PERSONS REPRESENTED. Duke of Venice. Gratiano, brother to Brabantio. Lodovico, kinsman to Brabantio. Cassio, his lieutenant; Iago, his ancient. Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman. Montano, Othello's predecessor in the government of Cyprus. Clown, servant to Othello. Herald. Desdemona, daughter to Brabantio, and wife to Othello. Bianca, a courtezan, mistress to Cassio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Attendants, &c. Scene, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a sea-port in Cyprus. OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I. Venice. A street. Enter Roderigo and Iago. Rod. TUSH, never tell me, I take it much unkindly, That thou, Iago,-who hast had my purse, If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me. Rod. Thou told'st me, thou didst hold him in thy hate. Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city, In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, My mediators; for, certest, says he, Forsooth, a great arithmetician, * Saluted. + Circumlocution. Certainly. One Michael Cassio, a Florentine, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife* More than a spinster; unless the bookish theorick†, As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice, By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster §: And I, (God bless the mark!) his Moorship's an cient. Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. Iago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curse of service; Preferment goes by letter, and affection, Not by the old gradation, where each second To love the Moor. Rod. I would not follow him then. Iago. O, sir, content you; I follow him to serve my turn upon him : We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave, That, doting on his own obsequious bondage, Wears out his time, much like his master's ass, For nought but provender; and, when he's old, cashier'd; * For wife some read life, supposing it to allude to the denunciation in the Gospel, Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you. + Theory. Rulers of the state. § It was anciently the practice to reckon up sums with counters. il Related. Whip me such honest knaves: Others there are, Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul; And such a one do I profess myself. It is as sure as you are Roderigo, Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago: Iago. : Call up her father, Plague him with flies though that his joy be joy, Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. Iago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell, As when, by night and negligence, the fire Is spied in populous cities. Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, ho! Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves ! thieves thieves! * Outward show of civility. + Own, possess. Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! Thieves! thieves! Brabantio, above, at a window. Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons? What is the matter there? Rod. Signior, is all your family within ? lago. Are your doors lock'd? Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this? Iago. Zounds, sir, you are robb'd; for shame, put on your gown: Your heart is burst*, you have lost half your soul; Even now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise; Bra. What, have you lost your wits? Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my voice? Bra. Not I; What are you? Rod. My name is-Roderigo. The worse welcome: I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my doors: To start my quiet. Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir,—— Bra. But thou must needs be sure, My spirit, and my place, have in them power To 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 grange ‡. * i. e. Is broken. + Intoxicating. A lone farm-house. |