Here comes the lady, let her witness it. Enter Desdemona, Iago, and Attendants. Duke. I think, this tale would win my daughter too. Good Brabantio, Take up this mangled matter at the best; Bra. I pray you, hear her speak; If she confess, that she was half the wooer, Destruction on my head, if my bad blame Light on the man!-Come hither, gentle mistress; Do you perceive in all this noble company, Where most you owe obedience? Des. My noble father, I do perceive here a divided duty: To you, I am bound for life, and education; band; And so much duty as my mother show'd Bra. God be with you!-I have done :- heart I here do give thee that with all my heart, lord. sentence, Which, as a grise, or step, may help these lovers (1) Grise from degrees. Into your favour. When remedies are past, the griefs are ended, The robb'd, that smiles, steals something from the thief; He robs himself, that spends a bootless grief. He bears the sentence well, that nothing bears Being strong on both sides, are equivocal : I find in hardness; and do undertake (1) i. e. That the wounds of sorrow were ever cured by the words of consolation. (2) Obscure. (3) Acknowledge. I crave fit disposition for my wife; Duke. Be't at her father's. Oth. Nor I. If you please, I'll not have it so. Des. Nor I; I would not there reside, To put my father in impatient thoughts, By being in his eye. Most gracious duke, To my unfolding lend a gracious ear, And let me find a charter in your voice, To assist my simpleness. Duke. What would you, Desdemona ? Des. That I did love the Moor to live with him, My downright violence and storm of fortunes May trumpet to the world; my heart's subdued Even to the very quality of my lord: I saw Othello's visage in his mind; By his dear absence: Let me go with him. Oth. Your voices, lords :-'beseech you, let her will Have a free way. Vouch with me, heaven; I therefore beg it not, Nor to comply with heat, the young affects,2 But to be free and bounteous to her mind: And heaven defend3 your good souls, that you think I will your serious and great business scant, (1) Allowance. (2) Affections. For she is with me: No, when light-wing'd toys That my disports corrupt and taint my business, Duke. Be it as you shall privately determine, Either for her stay, or going: the affair cries-haste, And speed must answer it; you must hence to-night. Des. To-night, my lord? Duke. Oth. This night. With all my heart. Duke. At nine i'the morning here we'll meet again. Othello, leave some officer behind, And he shall our commission bring to 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, [To Brabantio. Your son-in-law is far more fair than black. 1 Sen. Adieu, brave Moor! use Desdemona well. Bra. Look to her, Moor; have a quick eye to see; She has deceiv'd her father, and may thee. [Exeunt Duke, Senators, Officers, &c. 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 them after in the best advantage.— (1) Because. (2) Blind. Come, Desdemona; I have but an hour Rod. Iago. Iago. What say'st thou, noble heart? Rod. What will I do, thinkest thou? lago. 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, when death is our physician. Iago. O villanous! I have looked upon the world for four times seven years; and since I could distinguish between a benefit and an injury, I never found a man that knew how to love himself. Ere I would say, I would drown myself for the love of a Guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon. Rod. What should I do? I confess, it is my shame to be so fond ;2 but it is not in virtue to amend it. Iago. Virtue? a fig! 'tis in ourselves, that we are thus, or thus. Our bodies are our gardens; to the which, our wills are gardeners: so that if we will plant nettles, or sow lettuce; set hyssop, and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs, or distract it with many; either to have it steril with idleness, or manured with industry; why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to most preposterous conclusions: But we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our (1) Immediately. (2) Foolish. |