As partly I find it is, that your fair daughter,
At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night,
Transported with no worse nor better guard
But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,
To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,—
If this be known to you, and your allowance,
We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;
But if you know not this, my manners tell

me

131

We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe
That, from the sense of all civility,

I thus would play and trifle with your reverence:
Your daughter, if you have not given her leave,
I say again, hath made a gross revolt,
Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes,
In an extravagant and wheeling stranger
Of here and every where. Straight satisfy
yourself:

Bra.

If she be in her chamber or your house,
Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.

140

Strike on the tinder, ho!

Give me a taper! call up all my people!
This accident is not unlike my dream:

126. "a knave of common hire, a gondolier"; a writer in the Pictorial Shakespeare tells us, "that the gondoliers are the only conveyers of persons, and of a large proportion of property, in Venice; that they are thus cognizant of all intrigues, and the fittest agents in them, and are under perpetual and strong temptation to make profit of the secrets of society. Brabantio might well be in horror at his daughter having, in 'the dull watch o' the night, no worse nor better guard.'"-H. N. H.

132. "from the sense of all civility"; that is, departing from the sense of all civility.-H. N. H.

144. "not unlike my dream"; the careful old senator, being caught

Belief of it oppresses me already.
Light, I say! light!

Iago.

[Exit above.

Farewell; for I must leave you: It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, To be produced-as, if I stay, I shall— Against the Moor: for I do know, the state, 149 However this may gall him with some check, Cannot with safety cast him; for he 's embark'd With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars,

Which even now stand in act, that, for their
souls,

Another of his fathom 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 life,

I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign. That you shall
surely find him,

Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;
And there will I be with him. So farewell.

160

[Exit.

Enter, below, Brabantio, in his night-gown, and Servants with torches.

Bra. It is too true an evil: gone she is;

And what's to come of my despised time
Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo,
Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl!
With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a
father!

careless, transfers his caution to his dreaming power at least (Coleridge).-H. N. H.

How didst thou know 'twas she? O, she de

ceives me

Past thought! What said she to you? Get more tapers.

Raise all my kindred. Are they married, think

you?

Rod. Truly, I think they are.

170

Bra. O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood!

Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters'
minds

By what you see them act. Is there not charms
By which the property of youth and maidhood
May be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo,
Of some such thing?

Rod.

Yes, sir, I have indeed. Bra. Call up my brother. O, would you had had

her!

Some one way, some another. Do you know Where we may apprehend her and the Moor? Rod. I think I can discover him, if you please 180 To get good guard and go along with me. Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call; I may command at most. Get weapons, ho! And raise some special officers of night.

On, good Roderigo; I'll deserve your pains.

174. "property"; (virtue) proper to.-C. H. H.

[Exeunt.

183. "I may command at most"; that is, "I may command at most of the houses."-H. N. H.

SCENE II

Another street.

Enter Othello, Iago, and Attendants with torches.

Iago. Though in the trade of war I have slain men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience
To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity
Sometimes to do me service: nine or ten times
I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the
ribs.

Oth. "Tis better as it is.

Iago.

Nay, but he prated

And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms
Against your honor,

That, with the little godliness I have,

I did full hard forbear him.

But I pray you,

sir,
Are you fast married? Be assured of this,
That the magnifico is much beloved,

10

And hath in his effect a voice potential
As double as the duke's: he will divorce you,
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law, with all his might to enforce it on,
Will give him cable.

Oth.

Let him do his spite:
My services, which I have done the signiory,
Shall out-tongue his complaints. "Tis yet to

know

19

8. "against your honor"; of course Iago is speaking of Roderigo, and pretending to relate what he has done and said against Othello. -H. N. H.

Which, when I know that boasting is an honor,
I shall promulgate-I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege, and my demerits
May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: for know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine

For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights
come yond?

Iago. Those are the raised father and his friends: You were best

Oth.

go in.

Not I; I must be found: 30

My parts, my title and my perfect soul,
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?

Iago. By Janus, I think no.

Enter Cassio, and certain Officers with torches.

Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant. The goodness of the night upon you, friends! What is the news?

Cas.

Oth.

The duke does greet you, general

And he requires your haste-post-haste appear

ance,

Even on the instant.

What is the matter, think you?

Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine:
It is a business of some heat: the galleys
Have sent a dozen sequent messengers

40

28. "sea's worth"; Pliny, the naturalist, has a chapter on the riches of the sea. The expression seems to have been proverbial.-H. N. H. 31. "perfect soul"; flawless honor.-C. H. H.