454 OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE. Oth. I humbly beseech you, proceed to the affairs of state. With such things else of quality and respect, Please your grace, my ancient; Duke. The Turk with a most mighty preparation As doth import you. makes for Cyprus :-Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you: And though we have A man he is of honesty and trust: there a substitute of most allowed sufficiency, yet To his conveyance I assign my wife, opinion, a sovereign mistress of effects, throws a With what else needful your good grace shall think Let it be so.Duke. more safer voice on you: you must therefore be To be sent after me. content to slubber' the gloss of your new fortunes Good night to every one.-And, noble signior, [To Brabantio. with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition. Oth. The tyrant custom, most grave senators, I find in hardness; and do undertake Duke. Be't at her father's. Bra. Oth. Nor I. If you please, I'll not have it so. Nor I; I would not there reside, Duke. What would you, Desdemona ? Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him, I saw Othello's visage in his mind; And to his honours, and his valiant parts, So that, dear lords, if I be left behind, By his dear absence: Let me go with him. Vouch with me, heaven; I therefore beg it not, Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine, Oth. If virtue no delighted beauty lack, [Exeunt Duke, Senators, Officers, &c. Jago. What say'st thou, noble heart? Iago. Why, go to bed and sleep. Rod. I will incontinently 10 drown myself. Jago. Well, if thou dost, I shall never love thee after it. Why, thou silly gentleman! Rod. It is silliness to live, when to live is a torment: and then have we a prescription to die, when death is our physician. Iago. O villanous! I have looked upon the world for four times seven years; and since I could distinguish between a benefit and an injury, I never found a man that knew how to love himself. Ere I would say, I would drown myself for the love of a Guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon. Rod. What should I do? I confess, it is my shame to be so fond;" but it is not in virtue to amend it. Iago. Virtue? a fig! 'tis in ourselves, that we are thus, or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which, our wills are gardeners: so that if we will plant nettles, or sow lettuce; set hyssop, and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs, or distract it with many; either to have it steril with idleness, or manured with industry; why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to most preposterous conclusions: But we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted2 lust; whereof I take this, that you calllove, to be a sect, 13 or scion. Rod. It cannot be. Jago. It is merely a lust of the blood, and a permission of the will. Come, be a man: Drown thyself? drown cats, and blind puppies. I have proThis night. fessed me thy friend, and I confess me knit to thy With all my heart.deserving with cables of perdurable toughness; could never better stead thee than now. money in thy purse; follow these wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard;14 I say, put money in thy purse. It cannot be, that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor,-put money in Duke. At nine i'the morning here we'll meet Othello, leave some officer behind, And he shall our commission bring to you; Obscure. (s) Allowance. (5) Forbid. (2) Acknowledge. (4) Affections. (6) Because. A small kettle, (9) Helmet, (7) Blind. Put (10) Immediately. (11) Foolish. (12) Unbridled. thy purse;-nor he his to her: it was a violent com- 1 Gent. Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought floods, mencement, and thou shalt see an answerable I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main," sequestration;-put but money in thy purse.- Descry a sail. These Moors are changeable in their wills;-fill thy purse with money: the food that to him now is Mon. Methinks, the wind hath spoke aloud at land: as luscious as locusts, shall be to him shortly as bit- A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements: What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them, Rod. Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on the issue? lago. Thou art sure of me ;-Go, make money: -I have told thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor: My cause is hearted: thine hath no less reason: Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, and me a sport. There are many events in the womb of time, which will be delivered. Traverse; go; provide thy money. We will have more of this to-morrow. Adieu. Rod. Where shall we meet i'the morning? Rod. I'll be with thee betimes. lago. Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo ? lago. No more of drowning, do you hear? Will do, as if for surety. He holds me well; I have't;-it is engender'd :-Hell and night Mon. If that the Turkish fleet Enter a third Gentleman. 3 Gent. News, lords! our wars are done; How! is this true? 3 Gent. The ship is here put in, Mon. I am glad on't; tis a worthy governor." of comfort, Touching the Turkish loss,-yet he looks sadly, 'Pray heaven he be; 3 Gent. Come, let's do so; Enter Cassio. Cas. Thanks to the valiant of this warlike isle, Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot A sail, a sail, a sail! Cas. What noise? 4 Gent. The town is empty: on the brow o' the sca Stand ranks of people, and they cry-a sail. Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governor. (5) The constellation near the polar star. Allowed and approved expertness, Our friends, at least. [Exit. 2 Gent. I shall. Re-enter second Gentleman. 2 Gent. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general. Their mortal' natures, letting go safely by Mon. What is she? Iago. Ay, madam. Des. I am not merry; but I do beguile lago. I am about it; but, indeed, my invention Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's If she be fair and wise,-fairness, and wit, captain, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago; Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts, The one's for use, the other useth it. Des. Well prais'd! How if she be black and witty? Emil. How, if fair and foolish? lago. She never yet was foolish that was fair; For even her folly help'd her to an heir. Des. These are old fond" paradoxes, to make Enter Desdemona, Emilia, Iago, Roderige, and fools laugh i'the alehouse. What miserable praise Attendants. The riches of the ship is come on shore! Des. Des. O, but I fear;-how lost you company? [Cry within, A sail, a sail! Then guns heard. 2 Gent. They give their greeting to the citadel; This likewise is a friend. Cas. See for the news.[Exit Gentleman. Good ancient, you are welcome ;-Welcome, mistress;[To Emilia. 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. 'Iago. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips, As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, You'd have enough. Des. Alas, she has no speech. lago. In faith, too much; Emil. Bells in your parlours, wild cats in your kitchens, (1) Deadly, destructive. Censorious. (2) Desire. hast thou for her that's foul and foolish ? Iago. There's none so foul and foolish thereunto, But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do. Des. O heavy ignorance!-thou praisest the worst best. But what praise could'st thou bestow on a deserving woman indeed? one that, in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself? Iago. She that was ever fair, and never proud; To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail; Iago. To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer. Des. O most lame and impotent conclusion!-Do not learn of him, Emilia, though he be thy husband. -How say you, Cassio! is he not a most profane and liberal counsellor? Cas. He speaks home, madam; you may relish him more in the soldier, than in the scholar. Iago. [Aside.] He takes her by the palm: Ay, well said, whisper: with as little a web as this, will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will gyves thee in thine own courtship. You say true; 'tis so, indeed: if such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in. Very good; well kissed! an excellent courtesy! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again, your fingers to (7) Your good-breeding and gallantry. (5) Licentious, free-spoken. (6) Shackle, fetter.plied to men as well as women. your lips? would they were clyster-pipes, for your to some second choice. Now, sir, this granted (as [Trumpet.] The Moor, I know his trum- it is a most pregnant and unforced position,) who sake. pet. Cas. 'Tis truly so. Des. Let's meet him, and receive him. Enter Othello, and Attendants. Oth. O my fair warrior! May the winds blow till they have waken'd death! Des. The heavens forbid, stands so eminently in the degree of this fortune, as Cassio does? a knave very voluble; no further conscionable, than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane seeming, for the better compass ing of his salt and more hidden loose affection? why, none; why, none: A slippery and subtle knave; a finder out of occasions; that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages, though true advantage never present itself: A devilish knave! besides, the knave is handsome, young; and hath all those requisites in him, that folly and green minds look after: A pestilent complete knave; and the woman hath found him already. Rod. I cannot believe that in her; she is full of most blessed condition." lago. Blessed fig's end! the wine she drinks is made of grapes: if she had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor: Blessed pudding! Didst thou not see her paddle with the palm of his hand? didst not mark that? Rod. Yes, that I did; but that was but courtesy. Jago. Lechery, by this hand; an index, and obAmen to that, sweet powers!-scure prologue to the history of lust and foul 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, That e'er our hearts shall make! [Kissing her. O, you are well tun'd now! How do our old acquaintance of this isle? In mine own comforts.-I pr'ythee, good Iago, thoughts. They met so near with their lips, that their breaths embraced together. Villanous thoughts, Roderigo! when these mutualities so marshal the way, hard at hand comes the master and main exercise, the incorporate conclusion:-Pish!-But, sir, be you ruled by me: I have brought you from Venice. Watch you to-night; for the command, I'll lay't upon you: Cassio knows you not:-I'll not be far from you: Do you find some occasion to anger Cassio, either by speaking too loud, or tainting his discipline; or from what other course you please, which the time shall more favourably min ister. Rod. Well. Iago. Sir, he is rash, and very sudden in choler and, haply, with his truncheon, may strike at you' Provoke him, that he may: for, even out of that, will I cause these of Cyprus to mutiny; whose qualification shall come into no true taste again, but by the displanting of Cassio. So shall you have a shorter journey to your desires, by the means I [Exeunt Othello, Desdemona, and Attendants. shall then have to prefer them; and the impediIago. Do thou meet me presently at the harbour.ment most profitably removed, without the which Come hither. If thou be'st valiant,-as (they say) there were no expectation of our prosperity. base men, being in love, have then a nobility in Rod. I will do this, if I can bring it to any optheir natures more than is native to them,-list me. portunity. The lieutenant to-night watches on the court of guard:-First, I must tell thee this-Desdemona is directly in love with him. Rod. With him? why, 'tis not possible. (1) Much solicited by invitation. Iago. I warrant thee. Meet me by and by at the citadel: I must fetch his necessaries ashore. Fare well. Rod. Adieu. [Exit. Jago. That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it; (5) Qualities, disposition of mind. At least into a jealousy so strong Cas. Not to-night, good lago; I have very poor do,-and unhappy brains for drinking: I could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment. Iago. O, they are our friends; but one cup; I'll drink for you. Cas. I have drunk but one cup to-night, and that Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me, was craftily qualified" too, and, behold, what innoFor making him egregiously an ass, And practising upon his peace and quiet SCENE II-A street. Enter a Herald, with a vation it makes here: I am unfortunate in the infirmity, and dare not task my weakness with any Jago. Here at the door; I pray you, call them . Cas. I'll do't; but it dislikes me. [Exit Cassio. lago. If I can fasten but one cup upon him, With that which he hath drunk to-night already He'll be as full of quarrel and offence Roderigo, Her. It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiant general, that, upon certain tidings now arrived, importing the mere perdition of the Turkish fleet, every man put himself into triumph; some to dance, some to make bonfires, each man to what sport and As my young mistress' dog. Now, my sick foo revel his addiction leads him; for, besides these beneficial news, it is the celebration of his nuptials: Whom love has turn'd almost the wrong side outSo much was his pleasure should be proclaimed. All offices are open; and there is full liberty of To Desdemona hath to-night carous'd feasting, from this present hour of five, till the bell Potations pottle-deep; and he's to watch: hath told eleven. Heaven bless the isle of Cyprus, Three lads of Cyprus,-noble swelling spirits, and our noble general, Othello. [Exeunt. That hold their honours in a wary distance, The very elements of this warlike isle,SCENE III-A hall in the castle. Enter Have I to-night fluster'd with flowing cups, Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, and Attendants. And they watch too. Now, 'mongst this flock of Oth. Good Michael, look you to the guard todrunkards, night: Let's teach ourselves that honourable stop, Cas. Iago hath direction what to do; Iago is most honest. Oth. love, The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue; [To Desdemona. That profit's yet to come 'twixt me and you.Good night. [Exeunt Oth. Des. and Attend. Enter Iago. Cas. Welcome, Iago: We must to the watch. Iago. Not this hour, lieutenant; 'tis not yet ten o'clock: Our general cast us thus early, for the love of his Desdemona; whom let us not therefore blame; he hath not yet made wanton the night with her and she is sport for Jove. Cas. She's a most exquisite lady. Iago. And, I'll warrant her, full of game. Cas. Indeed, she is a most fresh and delicate creature. lago. What an eye she has! methinks it sounds a parley of provocation. Cas. An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest. Am I to put our Cassio in some action men. Cas. 'Fore heaven, they have given me a rouse already. Mon. Good faith, a little one; not past a pint, as I am a soldier. lago. Some wine, ho! And let me the canakin clink, clink; [Sings. A soldier's a man; Some wine, boys! [Wine brought in. Cas. 'Fore heaven, an excellent song. they are most potent in potting: your Dane, your Jago. I learned it in England, where (indeed) German, and your swag-bellied Hollander,-Drink, ho!-are nothing to your English. Cas. Is your Englishman so expert in his drinking? Jago. Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead drunk; he sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he gives your Hollander a vomit, ere the next pottle can be filled. Cas. To the health of our general. Mon. I am for it, lieutenant; and I do you justice. Iago. O sweet England! King Stephen was a worthy peer,1° With that he call'd the tailor-lown." (6) Dismissed. (7) Slily mixed with water. (8) A little more than enough. (9) Drink as much as you do. (10) A worthy fellow. (11) Clown. |