Enter below, BRABANTIO, and Servants with Torches.
Bra. It is too true an evil: gone she is
And what's to come of my despised time,

Is nought but bitterness.-Now, Roderigo,

Where didst thou see her ?-O, unhappy girl!

With the Moor, say'st thou ?-Who would be a father-
How didst thou know 'twas she? O, thou deceiv'st ***
Past thought!-What said she to you ?-Get more tapers;
Raise all my kindred.-Are they married, think you?
Rod. Truly, I think, they are.

Bra. O heaven!-How got she out?-O treason of the blood!Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds

By what you see them act.-Are there not charms,

By which the property of youth and maidhood

May be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo,

Of some such thing?

Rod. Yes, Sir; I have, indeed.

Bra. Call up my brother. O, that you had had her!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 ;
I may command at most;-Get weapons, ho!
And raise some special officers of night.-
On, good Roderigo ;-I'll deserve your pains.

SCENE II-The same. Another Street.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Attendants.
Iago. Though in the trade of war I have slain men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience,

To do no contrived murder; I lack iniquity
Sometimes, to do me service; Nine or ten times

I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs.
Oth. "Tis better as it is.

Iago. Nay, but he prated,

And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms
Against your honour,

That, with the little godliness I have,

I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray, Sir,
Are you fast married? for, be sure of this,-
That the magnificot is much beloved;
And hath, in his effect, a voice potential
As double as the duke's; he will divorce you;
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law (with all his might, to enforce it on)
Will give him cable.

Oth. Let him do his spite:

My services, which I have done the signiory,
Shall out-tongue his complaints. "Tis yet to know
(Which, when I know that boasting is an honour,

* Old age.

[Exeunt.

+ Brabantio: magnifico is his title as a senator

I shall promulgate), I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege ;* and my demerits
May speak, unbonneted, to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: For know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,

I would not my unhoused‡ free condition
Put into circumspection and confine

For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yonder? Enter CASSIO, at a distance, and certain Officers with Torches.

Iago. These are the raised father, and his friends:

You were best go in.

Oth. Not I: I must be found;

My parts, my title, and my perfect soul,
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?

Iago. By Janus, I think no.

Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant.
The goodness of the night upon you, friends!
What is the news?

Cas. The duke does greet you, general;

And he requires your haste-post-haste appearance,
Even on the instant.

Oth. What is the matter, think you?

Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine;
It is a business of some heat: The galleys
Have sent a dozen sequent§ messengers

This very night at one another's heels;

And many of the consuls, raised, and met,

Are at the duke's already: You have been hotly call'd for;

When, being not at your lodging to be found,

The senate hath sent about three several quests, ||

To search you out.

Oth. 'Tis well I am found by you.

I will but spend a word here in the house,

And go with you.

Cas. Ancient, what makes he here?

Iago. 'Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carrack;¶

If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever.

Cas. I do not understand.

Iago. He's married.

Cas. To who?

Re-enter OTHELLO.

Iago. Marry, to-Come, captain, will you go?

Oth. Have with you.

Cas. Here comes another troop to seek for you.

[Exit.

Enter BRABANTIO, RODERIGO, and Officers of night, with torches and weapons.

Iago. It is Brabantio:-general, be advised;**

He comes to bad intent.

Oth. Hola! stand there!

Seat or throne.
Searchers.

+ Merits.

+ Unsettled,

Successive.

Large vessel.

** Cautious.

Rod. Signior, it is the Moor.

Bra. Down with him, thief!

[They draw on both sides.

Iago. You, Roderigo! come, Sir, I am for you.

Oth. Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.Good signior, you shall more command with years,

Than with your weapons.

Bra. O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd my daughter?
Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her :
For I'll refer me to all things of sense,

If she in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid-so tender, fair, and happy;
So opposite to marriage, that she shunn'd
The wealthy curled* darlings of our nation,-
Would ever have to incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou: to fear,† not to delight.
Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense,
That thou hast practised on her with foul charms;
Abused her delicate youth with drugs, or minerals; .
That waken motion: I'll have it disputed on;
"Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.

I therefore apprehend and do attach thee,
For an abuser of the world, a practiser
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant :-
Lay hold upon him; if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

Oth. Hold your hands,

Both you of my inclining, and the rest:

Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a prompter.-Where will you that I go
To answer this your charge?

Bra. To prison: till fit time

Of law, and course of direct session,
Call thee to answer.

Oth. What if I do obey ?

How may the duke be therewith satisfied;
Whose messengers are here about my side,
Upon some present business of the state,
To bring me to him?

Off. 'Tis true, most worthy signior,
The duke's in council; and your noble self,
I am sure, is sent for.

Bra. How! the duke in council!

In this time of the night!-Bring him away:
Mine's not an idle cause: the duke himself,
Or any of my brothers of the state,

Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own:
For if such actions may have passage free,
Bond-slaves and pagans, shall our statesmen be.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A Council Chamber.

The DUKE, and SENATORS, sitting at a table; Officers attending.

Duke. There is no composition* in these news,

That gives them credit.

1 Sen. Indeed, they are disproportion'd;
My letters say, a hundred and seven galleys.
Duke. And mine, a hundred and forty.
2 Sen. And mine, two hundred :

But though they jump not on a just account
(As in these cases, where the aim† reports,
"Tis oft with difference), yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.

Duke. Nay, it is possible enough to judgment;
I do not so secure me in the error,

But the main article I do approve

In fearful sense.

Sailor [within]. What ho! what ho! what ho!
Enter an OFFICER, with a SAILOR.

Off. A messenger from the galleys.

Duke. Now? the business?

Sailor. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes; So was I bid report here to the state,

By signior Angelo.

Duke. How say you by this change? 1 Sen. This cannot be,

By no assay of reason; 'tis a pageant,

To keep us in false gaze: When we consider

The importancy of Cyprus to the Turk;

And let ourselves again but understand,

That, as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile question bear it,
For that it stands not in such warlike brace,S

But altogether lacks the abilities

That Rhodes is dress'd in ;-if we make thought of this,
We must not think, the Turk is so unskilful,

To leave that latest which concerns him first;

Neglecting an attempt of ease and gain

To wake, and wage, a danger profitless.

Duke. Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes.
Off. Here is more news.

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious,
Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes,
Have there injointed them with an after fleet.

1 Sen. Ay, so I thought :-How many, as you guess?
Mess. Of thirty sail: and now do they re-stem
Their backward course, bearing with frank appearance
Their purposes toward Cyprus.-Signior Montano,

* Consistency.

† Conjecture. State of defence.

| Fight.

Easy dispute.

Your trusty and most valiant servitor,
With his free duty recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.

Duke. "Tis certain, then, for Cyprus.-
Marchus Lucchesé, is he not in town?

1 Sen. He's now in Florence. Duke. Write from us; wish

him post-post-haste: despatch. 1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, with the valiant Moor.

Enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Officers.
Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you
Against the general enemy Ottoman.

I did not see you; welcome, gentle Signior;
We lack'd your counsel and your help to-night.

[To BRABANTIO.

Bra. So did I yours: Good your grace, pardon me;
Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business,
Hath raised me from my bed; nor doth the general care
Take hold on me; for my particular grief

Is of so flood-gate and o'erbearing nature,
That it engluts and swallows other sorrows,
And it is still itself.

Duke. Why, what's the matter?

Bra. My daughter! O, my daughter!
Sen. Dead?

Bra. Ay, to me;

She is abused, stolen from me, and corrupted
By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks:
For nature so preposterously to err,

Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense,

Sans witchcraft could not

Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul proceeding, Hath thus beguiled your daughter of herself,

And you of her, the bloody book of law

You shall yourself read in the bitter letter,

After your own sense; yea, though our proper son

Stood in your action.+

Bra. Humbly I thank your grace.

Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems,
Your special mandate, for the state affairs,

Hath hither brought.

Duke & Sen. We are very sorry for it.

Duke. What, in your own part, can you say to this?

Bra. Nothing, but this is so.

Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors,

My very noble and approved good masters,

That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter,
It is most true; true, I have married her;

The very head and front of my offending

[TO OTHELLO.

Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech,
And little bless'd with the set phrase of peace:

For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,
† Accusation.

* Recommend.