Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine,
Either for stay, or going: the affairs cry-haste!
And speed must answer; you must hence to-night.
Des. To-night, my lord!
Duke. This night.
Oth. With all my heart.

Duke. At ten i'the morning here we'll meet again.
Othello, leave some officer behind,
And he shall our commission bring to you;
And such things else of quality and respect,
As doth concern you.

Oth. Please your grace, my ancient;
A man he is of honesty and trust;
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,
Your son-in-law is far more fair than black.

[Ereunt the DUKE, LODOVICO, the other

SENATORS, MARCO, PAULO, GIOVANNI,

and LUCA. Bra. Look to her, Moor; have a quick eye to see;' She has deceiv'd her father, may do thee.

[Exeunt BRABANTio and GRATIANO. Oth. My life upon her faith.—Honest Iago, My Desdemona must I leave to thee: I pr’ythee, let thy wife attend on her; And bring her 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, DESDEMONA, and Cassio. Rod. Iago,Iago. What say’st thou, noble heart? Rod. What will I do, think'st thou ? Tago. 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, wben death is our physician.

Iugo. () villatious! I have look'd upon the world for four times seven years : and since I could distinguish betwixt' a ' benefit and an injury, I never found man that knew how to love himself. Ere I would say, I'd drown myself for the love of a Guinea-hen, I'd change my humanity with a baboon.

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. Come, be a man: Drown thyself? drown cats, and blind puppies! I profess me thy friend, and I could never better stead thee than now. Put money in thy purse : follow these wars; I say, put money in thy purse. It cannot be, that Desde. mona 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; pot but money in thy purse ! If sanctimony and a frail vow, betwixt an erring Barbarian and a super-subtle Venetian, be not too hard for my wits, and all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enjoy her: therefore make money. A plague of drowning! it is clean out of the way: seek thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy, than to be drowned and

go

without her. 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 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: If thou canst cuckold him, thou dost

morrow.

thyself a pleasure, and me a sport. Traverse; go; provide thy money. We will have more of this to

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? lago. No more of drowning,- do you hear? Rod. I am chang’d :-I'll go sell all my land,

[Exit RODERIGO. Iago. 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 'twixt my sheets He has done my office: I know not, if't be truc; Yet 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, a free and open nature too, That thinks men est, that but seem 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 Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light,

[Exit.

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

Cyprus.

A Platform before the Town.

Enter Montano, Cassio, and Julio.
Cas. Thanks to the valiant of this warlike isle,
That so approve the Moor: 0, let the heavens
Give him defence against the elements,
For I have lost him on a dangerous sea !

Mont. Is he well shipped?

Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot
Of very expert and approv'd allowance;
Therefore niy hopes, not surfeited to death,
Stand in bold cure.

[A Cannon fired. [Without.] A sail! a sail! a sail ! Cas. What noise ?

Enter ANTONIO. Ant. The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea Stand ranks of people, and they cry—a sail!

Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governor. 'I

pray you, sir, go forth, And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd.

Jul. I shall. [Exeunt Antonio and Julio. Mont. But, good lieutenant, is your general wived ? Cas. Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid

That paragons description, and wild fame,
One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,
And, in the essential vesture of creation,
Does bear all excellency.

Enter Julio and ANTONIO.
Now, who has put in?

Jul. 'Tis one lago, ancient to the general.

Cas. He has had most favourable and happy speed;
Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,
As having sense of beauty, do omit
Their common natures, letting go safely by
The divine Desdemona.

Mont. What is she?
Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's cap

tain,
Left in the conduct of the bold Iago.-
O behold,
The riches of the ship is come'on shore!--
Enter Iago, DesDEMONA, Roderigo, EMILIA,

Marco, and Paulo.
Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of Heaven,
Before, behind thee, and on every hand,
Enwheel thee round!

Des. I thank you, valiant Cassio.
What tidings can you

tell me of my

lord ? Cas. He is not yet arriv'd ;-nur know I aught, But that he's well, and will be shortly here.

Des. 0, but I fear,—How lost you company?

Cas. The great contention of the sea and skies Parted our fellowship :

(Cannon fired. [Without.) A sail a sail ! Cas. But, hark ! a sail :- See for the news.

[Exit ANTONIO Good ancient, you are welcome :-Welcome, mistress.

[To Emilia, kissing her. Let it not gall your patience, good lago,