Othello

thinking.

     I therefore apprehend and do attach⁹⁰ thee

     For an abuser of the world, a practiser

     Of arts inhibited and out of warrant⁹².—

     Lay hold upon him: if he do resist,

     Subdue him at his peril.OTHELLO   Hold⁹⁵ your hands,

     Both you of my inclining⁹⁶ and the rest:

     Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it

     Without a prompter.— Whither will you that I⁹⁸ go

     To answer this your charge?BRABANTIO   To prison, till fit time

     Of law and course of direct session¹⁰¹

     Call thee to answer.OTHELLO   What if I do obey?

     How may the duke be therewith satisfied,

     Whose messengers are here about my side

     Upon some present¹⁰⁶ business of the state

     To bring me to him?OFFICER   ’Tis true, most worthy signior:

     The duke’s in council and your noble self,

     I am sure, is sent for.BRABANTIO   How? The duke in council?

     In this time of the night? Bring him away;

     Mine’s not an idle cause: the duke himself,

     Or any of my brothers of the state¹¹⁴,

     Cannot but feel this wrong as ’twere their own:

     For if such actions may have passage free¹¹⁶,

     Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be.Exeunt

Act 1 Scene 3running scene 3

Location: Venice (duke’s residence/council chamber)

Enter Duke, Senators and OfficersWith torches

They sit at a table

DUKE   There’s no composition¹ in this news

     That gives them² credit.FIRST SENATOR   Indeed, they are disproportioned³;

     My letters say a hundred and seven galleys.DUKE   And mine a hundred forty.SECOND SENATOR   And mine two hundred:

     But though they jump⁷ not on a just account —

     As in these cases where the aim⁸ reports,

     ’Tis oft with difference — yet do they all confirm

     A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.DUKE   Nay, it is possible enough to judgement:

     I do not so secure¹² me in the error

     But the main article I do approve

     In fearful sense.SAILOR   What ho, what ho, what ho!Within

Enter SailorOFFICER   A messenger from the galleys.DUKE   Now? What’s the business?SAILOR   The Turkish preparation¹⁸ makes for Rhodes:

     So was I bid report here to the state

     By Signior Angelo.[Exit Sailor]

DUKE   How say you by²¹ this change?FIRST SENATOR   This cannot be

     By no assay²³ of reason: ’tis a pageant,

     To keep us in false gaze²⁴. When we consider

     Th’importancy²⁵ of Cyprus to the Turk,

     And let ourselves again but understand

     That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,

     So may he with more facile question bear it²⁸,

     For that²⁹ it stands not in such warlike brace,

     But altogether lacks th’abilities³⁰

     That Rhodes is dressed in³¹: if we make thought of this,

     We must not think the Turk is so unskilful

     To leave that latest³³ which concerns him first,

     Neglecting an attempt³⁴ of ease and gain

     To wake and wage³⁵ a danger profitless.DUKE   Nay, in all confidence, he’s not for Rhodes.OFFICER   Here is more news.

Enter a MessengerMESSENGER   The Ottomites³⁸, reverend and gracious,

     Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes,

     Have there injointed them⁴⁰ with an after fleet.FIRST SENATOR   Ay, so I thought. How many, as you guess?MESSENGER   Of thirty sail: and now they do restem⁴²

     Their backward course, bearing with frank⁴³ appearance

     Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,

     Your trusty and most valiant servitor⁴⁵,

     With his free⁴⁶ duty recommends you thus,

     And prays you to believe him.[Exit Messenger]

DUKE   ’Tis certain then for Cyprus.

     Marcus Luccicos, is not he in town?FIRST SENATOR   He’s now in Florence.DUKE   Write from us to him: post-post- haste⁵¹, dispatch!FIRST SENATOR   Here comes Brabantio and the valiant Moor.

Enter Brabantio, Othello, Cassio, Iago, Rodorigo and OfficersDUKE   Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you

     Against the general enemy Ottoman⁵⁴.—To Brabantio

     I did not see you: welcome, gentle⁵⁵ signior,

     We lacked your counsel and your help tonight.BRABANTIO   So did I yours. Good your grace, pardon me:

     Neither my place⁵⁸ nor aught I heard of business

     Hath raised me from my bed, nor doth the general care⁵⁹

     Take hold on me, for my particular⁶⁰ grief

     Is of so floodgate⁶¹ and o’erbearing nature

     That it engluts⁶² and swallows other sorrows

     And it is still itself⁶³.DUKE   Why? What’s the matter?BRABANTIO   My daughter! O, my daughter!SENATORS   Dead?BRABANTIO   Ay, to me:

     She is abused⁶⁸, stol’n from me and corrupted

     By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks⁶⁹;

     For nature so prepost’rously⁷⁰ to err —

     Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense⁷¹ —

     Sans⁷² witchcraft could not.DUKE   Whoe’er he be that in this foul proceeding⁷³

     Hath thus beguiled⁷⁴ your daughter of herself,

     And you of her, the bloody⁷⁵ book of law

     You shall yourself read in the bitter letter

     After your own sense⁷⁷: yea, though our proper son

     Stood in your action⁷⁸.BRABANTIO   Humbly I thank your grace.

     Here is the man: this Moor, whom now it seems

     Your special mandate for the state affairs

     Hath hither brought.ALL   We are very sorry for’t.To OthelloDUKE   What, in your own part, can you say

     to this?BRABANTIO   Nothing, but⁸⁵ this is so.OTHELLO   Most potent, grave⁸⁶ and reverend signiors,

     My very noble and approved⁸⁷ good masters:

     That I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter,

     It is most true: true I have married her;

     The very head and front⁹⁰ of my offending

     Hath this extent, no more. Rude⁹¹ am I in my speech,

     And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace;

     For since these arms of mine had seven years’ pith⁹³,

     Till now some nine moons wasted⁹⁴, they have used

     Their dearest⁹⁵ action in the tented field,

     And little of this great world can I speak

     More than pertains to feats of broils⁹⁷ and battle,

     And therefore little shall I grace my cause

     In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience,

     I will a round¹⁰⁰ unvarnished tale deliver

     Of my whole course of love: what drugs, what charms,

     What conjuration¹⁰² and what mighty magic —

     For such proceeding I am charged withal¹⁰³ —

     I won his daughter.BRABANTIO   A maiden never bold,

     Of spirit so still and quiet that her motion¹⁰⁶

     Blushed at herself: and she, in spite of nature,

     Of years¹⁰⁸, of country, credit, everything,

     To fall in love with what she feared to look on!

     It is a judgement maimed and