Act 1 — Scene I. Venice. A street.
Reading edition
Enter Roderigo and Iago.[4877]
Rod. Tush, never tell me; I take it much unkindly[4878] That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse[4879] As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.[4880] Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me:[4881][4882][4883] If ever I did dream of such a matter,[4882][4884] 5 Abhor me.[4882][4884][4885] Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.[4886] Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,[4887][4888][4889] In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,[4888] Off-capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,[4888][4890] 10 I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:[4888][4891] But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,[4888][4892] Evades them, with a bombast circumstance[4888][4893] Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;[4888][4894] And, in conclusion,[4888][4895][4896] 15 Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he,[4896][4897] 'I have already chose my officer.'[4896][4898][4899] And what was he?[4896][4898] Forsooth, a great arithmetician,[4896] One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,[4900] 20 A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;[4900][4901] That never set a squadron in the field, Nor the division of a battle knows More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,[4902] Wherein the toged consuls can propose[4903] 25 As masterly as he: mere prattle without practice[4904] Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:[4905] And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds[4906] Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd[4907] 30 By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,[4908] He, in good time, must his lieutenant be, And I—God bless the mark!—his Moorship's ancient.[4909] Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. Iago. Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service,[4910] 35 Preferment goes by letter and affection,[4911] And not by old gradation, where each second[4912] Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself[4913] Whether I in any just term am affined[4914] To love the Moor. Rod. I would not follow him then. 40 Iago. O, sir, content you; I follow him to serve my turn upon him: We cannot all be masters, nor all masters Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark[4915] Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave, 45 That doting on his own obsequious bondage Wears out his time, much like his master's ass, For nought but provender, and when he's old, cashier'd:[4916] Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are[4917] Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,[4917][4918] 50 Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,[4917] And throwing but shows of service on their lords[4917] Do well thrive by them, and when they have lined their coats[4919][4920] Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul,[4919][4921] And such a one do I profess myself.[4922] 55 For, sir,[4923] It is as sure as you are Roderigo, Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago: In following him, I follow but myself; Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,[4924] 60 But seeming so, for my peculiar end:[4924] For when my outward action doth demonstrate[4925] The native act and figure of my heart In compliment extern, 'tis not long after[4926] But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve 65 For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.[4927] Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,[4928] If he can carry't thus![4929] Iago. Call up her father,[4930] Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,[4930] Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,[4931] 70 And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,[4932] Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy, Yet throw such changes of vexation on't[4933] As it may lose some colour. Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. 75 Iago. Do; with like timorous accent and dire yell[4934] As when, by night and negligence, the fire[4935] Is spied in populous cities.[4936] Rod. What, ho, Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho! Iago. Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves![4937] 80 Look to your house, your daughter and your bags![4938] Thieves! thieves![4939]
Brabantio appears above, at a window.[4940]
Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons?[4941] What is the matter there?[4941] Rod. Signior, is all your family within? 85 Iago. Are your doors lock'd?[4942] Bra. Why, wherefore ask you this? Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on your gown;[4943] Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;[4944] Even now, now, very now, an old black ram[4945] Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise; 90 Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:[4946] Arise, I say.[4946][4947] Bra. What, have you lost your wits? Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my voice? Bra. Not I: what are you? 95 Rod. My name is Roderigo. Bra. The worser welcome:[4948] I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:[4949] In honest plainness thou hast heard me say My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,[4950] Being full of supper and distempering draughts, 100 Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come[4951] To start my quiet.[4952] Rod. Sir, sir, sir,—[4953] Bra. But thou must needs be sure My spirit and my place have in them power[4954] To make this bitter to thee. Rod. Patience, good sir.[4955] 105 Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;[4956][4957] My house is not a grange.[4956] Rod. Most grave Brabantio, In simple and pure soul I come to you. Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not[4958] serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do 110 you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll have your[4959] daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans.[4960] Bra. What profane wretch art thou? 115 Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter[4961] and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.[4962] Bra. Thou art a villain. Iago. You are—a senator.[4963] Bra. This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo.[4964] Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But, I beseech you,[4965] 120 If't be your pleasure and most wise consent,[4966] As partly I find it is, that your fair daughter,[4966] At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night,[4966][4967] Transported with no worse nor better guard[4966][4968] But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,[4966][4969] 125 To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,—[4966] If this be known to you, and your allowance,[4966][4970] We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;[4966][4971] But if you know not this, my manners tell me[4966] We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe[4966] 130 That, from the sense of all civility,[4966] I thus would play and trifle with your reverence:[4966] Your daughter, if you have not given her leave,[4966] I say again, hath made a gross revolt,[4966] Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes,[4966][4972] 135 In an extravagant and wheeling stranger[4966][4972][4973] Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself:[4966][4974] If she be in her chamber or your house,[4975] Let loose on me the justice of the state For thus deluding you.[4976] Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! 140 Give me a taper! call up all my people! This accident is not unlike my dream: Belief of it oppresses me already. Light, I say! light! [Exit above.[4977] Iago. Farewell; for I must leave you: It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,[4978] 145 To be produced—as, if I stay, I shall—[4979] Against the Moor: for I do know, the state, However this may gall him with some check,[4980] Cannot with safety cast him; for he's embark'd[4981] With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars,[4982] 150 Which even now stand in act, that, for their souls,[4983] Another of his fathom they have none[4984] To lead their business: in which regard,[4985] Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains,[4986] Yet for necessity of present life, 155 I must show out a flag and sign of love,[4987] Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely find him,[4987][4988] Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;[4989] And there will I be with him. So farewell. [Exit.
Enter, below, Brabantio, in his night-gown, and Servants with torches.
Bra. It is too true an evil: gone she is;[4990] 160 And what's to come of my despised time[4991] Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo,[4992] Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl! With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a father![4993] How didst thou know 'twas she? O, she deceives me[4994] 165 Past thought! What said she to you? Get more tapers.[4995] Raise all my kindred. Are they married, think you?[4996] Rod. Truly, I think they are.[4997] Bra. O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood![4998] Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds 170 By what you see them act. Is there not charms[4999] By which the property of youth and maidhood[5000] May be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo, Of some such thing? Rod. Yes, sir, I have indeed.[5001] Bra. Call up my brother. O, would you had had her![5002] 175 Some one way, some another. Do you know Where we may apprehend her and the Moor? Rod. I think I can discover him, if you please To get good guard and go along with me. Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call;[5003] 180 I may command at most. Get weapons, ho! And raise some special officers of night.[5004] On, good Roderigo; I'll deserve your pains. [Exeunt.[5005]