Destruction on my head, if my bad blame
Light on the man!—Come hither, gentle mistress;
Do you perceive in all this noble company,
Where most you owe obedience?

Des.

My noble father,

I do perceive here a divided duty:
To you, I am bound for life, and education;
My life, and education, both do learn me
How to respect you; you are the lord of duty,

I am hitherto your daughter: But here's my husband;

And so much duty as my mother show'd
To you, preferring you before her father,
So much I challenge that I may profess
Due to the Moor, my lord.

Bra. Heaven be with you!-I have done :-
Come hither, Moor:

I here do give thee that with all my heart,
Which, but thou hast already, with all my heart,
I would keep from thee. I have done, my lord.
Proceed to the affairs of state.

Duke. The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for Cy prus :-Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you: you must therefore be content to slubber the gloss of your new fortunes with this more stubborn and boisterous expedition.

Oth. The tyrant custom, most grave senators,
Hath made the flinty and steel couch of war
My thrice-driven bed of down: I do agnize
A natural and prompt alacrity,
I find in hardness; and do undertake
These present wars against the Ottomites.
Most umbly therefore bending to your state,
I crave fit disposition for my wife;
Due reference of place, and exhibition;
With such accommodation, and besort,
As levels with her breeding.

Duke.

Be't at her father's.
Bra.

Oth. Nor I.
Des.
Nor I; I would not there reside,
To put my father in impatient thoughts,
By being in his eye. Most gracious duke,
To my unfolding lend a prosperous ear;
And let me find a charter in your voice,
To assist my simpleness.

Duke. What would you, Desdemona ?

If you please,

I'll not have it so.

Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him,
My downright violence and scorn of fortunes
May trumpet to the world: my heart's subdued

lord:

Even to the very quality of my
I saw Othello's visage in his mind;
And to his honors, and his valiant parts,
Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate,
So that, dear lords, if I be left behind,
A moth of peace, and he go to the war,
I shall a heavy interim support

By his dear absence: Let me go with him.
Oth. Your voices, lords :—'beseech you, et her will
Have a free way.

Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine, Either for her stay, or going: the affair cries-haste, And speed must answer it; you must hence to-night. Des. To-night, my lord?

Duke.

This night.

Oth.

With all my heart.
Duke. At nine i' the morning here we'll meet again.
Othello, leave some officer behind,
And he shall our commission bring to you;
With such things else of quality and respect,
As doth import you.

Oth.

A man he is of honesty, and trust:
To his conveyance I assign my wife,

With what else needful your good grace shall think
To be sent after me.

Duke.

Please your grace, my ancient;

Let it be so.

Good night to every one.-And, noble signior,
If virtue no delighted beauty lack,

Your son-in-law is far more fair than black.

Bra. Look to her, Moor: have a quick eye to see; She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee.

[TO BRABANTIO.

Oth. My life upon her faith.—Honest Iago,
My Desdemona must I leave to thee;
I pr’ythee, let thy wife attend on her;
And bring them after in the best advantage.-
Come, Desdemona, I have but an hour
Of love, of worldly matters and direction,
To spend with thee: we must obey the time.

[Exeunt DUKE, Senators, Officers, &c.

[Exeunt OTHELLO, and DESDEMONA

ACT II.

SCENE I-A Sea-port Town in Cyprus.

Desdemona, escorted by Iago, has proceeded to Cyprus, where she is anxiously await ing the arrival of Othello from his victorious expedition against the Ottomites. Cassio, the Moor's lieutenant, has just landed at Cyprus.

Enter CASSIO, and MONTANO.

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 approv'd allowance;
Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,
Stand in bold cure.
[Within.]

A sail, a sail, a sail!

Enter a Gentleman.

Cas. What noise?
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.
Gent. They do discharge their shot of courtesy.
Our friends at least.

[Guns heard.

Cas.
I pray you, sir, go forth,
And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd.

Gent. I shall.

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 bear all excellency.-How now? who has put in ?

Re-enter Gentleman.

Gent. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.

Cas. He has made most favorable and happy speed:
Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,
The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands,-
Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel,
As having sense of beauty, do omit
Their mortal natures, letting go safely by
The divine Desdemona.

Mon.

What is she?

Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's captain, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago;

O, behold,

Des.
I thank you, valiant Cassio.
What tidings can you tell me of my lord?

[Exit.

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

The riches of the ship is come on shore !
Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,
Before, behind thee, and on every hand,
Enwheel thee round!

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.
See for the news.-

[Exit Gentleman.

Good ancient, you are welcome ;-Welcome, mistress: [To EMILIA.
Let it not gall your patience, good Iago,
That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding

[Kissing her.

That gives me this bold show of courtesy.

i

Iago. Sir, would she give you so much of her lips,
As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,
You'd have enough.

Alas, she has no speech.

Des.

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.
Des. O, fye upon thee, slanderer!
Iago. Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk.
Emil. You shall not write my praise.

Iago.

No, let me not

Des. What would'st thou write of me, if thou should'st 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 harbor?
Iago. Ay, madam.

Des. I am not merry; but I do beguile
The thing I am, by seeming otherwise.
Come, how would'st 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.

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 could think, and ne'er disclose her mind,
See suitors following, and not look behind,
She was a wight,-if ever such wight were,-
Des. To do what?

Iago. To nurse young 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 him, 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 ?-[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,
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!
If it were now to die,

"Twere 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!

Oth.

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.

Amen to that, sweet powers!—

[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.

Oth.

Come's, let's to the castle.

News, friends; our wars are done, the Turks are drown'd.
How do our 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 pr'ythee, 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

[Aside