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  • Title: Othello (Quarto 1, 1622)
  • Editor: Donald Bailey

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-466-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Donald Bailey
    Peer Reviewed

    Othello (Quarto 1, 1622)

    The Tragedy of Othello the Moore
    of Venice.
    Enter Iago and Roderigo.
    Roderigo.
    TVsh, neuer tell me, I take it much vnkindly
    5That you Iago, who has had my purse,
    As if the strings were thine, should'st know of this.
    Iag. S'blood, but you will not heare me,
    If euer I did dreame of such a matter, abhorre me.
    Rod. Thou toldst me, thou didst hold him in thy hate.
    Iag. Despise me if I doe not: three great ones of the Citty
    In personall suite to make me his Leiutenant,
    Oft capt to him, and by the faith of man,
    15I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.
    But he, as louing his owne pride and purposes,
    Euades them, with a bumbast circumstance,
    Horribly stuft with Epithites of warre:
    18.1And in conclusion,
    Non-suits my mediators: for certes, sayes he,
    20I haue already chosen my officer, and what was he?
    Forsooth, a great Arithmetition,
    One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
    A fellow almost dambd in a faire wife,
    That neuer set a squadron in the field,
    25Nor the deuision of a Battell knowes,
    More then a Spinster, vnlesse the bookish Theorique,
    Wherein the toged Consuls can propose
    As masterly as he: meere prattle without practise,
    Is all his souldier-shippe: but he sir had the election,
    30And I, of whom his eyes had seene the proofe,
    At Rhodes, at Cipres, and on other grounds,
    Christian and Heathen, must be led, and calm'd,
    By Debitor and Creditor, this Counter-caster:
    : He in good time, must his Leiutenant be,
    35And I, God blesle the marke, his Worships Ancient.
    Rod. By heauen I rather would haue bin his hangman.
    Ia. But there's no remedy,
    Tis the curse of seruice,
    Preferment goes by letter and affection,
    40Not by the olde gradation, where each second
    Stood heire to the first:
    Now sir be iudge your selfe,
    Whether I, in any iust tearme am assign'd
    to loue the Moore.
    Rod. I would not follow him then.
    45Ia. O sir, content you.
    I follow him to serue my turne vpon him,
    We cannot be all masters, nor all masters
    Cannot be truely followed, you shall marke .
    Many a dutious and knee-crooking knaue,
    50That doting on his owne obsequious bondage,
    Weares out his time much like his masters Asse,
    For noughe but prouender, and when hee's old cashierd,
    Whip mee such honest knaues:
    Others there are, who trimd in formes,
    And vissages of duty, keepe yet their hearts,
    55Attending on themselues, and throwing
    But shewes of seruice on their Lords,
    Doe well thriue by 'em,
    And when they haue lin'd their coates,
    Doe themselues homage,
    60Those fellowes haue some soule,
    And such a one doe I professe my selfe, ---- for sir,
    It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
    Were I the Moore, I would not be Iago:
    In following him, I follow but my selfe.
    65Heauen is my iudge, not I,
    For loue and duty, but seeming so,
    For my peculiar end.
    For when my outward action does demonstrate
    The natiue act, and figure of my heart,
    In complement externe, tis not long after,
    70But I will weare my heart vpon my sleeue,
    For Doues to pecke at,
    I am not what I am.
    Rod. What a full fortune does the thicklips owe,
    If he can carry'et thus?
    Ia. Call vp her father,
    75Rowse him, make after him, poyson his delight,
    Proclaime him in the streete, incense her Kinsmen,
    And tho he in a fertile climate dwell,
    Plague him with flyes: tho that his ioy be ioy,
    Yet throw such changes of vexation out,
    80As it may loose some colour.
    Rod Here is her fathers house, Ile call aloud.
    Ia. Doe with like timerous accent, and dire yell,
    As when by night and negligence, the fire
    Is spied in populous Citties.
    85Rod. What ho, Brabantio; Seignior Brabantio, ho,
    Ia. Awake, what ho, Brabantio,
    Theeues, theeues, theeues:
    Looke to your house, you Daughter, and your bags.
    Theeues, theeues.
    Brabantio at a window.
    Brab. What is the reason of this terrible summons?
    90What is the matter there?
    Rod. Seignior, is all your family within?
    Ia. Are all doore lockts?
    Brab. Why, wherefore aske you this?
    Iag. Zounds sir you are robd, for shame put on your gowne,
    95Your heart is burst, you haue lost halfe your soule;
    Euen now, very now, an old blacke Ram
    Is tupping your white Ewe; arise, arise,
    Awake the snorting Citizens with the Bell,
    Or else the Diuell will make a Grandsire of you, arise I say.
    Brab. What, haue you lost your wits?
    Rod. Most reuerend Seignior, doe you know my voyce?
    Bra. Not I, what are you?
    Rod. My name is Roderigo.
    105Bra. The worse welcome,
    I haue charg'd thee, not to haunt about my dores,
    In honest plainenesse, thou hast heard me say
    My daughter is not for thee, and now in madnes,
    Being full of supper, and distempering draughts,
    110Vpon malicious brauery, dost thou come
    To start my quiet?
    Rod. Sir, sir, sir.
    Bra. But thou must needes be sure
    My spirit and my place haue them in power,
    115To make this bitter to thee.
    Rod. Patience good sir.
    Bra. What, tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice,
    My house is not a graunge.
    Rod. Most graue Brabantio,
    120In simple and pure soule I come to you.
    Iag. Zouns Sir, you are one of those, that will not serue God, if
    the Deuill bid you. Because we come to doe you seruice, you thinke
    we are Ruffians, youle haue your daughter couered with a Barbary
    horse; youle haue your Nephewes ney to you; youle haue Coursers
    125for Cousens, and Iennits for Iermans.
    Bra. What prophane wretch art thou?
    Iag. I am one sir, that come to tell you, your daughter, and the
    Moore, are now making the Beast with two backs.
    130Bra. Thou art a villaine .
    Iag. You are a Senator.
    Bra. This thou shalt answer, I know thee Roderigo.
    Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing: But I beseech you,
    If she be in her chamber, or your house,
    Let loose on me the Iustice of the state,
    For this delusion.
    Bra. Strike on the tinder, Ho:
    155Giue me a taper, call vp all my people:
    This accident is not vnlike my dreame,
    Beleefe of it oppresses me already:
    Light I say, light.
    Iag. Farewell, for I must leaue you,
    160It seemes not meete, nor wholesome to my pate,
    To be produc'd, as if I stay I shall
    Against the Moore, for I doe know the state,
    How euer this may gaule him with some checke,
    Cannot with safety cast him, for hee's imbark'd,
    165With such loud reason, to the Cipres warres,
    Which euen now stands in act, that for their soules,
    Another of his fathome, they haue not
    To leade their businesse, in which regard,
    Tho I doe hate him, as I doe hells paines,
    170Yet for necessity of present life,
    I must shew out a flag, and signe of loue,
    Which is indeed but signe, that you shall surely
    Finde him: lead to the Sagittar, the raised search,
    And there will I be with him. So farewell.
    Exit.
    175Enter Barbantio in his night gowne, and seruants
    with Torches.
    Bra. It is too true an euill, gone she is,
    And what's to come, of my despised time,
    Is nought but bitternesse now Roderigo,
    Where didst thou see her; O vnhappy girle,
    180With the Moore saist thou? who would be a father?
    How didst thou know twas she? O thou deceiuest me
    Past thought: what said she to you? get more tapers,
    Raise all my kindred, are they married thinke you?
    Rod. Truely I thinke they are.
    185Bra. O heauen, how got she out? O treason of the blood;
    Fathers from hence, trust not your Daughters mindes,
    By what you see them act, is there not charmes,
    By which the property of youth and manhood
    190May be abus'd? haue you not read Roderigo,
    Of some such thing.
    Rod. I haue sir.
    Bra. Call vp my brother: O that you had had her,
    Some one way, some another; doe yon know
    195Where we may apprehend her, and the Moore?
    Rod. I thinke I can discouer him, if you please
    To get good guard, and goe along with me.
    Bra. Pray leade me on, at euery house Ile call,
    I may command at most: get weapons ho,
    200And raise some speciall Officers of night:
    On good Roderigo, Ile deserue your paynes. Exeunt.
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