Rod. I am changed. I'll sell all my land. Iago. Go to; farewell: put money enough in your purse. [Exit RODERIGO. Thus do I ever make my fool my purse: For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane, Will do, as if for surety. He holds * me well: To be suspected; framed to make women false. That thinks men honest that but seem to be so; As asses are. I have't, it is engender'd :-Hell and night Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light. ACT II. [Exit. SCENE I-A Sea-port Town in CYPRUS. A Platform. Enter MONTANO and Two GENTLEMEN. Mon. What from the cape can you discern at sea? 1 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, For do but stand upon the foaming shore, The wind-shaked surge, with high and monstrous main, And quench the guards of the ever-fixed pole: On th' enchafed flood. Mon. If that the Turkish fleet Be not inshelter'd and embay'd, they are drown'd; * Esteems. Enter a third GENTLEMAN. 3 Gent. News, lords! our wars are done; The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks, On most part of their fleet. Mon. How! is this true? 3 Gent. The ship is here put in, A Veronesé; Michael Cassio, Lieutenant to the warlike Moor, Othello, Mon. I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governor. 3 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 Mon. 'Pray heaven he be; For I have served him, and the man commands Like a full* soldier. Let's to the sea-side, ho! Even till we make the main, and the aerial blue, 3 Gent. Come, let's do so; For every minute is expectancy Of more arrivance. Enter CASSIO. Cas. Thanks to 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;+ [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: [Guns heard. † Allowed and approved expertness. Erect themselves in full confidence. 2 K [Exit. Mon. But, good lieutenant, is your general wived ? Does bear all excellency.-How now? who has put in ? 2 Gent. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general. As having sense of beauty, do omit Their mortalt natures, letting go safely by Mon. What is she? 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'enight's speed.-Great Jove, Othello guard, Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms, And bring all Cyprus comfort!-O, behold, Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, IAGO, RODERIGO, and The riches of the ship is come on shore ! Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees;- Des. I thank you, valiant Cassio. Cas. He is not yet arrived; nor know I aught 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 heard. 2 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;-Welcome, mistress: Let it not gall your patience, good Iago, Iago. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips, [TO EMILIA. [Kissing her. As of her tongue she oft bestows on me, Des. Alas, she has no speech. Iago. In faith, too much; I find it still, when I have list* to sleep: Emil. You have little cause to say so. Iago. 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. Iago. Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk; You rise to play, and go to bed to work. Iago. No, let me not. Des. What wouldst thou 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? 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, 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 ? Tago. 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 every 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; * Desire. + Censorious. + Foolish. Fled from her wish, and yet said,-now I may; To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail; 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; 'tis so indeed: if such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenancy, 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! an excellent courtesy! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? would that they were clyster-pipes for your sake![Trumpet.] 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 May the winds blow till they have waken'd death! As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die, Succeeds in unknown fate. Des. The heavens forbid, But that our loves and comforts should increase, Oth. Amen to that, sweet powers! I cannot speak enough of this content, * Licentious, free-spoken. [Kissing her. † Show off your gallantry. |