Othello Act 1 Scene 2
Venice. Another street, outside the Sagittary.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter Othello, Iago, and Attendants with torches.
Iago
Though in the trade of war I have slain men,
Yet do I hold it very stuff o' the conscience
To do no contrived murder: I lack iniquity
Sometimes to do me service: nine or ten times
I had thought to have yerk'd him here under the ribs.
Iago
Though I've killed men in the course of war,
I hold it a fundamental matter of conscience
not to commit premeditated murder. I lack the wickedness
that would sometimes be useful. Nine or ten times
I thought about stabbing him here, under the ribs. (He is lying about wanting to defend Othello. He would in fact happily stab someone.)
Othello
'Tis better as it is.
Othello
It's better as it is.
Iago
Nay, but he prated,
And spoke such scurvy and provoking terms
Against your honor
That, with the little godliness I have,
I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray you, sir,
Are you fast married? Be assured of this,
That the magnifico is much beloved,
And hath in his effect a voice potential
As double as the duke's: he will divorce you;
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law, with all his might to enforce it on,
Will give him cable.
Iago
But he went on and on,
using such filthy, provoking language
against your honour
that, with what little piety I have,
I had a hard time keeping my hands off him. — But tell me, sir,
are you securely married? Be sure of this:
the old grandee is much loved,
and he commands a voice as powerful
as the Duke's own, twice over. He'll have you divorced,
or inflict on you whatever restrictions and penalties
the law, stretched to its limit,
gives him room for.
Othello
Let him do his spite:
My services which I have done the signiory
Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know,—
Which, when I know that boasting is an honor,
I shall promulgate—I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege, and my demerits
May speak unbonneted to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: for know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yond?
Othello
Let him do his worst.
The services I've performed for the government
will speak louder than his complaints. It isn't yet public —
and when I decide boasting is honourable
I'll announce it — that I draw my life and being
from men of royal rank, and my own merits
can address, without removing my hat, as proud a position
as the one I've reached. Understand, Iago:
if I didn't love gentle Desdemona
I wouldn't put my unconfined, free existence
into limits and confinement
for all the treasure in the sea. — But look: what lights are those?
Iago
Those are the raised father and his friends:
You were best go in.
Iago
That's the roused father and his friends.
You'd better go inside.
Othello
Not I; I must be found:
My parts, my title and my perfect soul
Shall manifest me rightly. Is it they?
Othello
Not me. I want to be found.
My qualities, my position and my clear conscience
will show me for what I am. — Is it them?
Iago
By Janus, I think no.
Iago
By Janus, I think not. (He swears by the two-faced god. Nobody notices.)
Enter Cassio with officers and torches.
Othello
The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant.
The goodness of the night upon you, friends!
What is the news?
Othello
The Duke's men, and my lieutenant.
A good night to you, friends!
What's the news?
Cassio
The duke does greet you, general,
And he requires your haste-post-haste appearance,
Even on the instant.
Cassio
The Duke sends his greetings, general,
and requires you to appear with the utmost urgency,
this very instant.
Othello
What is the matter, think you?
Othello
What's it about, do you think?
Cassio
Something from Cyprus as I may divine:
It is a business of some heat: the galleys
Have sent a dozen sequent messengers
This very night at one another's heels,
And many of the consuls, raised and met,
Are at the duke's already: you have been hotly call'd for;
When, being not at your lodging to be found,
The senate hath sent about three several quests
To search you out.
Cassio
Something from Cyprus, as far as I can guess.
It's an urgent matter. The war galleys
have sent a dozen messengers one after another
tonight, at each other's heels.
And many of the senators, woken and assembled,
are already at the Duke's. You've been urgently sent for,
and when you weren't at your lodgings
the Senate sent out three separate search parties
to find you.
Othello
'Tis well I am found by you.
I will but spend a word here in the house,
And go with you.
Othello
It's fortunate you're the one who found me.
I'll just have a word inside the house
and then come with you.
Exit Othello.
Cassio
Ancient, what makes he here?
Cassio
Ensign — what's he doing here?
Iago
'Faith, he tonight hath boarded a land carack:
If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever.
Iago
Honestly, tonight he's boarded a treasure ship on dry land.
If it turns out to be a legal capture, he's set for life. (He describes a marriage as an act of piracy, to the man's own lieutenant.)
Cassio
I do not understand.
Cassio
I don't follow.
Iago
He's married.
Iago
He's married.
Cassio
To who?
Cassio
To whom?
Re-enter Othello.
Iago
Marry, to—Come, captain, will you go?
Iago
Why, to— Come on, captain, shall we go?
Othello
Have with you.
Othello
I'm with you.
Cassio
Here comes another troop to seek for you.
Cassio
Here comes another party looking for you.
Enter Brabantio, Roderigo, and officers with torches and weapons.
Iago
It is Brabantio. General, be advised;
He comes to bad intent.
Iago
It's Brabantio. General, be on your guard —
he means trouble.
Othello
Holla! stand there!
Othello
Stop! Stand where you are!
Roderigo
Signior, it is the Moor.
Roderigo
Signor, it's the Moor.
Brabantio
Down with him, thief!
Brabantio
Take him down, the thief!
They draw swords on both sides.
Iago
You, Roderigo! come, sir, I am for you.
Iago
You there, Roderigo! Come on, sir, I'll take you on. (He picks a fight with the one man in the crowd who is his own accomplice.)
Othello
Keep up your bright swords, for the dew will rust them.
Good signior, you shall more command with years
Than with your weapons.
Othello
Put your bright swords away — the night dew will rust them. (One line stops an armed brawl. It is the calmest, most commanding thing anyone says in the play.)
Good signor, you'll get more obedience from your age
than from your weapons.
Brabantio
O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd my daughter?
Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her;
For I'll refer me to all things of sense,
If she in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid so tender, fair and happy,
So opposite to marriage that she shunned
The wealthy curled darlings of our nation,
Would ever have, to incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou — to fear, not to delight!
Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense
That thou hast practised on her with foul charms,
Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals
That weaken motion: I'll have't disputed on;
'Tis probable and palpable to thinking.
I therefore apprehend and do attach thee
For an abuser of the world, a practiser
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant.
Lay hold upon him: if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.
Brabantio
You filthy thief — where have you stowed my daughter?
Damned as you are, you've put a spell on her.
I'll submit the case to anyone with common sense:
unless she were bound in chains of magic,
would a girl so gentle, beautiful and content,
so set against marriage that she refused
the rich, curly-haired darlings of our country,
ever have run — inviting universal ridicule —
from her father's protection to the sooty chest
of a thing like you: something to fear, not to enjoy?
Let the world judge whether it isn't blindingly obvious
that you've worked on her with foul spells,
corrupted her delicate youth with drugs or potions
that weaken the mind. I'll have it examined —
it's likely and obvious to any thinking person.
So I'm arresting you and taking you into custody
as a corrupter of the world, a practitioner
of forbidden and illegal arts.
Seize him. If he resists,
subdue him — at his own risk. (He cannot conceive that she chose. So it must be drugs, or magic. Anything but her own mind.)
Othello
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. Where will you that I go
To answer this your charge?
Othello
Hold off,
both my own party and the rest of you.
If fighting were my cue, I'd have known it
without a prompter. — Where would you like me to go
to answer this charge of yours?
Brabantio
To prison, till fit time
Of law and course of direct session
Call thee to answer.
Brabantio
To prison, until the proper time
of law and regular court proceedings
summons you to answer.
Othello
What if I do obey?
How may the duke be therewith satisfied,
Whose messengers are here about my side,
Upon some present business of the state
To bring me to him?
Othello
And if I obey?
How would that satisfy the Duke,
whose messengers are standing here beside me
on urgent state business,
to bring me to him?
Officer
'Tis true, most worthy signior;
The duke's in council and your noble self,
I am sure, is sent for.
Officer
It's true, most worthy signor.
The Duke is in council, and your noble self,
I'm certain, has been sent for.
Brabantio
How! the duke in council!
In this time of the night! Bring him away:
Mine's not an idle cause: the duke himself,
Or any of my brothers of the state,
Cannot but feel this wrong as 'twere their own;
For if such actions may have passage free,
Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be.
Brabantio
What — the Duke in council?
At this hour of the night? Bring him along.
My case isn't a trivial one. The Duke himself,
or any of my fellow statesmen,
must feel this injury as though it were their own.
Because if things like this are allowed to pass,
our statesmen will end up slaves and heathens. (He is taking a private grievance to a war council, and framing it as a threat to the state.)
Exeunt.