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EIG.

He is gone, indeed.
KENT. The wonder is, he hath endur'd so long:
He but usurp'd his life.

ALB Bear them from hence.-Our present business
Is general woe.-Friends of my soul, you twain

320

[TO KENT and EDGAR.

Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain.
KENT. I have a journey, sir, shortly to go;
My master calls me,-I must not say no.
ALB. The weight of this sad time we must obey;
Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say.
The oldest hath borne most: we that are young
Shall never see so much, nor live so long.

[Exeunt, with a dead march.

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58

OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

DUKE OF VENICE

BRABANTIO, a senator

Other Senators

GRATIANO, brother to Brabantio

LODOVICO, kinsman to Brabantio

OTHELLO, a noble Moor in the service of the Venetian state
CASSIO, his lieutenant

IAGO, his ancient

RODERIGO, a Venetian gentleman

MONTANO, Othello's predecessor in the government of Cyprus
Clown, servant to Othello

DESDEMONA, daughter to Brabantio and wife to Othello
EMILIA, wife to Iago

BIANCA, mistress to Cassio

Sailor, Messenger, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen, Musicians, and

Attendants

SCENE-The First Act in Venice; during the rest of the play, at a seaport in Cyprus

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OTHELLO, THE MOOR OF VENICE

ACT I

SCENE I.-Venice. A Street

Enter RODERIGO and IAGO

ROD. Never tell me; I take it much unkindly
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse

As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this,-
IAGO. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me :—

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,
Off-capp'd to him :—and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place :-
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;
And, in conclusion,

Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he,
'I have already chose my officer.'
And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,

A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows

More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,
Wherein the togèd consuls can propose

As masterly as he mere prattle, without practice,
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:
And I,-of whom his eyes had seen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds

87

ΤΟ

20

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