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I humbly beseech you, proceed to the affairs of

state.

Duke. The Turk with a most mighty preparation makes for Cyprus : - Othello, the fortitude of the place is best known to you: And though we have there a substitute of most allowed sufficiency, yet opinion, a 'sovereign mistress of effects, throws a more safer voice on 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 humbly 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.

If you please,

I'll not have it so.

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 gracious ear; And let me find a charter in your voice, To assist my simpleness.

Duke. What would you, Desdemona ?

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

I saw Othello's visage in his mind;

4 Obscure. $ Acknowledge.

6 Allowance.

And to his honours, 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
Oth. Your voices, lords:

will

Have a free way.

with him.

'beseech you, let her

Vouch with me, heaven; I therefore beg it not
For my distinct and proper satisfaction;

But to be free and bounteous to her mind:
And heaven defend your good souls, that you think
I will your serious and great business scant,
For she is with me: No, when light-wing'd toys
Of feather'd Cupid seel with wanton dulness
My speculative and active instruments,
That my disports corrupt and taint my business,
Let housewives make a skillet of my helm',
And all indign and base adversities

Make head against my estimation!

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.

Please your grace, my
A man he is of honesty and trust:

7 Forbid. 8 Because.
A small kettle.

ancient ;

9 Blind.

2 Helmet.

To his conveyance I assign my wife,

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

Duke.

Let it be so.

Good night to every one. - And, noble signior,

-

If virtue no delighted beauty lack,

[TO BRABANTIO.

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

1 Sen. Adieu, brave Moor! use Desdemona well. Bra. Look to her, Moor; have a quick eye to

see;

She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee.

[Exeunt Duke, Senators, Officers,&c. Oth. My life upon her faith. - Honest Iago, My Desdemona must I leave to thee;

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I pr'y thee, 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 OTHELLO and DESDEMONA

Rod. Iago.

Iago. What say'st thou, noble heart?
Rod. What will I do, thinkest thou?
Iago. Why, go to bed, and sleep.

Rod. I will incontinently drown myself.

Iago. Well, if thou dost, I shall never love thee after it. Why, thou silly gentleman!

Rod. It is silliness to live, when to live is a torment: and then have we a prescription to die, when death is our physician.

Iago. O villainous! I have looked upon the world for four times seven years! and since I could distinguish between a benefit and an injury, I never found a man that knew how to love himself. Ere I would say, I would drown myself for the love of a Guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon.

3 Immediately.
A A. 3.

Rod. What should I do? I confess, it is my shame to be so fond; but it is not in my virtue to amend it. Iago. Virtue? a fig! 'tis in ourselves, that we are thus, or thus. We have reason to cool our raging passions; whereof I take this, that you call -love, to be one.

Rod. It cannot be.

7

Iago. Come, be a man: Drown thyself? drown cats, and blind puppies. I have professed me thy friend, and I confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable toughness; I could never better stead thee than now. Put money in thy purse; follow these wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard; I say, put money in thy purse. It cannot be, that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor, put money in thy purse; nor he his to her: it was a violent commencement, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration; put but money in thy purse.-These Moors are changeable in their wills; fill thy purse with money: drowning thyself is clean out of the way: seek thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy, than to be drowned and go without it.

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Rod. Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on the issue?

Iago. Thou art sure of me ;-Go, make money: -I have told thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor: My cause is hearted: thine hath no less reason: Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him: go; provide thy money. We will have more of this to-morrow.

Adieu. Rod. Where shall we meet i' the morning? Iago. At my lodging.

Rod. I'll be with thee betimes.

Iago. Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo?
Rod. What say you?

Iago. No more of drowning, do you hear.
Rod. I am changed. I'll sell all my land.

* Change your countenance with a false beard.

[Exit RODERIGO.

Iago. Go to; farewell: put money enough in
your purse.
Thus do I ever make my fool my purse:
For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane,
If I would time expend with such a snipe,

But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor;
And it is thought abroad, that in my bed
He has done me wrong, I know not jf 't be true;
But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,

Will do, as if for surety. He holds me well;
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio 's a proper man: Let me see now;
To get his place, and to plume up my will;
A double knavery, -How? how?-Let me see:
After some time, to abuse Othello's ear,
That he is too familiar with his wife: -
He hath a person, and a smooth dispose,
To be suspected; fram'd to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,

That thinks men honest, that but seems to be so ; And will as tenderly be led by the nose,

As asses are.

I have 't;-it is engender'd:

Hell and night

[Exit.

Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light.

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE 1.

A Sea-port Town in Cyprus. A Platform.

Enter MONTANO and Two Gentlemen.

Mon. What from the cape can you discern at sea?

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