Steering with due course toward the Isle of Rhodes, Their backward course, bearing with frank appearance With his free duty recommends you thus, And prays you to believe him. DUKE. "Tis certain, then, for Cyprus. Marcus Luccicos, is not he in town? FIRST SEN. He's now in Florence. ? 40 DUKE. Write from us to him; post-post-haste dispatch. Enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, IAGO, RODERIGO, and DUKE. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you [to BRABANTIO.] I did not see you; welcome, gentle 50 We lack'd your counsel and your help to-night. DUKE. Why, what's the matter? BRA. My daughter! O, my daughter! DUKE AND SEN. BRA. Dead? Ay, to me: 60 She is abus'd, stol'n from me, and corrupted By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks; Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense, Sans witchcraft could not. DUKE. Whoe'er he be that, in this foul proceeding, Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, ACT I Sc. III ACT I 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. 70 Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems, Your special mandate, for the State-affairs, Hath hither brought. DUKE AND SEN. We are very sorry for 't. DUKE [to OTHELLO.] What, in your own part, can you say to this? BRA. Nothing, but this is so. OTн. Most potent, grave, and reverend Signiors, My very noble and approv'd good Masters, That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little of this great World can I speak, More than pertains to feats of broil and battle; 80 In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience, 90 Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what charms, (For such proceeding I am charg'd withal) I won his daughter. BRA. A maiden never bold; ΤΟ Why this should be. I therefore vouch again, He wrought upon her. DUKE. To vouch this, is no proof, Did you by indirect and forced courses Отн. I do beseech you, Send for the lady to the Sagittary, And let her speak of me before her father: If you do find me foul in her report, The trust, the office, I do hold of you, Not only take away, but let your sentence DUKE. Fetch Desdemona hither. Отн. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place. IIO 120 Exeunt IAGO and Attendants. And, till she come, as truly as to Heaven I do confess the vices of my blood, So justly to your grave ears I'll present How I did thrive in this fair lady's love, And she in mine. DUKE. Say it, Othello. OTн. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; Still question'd me the story of my life, I ran it through, even from my boyish days To the very moment that he bade me tell it: Of moving accidents by flood and field; 130 Of hair-breadth 'scapes i' the imminent deadly breach; And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, ACT 1 ACT I And portance1 in my travels' history: Wherein of antres vast and deserts idle, 140 Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch It was my hint to speak-such was my process; And of the Cannibals that each other eat, Do grow beneath their shoulders. This to hear But still the house-affairs would draw her thence; Whereof by parcels she had something heard, And often did beguile her of her tears, When I did speak of some distressful stroke That my youth suffer'd. My story being done, She gave me for my pains a world of sighs: 150 She swore, In faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange; 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful : She wish'd she had not heard it; yet she wish'd 160 That Heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me; And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her, I should but teach him how to tell my story, And that would woo her. Upon this hint I spake : She lov'd me for the dangers I had pass'd; And I lov'd her that she did pity them. This only is the witchcraft I have us❜d: Here comes the Lady; let her witness it. Enter DESDEMona, Iago, and Attendants. 170 Men do their broken weapons rather use Than their bare hands. BRA. I pray you, hear her speak: If she confess that she was half the wooer, Destruction on my head, if my bad blame Light on the man! Come hither, gentle Mistress: Where most you owe obedience? DES. I do perceive here a divided duty : My noble Father, 181 I am bound for life and education; My life and education both do learn me How to respect you; you are the Lord of duty, I am hitherto your daughter: but here's my husband; Come hither, Moor: I here do give thee that with all my heart Which, but thou hast already, with all my heart I am glad at soul I have no other child; For thy escape would teach me tyranny, To hang clogs on them. I have done, my Lord. DUKE. Let me speak like yourself; and lay a sentence, Into your favour. When remedies are past, the griefs are ended By seeing the worst, which late on hopes depended.1 To mourn a mischief that is past and gone Is the next way to draw new mischief on. What cannot be preserv'd when Fortune takes, Patience her injury a mockery makes. 190 200 The robb'd that smiles steals something from the thief; He robs himself that spends a bootless grief. 1 the griefs which depended on hopes, i.e. the anguish of suspense. ACT I Sc. III |