Look to your house, your daughter and your bags83!
Thieves, thieves!BRABANTIO What is the reason of this terrible summons?Above85
At a window
What is the matter there?RODORIGO Signior, is all your family within?IAGO Are your doors locked?BRABANTIO Why? Wherefore89 ask you this?IAGO Sir, you’re robbed. For shame, put on your gown90!
Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul:
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram92
Is tupping93 your white ewe. Arise, arise!
Awake the snorting94 citizens with the bell,
Or else the devil95 will make a grandsire of you.
Arise, I say!BRABANTIO What, have you lost your wits?RODORIGO Most reverend98 signior, do you know my voice?BRABANTIO Not I: what are you?RODORIGO My name is Rodorigo.BRABANTIO The worser welcome.
I have charged102 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 distemp’ring draughts105 —
Upon malicious knavery dost thou come
To start107 my quiet.RODORIGO Sir, sir, sir—BRABANTIO But thou must needs be sure
My spirits and my place110 have in their power
To make this bitter to thee.RODORIGO Patience, good sir.BRABANTIO What tell’st thou me of robbing?
This is Venice: my house is not a grange114.RODORIGO Most grave115 Brabantio,
In simple116 and pure soul I come to you.IAGO Sir, you are one of those that will not serve God if
the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service and you
think we are ruffians, you’ll have your daughter covered119
with a Barbary horse120: you’ll have your nephews neigh to
you: you’ll have coursers121 for
cousins and jennets for germans122.BRABANTIO What profane123 wretch art thou?IAGO I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter
and the Moor are making the beast with two backs125.BRABANTIO Thou art a villain.IAGO You are a senator.BRABANTIO This thou shalt answer128. I know thee, Rodorigo.RODORIGO Sir, I will answer anything. But I beseech you
If’t be your pleasure130 and most wise consent —
As partly I find it is — that your fair daughter,
At this odd-even132 and dull watch o’th’night,
Transported with133 no worse nor better guard
But with134 a knave of common hire, a gondolier,
To the gross135 clasps of a lascivious Moor:
If this be known to you and your allowance136
We then have done you bold and saucy137 wrongs:
But if you know not this, my manners tell me
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe
That, from140 the sense of all civility,
I thus would play and trifle with your reverence141.
Your daughter — if you have not given her leave142 —
I say again, hath made a gross143 revolt,
Tying her duty, beauty, wit144 and fortunes
In145 an extravagant and wheeling stranger
Of here and everywhere. Straight146 satisfy yourself:
If she be in her chamber or your house,
Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.BRABANTIO Strike on the tinder150, ho!
Give me a taper151! Call up all my people!
This accident152 is not unlike my dream:
Belief of it oppresses me already.
Light, I say, light!Exit [above]
IAGO Farewell, for I must leave you:
It seems not meet156 nor wholesome to my place
To be producted157 — as, if I stay, I shall —
Against the Moor, for I do know the state,
However this may gall159 him with some check,
Cannot with safety cast160 him, for he’s embarked
With such loud reason161 to the Cyprus wars,
Which even now stands in act162, that, for their souls,
Another of his fathom163 they have none,
To lead their business: in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains.
Yet for necessity of present life166
I must show out a flag and sign167 of love,
Which is indeed but sign. That168 you shall surely find him,
Lead to the Sagittary169 the raisèd search,
And there will I be with him. So farewell.Exit
Enter Brabantio with Servants and torchesBRABANTIO It is too true an evil: gone she is,
And what’s to come of my despisèd time172
Is nought but bitterness. Now, Rodorigo,
Where didst thou see her?— O, unhappy174 girl!—
With the Moor, say’st thou?— Who would be a father?—
How didst thou know ’twas she?— O, she deceives me
Past thought177!— What said she to you?— Get more tapers:
Raise all my kindred.— Are they married, think you?RODORIGO Truly, I think they are.BRABANTIO O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood180!
Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters’ minds
By what you see them act. Is there not charms182
By which the property183 of youth and maidhood
May be abused? Have you not read, Rodorigo,
Of some such thing?RODORIGO Yes, sir, I have indeed.BRABANTIO Call up my brother.—
O, would you had had her!—To Rodorigo
Some one way, some another.— Do you know
Where we may apprehend her and the Moor?RODORIGO I think I can discover190 him, if you please
To get good guard and go along with me.BRABANTIO Pray you lead on. At every house I’ll call:
I may command193 at most.— Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of might.—
On, good Rodorigo: I will deserve your pains195.Exeunt
Act 1 Scene 2 running scene 2
Location: Venice (outside the Sagittary)
Enter Othello, Iago, Attendants with torchesIAGO Though in the trade1 of war I have slain men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff2 o’th’conscience
To do no contrived3 murder: I lack iniquity
Sometime to do me service. Nine or ten times
I had thought t’have yerked5 him here under the ribs.OTHELLO ’Tis better as it is.IAGO Nay, but he prated7
And spoke such scurvy8 and provoking terms
Against your honour
That with the little godliness I have
I did full hard forbear him11. But I pray you, sir,
Are you fast12 married? Be assured of this,
That the magnifico13 is much beloved,
And hath in his effect14 a voice potential
As double as the duke’s: he will divorce you,
Or put upon you what16 restraint or grievance
The law — with all his might to enforce it on —
Will give him cable18.OTHELLO Let him do his spite;
My services which I have done the signiory20
Shall out-tongue his complaints. ’Tis yet to know21 —
Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,
I shall promulgate23 — I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege24, and my demerits
May speak, unbonneted25, to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reached. For know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhousèd28 free condition
Put into circumscription and confine29
For the sea’s worth30. But look, what lights come yond?
Enter Cassio [and Officers] with torchesIAGO Those are the raisèd31 father and his friends:
You were best go in.OTHELLO Not I: I must be found.
My parts34, my title and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?IAGO By Janus36, I think no.OTHELLO
The servants of the duke’s? And my lieutenant?—
The goodness of the night upon you, friends!
What is the news?CASSIO The duke does greet you, general,
And he requires your haste-post-haste41 appearance
Even on the instant.OTHELLO What is the matter43, think you?CASSIO Something from Cyprus, as I may divine44.
It is a business of some heat45: the galleys
Have sent a dozen sequent46 messengers
This very night at one another’s heels,
And many of the consuls, raised and met,
Are at the duke’s already. You have been hotly called for:
When, being not at your lodging to be found,
The senate hath sent about three several quests51
To search you out.OTHELLO ’Tis well I am found by you.
I will but spend a word here in the house
And go with you.[Exit]
CASSIO Ancient, what makes he56 here?IAGO Faith57, he tonight hath boarded a land caract:
If it prove lawful prize, he’s made for ever.CASSIO I do not understand.IAGO He’s married.CASSIO To who?IAGO Marry62, to—[Enter Othello Come, captain, will you go?OTHELLO Have with you63.CASSIO Here comes another troop to seek for you.Enter Brabantio, Rodorigo, with Officers and torches And weapons
IAGO It is Brabantio. General, be advised65:
He comes to66 bad intent.OTHELLO Holla67, stand there!RODORIGO Signior, it is the Moor.BRABANTIO Down with him, thief!They draw
IAGO You, Rodorigo? Come, sir, I am for you.OTHELLO Keep up71 your bright swords, for the dew will rust
them.
Good signior, you shall more command with years
Than with your weapons.BRABANTIO O thou foul74 thief,
Where hast thou stowed75 my daughter?
Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her,
For I’ll refer me to77 all things of sense —
If she in chains of magic were not bound —
Whether a maid so tender79, fair and happy,
So opposite80 to marriage that she shunned
The wealthy curlèd81 dearling of our nation,
Would ever have — t’incur a general mock82 —
Run from her guardage83 to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou: to fear, not to delight.
Judge me the world85 if ’tis not gross in sense
That thou hast practised on86 her with foul charms,
Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals87
That weakens motion88: I’ll have’t disputed on:
’Tis probable and palpable to thinking.
I therefore apprehend and do attach90 thee
For an abuser of the world, a practiser
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant92.—
Lay hold upon him: if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.OTHELLO Hold95 your hands,
Both you of my inclining96 and the rest:
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a prompter.— Whither will you that I98 go
To answer this your charge?BRABANTIO To prison, till fit time
Of law and course of direct session101
Call thee to answer.OTHELLO What if I do obey?
How may the duke be therewith satisfied,
Whose messengers are here about my side
Upon some present106 business of the state
To bring me to him?OFFICER ’Tis true, most worthy signior:
The duke’s in council and your noble self,
I am sure, is sent for.BRABANTIO 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 state114,
Cannot but feel this wrong as ’twere their own:
For if such actions may have passage free116,
Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be.Exeunt
Act 1 Scene 3 running scene 3
Location: Venice (duke’s residence/council chamber)
Enter Duke, Senators and Officers With torches
They sit at a table
DUKE There’s no composition1 in this news
That gives them2 credit.FIRST SENATOR Indeed, they are disproportioned3;
My letters say a hundred and seven galleys.DUKE And mine a hundred forty.SECOND SENATOR And mine two hundred:
But though they jump7 not on a just account —
As in these cases where the aim8 reports,
’Tis oft with difference — yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.DUKE Nay, it is possible enough to judgement:
I do not so secure12 me in the error
But the main article I do approve
In fearful sense.SAILOR What ho, what ho, what ho!Within
Enter SailorOFFICER A messenger from the galleys.DUKE Now? What’s the business?SAILOR The Turkish preparation18 makes for Rhodes:
So was I bid report here to the state
By Signior Angelo.[Exit Sailor]
DUKE How say you by21 this change?FIRST SENATOR This cannot be
By no assay23 of reason: ’tis a pageant,
To keep us in false gaze24. When we consider
Th’importancy25 of Cyprus to the Turk,
And let ourselves again but understand
That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile question bear it28,
For that29 it stands not in such warlike brace,
But altogether lacks th’abilities30
That Rhodes is dressed in31: if we make thought of this,
We must not think the Turk is so unskilful
To leave that latest33 which concerns him first,
Neglecting an attempt34 of ease and gain
To wake and wage35 a danger profitless.DUKE Nay, in all confidence, he’s not for Rhodes.OFFICER Here is more news.
Enter a MessengerMESSENGER The Ottomites38, reverend and gracious,
Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes,
Have there injointed them40 with an after fleet.FIRST SENATOR Ay, so I thought. How many, as you guess?MESSENGER Of thirty sail: and now they do restem42
Their backward course, bearing with frank43 appearance
Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trusty and most valiant servitor45,
With his free46 duty recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.[Exit Messenger]
DUKE ’Tis certain then for Cyprus.
Marcus Luccicos, is not he in town?FIRST SENATOR He’s now in Florence.DUKE Write from us to him: post-post-haste51, dispatch!FIRST SENATOR Here comes Brabantio and the valiant Moor.
Enter Brabantio, Othello, Cassio, Iago, Rodorigo and OfficersDUKE Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you
Against the general enemy Ottoman54.—To Brabantio
I did not see you: welcome, gentle55 signior,
We lacked your counsel and your help tonight.BRABANTIO So did I yours. Good your grace, pardon me:
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