ACTI

SCENEI.Venice.Astreet.
EnterRODERIGOandIAGO
RODERIGO
Tush!nevertellmeItakeitmuchunkindly
Thatthou,Iago,whohasthadmypurse
Asifthestringswerethine,shouldstknowofthis.
IAGO
'Sblood,butyouwillnothearme:
IfeverIdiddreamofsuchamatter,Abhorme.
RODERIGO
Thoutold'stmethoudidstholdhiminthyhate.
IAGO
Despiseme,ifIdonot.Threegreatonesofthecity,
Inpersonalsuittomakemehislieutenant,
Offcapp'dtohim:and,bythefaithofman,
Iknowmyprice,Iamworthnoworseaplace:
Butheaslovinghisownprideandpurposes,
Evadesthem,withabombastcircumstance
Horriblystuff'dwithepithetsofwar
And,inconclusion,
Nonsuitsmymediatorsfor,'Certes,'sayshe,
'Ihavealreadychosemyofficer.'
Andwhatwashe?
Forsooth,agreatarithmetician,
OneMichaelCassio,aFlorentine,
Afellowalmostdamn'dinafairwife
Thatneversetasquadroninthefield,
Northedivisionofabattleknows
Morethanaspinsterunlessthebookishtheoric,
Whereinthetogedconsulscanpropose
Asmasterlyashe:mereprattle,withoutpractise,
Isallhissoldiership.Buthe,sir,hadtheelection:
AndI,ofwhomhiseyeshadseentheproof
AtRhodes,atCyprusandonothergrounds
Christianandheathen,mustbebelee'dandcalm'd
Bydebitorandcreditor:thiscountercaster,
He,ingoodtime,musthislieutenantbe,
AndIGodblessthemark!hisMoorship'sancient.
RODERIGO

Byheaven,Iratherwouldhavebeenhishangman.
IAGO
Why,there'snoremedy'tisthecurseofservice,
Prefermentgoesbyletterandaffection,
Andnotbyoldgradation,whereeachsecond
Stoodheirtothefirst.Now,sir,bejudgeyourself,
WhetherIinanyjusttermamaffined
TolovetheMoor.
RODERIGO
Iwouldnotfollowhimthen.
IAGO
O,sir,contentyou
Ifollowhimtoservemyturnuponhim:
Wecannotallbemasters,norallmasters
Cannotbetrulyfollow'd.Youshallmark
Manyaduteousandkneecrookingknave,
That,dotingonhisownobsequiousbondage,
Wearsouthistime,muchlikehismaster'sass,
Fornoughtbutprovender,andwhenhe'sold,cashier'd:
Whipmesuchhonestknaves.Othersthereare
Who,trimm'dinformsandvisagesofduty,
Keepyettheirheartsattendingonthemselves,
And,throwingbutshowsofserviceontheirlords,
Dowellthrivebythemandwhentheyhavelined
theircoats
Dothemselveshomage:thesefellowshavesomesoul
AndsuchaonedoIprofessmyself.For,sir,
ItisassureasyouareRoderigo,
WereItheMoor,IwouldnotbeIago:
Infollowinghim,Ifollowbutmyself
Heavenismyjudge,notIforloveandduty,
Butseemingso,formypeculiarend:
Forwhenmyoutwardactiondothdemonstrate
Thenativeactandfigureofmyheart
Incomplimentextern,'tisnotlongafter
ButIwillwearmyheartuponmysleeve
Fordawstopeckat:IamnotwhatIam.
RODERIGO
Whatafullfortunedoesthethicklipsowe
Ifhecancarry'tthus!
IAGO
Callupherfather,
Rousehim:makeafterhim,poisonhisdelight,

Proclaimhiminthestreetsincenseherkinsmen,
And,thoughheinafertileclimatedwell,
Plaguehimwithflies:thoughthathisjoybejoy,
Yetthrowsuchchangesofvexationon't,
Asitmaylosesomecolour.
RODERIGO
Hereisherfather'shouseI'llcallaloud.
IAGO
Do,withliketimorousaccentanddireyell
Aswhen,bynightandnegligence,thefire
Isspiedinpopulouscities.
RODERIGO
What,ho,Brabantio!SigniorBrabantio,ho!
IAGO
Awake!what,ho,Brabantio!thieves!thieves!thieves!
Looktoyourhouse,yourdaughterandyourbags!
Thieves!thieves!
BRABANTIOappearsabove,atawindow
BRABANTIO
Whatisthereasonofthisterriblesummons?
Whatisthematterthere?
RODERIGO
Signior,isallyourfamilywithin?
IAGO
Areyourdoorslock'd?
BRABANTIO
Why,whereforeaskyouthis?
IAGO
'Zounds,sir,you'rerobb'dforshame,puton
yourgown
Yourheartisburst,youhavelosthalfyoursoul
Evennow,now,verynow,anoldblackram
Istoppingyourwhiteewe.Arise,arise
Awakethesnortingcitizenswiththebell,
Orelsethedevilwillmakeagrandsireofyou:
Arise,Isay.
BRABANTIO
What,haveyoulostyourwits?
RODERIGO
Mostreverendsignior,doyouknowmyvoice?
BRABANTIO
NotI whatareyou?
RODERIGO

MynameisRoderigo.
BRABANTIO
Theworserwelcome:
Ihavechargedtheenottohauntaboutmydoors:
Inhonestplainnessthouhastheardmesay
Mydaughterisnotfortheeandnow,inmadness,
Beingfullofsupperanddistemperingdraughts,
Uponmaliciousbravery,dostthoucome
Tostartmyquiet.
RODERIGO
Sir,sir,sir,
BRABANTIO
Butthoumustneedsbesure
Myspiritandmyplacehaveinthempower
Tomakethisbittertothee.
RODERIGO
Patience,goodsir.
BRABANTIO
Whattell'stthoumeofrobbing?thisisVenice
Myhouseisnotagrange.
RODERIGO
MostgraveBrabantio,
InsimpleandpuresoulIcometoyou.
IAGO
'Zounds,sir,youareoneofthosethatwillnot
serveGod,ifthedevilbidyou.Becausewecometo
doyouserviceandyouthinkweareruffians,you'll
haveyourdaughtercoveredwithaBarbaryhorse
you'llhaveyournephewsneightoyouyou'llhave
coursersforcousinsandgennetsforgermans.
BRABANTIO
Whatprofanewretchartthou?
IAGO
Iamone,sir,thatcomestotellyouyourdaughter
andtheMoorarenowmakingthebeastwithtwobacks.
BRABANTIO
Thouartavillain.
IAGO
Youareasenator.
BRABANTIO
ThisthoushaltanswerIknowthee,Roderigo.
RODERIGO
Sir,Iwillansweranything.But,Ibeseechyou,

If'tbeyourpleasureandmostwiseconsent,
AspartlyIfinditis,thatyourfairdaughter,
Atthisoddevenanddullwatcho'thenight,
Transported,withnoworsenorbetterguard
Butwithaknaveofcommonhire,agondolier,
TothegrossclaspsofalasciviousMoor
Ifthisbeknowntoyouandyourallowance,
Wethenhavedoneyouboldandsaucywrongs
Butifyouknownotthis,mymannerstellme
Wehaveyourwrongrebuke.Donotbelieve
That,fromthesenseofallcivility,
Ithuswouldplayandtriflewithyourreverence:
Yourdaughter,ifyouhavenotgivenherleave,
Isayagain,hathmadeagrossrevolt
Tyingherduty,beauty,witandfortunes
Inanextravagantandwheelingstranger
Ofhereandeverywhere.Straightsatisfyyourself:
Ifshebeinherchamberoryourhouse,
Letlooseonmethejusticeofthestate
Forthusdeludingyou.
BRABANTIO
Strikeonthetinder,ho!
Givemeataper!callupallmypeople!
Thisaccidentisnotunlikemydream:
Beliefofitoppressesmealready.
Light,Isay!light!
Exitabove
IAGO
FarewellforImustleaveyou:
Itseemsnotmeet,norwholesometomyplace,
Tobeproducedas,ifIstay,Ishall
AgainsttheMoor:for,Idoknow,thestate,
Howeverthismaygallhimwithsomecheque,
Cannotwithsafetycasthim,forhe'sembark'd
WithsuchloudreasontotheCypruswars,
Whichevennowstandinact,that,fortheirsouls,
Anotherofhisfathomtheyhavenone,
Toleadtheirbusiness:inwhichregard,
ThoughIdohatehimasIdohellpains.
Yet,fornecessityofpresentlife,
Imustshowoutaflagandsignoflove,
Whichisindeedbutsign.Thatyoushallsurelyfindhim,
LeadtotheSagittarytheraisedsearch

AndtherewillIbewithhim.So,farewell.
Exit
Enter,below,BRABANTIO,andServantswithtorches
BRABANTIO
Itistootrueanevil:gonesheis
Andwhat'stocomeofmydespisedtime
Isnoughtbutbitterness.Now,Roderigo,
Wheredidstthouseeher?Ounhappygirl!
WiththeMoor,say'stthou?Whowouldbeafather!
Howdidstthouknow'twasshe?Oshedeceivesme
Pastthought!Whatsaidshetoyou?Getmoretapers:
Raiseallmykindred.Aretheymarried,thinkyou?
RODERIGO
Truly,Ithinktheyare.
BRABANTIO
Oheaven!Howgotsheout?Otreasonoftheblood!
Fathers,fromhencetrustnotyourdaughters'minds
Bywhatyouseethemact.Istherenotcharms
Bywhichthepropertyofyouthandmaidhood
Maybeabused?Haveyounotread,Roderigo,
Ofsomesuchthing?
RODERIGO
Yes,sir,Ihaveindeed.
BRABANTIO
Callupmybrother.O,wouldyouhadhadher!
Someoneway,someanother.Doyouknow
WherewemayapprehendherandtheMoor?
RODERIGO
IthinkIcandiscoverhim,ifyouplease,
Togetgoodguardandgoalongwithme.
BRABANTIO
Prayyou,leadon.AteveryhouseI'llcall
Imaycommandatmost.Getweapons,ho!
Andraisesomespecialofficersofnight.
On,goodRoderigo:I'lldeserveyourpains.
Exeunt

SCENEII.Anotherstreet.
EnterOTHELLO,IAGO,andAttendantswithtorches
IAGO
ThoughinthetradeofwarIhaveslainmen,
YetdoIholditverystuffo'theconscience

Todonocontrivedmurder:Ilackiniquity
Sometimestodomeservice:nineortentimes
Ihadthoughttohaveyerk'dhimhereundertheribs.
OTHELLO
'Tisbetterasitis.
IAGO
Nay,butheprated,
Andspokesuchscurvyandprovokingterms
Againstyourhonour
That,withthelittlegodlinessIhave,
Ididfullhardforbearhim.But,Iprayyou,sir,
Areyoufastmarried?Beassuredofthis,
Thatthemagnificoismuchbeloved,
Andhathinhiseffectavoicepotential
Asdoubleastheduke's:hewilldivorceyou
Orputuponyouwhatrestraintandgrievance
Thelaw,withallhismighttoenforceiton,
Willgivehimcable.
OTHELLO
Lethimdohisspite:
MyserviceswhichIhavedonethesigniory
Shallouttonguehiscomplaints.'Tisyettoknow,
Which,whenIknowthatboastingisanhonour,
IshallpromulgateIfetchmylifeandbeing
Frommenofroyalsiege,andmydemerits
Mayspeakunbonnetedtoasproudafortune
AsthisthatIhavereach'd:forknow,Iago,
ButthatIlovethegentleDesdemona,
Iwouldnotmyunhousedfreecondition
Putintocircumscriptionandconfine
Forthesea'sworth.But,look!whatlightscomeyond?
IAGO
Thosearetheraisedfatherandhisfriends:
Youwerebestgoin.
OTHELLO
NotI Imustbefound:
Myparts,mytitleandmyperfectsoul
Shallmanifestmerightly.Isitthey?
IAGO
ByJanus,Ithinkno.
EnterCASSIO,andcertainOfficerswithtorches
OTHELLO
Theservantsoftheduke,andmylieutenant.

Thegoodnessofthenightuponyou,friends!
Whatisthenews?
CASSIO
Thedukedoesgreetyou,general,
Andherequiresyourhasteposthasteappearance,
Evenontheinstant.
OTHELLO
Whatisthematter,thinkyou?
CASSIO
SomethingfromCyprusasImaydivine:
Itisabusinessofsomeheat:thegalleys
Havesentadozensequentmessengers
Thisverynightatoneanother'sheels,
Andmanyoftheconsuls,raisedandmet,
Areattheduke'salready:youhavebeen
hotlycall'dfor
When,beingnotatyourlodgingtobefound,
Thesenatehathsentaboutthreeseveralguests
Tosearchyouout.
OTHELLO
'TiswellIamfoundbyyou.
Iwillbutspendawordhereinthehouse,
Andgowithyou.
Exit
CASSIO
Ancient,whatmakeshehere?
IAGO
'Faith,hetonighthathboardedalandcarack:
Ifitprovelawfulprize,he'smadeforever.
CASSIO
Idonotunderstand.
IAGO
He'smarried.