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Othello (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Donald L. Bailey
Not Peer Reviewed
318
The Tragedie of Othello
Othe. Come: let vs to the Castle.
Newes (Friends) our Warres are done:
985The Turkes are drown'd.
How do's my old Acquaintance of this Isle?
(Hony) you shall be well desir'd in Cyprus,
I haue found great loue among'st them. Oh my Sweet,
I prattle out of fashion, and I doate
990In mine owne comforts. I prythee, good Iago,
Go to the Bay, and disimbarke my Coffers:
Bring thou the Master to the Cittadell,
He is a good one, and his worthynesse
Do's challenge much respect. Come Desdemona,
995Once more well met at Cyprus.
Exit Othello and Desdemona.
Iago. Do thou meet me presently at the Harbour.
Come thither, if thou be'st Valiant, (as they say base men
being in Loue, haue then a Nobilitie in their Natures,
1000more then is natiue to them) list-me; the Lieutenant to
night watches on the Court of Guard. First, I must tell
thee this: Desdemona, is directly in loue with him.
Rod. With him? Why,'tis not possible.
Iago. Lay thy finger thus: and let thy soule be in-
1005structed. Marke me with what violence she first lou'd
the Moore, but for bragging, and telling her fantasticall
lies. To loue him still for prating, let not thy discreet
heart thinke it. Her eye must be fed. And what delight
shall she haue to looke on the diuell? When the Blood
1010is made dull with the Act of Sport, there should be a
game to enflame it, and to giue Satiety a fresh appetite.
Louelinesse in fauour, simpathy in yeares, Manners,
and Beauties: all which the Moore is defectiue in. Now
for want of these requir'd Conueniences, her delicate
1015tendernesse wil finde it selfe abus'd, begin to heaue the,
gorge, disrellish and abhorre the Moore, very Nature wil
instruct her in it, and compell her to some second choice.
Now Sir, this granted (as it is a most pregnant and vn-
forc'd position) who stands so eminent in the degree of
1020this Forune, as Cassio do's: a knaue very voluble: no
further conscionable, then in putting on the meere forme
of Ciuill, and Humaine seeming, for the better compasse
of his salt, and most hidden loose Affection? Why none,
why none: A slipper, and subtle knaue, a finder of occa-
1025sion: that he's an eye can stampe, and counterfeit Ad-
uantages, though true Aduantage neuer present it selfe.
A diuelish knaue: besides, the knaue is handsome, young:
and hath all those requisites in him, that folly and greene
mindes looke after. A pestilent compleat knaue, and the
1030woman hath found him already.
Rodo. I cannot beleeue that in her, she's full of most
bless'd condition.
Iago. Bless'd figges-end. The Wine she drinkes is
made of grapes. If shee had beene bless'd, shee would
1035neuer haue lou'd the Moore: Bless'd pudding. Didst thou
not see her paddle with the palme of his hand? Didst not
marke that?
Rod. Yes, that I did: but that was but curtesie.
Iago. Leacherie by this hand: an Index, and obscure
1040prologue to the History of Lust and foule Thoughts.
They met so neere with their lippes, that their breathes
embrac'd together. Villanous thoughts Rodorigo, when
these mutabilities so marshall the way, hard at hand
comes the Master, and maine exercise, th'incorporate
1045conclusion: Pish. But Sir, be you rul'd by me. I haue
brought you from Venice. Watch you to night: for
the Command, Ile lay't vpon you. Cassio knowes you
not: Ile not be farre from you. Do you finde some oc-

casion to anger Cassio, either by speaking too loud, or
1050tainting his discipline, or from what other course
you please, which the time shall more fauorably mi-
nister.
Rod. Well.
Iago. Sir, he's rash, and very sodaine in Choller: and
1055happely may strike at you, prouoke him that he may: for
euen out of that will I cause these of Cyprus to Mutiny.
Whose qualification shall come into no true taste a-
gaine, but by the displanting of Cassio. So shall you
haue a shorter iourney to your desires, by the meanes I
1060shall then haue to preferre them. And the impediment
most profitably remoued, without the which there were
no expectation of our prosperitie.
Rodo. I will do this, if you can bring it to any oppor-
tunity.
1065Iago. I warrant thee. Meete me by and by at the
Cittadell. I must fetch his Necessaries a Shore. Fare-
well.
Rodo. Adieu.
Exit.
Iago.That Cassio loues her, I do well beleeu't:
1070That she loues him, 'tis apt, and of great Credite.
The Moore (how beit that I endure him not)
Is of a constant, louing, Noble Nature,
And I dare thinke, he'le proue to Desdemona
A most deere husband. Now I do loue her too,
1075Not out of absolute Lust, (though peraduenture
I stand accomptant for as great a sin)
But partely led to dyet my Reuenge,
For that I do suspect the lustie Moore
Hath leap'd into my Seate. The thought whereof,
1080Doth (like a poysonous Minerall) gnaw my Inwardes:
And nothing can, or shall content my Soule
Till I am eeuen'd with him, wife, for wift.
Or fayling so, yet that I put the Moore,
At least into a Ielouzie so strong
1085That iudgement cannot cure. Which thing to do,
If this poore Trash of Venice, whom I trace
For his quicke hunting, stand the putting on,
Ile haue our Michael Cassio on the hip,
Abuse him to the Moore, in the right garbe
1090(For I feare Cassio with my Night-Cape too)
Make the Moore thanke me, loue me, and reward me,
For making him egregiously an Asse,
And practising vpon his peace, and quiet,
Euen to madnesse. 'Tis heere: but yet confus'd,
1095Knaueries plaine face, is neuer seene, till vs'd.
Exit.


Scena Secunda.


Enter Othello's, Herald with a Proclamation.

Herald. It is Othello's pleasure, our Noble and Vali-
ant Generall. That vpon certaine tydings now arriu'd,
1100importing the meere perdition of the Turkish Fleete:
euery man put himselfe into Triumph. Some to daunce,
some to make Bonfires, each man, to what Sport and
Reuels his addition leads him. For besides these bene-
ficiall Newes, it is the Celebration of his Nuptiall. So
1105much was his pleasure should be proclaimed. All offi-
ces are open, & there is full libertie of Feasting from this
pre-