice?

Bra. Not I: What are you?

Rod. My name is-Roderigo.

Bra. The worse welcome:

I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors: In honest plainness thou hast heard me say,

My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness, Being full of supper, and distempering draughts, Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come

To start my quiet :

Rod. Sir, sir, sir

Bra. But thou must needs be sure,

My spirit, and my place, have in them power

To make this bitter to thee,

Rod. Patience, good sir.

Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is

Venice;

My house is not a grange.

Rod. Most grave Brabantio,

In simple and pure soul I come to you.

Iago Sir, you are one of those that will not serve Heaven, if the devil bid you.

Bra. What profane wretch art thou?

Iago. I am one, sir, that come to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.

Bra. Thou art a villain.

Iago. You are-a senator.

Bra This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo.

Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech you, Straight satisfy yourself:

If she be in her chamber, or your house,

Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.

Bra. Give me a taper ;-call up all
This accident is not unlike my dream;
Belief of it oppresses me already :—
Light! I say, light!

my people ;

[Exit.

Iago. Farewell; for I must leave you :
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
To be produced (as, if I stay, I shall,)

Against the Moor: For, I do know, the state,-
However this may gall him with some check,-
Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd
With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars,
(Which even now stand in act,) that, for their souls,
Another of his fathom they have not,

To lead their business: in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell's pains,
Yet, for necessity of present life,

I must show out a flag and sign of love,