Othello

'Tis certain, then, for Cyprus.

But who shall lead our business against the Turkish fleet?

Othello.

Another of his fathom we have none.

The fortitude of the place is best known to him.

I take it much unkindly that thou, Iago...

...who hast had my purse as if the strings were thine...

...shouldst know of this.

By the faith of man, I know my price.

I am worth no worse a place. But he, one Michael Cassio...

...a Florentine, must his lieutenant be.

And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof...

- God bless the mark!... his Moorship's ensign.

O by heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.

Why, there's no remedy. 'Tis the curse of service.

I would not follow him then.

O, sir, content you.

I follow him to serve my turn upon him.

We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed.

You shall mark...

...heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty...

...but seeming so for my peculiar end.

I am not what I am.

What a full fortune does the thick- lips owe, if he can carry it thus.

Call up her father.

Awake! Thieves! Signor!

Thieves! Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!

Signor Brabantio! Ho!

- Awake! - Sir!

Thieves! Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!

Thieves! Thieves!

What is the reason of this terrible summons?

What is the matter here?

Signor...

...is all your family within?

I know you, Roderigo...

...and have charged thee not to haunt about my doors.

In honest plainness, thou has heard me say...

...my daughter is not for thee.

Are your doors locked?

Why? Wherefore ask you this?

Even now, now, very now...

...an old black ram is tupping your white ewe.

What profane wretch art thou?

I am one that comes to tell you...

...your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs.

Thou art a villain.

You are a senator.

This thou shalt answer, Roderigo.

Ay, sir!

I will answer anything.

But I beseech you, straight satisfy yourself:

If she be in her chamber or your house...

...let loose on me the justice of the state for thus deluding you.

Strike on the tinder, ho!

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!

Get weapons, ho!

Farewell, for I must leave you.

The goodness of the night upon you, friends.

I pray you, sir, are you fast married?

Sir, you've been hotly called for.

Have with you.

- Halt! - You!

IKeep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.

O, thou foul thief!

Where hast thou stowed my daughter?

Damned as thou art, thou hast enchanted her...

...to run from her garden to the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou.

Lay hold upon him.

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.

Good signor...

...where will you that I go to answer this, your charge?

To prison...

...till fit time of law and course of direct session call thee to answer.

What if I do obey?

How may the Duke be therewith satisfied...

...whose messengers are here about my side to bring me to him?

'Tis true, most worthy signor.

The Duke's in council, and your noble self, surely, is sent for.

How? The Duke in council? In this time of night?

Bring him away.

Valiant Othello...

...we must straight employ you against the general Turkish foe.

Welcome, gentle signor.

We lacked your counsel and your help tonight.

So did I yours.

Good Your Grace, pardon me.

Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business...

...has raised me from my bed.

My daughter!

O, my daughter!

Dead?

She is abused, stolen from me and corrupted.

For nature so preposterously to err, sans witchcraft could not.

Whoever 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.

Humbly, I thank Your Grace.

Here is the man.

Othello?

What in your own part can you say to this?

Nothing, but this is so.

Most potent, grave and reverend signors...

...my very noble and approved good masters...

...that I have taken away this old man's daughter...

...'tis most true. True, I have married her.

The very head and front of my offending hath this extent, no more.

Rude am I in my speech...

...and little blessed with the soft phrase of peace.

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

...till now some nine moons wasted...

...they have used their dearest action in the tented field.

And little of this great world can I speak...

...more than pertains to feats of broil and battle.

Therefore, little shall I grace my cause...

...in speaking of myself. Yet, by your gracious patience...

...I will a round, unvarnished tale deliver...

...of my whole course of love:

What drugs, what charms...

...what conjuration and what mighty magic...

- for such proceedings am I charged withal... I won his daughter.

A maiden never bold...

...of spirit so still and quiet that her motion blushed at herself...

...and she, in spite of nature, to fall in love...

...with what she feared to look on!

I do beseech you, send for the lady...

...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 even fall upon my life.

Fetch Desdemona.

Her father loved me...

...oft invited me...

...still questioned me the story of my life from year to year...

...the battles, sieges, fortunes that I have passed.

Even from my boyish days...

...to the moment he bade me tell it.

Wherein I spoke of most disastrous chances...

...of moving accidents by flood and field...

...hair-breadth escapes in the imminent deadly breach...

...of being taken by the insolent foe...

...and sold to slavery.

And of the cannibals that each other eat...

...the Anthropophagi...

...and men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders.

These things to hear would Desdemona seriously incline.

And with a greedy ear devour up my discourse...

...which I observing...

...took once a pliant hour...

...and found means to draw from her a prayer of earnest heart...

...which I would all my pilgrimage dilate.

She gave me for my pains...

...a world of sighs.

She swore, in faith, 'twas strange...

...'twas passing strange, 'twas pitiful...

...'twas wondrous pitiful.

She loved me for the dangers I had passed...

...and I loved her that she did pity them.

This only is the witchcraft I have used.

Come hither, gentle mistress.

Do you perceive in all this company where most you owe obedience?

My noble father...

...to you I am bound for life and education.

My life and education both do learn me how to respect you.

You are lord of all my duty.

I am hitherto your daughter.

But here's my husband.

And so much duty as my mother showed to you...

...preferring you before her father...

...so much I challenge that I may profess due to the Moor...

...my lord.

God by you! I have done.

I had rather to adopt a child than get it.

Come hither, Moor.

I here do give thee that with all my heart...

...which, but thou hast already...

...with all my heart I would keep from thee.

I humbly beseech you, proceed with the affairs of state.

The Turk, with a mighty preparation, makes for Cyprus.

Othello...

...you must away tonight.

The affair cries haste, and speed must answer it.

Most gracious Duke...

What would you, Desdemona?

That I did love the Moor to live with him...

...my downright violence and scorn of fortunes...

...may trumpet to the world.

My heart is subdued even to the utmost pleasure of my lord.

I saw Othello's visage in his mind...

...and to his honors and his valiant parts...

...did I my soul and fortunes consecrate.

So that, dear lords...

...if I be left behind, a moth of peace, and he go to the war...