Othello Page #6

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Second Gentlemen

They do discharge their shot of courtesy:

Our friends at least.

CASSIO:

I pray you, sir, go forth,

And give us truth who 'tis that is arrived.

Second Gentleman

I shall.

Exit

MONTANO:

But, good lieutenant, is your general wived?

CASSIO:

Most fortunately: he hath achieved a maid

That paragons description and wild fame;

One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,

And in the essential vesture of creation

Does tire the ingener.

Re-enter second Gentleman

How now! who has put in?

Second Gentleman

'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.

CASSIO:

Has had most favourable and happy speed:

Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,

The gutter'd rocks and congregated sands--

Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel,--

As having sense of beauty, do omit

Their mortal natures, letting go safely by

The divine Desdemona.

MONTANO:

What is she?

CASSIO:

She that I spake of, our great captain's captain,

Left in the conduct of the bold Iago,

Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts

A se'nnight's speed. Great Jove, Othello guard,

And swell his sail with thine own powerful breath,

That he may bless this bay with his tall ship,

Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,

Give renew'd fire to our extincted spirits

And bring all Cyprus comfort!

Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Attendants

O, behold,

The riches of the ship is come on shore!

Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.

Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,

Before, behind thee, and on every hand,

Enwheel thee round!

DESDEMONA:

I thank you, valiant Cassio.

What tidings can you tell me of my lord?

CASSIO:

He is not yet arrived: nor know I aught

But that he's well and will be shortly here.

DESDEMONA:

O, but I fear--How lost you company?

CASSIO:

The great contention of the sea and skies

Parted our fellowship--But, hark! a sail.

Within 'A sail, a sail!' Guns heard

Second Gentleman

They give their greeting to the citadel;

This likewise is a friend.

CASSIO:

See for the news.

Exit Gentleman

Good ancient, you are welcome.

To EMILIA

Welcome, mistress.

Let it not gall your patience, good Iago,

That I extend my manners; 'tis my breeding

That gives me this bold show of courtesy.

Kissing her

IAGO:

Sir, would she give you so much of her lips

As of her tongue she oft bestows on me,

You'll have enough.

DESDEMONA:

Alas, she has no speech.

IAGO:

In faith, too much;

I find it still, when I have list to sleep:

Marry, before your ladyship, I grant,

She puts her tongue a little in her heart,

And chides with thinking.

EMILIA:

You have little cause to say so.

IAGO:

Come on, come on; you are pictures out of doors,

Bells in your parlors, wild-cats in your kitchens,

Saints m your injuries, devils being offended,

Players in your housewifery, and housewives' in your beds.

DESDEMONA:

O, fie upon thee, slanderer!

IAGO:

Nay, it is true, or else I am a Turk:

You rise to play and go to bed to work.

EMILIA:

You shall not write my praise.

IAGO:

No, let me not.

DESDEMONA:

What wouldst thou write of me, if thou shouldst

praise me?

IAGO:

O gentle lady, do not put me to't;

For I am nothing, if not critical.

DESDEMONA:

Come on assay. There's one gone to the harbour?

IAGO:

Ay, madam.

DESDEMONA:

I am not merry; but I do beguile

The thing I am, by seeming otherwise.

Come, how wouldst thou praise me?

IAGO:

I am about it; but indeed my invention

Comes from my pate as birdlime does from frize;

It plucks out brains and all: but my Muse labours,

And thus she is deliver'd.

If she be fair and wise, fairness and wit,

The one's for use, the other useth it.

DESDEMONA:

Well praised! How if she be black and witty?

IAGO:

If she be black, and thereto have a wit,

She'll find a white that shall her blackness fit.

DESDEMONA:

Worse and worse.

EMILIA:

How if fair and foolish?

IAGO:

She never yet was foolish that was fair;

For even her folly help'd her to an heir.

DESDEMONA:

These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh i'

the alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for

her that's foul and foolish?

IAGO:

There's none so foul and foolish thereunto,

But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do.

DESDEMONA:

O heavy ignorance! thou praisest the worst best.

But what praise couldst thou bestow on a deserving

woman indeed, one that, in the authority of her

merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself?

IAGO:

She that was ever fair and never proud,

Had tongue at will and yet was never loud,

Never lack'd gold and yet went never gay,

Fled from her wish and yet said 'Now I may,'

She that being anger'd, her revenge being nigh,

Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly,

She that in wisdom never was so frail

To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail;

She that could think and ne'er disclose her mind,

See suitors following and not look behind,

She was a wight, if ever such wight were,--

DESDEMONA:

To do what?

IAGO:

To suckle fools and chronicle small beer.

DESDEMONA:

O most lame and impotent conclusion! Do not learn

of him, Emilia, though he be thy husband. How say

you, Cassio? is he not a most profane and liberal

counsellor?

CASSIO:

He speaks home, madam: You may relish him more in

the soldier than in the scholar.

IAGO:

[Aside] He takes her by the palm: ay, well said,

whisper:
with as little a web as this will I

ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon

her, do; I will gyve thee in thine own courtship.

You say true; 'tis so, indeed: if such tricks as

these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had

been better you had not kissed your three fingers so

oft, which now again you are most apt to play the

sir in. Very good; well kissed! an excellent

courtesy! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again your fingers

to your lips? would they were clyster-pipes for your sake!

Trumpet within

The Moor! I know his trumpet.

CASSIO:

'Tis truly so.

DESDEMONA:

Let's meet him and receive him.

CASSIO:

Lo, where he comes!

Enter OTHELLO and Attendants

OTHELLO:

O my fair warrior!

DESDEMONA:

My dear Othello!

OTHELLO:

It gives me wonder great as my content

To see you here before me. O my soul's joy!

If after every tempest come such calms,

May the winds blow till they have waken'd death!

And let the labouring bark climb hills of seas

Olympus-high and duck again as low

As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die,

'Twere now to be most happy; for, I fear,

My soul hath her content so absolute

That not another comfort like to this

Succeeds in unknown fate.

DESDEMONA:

The heavens forbid

But that our loves and comforts should increase,

Even as our days do grow!

OTHELLO:

Amen to that, sweet powers!

I cannot speak enough of this content;

It stops me here; it is too much of joy:

And this, and this, the greatest discords be

Kissing her

That e'er our hearts shall make!

IAGO:

[Aside] O, you are well tuned now!

But I'll set down the pegs that make this music,

As honest as I am.

OTHELLO:

Come, let us to the castle.

News, friends; our wars are done, the Turks

are drown'd.

How does my old acquaintance of this isle?

Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus;

I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet,

I prattle out of fashion, and I dote

In mine own comforts. I prithee, good Iago,

Go to the bay and disembark my coffers:

Bring thou the master to the citadel;

He is a good one, and his worthiness

Does challenge much respect. Come, Desdemona,

Once more, well met at Cyprus.

Exeunt OTHELLO, DESDEMONA, and Attendants

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