What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, 76) 1 Amb. The sight is dismal; And our affairs from England come too late: The ears are senseless, that should give us hearing, To tell him, his commandment is fulfill'd, That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead: Where should we have our thanks? Hcr. And call the noblest to the audience. For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune; I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, 8°) Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me. Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more: Not from his mouth, 77) But let this same be presently perform'd, Had it the ability of life to thank you; You from the Polack wars, and you from England, Are here arriv'd; give order, that these bodies Of deaths put on 79) by cunning, and forc'd cause; Even while men's minds are wild: lest more mischance, XXXVII. OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE. venice. Duke of VENICE. BRABANTIO, a Senator. Two other Senators. GRATIANO, Brother to Brabantio. LODOVICO, Kinsman to Brabantio. OTHELLO, the Moor: CASSIO, his Lieutenant; IAGO, his Ancient. RODERIGO, a Venetian Gentleman. PERSONS REPRESENTED. MONTANO, Othello's Predecessor in the Government of Cyprus.') Clown, Servant to Othello. Herald. DESDEMONA, Daughter to Brabantio, and Wife to Othello. EMILIA, Wife to lago. BIANCA, a Courtezan, Mistress to Cassio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, &c. for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, at a Sea-Port in Cyprus. ACT I. SCENE I. Venice. A Street. Enter RODBRIGO and IAGO. TUSH, never tell me, I take it much unkindly, 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: -2) and, by the faith of man, My mediators; for, certes, 4) says he, Forsooth, a great arithmetician, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife; 5) More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric, 6) By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster; ") ancient. Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. Iago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curse of service; Preferment goes by letter, '') and affection, Not by the old gradation, where each second Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself, Whether I in any just term am affin'd 12) 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: Whip me such honest knaves: 13) Others there are, Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul; For, sir, It is as sure as you are Roderigo, 1 And, though he in a fertile climate dwell, We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs; Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy, But, if you know not this, my manners tell me, 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. Iago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell, As when, by night and negligence, the fire Is spied in populous cities. Rod. What ho! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, ho! Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! Thieves! thieves! 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? Why? wherefore ask you this? Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you are robb'd; for shame, put on your gown; Your heart is burst, 17) you have lost half your soul; 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 Bra. The worse welcome: I have charg'd 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, 18) Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come To start my quiet. Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir, 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. 19) 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: 20) you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans. 21) 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. Bra. Thou art a villain. If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent, We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe, I thus would play and trifle with your reverence: Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! 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! Iago. [Exit, from above. Farewell; for I must leave you: It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, To be produc'd (as, if I stay, I shall,) Against the Moor: For, I do know, the state, However this may gall him with some check,26) Cannot with safety cast him; 27) 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 pains, Yet, for necessity of present life, I must show out a flag and sign of love, Lead to the sagittary 28) the rais'd search; By which the property of youth and maidhood Yes, sir; I have indeed. Bra. Call up my brother. O, that you had had her! Some one way, some another. Do you know Rod. I think, I can discover him; if you please Oth. "Tis better as it is. lago 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, I would not my unhoused 36) free condition For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yonder? Enter CASSIO, at a distance, and certain Iago. These are the raised father, and his friends: Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant. The goodness of the night upon you, friends! What is the news? Cas. The duke does greet you, general; And he requires your haste-post-haste 37) appearance, Even on the instant. Oth. What is the matter, think you? Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine; It is a business of some heat: the gallies Have sent a dozen sequent messengers This very night, at one another's heels; And many of the consuls, rais'd, and met, Are at the duke's already: You have been hotly call'd for; Rod. Signior, it is the Moor. 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, Than with your weapons. -- Bra. O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd my daughter? Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her: To prison: till fit time Of law, and course of direct session, Call thee to answer. Oth. What if I do obey? How may the duke be therewith satisfied; Whose messengers are here about my side, Upon some present business of the state, To bring me to him? Off. "Tis true, most worthy signior, The duke's in council; and your noble self, I am sure, is sent for. Bra. How! the duke in council! In this time of the night! Bring him away: Mine's not an idle cause: the duke himself, Or any of my brothers of the state, Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own: For if such actions may have passage free, Bond-slaves, and pagans **) shall our statesmen be. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Council-Chamber. The DUKв and Senators, sitting at a Table; Officers attending. Duke. There is no composition 45) in these news, He's married. To who? That gives them credit. 1 Sen. Indeed, they are disproportion'd; My letters say, a hundred and seven gallies. Duke. And mine, a hundred and forty. And mine, two hundred: 2 Sen. But though they jump not on a just account, (As in these cases, where the aim reports, 46) "Tis oft with difference,) yet do they all confirm A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus. Duke. Nay, it is possible enough to judgment; I do not so secure me in the error, But the main article I do approve In fearful sense. Sailor. [Within.] What ho! what ho! what ho! Enter an Officer, with a Sailor. Now? the business? Duke. How say you by this change? 1 Sen. This cannot be, That Rhodes is dress'd in: if we make thought of this, Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you Against the general enemy Ottoman. I did not see you; welcome, gentle signior; [To BRABANTIO. We lack'd your counsel and your help to-night. Bra. So did I yours: Good your grace, pardon me; Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business, Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general care Take hold on me; for my particular grief Is of so flood-gate and o'erbearing nature, That it engluts and swallows other sorrows, And it is still itself. Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul proceeding, Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, And you of her, the bloody book of law You shall yourself read in the bitter letter, After your own sense; yea, though our proper son Stood in your action. 52) Bra. Humbly I thank your grace. Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems, Your special mandate, for the state affairs, Hath hither brought. Duke & Sen. We are very sorry for it. Duke. What, in your own part, can you say to this? [TO OTHELLO. Bra. Nothing, but this is so. Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, My very noble and approv'd good masters, That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, It is most true; true, I have married her; The very head and front of my offending 53) Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little bless'd with the set phrase of peace; For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith, Till now some nine moons wasted, they have us'd Their dearest action 54) in the tented field; And little of this great world can I speak, More than pertains to feats of broil and battle; And therefore little shall I grace my cause, In speaking for myself: Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what charms, Duke. Did you by indirect and forced courses Oth. Fetch Desdemona hither. 55* |