Othello: Act 1, Scene 1
Enter RODERIGO and IAGO.
RODERIGO
1
Tush! never tell me; I take it much unkindly
1. never tell me: I don't want to hear your explanations.
2
That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
3
As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.
3. this: i.e., Othello's marriage to Desdemona.
IAGO
4
'Sblood, but you will not hear me:
4. 'Sblood: by God's (Christ's) blood.
5
If ever I did dream of such a matter,
6
Abhor me.
RODERIGO
7
Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.
IAGO
8
Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,
9
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
10. Off-capp'd to him: Took off their caps to him, i.e., Othello
10
Off-capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,
11
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place.
12
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
13
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance
13. bombast circumstance: wordy rigmarole. Bombast was cotton stuffing used in padded clothing.
14
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;14. epithets of war: military jargon.
15
And, in conclusion,
16
Nonsuits my mediators; for, "Certes," says he,
16. Nonsuits: rejects, refuses. Certes: certainly.
17
"I have already chose my officer."
18
And what was he?
19
Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
19. arithmetician: i.e., one adept at figures, not at fighting.
20
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
21
A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife,
21. almost damn'd in a fair wife: We never hear another mention of Cassio's wife.
22
That never set a squadron in the field,
23
Nor the division of a battle knows
23. division: arrangement. battle: battalion.
24
More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,
24. spinster: i.e., housewife (one of whose duties was spinning). theoric: theory.
25
Wherein the toged consuls can propose
25. toged: wearing togas (dressed for the council-chamber, not the battlefield). consuls: senators. propose: discuss, talk.
26
As masterly as he. Mere prattle, without practise,
27
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:
28
And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof
28. his eyes: i.e., Othello's eyes. the proof: the proof of Iago's capabilities as a soldier.
29
At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds
30
Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd
31
By debitor and creditor this counter-caster,
30-31. be . . . counter-caster: have the wind taken out of my sails and be left behind by this bookkeeper. . . . more
32
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,
32. in good time: all of a sudden.
33
And I God bless the mark! his Moorship's ancient.
33. ancient: ensign, standard-bearer.
RODERIGO
34
By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.
34. his hangman: the one to hang him.
IAGO
35
Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service,
36
Preferment goes by letter and affection,
36. Preferment: promotion. letter and affection: private recommendation and favoritism.
37
And not by old gradation, where each second
37. old gradation: seniority, as in the good old days.
38
Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself,
39. term: respect. affined: bound.
39
Whether I in any just term am affined
40
To love the Moor.
RODERIGO
I would not follow him then.
IAGO
41
O, sir, content you;
41. content you: calm yourself.
42
I follow him to serve my turn upon him.
43
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
44
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark
45
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,
46
That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,
47
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,
48
For nought but provender, and when he's old, cashier'd:
48. cashier'd: dismissed from service.
49
Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are
50
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,
50. trimm'd in forms and visages of duty: wearing the manners and countenance of humble service.
51
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,
52
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
53
Do well thrive by them and when they have lin'd their coats
54
Do themselves homage. These fellows have some soul;
55
And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,
56
It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
57
Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago.
58
In following him, I follow but myself;
59
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
60
But seeming so, for my peculiar end:
60. peculiar: particular, personal, private.
61
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
62
The native act and figure of my heart
62. figure: shape.
63
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
63. compliment extern: external show corresponding to these hidden motives.
64
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
65
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
RODERIGO
66
What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe
66. thick-lips: i.e., Othello. owe: own, have.
67
If he can carry't thus!
67. carry't thus: carry this off.
IAGO
Call up her father,
68
Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,
69
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,
70
And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,
70. though he in a fertile climate dwell: i.e., though his general situation is a fortunate one.
71
Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,
71. flies: i.e., petty annoyances.
72
Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,
72. changes of vexation: vexatious changes.
73
As it may lose some color.
73. may lose some color: i.e., may lose some of its fresh gloss or appearance (of happiness).
RODERIGO
74
Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud.
IAGO
75
Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell
75. timorous: terrifying.
76
As when, by night and negligence, the fire
76. by night and negligence: at night and as the result of negligence.
77
Is spied in populous cities.
RODERIGO
78
What, ho, Brabantio! Signior Brabantio, ho!
IAGO
79
Awake! what, ho, Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves!
80
Look to your house, your daughter and your bags!
81
Thieves! thieves!
[Enter BRABANTIO] above [at a window].
BRABANTIO
82
What is the reason of this terrible summons?
83
What is the matter there?
RODERIGO
84
Signior, is all your family within?
IAGO
85
Are your doors lock'd?
BRABANTIO
85
Why, wherefore ask you this?
IAGO
86
'Zounds, sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on your gown;
86. 'Zounds: by God's (Christ's) wounds.
87
Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;
88
Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
89
Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise;
89. tupping: topping, copulating with (said of sheep).
90
Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
90. snorting: snoring.
91
Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:
92
Arise, I say.
BRABANTIO
What, have you lost your wits?
RODERIGO
93
Most reverend signior, do you know my voice?
BRABANTIO
94
Not I; what are you?
RODERIGO
95
My name is Roderigo.
BRABANTIO
95
The worser welcome:
96
I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors:
97
In honest plainness thou hast heard me say
98
My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness,
99
Being full of supper and distempering draughts,
99. distempering: disordering, intoxicating.
100
Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come
100. Upon malicious bravery: with hostile intent to defy me.
101
To start my quiet.
101. start: disrupt, startle.
RODERIGO
102
Sir, sir, sir,
BRABANTIO
But thou must needs be sure
103
My spirit and my place have in them power
104
To make this bitter to thee.
RODERIGO
Patience, good sir.
BRABANTIO
105
What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;
106. a grange: an isolated farmhouse.
106
My house is not a grange.
RODERIGO
Most grave Brabantio,
107. simple: sincere.
107
In simple and pure soul I come to you.
IAGO
108
'Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will not
109
serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to
110
do you service and you think we are ruffians, you'll
111
have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse;
111. covered: mounted for copulation. Barbary: the arabic states of northern Africa.
112
you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have
112. nephews: i.e., grandsons.
113
coursers for cousins and gennets for germans.
113. coursers: powerful horses. cousins: kinsmen. gennets: small Spanish horses. germans: close relatives.
BRABANTIO
114
What profane wretch art thou?
IAGO
115
I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter
116
and the Moor are now making the beast with two
117
backs.
BRABANTIO
118
Thou art a villain.
118. villain: disgusting low-life.
IAGO
You are a senator.
BRABANTIO
119
This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo.
119. This thou shalt answer: you will be held answerable for this.
RODERIGO
120
Sir, I will answer any thing. But, I beseech you,
121
If't be your pleasure and most wise consent,
122
As partly I find it is, that your fair daughter,
123
At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night,
123. this . . . dull watch o' the night: i.e., the wee hours of the morning, when nothing much is happening.
124
Transported, with no worse nor better guard
125
But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,
125. But with: than with.
126
To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor
127
If this be known to you and your allowance,
127. and your allowance: i.e., and has your approval.
128
We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;
128. saucy: insolent.
129
But if you know not this, my manners tell me
130
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe
131
That, from the sense of all civility,
131. from the sense of all civility: contrary to all sense of decency.
132
I thus would play and trifle with your reverence:
133
Your daughter, if you have not given her leave,
134
I say again, hath made a gross revolt;
135
Tying her duty, beauty, wit and fortunes
136
In an extravagant and wheeling stranger
136. extravagant: expatriate; literally, wandering beyond his limits. wheeling: roving. stranger: foreigner.
137
Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself:
137. Straight: straightway, immediately.
138
If she be in her chamber or your house,
139
Let loose on me the justice of the state
140
For thus deluding you.
BRABANTIO
Strike on the tinder, ho!
140. tinder: charred linen ignited by a spark from flint and steel, used to light torches.
141
Give me a taper! call up all my people!
142
This accident is not unlike my dream:
142. accident: occurrence, event.
143
Belief of it oppresses me already.
144
Light, I say! light!
Exit [above].
IAGO
Farewell; for I must leave you:
145
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
146
To be produced as, if I stay, I shall
146. produced: brought forward (to give evidence).
147
Against the Moor: for, I do know, the state,
148
How ever this may gall him with some check,
148. gall him with some check: bring on him some irritating rebuke (gall = rub sore, check = rebuke).
149
Cannot with safety cast him, for he's embark'd
149. cast: dismiss.
150
With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars,
150. loud reason: i.e., evident rightness of choice.
151
Which even now stand in act, that, for their souls,
151. stands in act: are under way.
152
Another of his fathom they have none,
152. fathom: i.e., capability, depth of experience.
153
To lead their business; in which regard,
153. in which regard: because of which consideration.
154
Though I do hate him as I do hell-pains,
155
Yet, for necessity of present life,
156
I must show out a flag and sign of love,
157
Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely find him,
158
Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;
158. Sagittary: an inn where Othello and Desdemona are staying (so called because its sign bore the conventional figure of Sagittarius, the Archera Centaur shooting an arrow). raised search: party of searchers who have been roused from their beds.
159
And there will I be with him. So, farewell.
Exit.
Enter [below] BRABANTIO,
with SERVANTS and torches.
BRABANTIO
160
It is too true an evil: gone she is;
161
And what's to come of my despised time
161. my despised time: i.e., the hateful remainder of my life.
162
Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo,
163
Where didst thou see her? O unhappy girl!
164
With the Moor, say'st thou? Who would be a father!
164. Who would be a father!: i.e., no man would ever be a father if he knew what suffering it caused.
165
How didst thou know 'twas she? O she deceives me
166
Past thought! What said she to you? Get moe tapers:
166. moe: more.
167
Raise all my kindred. Are they married, think you?
RODERIGO
168
Truly, I think they are.
BRABANTIO
169
O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood!
169. of the blood: within the family.
170
Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds
171
By what you see them act. Is there not charms171. charms: magic spells.
172
By which the property of youth and maidhood
172. property: special quality, nature.
173
May be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo,
173. abused: deceived.
174
Of some such thing?
RODERIGO
Yes, sir, I have indeed.
BRABANTIO
175
Call up my brother. O, would you had had her!
176
Some one way, some another. Do you know
177
Where we may apprehend her and the Moor?
RODERIGO
178
I think I can discover him, if you please,
178. discover: uncover, bring to light.
179
To get good guard and go along with me.
BRABANTIO
180
Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call;
181
I may command at most. Get weapons, ho!
181. I may command at most: i.e., I can be sure of help from most of them.
182
And raise some special officers of night.
183
On, good Roderigo: I'll deserve your pains.
183. deserve: i.e., show gratitude for, reward.
Exeunt.