Edm. To both these sisters have I sworn my love; Each jealous of the other, as the stung Are of the adder. Which of them shall I take? Her husband being alive. Now then, we'll use The battle done, and they within our power, Shall never see his pardon; for my state Stands on me to defend, not to debate. [Exit. Cor. We are not the first, Who, with best meaning, have incurr'd the worst. Lear. No, no, no, no! Come, let's away to prison: Talk of court news; and we'll talk with them too,- Edm. Take them away. Have I caught Lear. Upon such sacrifices, my Cordelia, The gods themselves throw incense. He that parts us shall bring a brand from heaven, [thee? And fire us hence like foxes. Wipe thine eyes; The goujeers shall devour them, flesh and fell, [first. Ere they shall make us weep: we'll see them starve Come. [Exeunt LEAR and CORDELIA, guarded. Edm. Come hither, captain; hark. [to prison: Take thou this note; [Giving a paper.] go, follow them One step I have advanced thee; if thou dost As this instructs thee, thou dost make thy way To noble fortunes: know thou this,-that men Are as the time is to be tender-minded Does not become a sword:-thy great employment Off. I'll do 't, my lord. Edm. About it; and write happy, when thou hast Mark, I say instantly; and carry it so, As I have set it down. [done. Off. I cannot draw a cart, nor eat dried oats; If it be man's work, I will do it. [Exit Officer. Flourish. Enter ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, Officers, and Attendants. Alb. Sir, you have shewn to-day your valiant strain, And fortune led you well: you have the captives Who were the opposites of this day's strife: We do require them of you, so to use them, As we shall find their merits and our safety May equally determine. Edm. Sir, I thought it fit To send the old and miserable king To some retention, and appointed guard; We sweat and bleed; the friend hath lost his friend; And the best quarrels, in the heat, are cursed Alb. Sir, by your patience, I hold you but a subject of this war, Reg. That's as we list to grace him. Methinks our pleasure might have been demanded, Gon. Not so hot : In his own grace he doth exalt himself, More than in your advancement. Reg. In my rights, By me invested, he compeers the best. Gon. That were the most, if he should husband you That eye, that told you so, look'd but asquint. Gon. Mean you to enjoy him? Alb. The let-alone lies not in your good will. Alb. Half-blooded fellow, yes. Reg. [To EDMUND.] Let the drum strike, and prove my title thine. Alb. Stay yet; hear reason.-Edmund, I arrest thee On capital treason; and, in thy arrest, [Pointing to GoN.] This gilded serpent.-For your claim, fair sister, I bar it in the interest of my wife; Gon. An interlude! [sound: Alb. Thou art arm'd, Gloster:-let the trumpet If none appear to prove upon thy person, Thy heinous, manifest, and many treasons, There is my pledge; [Throwing down a glove.] I'll prove it on thy heart, Ere I taste bread, thou art in nothing less Than I have here proclaim'd thee. Reg. Sick, O, sick! Gon. [Aside.] If not, I'll ne'er trust poison. That names me traitor, villain-like he lies: Alb. A herald, ho! Edm. A herald, ho, a herald ! Alb. Trust to thy single virtue; for thy soldiers, All levied in my name, have in my name Took their discharge. Reg. This sickness grows upon me. Your name? your quality? and why you answer This present summons? Edg. Know, my name is lost; By treason's tooth bare-gnawn and canker-bit: Yet am I noble as the adversary I come to cope withal. Alb. Which is that adversary? Edg. What's he that speaks for Edmund earl of That, if my speech offend a noble heart, Edm. In wisdom I should ask thy name; Alb. O save him, save him! Gon. This is mere practice, Gloster: By the law of arms, thou wast not bound to answer But cozen'd and beguiled. Alb. Shut your mouth. dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it:-hold, Sir; Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil:- [Gives the letter to EDMUND. Gon. Say, if I do,-the laws are mine, not thine: Who shall arraign me for 't? Know'st thou this paper? Alb. Most monstrous! I do forgive thee. Edg. Let's exchange charity. I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund; If more, the more thou hast wrong'd me. My name is Edgar, and thy father's son. The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices Make instruments to scourge us: The dark and vicious place where thee he got, Cost him his eyes. Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true; The wheel is come full circle; I am here. Alb. Methought thy very gait did prophesy A royal nobleness:--I must embrace thee: Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I Did hate thee, or thy father! Edg. Worthy prince, I know it well. Alb. Where have you hid yourself? How have you known the miseries of your father? Edg. By nursing them, my lord.-List a brief tale;And, when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst!The bloody proclamation to escape, That follow'd me so near, (O our lives' sweetness! Edm. This speech of yours hath moved me, Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in; For I am almost ready to dissolve, Hearing of this. Edg. This would have seem'd a period Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man, Edg. Here comes Kent, Sir. The time will not allow the compliment, Kent. I am come To bid my king and master aye good night; Is he not here? Alb. Great thing of us forgot! Speak, Edmund, where's the king? and where's Cor See'st thou this object, Kent? {delia? [The bodies of GONERIL and REGAN are brought in. Kent. Alack, why thus? Edm. Yet Edmund was beloved: The one the other poison'd for my sake, And after slew herself. Alb. Even so.-Cover their faces. Edm. I pant for life:-some good I mean to do, Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send,— Be brief in it,-to the castle; for my writ Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia : I have seen the day, with my good biting faulchion, Lear. This is a dull sight:-are you not Kent? Your servant Kent. Where is your servant Cains? Kent. That, from your first of difference and decay, Have follow'd your sad steps. Lear. You are welcome hither. Kent. Nor no man else; all's cheerless, dark, and deadly. Your eldest daughters have foredoom'd themselves, And desperately are dead. Lear. Ay, so I think. Alb. He knows not what he says; and vain it is That we present us to him. Edg. Very bootless. Enter an Officer. Off. Edmund is dead, my lord. Alb. That's but a trifle here. You lords and noble friends, know our intent. To him our absolute power:-you, to your rights; The cup of their deservings.-0, see, see! Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no life! Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, And thou no breath at all? O, thou wilt come no more, Pray you, undo this button: thank you, Sir.- Edg. He faints!-My lord, my lord!-- Edg. Look up, my lord. [He dier. Kent. Vex not his ghost: 0, let him pass! he hates That would upon the rack of this tough world [him Stretch him out longer. Edg. O, he is gone, indeed. Kent. The wonder is he hath endured so long: He but usurp'd his life. Alb. Bear them from hence.-Our present business Is general woe.-[TO KENT and EDGAR.] Friends of my soul, you twain Rule in this realm, and the gored state sustain. Alb. The weight of this sad time we must obey; Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. The oldest hath borne most: we that are young Shall never see so much, nor live so long. [Exeunt with a dead march. of Cyprus. Clown, Servant to OTHELLO. Herald. DESDEMONA, Daughter to BRABANTIO, and Wife to OTHELLO. EMILIA, Wife to IAGO. BIANCA, a Courtezan, Mistress to CASSIO. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, dc. SCENE,-The first Act, in VENICE; during the rest of the Play, at a Seaport in CYPRUS. ACT I. SCENE I.-VENICE. A Street. Enter RODERIGO and IAGO. Rod. Tush, never tell me; I take it much 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. Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate. In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, I know my price; I am worth no worse a place: But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, My mediators; "for, certes," says he, Forsooth, a great arithmetician, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife; More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric, [city, As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice, man. Iago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service; Preferment goes by letter and affection, Not by the old grailation, where each second Stood heir to the first. Now, Sir, be judge yourself, Whether I in any just term am affined To love the Moor. Rod. I would not follow him then. I follow him to serve my turn upon him: For naught but provender; and, when he's old, cashier d: Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul; For, Sir, It is as sure as you are Roderigo, For when my outward action doth demonstrate The native act and figure of my heart Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe, If he can carry 't thus! Iago. Call up her father; Rouse him make after him, poison his delight, And, though he in a fertile climate dwell, Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, ho! Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves ! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! 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. 'Zounds, Sir, you are robb'd; for shame, put on Your heart is burst, you have lost half Even now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. 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: My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness, To start my quiet. Rod. Sir, 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. 'Zounds, Sir, you are one of those that will not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service, you think we are ruffians: you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your nephews neigh to you: you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans. Bra. What profane wretch art thou? Iago. I am one, Sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. (As partly, I find, it is,) that your fair daughter, I thus would play and trifle with your reverence: Of here and everywhere. Straight satisfy yourself: For thus deluding you. Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! Give me a taper!-call up all my people!- [Exit from above. lago. Farewell; for I must leave you: Against the Moor: for, I do know the state- To lead their business; in which regard, Oth. Let him do his spite: My services, which I have done the signiory, I would not my unhoused free condition For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yonder? Enter Cassio, at a distance, and certain Officers with torches. Iago. These 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, lago. By Janus, I think no. Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant- Cas. The duke does greet you, general; Oth. What is the matter, think you? Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine; I must shew out a flag and sign of love, Are at the duke's already: you have been hotly call'd [for; Oth. 'Tis well I am found by you. Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely find I will but spend a word here in the house, [him, [Exit. And go with you. [Exit. Cas. Ancient, what makes he here? Raise all my kindred.-Are they married, think you? Rod. Truly, I think they are. Bra. O heaven!-How got she out?-O treason of the blood!- Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds Rod. Yes, Sir, I have indeed. Bra. Call up my brother.-O, that you had had her!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; I may command at most.-Get weapons, ho! And raise some special officers of night. On, good Roderigo;-I'll deserve your pains. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-The same. Another Strect. Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendants Jago. Though in the trade of war I have slain men, Yet do I hold it very stuff c' the conscience To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity Sometimes to do me service; nine or ten times I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs. Oth. 'Tis better as it is. Iago. Nay, but he prated, And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms Against your honour, That, with the little godliness I have, I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray, Sir, Iago. 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carrack; If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever. Cas. I do not understand. lago. He's married. Cas. To whom? Re-enter OTHELLO. Iago. Marry, to-Come, captain, will you go? Cas. Here comes another troop to seek for you. Enter BRABANTIO, RODERIGO, and Officers of night, with torches and weapons. Iago. It is Brabantio:-general, be advised; He comes to bad intent. 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. Good signior, you shall more command with years [daughter! I therefore apprehend and do attach thee, Oth. Hold your hands, Both you of my inclining, and the rest: Bra. To prison: till fit time Of law, and course of direct session, Oth. What if I do obey? |