PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Duke of Venice.
Brabantio, a senator.
Two other Senators.
Gratiano, brother to Brabantio.
Lodovico, kinsman to Brabantio.
Othello, the Moor:
Cassio, his lieutenant ;
Iago, his ancient.
Roderico, 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, a courtezan, mistress to Cassis.

Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors,

Attendants, c.

Scene, for the first Act, in Venice; during the rest of

the play, at a sea-port in Cyprus.

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,-should'st know of this.

Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me :If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me. Rod. 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,
Oft 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 bombast circumstance,2
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war ;
And, in conclusion, nonsuits
My mediators; for, certes,3 says he,

i Saluted.

3 Certainly

2 Circumlocution.

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 theorick,"
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 1, (God bless the mark !) his Moorship's ancient.
Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his

hangman.
Iago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curse of

service; Preferment goes by letter, and affection, Not by the old gradation, where each second Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself, Whether I in any just term am affin'd 8 To love the Moor. Rod.

I would not follow him then.

* For wife some read life, supposing it to allude to the denunciation in the Gospel, wo unto you wben all men sball speak

well of you.

5
Theory.

6 Rulers of the state. 7 It was anciently the practice to reckon up sums with counters.

Related.

him : turn upon

Iago. O, sir, content you ; I follow him to serve my 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 Jago : 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 compliment extern,9 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my

sleeve For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.

Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,' If he can carry't thus ! Tago.

Call up her father,

9 Outward show of civility.

1 Own, possess.