Othello Page #6

Othello is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603. It is based on the story Un Capitano Moro by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565.

• Drama

								


   Mon. What is she?
  Cassio. She that I spake of: Our great Captains Captaine, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago, Whose footing heere anticipates our thoughts, A Senights speed. Great Ioue, Othello guard, And swell his Saile with thine owne powrefull breath, That he may blesse this Bay with his tall Ship, Make loues quicke pants in Desdemonaes Armes, Giue renew'd fire to our extincted Spirits.

Enter Desdemona, Iago, Rodorigo, and Aemilia.

Oh behold, The Riches of the Ship is come on shore: You men of Cyprus, let her haue your knees. Haile to thee Ladie: and the grace of Heauen, Before, behinde thee, and on euery hand Enwheele thee round

   Des. I thanke you, Valiant Cassio, What tydings can you tell of my Lord?
  Cas. He is not yet arriu'd, nor know I ought But that he's well, and will be shortly heere

   Des. Oh, but I feare: How lost you company?
  Cassio. The great Contention of Sea, and Skies Parted our fellowship. But hearke, a Saile

   Within. A Saile, a Saile

   Gent. They giue this greeting to the Cittadell: This likewise is a Friend

   Cassio. See for the Newes: Good Ancient, you are welcome. Welcome Mistris: Let it not gaule your patience (good Iago) That I extend my Manners. 'Tis my breeding, That giues me this bold shew of Curtesie

   Iago. Sir, would she giue you so much of her lippes, As of her tongue she oft bestowes on me, You would haue enough

   Des. Alas: she ha's no speech

   Iago. Infaith too much: I finde it still, when I haue leaue to sleepe. Marry before your Ladyship, I grant, She puts her tongue a little in her heart, And chides with thinking

   aemil. You haue little cause to say so

   Iago. Come on, come on: you are Pictures out of doore: Bells in your Parlours: Wilde-Cats in your Kitchens: Saints in your Iniuries: Diuels being offended: Players in your Huswiferie, and Huswiues in your Beds

   Des. Oh, fie vpon thee, Slanderer

   Iago. Nay, it is true: or else I am a Turke, You rise to play, and go to bed to worke. Aemil. You shall not write my praise

   Iago. No, let me not

   Desde. What would'st write of me, if thou should'st praise me?
  Iago. Oh, gentle Lady, do not put me too't, For I am nothing, if not Criticall

   Des. Come on, assay. There's one gone to the Harbour?
  Iago. I 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 inuention comes from my pate, as Birdlyme do's from Freeze, it pluckes out Braines and all. But my Muse labours, and thus she is deliuer'd. If she be faire, and wise: fairenesse, and wit, The ones for vse, the other vseth it

   Des. Well prais'd: How if she be Blacke and Witty?
  Iago. If she be blacke, and thereto haue a wit, She'le find a white, that shall her blacknesse fit

   Des. Worse, and worse. Aemil. How if Faire, and Foolish?
  Iago. She neuer yet was foolish that was faire, For euen her folly helpt her to an heire

   Desde. These are old fond Paradoxes, to make Fooles laugh i'th' Alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her that's Foule, and Foolish

   Iago. There's none so foule and foolish thereunto, But do's foule pranks, which faire, and wise-ones do

   Desde. Oh heauy ignorance: thou praisest the worst best. But what praise could'st thou bestow on a deseruing woman indeed? One, that in the authorithy of her merit, did iustly put on the vouch of very malice it selfe

   Iago. She that was euer faire, and neuer proud, Had Tongue at will, and yet was neuer loud: Neuer lackt Gold, and yet went neuer gay, Fled from her wish, and yet said now I may. She that being angred, her reuenge being nie, Bad her wrong stay, and her displeasure flie: She that in wisedome neuer was so fraile, To change the Cods-head for the Salmons taile: She that could thinke, and neu'r disclose her mind, See Suitors following, and not looke behind: She was a wight, (if euer such wightes were)
  Des. To do what?
  Iago. To suckle Fooles, and chronicle small Beere

   Desde. Oh most lame and impotent conclusion. Do not learne of him aemillia, though he be thy husband. How say you (Cassio) is he not a most prophane, and liberall Counsailor?
  Cassio. He speakes home (Madam) you may rellish him more in the Souldier, then in the Scholler

   Iago. He takes her by the palme: I, well said, whisper. With as little a web as this, will I ensnare as great a Fly as Cassio. I smile vpon her, do: I will giue thee in thine owne Courtship. You say true, 'tis so indeed. If such tricks as these strip you out of your Lieutenantrie, it had beene better you had not kiss'd your three fingers so oft, which now againe you are most apt to play the Sir, in. Very good: well kiss'd, and excellent Curtsie: 'tis so indeed. Yet againe, your fingers to your lippes? Would they were Cluster-pipes for your sake. The Moore I know his Trumpet

   Cassio. 'Tis truely so

   Des. Let's meete him, and recieue him

   Cassio. Loe, where he comes. Enter Othello, and Attendants.

  Oth. O, my faire Warriour

   Des. My deere Othello

   Othe. It giues me wonder great, as my content To see you heere before me. Oh my Soules Ioy: If after euery Tempest, come such Calmes, May the windes blow, till they haue waken'd death: And let the labouring Barke climbe hills of Seas Olympus high: and duck againe as low, As hell's from Heauen. If it were now to dye, 'Twere now to be most happy. For I feare, My Soule hath her content so absolute, That not another comfort like to this, Succeedes in vnknowne Fate

   Des. The Heauens forbid But that our Loues And Comforts should encrease Euen as our dayes do grow

   Othe. Amen to that (sweet Powers) I cannot speake enough of this content, It stoppes me heere: it is too much of ioy. And this, and this the greatest discords be That ere our hearts shall make

   Iago. Oh you are well tun'd now: But Ile set downe the peggs that make this Musicke, as honest as I am

   Othe. Come: let vs to the Castle. Newes (Friends) our Warres are done: The 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 In 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, Once 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, more 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 instructed. 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 is 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 tendernesse 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 vnforc'd position) who stands so eminent in the degree of this Fortune, 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 occasion: that he's an eye can stampe, and counterfeit Aduantages, 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 woman hath found him already
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