Enter an Officer, with a Sailor.

Off. A messenger from the gallies.
Duke.

Now? the business?

Sailor. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes;

So was I bid report here to the state,

By signior Angelo.

Duke. How say you by this change? 1 Sen.

This cannot be,

By no assay of reason; 'tis a pageant,
To keep us in false gaze: When we consider
The importancy 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 it,
For that it stands not in such warlike brace,7

But altogether lacks the abilities

That Rhodes is dress'd in:-if we make thought of

this,

We must not think, the Turk is so unskilful,

To leave that latest which concerns him first;
Neglecting an attempt of ease, and gain,
To wake, and wage, a danger profitless.

8

Duke. Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes, Off. Here is more news.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious, Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes, Have there injointed them with an after fleet.

• Easy dispute. 7 State of defence. 8 Combat.

Scene III. THE MOOR OF VENICE.

297

1 Sen. Ay, so I thought:-How many, as you

guess?

Mess. Of thirty sail : and now do they re-stem

Their backward course, bearing with frank appear

ance

Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,

Your trusty and most valiant servitor,

With his free duty recommends you thus,

And prays you to believe him.

Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus.Marcus Lucchesé, is he not in town? 1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

Duke. Write from us; wish him post-post-haste:

despatch.

1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor.

Enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Officers.

Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ

you

Against the general enemy Ottoman.

I did not see you; welcome, gentle signior;

[TO BRABANTIO.

We lack'd your counsel and your help to night.
Bra. So did I yours: Good your grace, pardon me;
Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business,
Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general

care

Take hold on me; for my particular grief
Is of so flood-gate and o'erbearing nature,
That it engluts and swallows other sorrows,

And it is still itself.

Duke.

Why, what's the matter?

Bra. My daughter! O, my daughter !

Sen.

Bra.

Dead?

Ay, to me;

She is abus'd, stol'n from me, and corrupted

By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks:

For nature so preposterously to err,

Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense,

Sans witchcraft could not

Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul proceed

ing,

Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself,
And you of her, the bloody book of law

You shall yourself read in the bitter letter,

After your own sense; yea, though our proper son

Stood in your action.1

Bra.

Humbly I thank your grace. Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems, Your special mandate, for the state affairs,

Hath hither brought.

Duke & Sen.

We are very sorry for it.

Duke. What, in your own part, can you say to [TO OTHELLO.

this?

Bra. Nothing but this is so.

Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors,

My very noble and approv'd good masters,
That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter,
It is most true; true, I have married her;
The very head and front of my offending

Hath this extent, no more.

Rude am I in my speech,

And little bless'd with the set phrase of peace;
For since these arms of mine hath seven years' pith,
Till now some nine moons wasted, they have us'd
Their dearest action in the tented field;

And little of this great world can I speak,
More than pertains to feats of broil and battle;
And therefore little shall I grace my cause,

In speaking for myself: Yet, by your gracious pa

tience,

I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver

Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what

charms,

What conjuration, and what mighty magick, (For such proceeding I am charg'd withal,)

I won his daughter with.

Bra.

A maiden never bold;

Of spirit so still and quiet, that her motion
Blush'd at herself; And she, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, every thing,-
To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on?
It is a judgment maim'd, and most imperfect,
That will confess-perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature; and must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell,
Why this should be, I therefore vouch again,
That with some mixtures powerful o'er the blood,
Or with some dram conjur'd to this effect,

He wrought upon her.

Duke.

To vouch this, is no proof;

Without more certain and more overt test, 3

Than these thin habits, and poor likelihoods
Of modern seeming, 4 do prefer against him.
1 Sen. But, Othello, speak ;-

Did you by indirect and forced courses
Subdue and poison this young maid's affections?
Or came it by request, and such fair question

As soul to soul affordeth?

Oth.

I do beseech you,

Send for the lady to the Sagittary,5
And let her speak of me before her father:

If you do find me foul in her report,
The trust, the office, I do hold of you,

Not only take away, but let your sentence

Even fall upon my life.

Duke.

Fetch Desdemona hither.

Oth. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the
place.- [Exeunt IAGO and Attendants.

And, till she come, as truly as to heaven
I do confess the vices of my blood,
So justly to your grave ears I'll present
How I did thrive in this fair lady's love,
And she in mine.

Duke. Say it, Othello.

Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me;
Still question'd me the story of my life,
From year to year; the battles, sieges, fortunes,
That I have pass'd.

I ran it through, even from my boyish days,
To the very moment that he bade me tell it.
Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances,