Othello | Page 3

The etext may be readily converted by the reader at
no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent form by the program that displays the etext (as is the case, for instance, with most word processors); OR
[*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at
no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC or other equivalent proprietary form).
[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this
"Small Print!" statement.
[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the
net profits you derive calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon University" within the 60 days following each?date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return.
WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg Association / Carnegie-Mellon University".
*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END*
This etext was prepared by the PG Shakespeare Team,?a team of about twenty Project Gutenberg volunteers.
OTHELLO, MOOR OF VENICE
by William Shakespeare
PERSONS REPRESENTED:
DUKE OF VENICE.?BRABANTIO, a Senator.?Other Senators.?GRATIANO, Brother to Brabantio.?LODOVICO, Kinsman to Brabantio.?OTHELLO, a noble Moor, in the service of Venice.?CASSIO, his Lieutenant.?IAGO, his Ancient.?RODERIGO, a Venetian Gentleman.?MONTANO, Othello's predecessor in the government of Cyprus. CLOWN, Servant to Othello.?Herald.
DESDEMONA, Daughter to Brabantio, and Wife to Othello.?EMILIA, Wife to Iago.?BIANCA, Mistress to Cassio.
Officers, Gentlemen, Messenger, Musicians, Herald, Sailor,?Attendants, &c.
SCENE: The First Act in Venice; during the rest of the Play at a Seaport in Cyprus.
ACT I.
SCENE I. Venice. A street.
[Enter Roderigo and Iago.]
RODERIGO.?Tush, never tell me; I take it much unkindly?That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse?As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this,--
IAGO.?'Sblood, but you will not hear me:--?If ever I did dream of such a matter,?Abhor me.
RODERIGO.?Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.
IAGO.?Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,?In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,?Off-capp'd to him:--and, by the faith of man,?I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:--?But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,?Evades them, with a bumbast circumstance?Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war:?And, in conclusion, nonsuits?My mediators: for, "Certes," says he,?"I have already chose my officer."?And what was he??Forsooth, a great arithmetician,?One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,?A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;?That never set a squadron in the field,?Nor the division of a battle knows?More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,?Wherein the toged consuls can propose?As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice,?Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:?And I,--of whom his eyes had seen the proof?At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds,?Christian and heathen,--must be be-lee'd and calm'd?By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster;?He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,?And I--God bless the mark! his Moorship's ancient.
RODERIGO.?By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.
IAGO.?Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service,?Preferment goes by letter and affection,?And not by old gradation, where each second?Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself?Whether I in any just term am affin'd?To love the Moor.
RODERIGO.?I would not follow him, then.
IAGO.?O, sir, content you;?I follow him to serve my turn upon him:?We cannot all be masters, nor all masters?Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark?Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave?That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,?Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,?For nought but provender; and when he's old, cashier'd:?Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are?Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,?Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves;?And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,?Do well thrive by them, and when they have lin'd their coats, Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;?And such a one do I profess myself.?For, sir,?It is as sure as you are Roderigo,?Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:?In following him, I follow but myself;?Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,?But seeming so for my peculiar end:?For when my outward action doth demonstrate?The native act and figure of my heart?In complement extern, 'tis not long after?But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve?For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
RODERIGO.?What a full fortune does the thick lips owe,?If he can carry't thus!
IAGO.?Call up her father,?Rouse him:--make after him, poison his delight,?Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,?And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,?Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,?Yet throw such changes of vexation on't?As it may