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Othello (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Donald L. Bailey
Not Peer Reviewed
the Moore of Venice.
311
95Your heart is burst, you haue lost halfe your soule
Euen now, now, very now, an old blacke Ram
Is tupping your white Ewe. Arise, arise,
Awake the snorting Cittizens with the Bell,
Or else the deuill will make a Grand-sire of you.
100Arise I say.
Bra. What, haue you lost your wits?
Rod. Most reuerend Signior, do you know my voice?
Bra. Not I: what are you?
Rod. My name is Rodorigo.
105Bra. The worsser welcome:
I haue charg'd thee not to haunt about my doores:
In honest plainenesse thou hast heard me say,
My Daughter is not for thee. And now in madnesse
(Being full of Supper, and distempring draughtes)
110Vpon malitious knauerie, dost thou come
To start my quiet.
Rod. Sir, Sir, Sir.
Bra. But thou must needs be sure,
My spirits and my place haue in their power
115To make this bitter to thee.
Rodo. Patience good Sir.
Bra. What tell'st thou me of Robbing?
This is Venice : my house is not a Grange.
Rodo. Most graue Brabantio,
120In simple and pure soule, I come to you.
Ia. Sir: you are one of those that will not serue God,
if the deuill bid you. Because we come to do you seruice,
and you thinke we are Ruffians, you'le haue your Daugh-
ter couer'd with a Barbary horse, you'le haue your Ne-
125phewes neigh to you, you'le haue Coursers for Cozens :
and Gennets for Germaines.
Bra. What prophane wretch art thou?
Ia. I am one Sir, that comes to tell you, your Daugh-
ter and the Moore, are making the Beast with two backs.
130Bra. Thou art a Villaine.
Iago. You are a Senator.
Bra. This thou shalt answere. I know thee Rodorigo.
Rod. Sir, I will answere any thing. But I beseech you
If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent,
135(As partly I find it is) that your faire Daughter,
At this odde Euen and dull watch o'th'night
Transported with no worse nor better guard,
But with a knaue of common hire, a Gundelier,
To the grosse claspes of a Lasciuious Moore:
140If this be knowne to you, and your Allowance,
We then haue done you bold, and saucie wrongs.
But if you know not this, my Manners tell me,
We haue your wrong rebuke. Do not beleeue
That from the sence of all Ciuilitie,
145I thus would play and trifle with your Reuerence.
Your Daughter (if you haue not giuen her leaue)
I say againe, hath made a grosse reuolt,
Tying her Dutie, Beautie, Wit, and Fortunes
In an extrauagant, and wheeling Stranger,
150Of here, and euery where: straight satisfie your selfe.
If she be in her Chamber, or your house,
Let loose on me the Iustice of the State
For thus deluding you.
Bra. Strike on the Tinder, hoa:
155Giue me a Taper: call vp all my people,
This Accident is not vnlike my dreame,
Beleefe of it oppresses me alreadie.
Light, I say, light.
Exit.
Iag. Farewell: for I must leaue you.
160It seemes not meete, nor wholesome to my place

To be producted, (as if I stay, I shall,)
Against the Moore. For I do know the State,
(How euer this may gall him with some checke)
Cannot with safetie cast-him. For he's embark'd
165With such loud reason to the Cyprus Warres,
(Which euen now stands in Act) that for their soules
Another of his Fadome, they haue none,
To lead their Businesse. In which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell apines,
170Yet, for necessitie of present life,
I must show out a Flag, and signe of Loue,
(Which is indeed but signe) that you shal surely find him
Lead to the Sagitary the raised Search:
And there will I be with him. So farewell.
Exit.

175
Enter Brabantio, with Seruants and Torches.

Bra. It is too true an euill. Gone she is,
And what's to come of my despised time,
Is naught but bitternesse. Now Rodorigo,
Where didst thou see her? (Oh vnhappie Girle)
180With the Moore saist thou? (Who would be a Father?)
How didst thou know 'twas she? (Oh she deceaues me
Past thought:) what said she to you? Get moe Tapers:
Raise all my Kindred. Are they married thinke you?
Rodo. Truely I thinke they are.
185Bra. Oh Heauen: how got she out?
Oh treason of the blood.
Fathers, from hence trust not your Daughters minds
By what you see them act. Is there not Charmes,
By which the propertie of Youth, and Maidhood
190May be abus'd? Haue you not read Rodorigo,
Of some such thing?
Rod. Yes Sir: I haue indeed.
Bra. Call vp my Brother: oh would you had had her.
Some one way, some another. Doe you know
195Where we may apprehend her, and the Moore?
Rod. I thinke I can discouer him, if you please
To get good Guard, and go along with me.
Bra. Pray you lead on. At euery house Ile call,
(I may command at most) get Weapons (hoa)
200And raise some speciall Officers of might:
On good Rodorigo, I will deserue your paines.
Exeunt.


Scena Secunda.


Enter Othello, Iago, Attendants, with Torches.

Ia. Though in the trade of Warre I haue slaine men,
205Yet do I hold it very stuffe o'th'conscience
To do no contriu'd Murder: I lacke Iniquitie
Sometime to do me seruice. Nine, or ten times
I had thought t'haue yerk'd him here vnder the Ribbes.
Othello. 'Tis better as it is.
210Iago. Nay but he prated,
And spoke such scuruy, and prouoking termes
Against your Honor, that with the little godlinesse I haue
I did full hard forbeare him. But I pray you Sir,
Are you fast married? Be assur'd of this,
215That the Magnifico is much belou'd,
And hath in his effect a voice potentiall
As double as the Dukes: He will diuorce you.
Or put vpon you, what restraint or greeuance,
The