OTHELLO

Act 1 Scene 2

(Enter Othello, Iago, and attendants with torches)
l1l	Iago	Though in the trade of war I have slain men,
l2l		Yet do I hold it very stuff o’ th’ conscience
l3l		To do no contrived murder. I lack iniquity,
l4l		Sometime, to do me service. Nine or ten times
l5l		I had thought to’ve yerked him here, under the ribs.
l6l	Othello	’Tis better as it is.
	Iago					Nay, but he prated,
l7l		And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms
l8l		Against your honour
l9l		That, with the little godliness I have,
l10l		I did full hard forbear him. But I pray you, sir,
l11l		Are you fast married? Be assured of this:
l12l		That the magnifico is much beloved,
l13l		And hath in his effect a voice potential
l14l		As double as the Duke’s. He will divorce you,
l15l		Or put upon you what restraint or grievance
l16l		The law, with all his might to enforce it on,
l17l		Will give him cable.
	Othello						Let him do his spite.
l18l		My services which I have done the signory
l19l		Shall out-tongue his complaints. ’Tis yet to know—
l20l		Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,
l21l		I shall promulgate—I fetch my life and being
l22l		From men of royal siege, and my demerits
l23l		May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune
l24l		As this that I have reached. For know, Iago,
l25l		But that I love the gentle Desdemona
l26l		I would not my unhousèd free condition
l27l		Put into circumscription and confine
l28l		For the seas’ worth.
		(Enter Cassio and officers, with torches)
							But look, what lights come yond?
l29l	Iago	Those are the raisèd father and his friends.
l30l		You were best go in.
	Othello						Not I. I must be found.
l31l		My parts, my title, and my perfect soul
l32l		Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?
l33l	Iago	By Janus, I think no.
l34l	Othello	The servants of the Duke, and my lieutenant!
l35l		The goodness of the night upon you, friends.
l36l		What is the news?
	Cassio						The Duke does greet you, general,
l37l		And he requires your haste-post-haste appearance
l38l		Even on the instant.
	Othello						What is the matter, think you?
l39l	Cassio	Something from Cyprus, as I may divine;
l40l		It is a business of some heat. The galleys
l41l		Have sent a dozen sequent messengers
l42l		This very night at one another’s heels,
l43l		And many of the consuls, raised and met,
l44l		Are at the Duke’s already. You have been hotly called for,
l45l		When, being not at your lodging to be found,
l46l		The senate sent about three several quests
l47l		To search you out.
	Othello						’Tis well I am found by you.
l48l		I will but spend a word here in the house
l49l		And go with you.
		(Exit)
	Cassio						Ensign, what makes he here?
l50l	Iago	Faith, he tonight hath boarded a land-carrack.
l51l		If it prove lawful prize, he’s made for ever.
l52l	Cassio	I do not understand.
	Iago						He’s married.
	Cassio										To who?
		(Enter Brabanzio, Roderigo, and officers, with lights and 		weapons)
l53l	Iago	Marry, to—
		(Enter Othello)
l54l		(To Othello) Come, captain, will you go?
	Othello											Have with you.
l55l	Cassio	Here comes another troop to seek for you.
l56l	Iago	It is Brabanzio. General, be advised.
l57l		He comes to bad intent.
	Othello						Holla, stand, there!
l58l	Roderigo	(to Brabanzio) Signor, it is the Moor.
	Brabanzio										Down with him, thief!
	Iago	(drawing his sword)
l59l		You, Roderigo? Come, sir, I am for you.
l60l	Othello	Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust ’em.
		(To Brabanzio)
l61l		Good signor, you shall more command with years
l62l		Than with your weapons.
l63l	Brabanzio	O thou foul thief, where hast thou stowed my daughter?
l64l		Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her,
l65l		For I’ll refer me to all things of sense,
l66l		If she in chains of magic were not bound,
l67l		Whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy,
l68l		So opposite to marriage that she shunned
l69l		The wealthy curlèd darlings of our nation,
l70l		Would ever have, t’ incur a general mock,
l71l		Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
l72l		Of such a thing as thou—to fear, not to delight.
l73l		Judge me the world if ’tis not gross in sense
l74l		That thou hast practised on her with foul charms,
l75l		Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals
l76l		That weakens motion. I’ll have ’t disputed on.
l77l		’Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.
l78l		I therefore apprehend and do attach thee
l79l		For an abuser of the world, a practiser
l80l		Of arts inhibited and out of warrant.
l81l		(To officers) Lay hold upon him. If he do resist,
l82l		Subdue him at his peril.
	Othello							Hold your hands,
l83l		Both you of my inclining and the rest.
l84l		Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
l85l		Without a prompter. Whither will you that I go
l86l		To answer this your charge?
	Brabanzio								To prison, till fit time
l87l		Of law and course of direct session
l88l		Call thee to answer.
	Othello						What if I do obey?
l89l		How may the Duke be therewith satisfied,
l90l		Whose messengers are here about my side
l91l		Upon some present business of the state
l92l		To bring me to him?
	Officer	(to Brabanzio)		’Tis true, most worthy signor.
l93l		The Duke’s in council, and your noble self,
l94l		I am sure, is sent for.
	Brabanzio						How, the Duke in council?
l95l		In this time of the night? Bring him away.
l96l		Mine’s not an idle cause. The Duke himself,
l97l		Or any of my brothers of the state,
l98l		Cannot but feel this wrong as ’twere their own;
l99l		For if such actions may have passage free,
l100l		Bondslaves and pagans shall our statesmen be.
		(Exeunt)