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 approv'd allowance;

Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,
Stand in bold cure.

[Within.]

A sail, a sail, a sail !

Enter another Gentleman.

CAS. What noise ?

4 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.
2 GENT. They do discharge their shot of courtesy:

Our friends, at least.

CAS.

I

pray you, sir, go forth, And give us truth who 't is that is arriv'd.

2 GENT. I shall.

[Guns heard.

MON. But, good lieutenant, is your general wiv'd?
CAS. Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd 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.-How now? who has put in?

Re-enter Second Gentleman.

2 GENT. 'T is 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 enclog the guiltless keel,
As having sense of beauty do omit

Their mortal natures, letting go safely by

The divine Desdemona.

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,

[Exit.

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!-O, behold,

Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Attendants.

The riches of the ship is come on shore!
You 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 arriv'd; 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.

[Cry within, A sail! a sail! Then guns 2 GENT. They give their greeting to the citadel; This likewise is a friend.

heard.

CAS. See for the news. [Exit Gentleman. Good ancient, you are welcome ;—Welcome, mistress :—

Let it not gall your patience, good Iago,

That I extend my manners; 't is my breeding

That gives me this bold show of courtesy.

[TO EMILIA.

[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.

IAGO. 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.

IAGO. Come on, come on: you are pictures out of door;

Bells in your parlours; wild cats in

your kitchens

;

Saints in your injuries; devils being offended;

Players in your huswifery; and huswives 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 write of me if thou shouldst praise me 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 prais'd! 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.

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 wights were,

DES. To do what?

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 gyve thee in thine own courtship. You say true; 't is 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 ! 't is so indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? would they were clysterpipes for your sake!-[Trumpet.] The Moor, I know his trumpet.

CAS. "T is truly so.

DES. Let's meet him, and receive him.

CAS. Lo, where he comes!

Enter OTHELLO and Attendants.

ОTH. O my fair warrior!

DES.

My dear Othello!

OTн. 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,
'T were 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!

Отн.

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
That e'er our hearts shall make !

[Kissing her.

IAGO. O, you are well tun'd now! But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, As honest as I am.

Отн.

Come; let us to the castle.

[Aside.

News, friends; our wars are done, the Turks are drown'd. How does my old acquaintance of this isle?

Honey, you shall be well desir'd in Cyprus,

I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet,
I prattle out of fashion, and I dote

In mine own comforts.-I prithee, good Iago,

Go to the bay, and disembark my coffers:
Bring thou the master to the citadel;

He is a good one, and his worthiness

Does challenge much respect.-Come, Desdemona,
Once more well met at Cyprus.

Come

[Exeunt OTHELLO, DESD., and Attend. IAGO. Do thou meet me presently at the harbour. thither. If thou be'st valiant, (as they say, base men being in love have then a nobility in their natures more than is native to them,) list me. 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, 't is not possible.

IAGO. Lay thy finger-thus, and let thy soul be instructed. Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor, but for bragging and telling her fantastical lies: And will she love him still for prating? Let not thy discreet heart