PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Duke of Venice.

Brabantio, a senator.

T'wo other Senators.

Gratiano, brother to Brabantio.

Lodovico, kinsman to Brabantio.

Othello, the Moor.

Cassio, his lieutenant.

Iago, his ancient.

Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman.

Montano, Othello's predecessor in the government

of Cyprus.

Clown, servant to Othello.

Herald.

Desdemona, daughter to Brabantio, and wife to

Othello.

Enilia, wife to Iago.

Bianca, a courtezan, mistress to Cassio.

Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, &c.

Scene, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a sea-port in Cyprus.

OTHELLO,

THE MOOR OF VENICE

ACT I.

SCENE I-Venice. A street. Enter Roderigo and lago.

Roderigo.

TUSH, never tell me, I take it much unkindly,
That thou, lago,-who hast had my purse,
As if the strings were thine,-should'st know of this.
Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me :--
If ever I did dream of such a matter,

Abhor me.

Rod. Thou told'st me, thou didst hold him in thy

nate.

Jago. 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;-and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place :
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance,2
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;
And, in conclusion, nonsuits

My mediators; for, certes,3 says he,

(1) Suted.

(2) cumlocution. (3) Certainly.

I have already chose my officer.
And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,

A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife ;1
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows

More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,
Wherein the toged consuls3 can propose

As masterly as he mere prattle, without practice,
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:
And I,-of whom his eyes had seen the proof,
At Rhodes, at Cyprus; and on other grounds
Christian and heathen,-must be be-lee'd and calm'd
By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster:4
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

And

(God bless the mark!) his Moorship's 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'd5

To love the Moor.

Rod.

I would not follow him then.

lago. O, sir, content you;

I follow him to serve my turn upon him:
We cannot all be masters, nor ail masters
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark

(1) For wife some read life, supposing it to allude to the denunciation in the Gospel, wo unto you when all men shall speak well of you.

(2) Theory. (3) Rulers of the state.

(4) It was anciently the practice to reckon up sums with counters.

(5) Related.

Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,
That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,
For nought but provender; and, when he's old,
cashier'd;

Whip me such honest knaves: Others there are,
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves;
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
Do well thrive by them, and, when they have lin'd
their coats,

Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;

And such a one do I profess myself.
For, sir,

It is as sure as you are Roderigo,

Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:

In following him, I follow but myself;

Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But seeming so, for my peculiar end:
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,2
If he can carry't thus!

Call up her father,

Iago.
Rouse him make after him, poison his delight,
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,
And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,

Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,
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. lago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell,

As when, by night and negligence, the fire

(1) Outward show of civility. (2) Own, possess.

Is spied in populous cities.

Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! signior Braoantio,

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?

Iago. Are your doors lock'd?

Bra.

Why? wherefore ask

you this?

Iago. Zounds, sir, you are robb'd; for shame,

put on your gown:

Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; Even now, very now, an old black ram

Is tupping your white ewe.

Arise, arise;

Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,

Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:
Arise, I say.

Bra.

What, have you lost your wits? Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my

voice?

Bra. Not 1; What are you?

The worse welcome:

Rod. My name is-Roderigo. Bra. I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my doors: In honest plainess thou hast heard me say, My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness, Being full of supper, and distempering2 draughts, Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come

To start my quiet.

Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir,

Bra.

But thou must needs be sure,

My spirit, and my place, have in them power

(1) i. e. Is broken.

(2) Intoxicating.