ACT I.
Scene I. Venice. A street.
Enter Roderigo and Iago.[4877]
Rod. Tush, never tell me; I take it much unkindly[4878]
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse[4879]
As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.[4880]
Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.[4886]
Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,[4887][4888][4889]
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,[4888]
Off-capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,[4888][4890] 10
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:[4888][4891]
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,[4888][4892]
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance[4888][4893]
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;[4888][4894]
And, in conclusion,[4888][4895][4896] 15
Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he,[4896][4897]
'I have already chose my officer.'[4896][4898][4899]
And what was he?[4896][4898]
Forsooth, a great arithmetician,[4896]
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,[4900] 20
A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;[4900][4901]
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,[4902]
Wherein the toged consuls can propose[4903] 25
As masterly as he: mere prattle without practice[4904]
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:[4905]
And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds[4906]
Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd[4907] 30
By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,[4908]
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,
And I—God bless the mark!—his Moorship's ancient.[4909]
Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.
Iago. Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service,[4910] 35
Preferment goes by letter and affection,[4911]
And not by old gradation, where each second[4912]
Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself[4913]
Whether I in any just term am affined[4914]
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[4915]
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave, 45
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:[4916]
Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are[4917]
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,[4917][4918] 50
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,[4917]
And throwing but shows of service on their lords[4917]
Do well thrive by them, and when they have lined their coats[4919][4920]
Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul,[4919][4921]
And such a one do I profess myself.[4922] 55
For, sir,[4923]
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,[4924] 60
But seeming so, for my peculiar end:[4924]
For when my outward action doth demonstrate[4925]
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after[4926]
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve 65
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.[4927]
Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,[4928]
If he can carry't thus![4929]
Iago. Call up her father,[4930]
Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,[4930]
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,[4931] 70
And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,[4932]
Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,
Yet throw such changes of vexation on't[4933]
As it may lose some colour.
Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. 75
Iago. Do; with like timorous accent and dire yell[4934]
As when, by night and negligence, the fire[4935]
Is spied in populous cities.[4936]
Rod. What, ho, Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho!
Iago. Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves![4937] 80
Look to your house, your daughter and your bags![4938]
Thieves! thieves![4939]
Brabantio appears above, at a window.[4940]
Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons?[4941]
What is the matter there?[4941]
Rod. Signior, is all your family within? 85
Iago. Are your doors lock'd?[4942]
Bra. Why, wherefore ask you this?
Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on your gown;[4943]
Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;[4944]
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram[4945]
Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise; 90
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:[4946]
Arise, I say.[4946][4947]
Bra. What, have you lost your wits?
Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my voice?
Bra. Not I: what are you? 95
Rod. My name is Roderigo.
Bra. The worser welcome:[4948]
I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:[4949]
In honest plainness thou hast heard me say
My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,[4950]
Being full of supper and distempering draughts, 100
Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come[4951]
To start my quiet.[4952]
Bra. But thou must needs be sure
My spirit and my place have in them power[4954]
To make this bitter to thee.
Rod. Patience, good sir.[4955] 105
Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;[4956][4957]
My house is not a grange.[4956]
Rod. Most grave Brabantio,
In simple and pure soul I come to you.
Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not[4958]
serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do 110
you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll have your[4959]
daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your
nephews neigh to you; you'll have coursers for cousins,
and gennets for germans.[4960]
Bra. What profane wretch art thou? 115
Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter[4961]
and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.[4962]
Bra. Thou art a villain.
Iago. You are—a senator.[4963]
Bra. This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo.[4964]
Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But, I beseech you,[4965] 120
If't be your pleasure and most wise consent,[4966]
As partly I find it is, that your fair daughter,[4966]
At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night,[4966][4967]
Transported with no worse nor better guard[4966][4968]
But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,[4966][4969] 125
To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,—[4966]
If this be known to you, and your allowance,[4966][4970]
We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;[4966][4971]
But if you know not this, my manners tell me[4966]
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe[4966] 130
That, from the sense of all civility,[4966]
I thus would play and trifle with your reverence:[4966]
Your daughter, if you have not given her leave,[4966]
I say again, hath made a gross revolt,[4966]
Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes,[4966][4972] 135
In an extravagant and wheeling stranger[4966][4972][4973]
Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself:[4966][4974]
If she be in her chamber or your house,[4975]
Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.[4976]
Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! 140
Give me a taper! call up all my people!
This accident is not unlike my dream:
Belief of it oppresses me already.
Light, I say! light! [Exit above.[4977]
Iago. Farewell; for I must leave you:
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,[4978] 145
To be produced—as, if I stay, I shall—[4979]
Against the Moor: for I do know, the state,
However this may gall him with some check,[4980]
Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd[4981]
With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars,[4982] 150
Which even now stand in act, that, for their souls,[4983]
Another of his fathom they have none[4984]
To lead their business: in which regard,[4985]
Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains,[4986]
Yet for necessity of present life, 155
I must show out a flag and sign of love,[4987]
Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely find him,[4987][4988]
Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;[4989]
And there will I be with him. So farewell. [Exit.
Enter, below, Brabantio, in his night-gown, and Servants
with torches.
Bra. It is too true an evil: gone she is;[4990] 160
And what's to come of my despised time[4991]
Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo,[4992]
Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl!
With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a father![4993]
How didst thou know 'twas she? O, she deceives me[4994] 165
Past thought! What said she to you? Get more tapers.[4995]
Raise all my kindred. Are they married, think you?[4996]
Rod. Truly, I think they are.[4997]
Bra. O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood![4998]
Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds 170
By what you see them act. Is there not charms[4999]
By which the property of youth and maidhood[5000]
May be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo,
Of some such thing?
Rod. Yes, sir, I have indeed.[5001]
Bra. Call up my brother. O, would you had had her![5002] 175
Some one way, some another. Do you know
Where we may apprehend her and the Moor?
Rod. I think I can discover him, if you please
To get good guard and go along with me.
Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call;[5003] 180
I may command at most. Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night.[5004]
On, good Roderigo; I'll deserve your pains. [Exeunt.[5005]
Scene II. Another street.
Enter Othello, Iago, and Attendants with torches.[5006]
Iago. Though in the trade of war I have slain men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience[5007]
To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity[5008]
Sometimes to do me service: nine or ten times[5009]
I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs.[5010] 5
Oth. 'Tis better as it is.[5011]
Iago. Nay, but he prated
And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms[5012]
Against your honour,[8, 9]
That, with the little godliness I have,[5013]
I did full hard forbear him. But I pray you, sir,[5014] 10
Are you fast married? Be assured of this,[5015]
That the magnifico is much beloved,
And hath in his effect a voice potential
As double as the duke's: he will divorce you,[5016]
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance[5017] 15
The law, with all his might to enforce it on,[5018]
Will give him cable.[5019]
Oth. Let him do his spite:
My services, which I have done the signiory,[5020]
Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know—
Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,[5021] 20
I shall promulgate—I fetch my life and being[5022]
From men of royal siege, and my demerits[5023]
May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune[5024]
As this that I have reach'd: for know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona, 25
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yond?[5025]
Iago. Those are the raised father and his friends:[5026]
You were best go in.
Oth. Not I; I must be found: 30
My parts, my title and my perfect soul,[5027]
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?[5028]
Iago. By Janus, I think no.
Enter Cassio, and certain Officers with torches.[5029]