ACT II.
Scene I. A sea-port in Cyprus. An open place near
the quay.
Enter Montano and two Gentlemen.[5314]
Mon. What from the cape can you discern at sea?
First Gent. Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood;[5315]
I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main,[5316]
Descry a sail.[5317]
Mon. Methinks the wind hath spoke aloud at land;[5317][5318] 5
A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements:[5317]
If it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea,[5317][5319]
What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them,[5317][5320]
Can hold the mortise? What shall we hear of this?[5317][5321]
Sec. Gent. A segregation of the Turkish fleet:[5322] 10
For do but stand upon the foaming shore,[5323]
The chidden billow seems to pelt the clouds;[5324]
The wind-shaked surge, with high and monstrous mane,[5325]
Seems to cast water on the burning bear,
And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole:[5326] 15
I never did like molestation view
On the enchafed flood.
Mon. If that the Turkish fleet[5327]
Be not enshelter'd and embay'd, they are drown'd;[5328]
It is impossible to bear it out.
Enter a third Gentleman.[5329]
Third Gent. News, lads! our wars are done.[5330][5331][5332] 20
The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks,[5333]
That their designment halts: a noble ship of Venice[5334][5335]
Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance[5334][5336]
On most part of their fleet.[5337]
Mon. How! is this true?
Third Gent. The ship is here put in,[5338][5339][5340] 25
A Veronesa; Michael Cassio,[5338][5340]
Lieutenant to the warlike Moor Othello,[5341]
Is come on shore: the Moor himself at sea,[5342]
And is in full commission here for Cyprus.
Mon. I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governor.[5343] 30
Third Gent. But this same Cassio, though he speak of comfort
Touching the Turkish loss, yet he looks sadly
And prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted[5344]
With foul and violent tempest.
Mon. Pray heavens he be;[5345]
For I have served him, and the man commands 35
Like a full soldier. Let's to the seaside, ho![5346]
As well to see the vessel that's come in
As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello,
Even till we make the main and the aerial blue[5347][5348]
An indistinct regard.[5347][5349]
Third Gent. Come, let's do so; 40
For every minute is expectancy
Of more arrivance.
Enter Cassio.[5350]
Cas. Thanks, you the valiant of this warlike isle,[5351]
That so approve the Moor! O, let the heavens[5352]
Give him defence against the elements,[5353] 45
For I have lost him on a dangerous sea.[5354]
Mon. Is he well shipp'd?
Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot[5355]
Of very expert and approved allowance;[5356]
Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,[5357][5358] 50
Stand in bold cure.[5358]
[A cry within: 'A sail, a sail, a sail!'
Enter a fourth Gentleman.[5359]
Fourth Gent. The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea[5361]
Stand ranks of people, and they cry 'A sail!'[5362]
Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governor. 55
[Guns heard.[5363]
Sec. Gent. They do discharge their shot of courtesy:[5364]
Our friends at least.[5365]
Cas. I pray you, sir, go forth,
And give us truth who 'tis that is arrived.
Sec. Gent. I shall. [Exit.[5366]
Mon. But, good lieutenant, is your general wived? 60
Cas. Most fortunately: he hath achieved a maid
That paragons description and wild fame;
One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,[5367]
And in the essential vesture of creation[5368]
Does tire the ingener.
Re-enter second Gentleman.
How now! who has put in?[5369] 65
Sec. Gent. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.[5366]
Cas. He has had most favourable and happy speed:[5370]
Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,[5371]
The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands,[5372]
Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel,[5373] 70
As having sense of beauty, do omit
Their mortal natures, letting go safely by[5374]
The divine Desdemona.
Mon. What is she?
Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's captain,[5375]
Left in the conduct of the bold Iago; 75
Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts
A se'nnight's speed. Great Jove, Othello guard,[5376]
And swell his sail with thine own powerful breath,
That he may bless this bay with his tall ship,
Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,[5377] 80
Give renew'd fire to our extincted spirits,[5378]
And bring all Cyprus comfort.
Enter Desdemona, Emilia, Iago, Roderigo, and Attendants.[5379]
O, behold,
The riches of the ship is come on shore![5380]
Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.[5381]
Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,[5382] 85
Before, behind thee, and on every hand,
Enwheel thee round!
Des. I thank you, valiant Cassio.
What tidings can you tell me of my lord?[5383]
Cas. He is not yet arrived: nor know I aught[5384]
But that he's well and will be shortly here. 90
Des. O, but I fear—How lost you company?[5385]
Cas. The great contention of the sea and skies[5386]
Parted our fellowship—But, hark! a sail.
[A cry within: 'A sail, a sail!' Guns heard.[5387]
Sec. Gent. They give their greeting to the citadel:[5388]
This likewise is a friend.
Cas. See for the news. [Exit Gentleman.[5389]95
Good ancient, you are welcome. [To Emilia] Welcome, mistress:[5390]
Let it not gall your patience, good Iago,
That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding
That gives me this bold show of courtesy. [Kissing her.[5391]
Iago. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips[5392] 100
As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,[5393]
You'ld have enough.[5394]
Desd. Alas, she has no speech.
Iago. In faith, too much;[5395]
I find it still when I have list to sleep:[5396]
Marry, before your ladyship, I grant, 105
She puts her tongue a little in her heart[5397]
And chides with thinking.
Emil. You have little cause to say so.[5398]
Iago. Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors,[5399][5400]
Bells in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchens,[5399] 110
Saints in your injuries, devils being offended,[5399]
Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.[5399][5401]
Des. O, fie upon thee, slanderer![5402]
Iago. Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk:
You rise to play, and go to bed to work. 115
Emil. You shall not write my praise.
Iago. No, let me not.
Des. What wouldst thou write of me, if thou shouldst praise me?[5403]
Iago. O gentle lady, do not put me to't;
For I am nothing if not critical.
Des. Come on, assay—There's one gone to the harbour?[5404] 120
Iago. Ay, madam.
Des. I am not merry; but I do beguile
The thing I am by seeming otherwise.
Come, how wouldst thou praise me?
Des. Well praised! How if she be black and witty?[5412]
Iago. If she be black, and thereto have a wit,[5410]
She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.[5410][5413]
Des. Worse and worse.
Emil. How if fair and foolish?[5414] 135
Des. These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh[5417][5418]
i' the alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her[5417]
that's foul and foolish?[5414][5417] 140
Iago. There's none so foul, and foolish thereunto,[5410]
But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do.[5410][5419]
Des. O heavy ignorance! thou praisest the worst best.[5420]
But what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserving woman
indeed, one that in the authority of her merit did justly[5421][5422] 145
put on the vouch of very malice itself?[5421][5423]
Iago. She that was ever fair and never proud,[5410]
Had tongue at will and yet was never loud,[5410]
Never lack'd gold and yet went never gay,[5410]
Fled from her wish and yet said 'Now I may;'[5410] 150
She that, being anger'd, her revenge being nigh,[5410][5424]
Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly;[5410]
She that in wisdom never was so frail[5410]
To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;[5410]
She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind,[5410][5425] 155
See suitors following and not look behind;[5410][5426]
She was a wight, if ever such wight were,—[5410][5427][5428]
Iago. To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.[5410]
Des. O most lame and impotent conclusion! Do not learn[5429] 160
of him, Emilia, though he be thy husband. How say you,[5429]
Cassio? is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor?[5429][5430]
Cas. He speaks home, madam: you may relish him[5431]
more in the soldier than in the scholar.[5431][5432]
Iago. [Aside] He takes her by the palm: ay, well said,[5433]165
whisper: with as little a web as this will I ensnare as great[5434]
a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will gyve thee[5435]
in thine own courtship. You say true; 'tis so, indeed: if[5436]
such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it[5437]
had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so[5438] 170
oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in.[5439]
Very good; well kissed! an excellent courtesy! 'tis so,[5440]
indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? would they[5441]
were clyster-pipes for your sake! [Trumpet within.] The[5442]
Moor! I know his trumpet. 175
Cas. 'Tis truly so.
Des. Let's meet him and receive him.
Cas. Lo, where he comes!
Enter Othello and Attendants.[5443]
Oth. O my fair warrior!
Des. My dear Othello!
Oth. It gives me wonder great as my content 180
To see you here before me. O my soul's joy![5444]
If after every tempest come such calms,[5445]
May the winds blow till they have waken'd death![5446]
And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas
Olympus-high and duck again as low 185
As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die,[5447]
'Twere now to be most happy; for I fear,
My soul hath her content so absolute
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.
Des. The heavens forbid 190
But that our loves and comforts should increase,[5448]
Even as our days do grow!
Oth. Amen to that, sweet powers![5449]
I cannot speak enough of this content;
It stops me here; it is too much of joy:
And this, and this, the greatest discords be [Kissing her.[5450]195
That e'er our hearts shall make!
Oth. Come, let us to the castle.[5454]
News, friends; our wars are done, the Turks are drown'd.[5455]
How does my old acquaintance of this isle?[5456] 200
Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus;
I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet,[5457]
I prattle out of fashion, and I dote
In mine own comforts. I prithee, good Iago,[5458]
Go to the bay, and disembark my coffers:[5459] 205
Bring thou the master to the citadel;
He is a good one, and his worthiness
Does challenge much respect. Come, Desdemona,
Once more well met at Cyprus.
[Exeunt all but Iago and Roderigo.[5460]