As asses are.

I have 't. It is engender'd. Hell and night

Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light. [Exit.

ACT II-SCENE I

A sea-port in Cyprus. An open place near the quay.
Enter Montano and two Gentlemen.

Mon. What from the cape can you discern at sea?
First Gent. Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood;
I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main,

Descry a sail.

Mon. Methinks the wind hath spoke aloud at land;
A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements:

If it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea,

What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them,
Can hold the mortise? What shall we hear of this?
Sec. Gent. A segregation of the Turkish fleet:
For do but stand upon the foaming shore,
The chidden billow seems to pelt the clouds;

The wind-shaked surge, with high and monstrous mane,
Seems to cast water on the burning bear,

And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole:

I never did like molestation view

On the enchafed flood.

Mon.

If that the Turkish fleet

Be not enshelter'd and embay'd, they are drown'd;
It is impossible to bear it out.

Enter a third Gentleman.

Third Gent. News, lads! our wars are done.

The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks,
That their designment halts: a noble ship of Venice
Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance

On most part of their fleet.

Mon. How is this true?

Third Gent.

The ship is here put in,

A Veronesa; Michael Cassio,

Lieutenant to the warlike Moor Othello,

Is come on shore: the Moor himself at sea,
And is in full commission here for Cyprus.

Mon. I am glad on 't; 'tis a worthy governor.

Third Gent. But this same Cassio, though he speak of comfort Touching the Turkish loss, yet he looks sadly

And prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted

With foul and violent tempest.

Mon.

Pray heavens he be;

For I have served him, and the man commands

Like a full soldier. Let's to the seaside, ho!
As well to see the vessel that's come in

As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello,
Even till we make the main and the aerial blue

An indistinct regard.

Third Gent.

For every minute is

Of more arrivance.

Come, let's do so; expectancy

Enter Cassio.

Cas. Thanks, you the valiant of this warlike isle,
That so approve the Moor! O, let the heavens
Give him defence against the elements,

For I have lost him on a dangerous sea.
Mon. Is he well shipp'd?

Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot
Of very expert and approved allowance;
Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,

Stand in bold cure. [A cry within: 'A sail, a sail, a sail !'
Enter a fourth Gentleman.

Cas. What noise?

[Guns heard.

Fourth Gent. The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea
Stand ranks of people, and they cry 'A sail!'
Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governor.
Sec. Gent. They do discharge their shot of courtesy:
Our friends at least.

Cas.

I pray you, sir, go forth,

And give us truth who 'tis that is arrived.

Sec. Gent. I shall.

Mon. But, good lieutenant, is your general wived?
Cas. Most fortunately: he hath achieved a maid
That paragons description and wild fame;
One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,
And in the essential vesture of creation

Does tire the ingener.

Re-enter second Gentleman.

How now! who has put in?
Sec. Gent. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.
Cas. He has had most favourable and happy speed:
Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,
The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands,
Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel,
As having sense of beauty, do omit
Their moral natures, letting go safely by

[Exit.

Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's captain,
Left in the conduct of the bold Iago;

Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts

A se'nnight's speed. Great Jove, Othello guard,
And swell his sail with thine own powerful breath,
That he may bless this bay with his tall ship,
Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,
Give renew'd fire to our extincted spirits,
And bring all Cyprus comfort.

Enter Desdemona, Emilia, Iago, Roderigo, and Attendants.
O, behold,

The riches of the ship is come on shore!
Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.
Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,
Before, behind thee, and on every hand,
Enwheel thee round!

Des.

I thank you, valiant Cassio.
What tidings can you tell me of my lord?
Cas. He is not yet arrived: nor know I aught
But that he's well and will be shortly here.
Des. O, but I fear-How lost you company?
Cas. The great contention of the sea and skies
Parted our fellowship-But, hark! a sail.

[A cry within: 'A sail, a sail !' Guns heard. Sec. 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. [To Emilia] Welcome,

Let it not gall your patience, good Iago,
That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding
That gives me this bold show of courtesy.
Iago. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips
As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,
You'ld have enough.

Des.
Alas, she has no speech.
lago. In faith, too much;

I find it still when I have list to sleep:
Marry, before your ladyship, I grant,
She puts her tongue a little in her heart

And chides with thinking.

Emil. You have little cause to say so.

[mistress:

[Kissing her.

lago. Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors,

Bells in your parlours, wild-cats in your kitchens,

Saints in your injuries, devils being offended,

Players in your housewifery, and housewives in your beds.

Des. O, fie upon thee, slanderer!

Iago. Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk :
You rise to play, and go to bed to work.
Emil. You shall not write my praise.

Iago.

No, let me not.

Des. What wouldst thou write of me, if thou shouldst praise Iago. O gentle lady, do not put me to 't;

For I am nothing if not critical.

Des. Come on, assay-There's one gone to the harbour?
Iago. Ay, madam.

Des. I am not merry; but I do beguile

The thing I am by seeming otherwise.
Come, how wouldst thou praise me?

Iago. I am about it; but indeed my invention
Comes from my pate as birdlime does from frize;
It plucks out brains and all: but my Muse labours,
And thus she is deliver'd.

If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit,
The one's for use, the other useth it.

Des. Well praised! How if she be black and witty?
Iago. If she be black, and thereto have a wit,

She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.

Des. Worse and worse.

Emil. How if fair and foolish?

Iago. She never yet was foolish that was fair;

For even her folly help'd her to an heir.

[me ?

Des. These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh i' the alehouse. What miserable praise 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 couldst 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,
Had tongue at will and yet was never loud,
Never lack'd gold and yet went never gay,
Fled from her wish and yet said 'Now I
may;
She that, being anger'd, her revenge being nigh,
Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly;
She that in wisdom never was so frail

To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;

She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind,
See suitors following and not look behind;
She was a wight, if ever such wight were,-
Des. To do what?

lago. 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.

Tago. [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 gyve 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! and excellent courtesy ! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? would they were clyster-pipes for your sake!-Trumpet within.] The Moor! I know his trumpet.

Cas. 'Tis truly so.

Des. Let's meet him and receive him.

Cas. Lo, where he comes!

Enter Othello and Attendants.

Oth. O my fair warrior!

Des.

My dear Othello!

Oth. It gives me wonder great as my content
To see you here before me. O my soul's joy!
If after every tempest come such calms,

May the winds blow till they have waken'd death !
And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas
Olympus-high, and duck again as low

As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die,
"Twere now to be most happy; for I fear,
My soul hath her content so absolute

That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

Des.

The heavens forbid

But that our loves and comforts should increase,
Even as our days do grow!

Oth.

Amen to that, sweet powers!
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

[Kissing her.