ACT ONE Scene Three

    ［A council－chamber. The DUKE and Senators sitting at a table；Officers attending］


    DUKE OF VENICE


    There is noposition in these news


    That gives them credit．


    First Senator


    Indeed， they are disproportion’d；


    My letterssay a hundred andsevengalleys．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    And mine，a hundred and forty


    Second Senator


    And mine，two hundred：


    Butthoughtheyjump noton a just ount，——


    Asinthese，wheretheaimreports，


    ‘Tis oft withdifference——yet do they all confirm


    A Turkish fleet， and bearing up to Cyprus．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Nay， itispossibleenough to judgment:


    I do not so secureme in theerror，


    But themain article Ido approve


    In fearful sense．


    Sailor［Within］


    What， ho！ what， ho！ what， ho!


    First Officer


    Amessenger from the galleys．


    ［Enter a Sailor］


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Now， what’s the business？


    Sailor


    The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes；


    So wasI bid report here to the state


    By Signior Angelo．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    How say you by this change？


    First Senator


    This cannot be，


    By no assay of reason：’tis a pageant，


    To keepus in false gaze．When we consider


    The importaney 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 insuch warlike brace，


    But altogethercks the abilities


    That Rhodes is dress’d in：if we make thought of this，


    We mustnot think the Turk is so unskilful


    To leave thattest which concerns him first，


    Neglecting an attempt ofeaseand gain，


    To wake and wage a danger profitless．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Nay，in all confidence，he’s not for Rhodes．


    First Officer


    Here is more news．


    ［Enter a Messenger］


    Messenger


    The Ottomites， reverend and gracious，


    Steering with due course towards the isleof Rhodes，


    Have there injointedthem with an after fleel．


    First Senator


    Ay，so Ithought． How many， as you guess?


    Messenger


    Of thirty sail： and now they do restem


    Their backward course， bearing with frankappearance


    Their purposes toward Cyprus． Signior Montano，


    Your trustyandmostvaliantservitor，


    With his free dutyrmendsyou thus，


    And prays youto believehim．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    ‘Tis certain， then， for Cyprus．


    Marcus Licos， is not he in town？


    First Senator


    He’s now inFlorence．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Write from us to him； post-post-haste dispatch.


    First Senator


    Herees Brabantio and the valiant Moor．


    ［Enter BRABANTIO， OTHELLO， IAGO， RODERIGO， andOfficers］


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Valiant Othello，we must straight employ you


    Against the general enemy Ottoman．


    ［To BRABANTIO］


    I did not see you； wee， gentle signior；


    Weck’d your counsel and yourhelp tonight


    BRABANTIO


    So didI yours． Good your grace，pardon me；


    Neither my ce nor aughtI heard of business


    Hath raised mefrommybed， nordoth the general care


    Take hold on me， for my particr grief


    Is of so flood－gate and o’erbearing nature


    That it engluts and swallows other sorrows


    And it is still itself


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Why， what’s the matter？


    BRABANTIO


    My daughter！O， mydaughter！


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Senator Dead？


    BRABANTIO


    Ay，tome；


    She is abused， stol’n from me， and corrupted


    By spellsand medicines bought of mountebanks；


    For nature so preposterouslyto err，


    Being not deficient， blind， orme of sense，


    Sanswitchcraftcouldnot．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Whoe’er he be that inthis foul proceeding


    Haththus beguiledyour daughter of herself


    And you of her， the bloodybook ofw


    You shall yourself read in the bitter letter


    After your own sense， yea， though our proper son


    Stood in your action


    BRABANTIO


    HumblyI thank your grace


    Here is the man， this Moor， whom now， it seems，


    Your special mandatefor the state－affairs


    Hath hitherbrought


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Senator We are very sorry for’t.


    DUKE OF VENICE


    ［To OTHELLO］ What， in yourownpart， can yousay tothis？


    BRABANTIO


    Nothing， butthis is so.


    OTHELLO


    Most potent，grave， and reverend signiors，


    My verynobleand approved good masters，


    That I haveta’enawaythisoldman’sdaughter，


    It is most true； true， Ihave married her：


    The very head and front of my offending


    Hath this extent，no more Rude amI in my speech，


    And little bless’d with thesoft phrase of peace：


    For since these armsofmine had sevenyears’pith，


    Till now some nine moons wasted，they have used


    Their dearest action in the tented field，


    And little of this great world canI speak，


    More than pertains to feats of broil and battle，


    And therefore little shallIgrace my cause


    In speaking for myself.Yet，byyour gracious patience，


    I wiroundunvarnish’dtaledeliver


    Of my whole course of love； what drugs， what charms，


    What conjuration and what mightymagic，


    For such proceedingIam charged withal， Iwonhis daughter.


    BRABANTIO


    Amaiden never bold；


    Of spirit so still and quiet， that her motion


    Blush’d at herself；and she， in spite of nature，


    Of years， of country， credit， every thing，


    To fallinlove with what she fear’d to look on！


    It is a judgment maim’d andmostimperfect


    That will confess perfection so could err


    Against all rules of nature，and must be driven


    To find outpractisesofcunninghell，


    Why this should be． Itherefore vouch again


    That withsomemixturespowerful o’erthe blood，


    Or with some dram conjured to this effect，


    He wrought upon her．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Tov ouchthis，isnoproof，


    Without more wider and more overttest


    Than these thin habits and poor likelihoods，


    Of modern seemingdo prefer against him．


    First Senator


    But，Othello，speak：


    Did you by indirect and forced courses


    Subdue and poison this young maid’s affections？


    Or came it by requestand suchfairquestion


    As soul tosoffordeth？


    OTHELLO


    I do beseeh you，


    Send for thedy to the Sagittary，


    And let her speak of me before her father：


    If you do find me foul in her report，


    The trust，theofficeIdohold of you，


    Not only take away， but let your sentence


    Even fall uponmy life．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Fetch Desdemona hither．


    OTHELLO


    Ancient，conduct them：you best know the ce．


    ［Exeunt IAGO and Attendants］


    And， till shee， as truly as to heaven


    I do confessthe vices of my blood，


    So justly to your grave earsI’ll present


    How I did thrivein this fairdy’s love，


    And she in mine.


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Say it， Othello．


    OTHELLO


    Her father loved me；oftinvited me；


    Still question’d me the story of my life，


    From yearto year， the battles， sieges， fortunes，


    ThatI have passed．


    I ran itthrough，evenfrommyboyishdays，


    To thevery moment that he bademd tell it；


    WhereinI spake of most disastrous chances，


    Of moving idents by flood and field


    Of hair-breadth scapesi’ the imminent deadly breach，


    Of being taken by the insolent foe


    And sold to very， of my redemption thence


    And portancein my travels’ history：


    Wherein of antresvastand desertsidle，


    Rough quarries，rocks and hills whose heads touch heaven


    It was my hint to speak，——such was the process；


    And of the Cannibalsthat each other eat，


    The Anthropophagiand men whose heads


    Do grow beneath their shoulders．This to hear


    Would Desdemona seriously incline：


    But still the house-affairs would draw her thence：


    Which ever as she could with hastedispatch，


    She’lde again，and with a greedy ear


    Devourup my discourse：which I observing，


    Took once a plianthour，and found good means


    To draw from her a prayer of earnest heart


    That I would all my pilgrimagedte，


    Whereof by parcelsshe had something heard，


    But not intentively：I did consent，


    And often did beguile her of her tears，


    When I did speak of some distressfulstroke．


    That my youth suffer’d My story being done，


    She gave me for my pains a world of sighs：


    She swore，in faith，twas strange，’twas passing strange，


    ‘Twas pitiful，’twas wondrouspitiful：


    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 loved her，


    I should but teach him how to tell my story．


    And that would wooher．Upon this hintI spake：


    She loved me for the dangers I had pass’d，


    And I loved her that she did pity them．


    This only is the witchcraft I have used：


    Herees thedy；let her witness it．


    ［Enter DESDEMONA，IAGO，and Attendants］


    DUKE OF VENICE


    I think this tale would win my daughter too．


    Good Brabantio，


    Take up this mangledmatter at the best：


    Men do their broken weapons rather use．


    Than their bare hands．


    BRABANTIO


    I pray you，hear her speak：


    If she confessthat she was half the wooer，


    Destruction on my head，if my bad me


    Light on the man！Come hither，gentle mistress：


    Do you perceivein all this noblepany


    Where most you owe obedience？


    DESDEMONA


    My noble father，


    I do perceive here a divided duty：


    To you I am bound for life and education；


    My life and education both do learn me


    How to respect you；you are the lord of duty；


    I am hithertoyour daughter：but here’s my husband，


    And so much duty as my mother show’d


    To you，preferring you before her father，


    So much I challenge that I may profess


    Due to the Moor my lord．


    BRABANTIO


    God be wi’you！I have done．


    Please it your grace，on to the state-affairs：


    I had rather to adopta child than get it．


    Come hither，Moor：


    I here do give thee that with all my heart


    Which，but thou hast already，with all my heart


    I would keep from thee．For your sake，jewel，


    I am d at soul I have no other child：


    For thy escape would teach me tyranny，


    To hang clogson them．I have done，my lord．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Let me speak like yourself，andy a sentence，


    Which，as a grise or step，may help there lovers


    Into your favour．


    When remediesare past，the griefsare ended


    By seeing the worst，whichte on hopes depended．


    To mourna mischiefthat is past and gone


    Is the next way to draw new mischief on．


    What cannot be preservedwhen fortune takesPatience her


    injury a mockerymakes．


    The robb’d that smiles steals something from the thief；


    He robs himself that spends a bootlessgrief．


    BRABANTIO


    So let the Turk of Cyprus us beguile；


    We lose it not，so long as we can smile．


    He bears the sentence well that nothing bears


    But the freefort which from thence he hears，


    But he bears both the sentence and the sorrow


    That，to pay grief，must of poor patience borrow．


    These sentences，to sugar，or to gall，


    Being strong on both sides，are equivocal：


    But words are words；I never yet did hear


    That the bruisedheart was piercedthrough the ear．


    I humbly beseech you，proceed to the affairs of state．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for


    Cyprus．Othello，the fortitudeof the ce is best


    known to you；and though we have there a subtitute


    of most allowed sufficiency，yet opinion，a


    sovereignmistress of effects，throws a more safer


    voice on you：you must therefor be content to-


    slubberthe glossof your new fortunes with this


    more stubbornand boisterousexpedition．


    OTHELLO


    The tyrantcustom，most grave senators，


    Hath made the flinty and steel couchof war


    My thrice-driven bed of down：I do agnise


    A natural and promptcrity


    I find in hardness，and do undertake


    These present wars against the Ottomites．


    Most humbly therefore bending to your state，


    I cravefit dispositionfor my wife．


    Due reference of ce and exhibition，


    With such amodationand besort


    As levels with her breeding．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    If you please ，Be’t at her father’s．


    BRABANTIO


    I’ll not have it so．


    OTHELLO


    Nor I．


    DESDEMONA


    Nor I；I would not there reside，


    To put my father in impatient thoughts


    By being in his eye．Most gracious duke，


    To my unfoldinglend your prosperousear；


    And let me find a charterin your voice，


    To assist my simpleness．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    What would You，Desdemona？


    DESDEMONA


    That I did love the Moor to live with him，


    My downrightviolence and storm of fortunes


    May trumpetto the world：my heart’s subdued


    Even to the very quality of my lord：


    I saw Othello’s visagein his mind，


    And to his honour and his valiant parts


    Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate．


    So that，dear lords，if I be left behind，


    A mothof peace，and he go to the war，


    The ritesfor which I love him are bereftme，


    And I a heavy interimshall support


    By his dear absence．Let me go with him．


    OTHELLO


    Let her have your voices．


    Vouch with me，heaven，I therefore beg it not，


    To please the pteof my appetite，


    Nor toplywith heat——the young affects


    In me defunct ——and proper satisfaction．


    But to be free and bounteousto her mind：


    And heaven defend your good souls，that you think


    I will your serious and great business scant


    For she is with me：no，when light-wing’d toys


    Of feather’d Cupid seal with wanton dullness


    My spective and officed instruments，


    That my disportscorrupt and taintmy business，


    Let housewives make a skilletof my helm，


    And all indignand base adversities


    Make head against my estimation！


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Be it as you shall privatelydetermine，


    Either for her stay or going：the affair cries haste，


    And speed must answer it ．


    First Senator


    You must away to-night．


    OTHELLO


    With all my heart．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    At nine i’the morning here we’ll meet again．


    Othello，leave some officer behind，


    And he shall ourmissionbring to you；


    With such things else of quality and respect


    As doth import you．


    OTHELLO


    So please your grace，my ancient；


    A man he is of honest and trust：


    To his conveyance I assign my wife，


    With what else needful your good grace shall think


    To be sent after me．


    DUKE OF VENICE


    Let it be so．


    Good night to every one．


    ［To BRABANTIO］


    And，noble signior，


    If virtue no delighted beautyck，


    Your son-inw is far more fair than ck．


    First Senator


    Adieu，brave Moor，use Desdemona well．


    BRABANTIO


    Look to her，Moor，if thou hast eyes to see：


    She has deceived her father，and may thee．


    ［Exeunt DUKE OF VENICE，Senators，Officers，＆c］


    OTHELLO


    My life upon her faith！Honest Iago，


    My Desdemona must I leave to thee：


    I prithee，let thy wife attendon her：


    And bring them after in the best advantage．


    Come，Desdemona：I have but an hour


    Of love，of worldly mattersand direction，


    To spend with thee：we must obey the time．


    ［Exeunt OTHELLO and DESDEMONA］


    RODERIGO


    Iago，——


    IAGO


    What say’st thou，noble heart？


    RODERIGO


    What will I do，thinkest thou？


    IAGO


    Why，go to bed，and sleep．


    RODERIGO


    I will incontinentlydrownmyself．


    IAGO


    If thou dost，I shall never love thee after．Why，


    thou silly gentleman！


    RODERIGO


    It is silliness to live when to live is torment；and


    then have we a prescriptionto die when death is our


    physician．


    IAGO


    O viinous！I have looked upon the world for four


    times seven years；and since I could distinguish


    betwixt a benefit and an injury，I never found man


    that knew how to love himself．Ere I would say，I


    would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen，I


    would change my humanity with a baboon．


    RODERIGO


    What should I do？I confess it is my shame to be so


    fond；but it is not in my virtueto amendit．


    IAGO


    Virtue！a fig！’tis in ourselves that we are thus or


    thus．Our bodies are our gardens，to the which


    our wills are gardeners：so that if we will nt


    thyme，supply it with one genderof herbs，or


    distract it with many，either to have it sterile


    with idleness，or manured with industry，why，the


    power and corrigibleauthority of this lies in our


    wills．If the bnce of our lives had not one


    scale of reason to poise another of sensuality，the blood


    and baseness of our natures would conduct us


    to most presposterous conclusions：but we have


    reason to cool our raging motions，our carnal


    stings，our unbitted lusts，whereof I take this that


    you call love to be a sect or scion．


    RODERIGO


    It cannot be．


    IAGO


    It is merely a lustof the blood and a permission of


    the will．Come，be a man Drown thyself！drown


    cats and blind puppies．I have professed me thy


    friend and I confess me knitto thy deserving with


    cablesof perdurable toughness；I could never


    better steadthee than now．Put money in thy


    purse；follow thou the wars；defeat thy favour with


    an usurpedbeard；I say，put money in thy purse．It


    cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her


    love to the Moor，—put money in thy purse，—nor he


    his to her：it was a violentmencement，and thou


    shalt see an answerable sequestration：—put but


    money in thy purse．These Moors are changeable in


    their wills：fill thy purse with money：——the food


    that to him now is as lusciousas locusts，shall be


    to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida．She must


    change for youth：when she is satedwith his body，


    she will find the error of her choice：she must


    have change，she must：therefore put money in thy


    purse．If thou wilt needs damnthyself，do it a


    more delicatéway than drowning．Make all the money


    thou canst：if sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt


    an erring barbarian and a supersubtle Vian not


    too hard for my wits and all the tribe of hell，thou


    shalt enjoy her；therefore make money．A poxof


    drowning thyself！it is clean out of the way ：seek


    thou rather to be hanged inpassingthy joy thanto


    be drowned and go without her．


    RODERIGO


    Wilt thou be fast to my hopes，if I depend on


    the issue？


    IAGO


    Thou art sure of me：——go，make money：——I have told


    thee often，and I re-tell thee again and again，I


    hate the Moor：my cause is hearted；thine hath no


    less reason．Let us be conjunctivein our revenge


    against him：if thou canst cuckoldhim，thou dost


    thyself a pleasure，me a sport．


    There are many events in the wombof time which will be


    delivered．


    Traverse！go，provide thy money．We will have moreof


    this to-morrow．Adieu．


    RODERIGO


    Where shall we meet i’the morning？


    IAGO


    At my lodging．


    RODERIGO


    I’ll be with thee betimes．


    IAGO


    Go to；farewell．Do you hear，Roderigo？


    RODERIGO


    What say you？


    IAGO


    No more of drowning，do you hear？


    RODERIGO


    I am changed：I’ll go sell all mynd


    〔Exit．〕


    IAGO


    Thus do I ever make my fool my purse：


    For I mine own gain’d knowledge should profane，


    If I would time expend with such a snipe．


    But for my sport and profit．I hate the Moor：


    And it is thought abroad，that’twixt my sheets


    He has done my office：I know not if’t be true；


    But I，for mere suspicion in that kind，


    Will do as if for surety．He holds me well；


    The better shall my purpose work on him．


    Cassio’s a proper man：let me see now：


    To get his ce and to plumeup my will


    In double knavery——How，how？Let’s see：——


    After some time，to abuse Othello’s ear


    That he is too familiarwith his wife．


    He hath a person and a smooth dispose


    To be suspected，framedto make women false．


    The Moor is of a free and open nature，


    That thinks men honest that but seem to be so，


    And will as tenderly be led by the nose


    As asses are．


    I have’t．It is engender’d．Hell and night


    Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light．


    ［Exit］