If I would time expend with such a snipe
But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor;
And it is thought abroad that ‘twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not if ‘t be true;
But I, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for surety. He holds me well,
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio’s a proper man: let me see now;
To get his place, and to plume up my will
In double knavery,—How, how?—Let’s see:—
After some time, to abuse Othello’s ear
That he is too familiar with his wife:—
He hath a person, and a smooth dispose,
To be suspected; fram’d to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so;
And will as tenderly be led by the nose
As asses are.
I have’t;—it is engender’d:—hell and night
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world’s light.
[Exit.]
ACT II
SCENE I
A seaport in Cyprus. A Platform.
[Enter Montano and two Gentlemen.]
MONTANO
What from the cape can you discern at sea?
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood;
I cannot, ‘twixt the heaven and the main,
Descry a sail.
MONTANO
Methinks the wind hath spoke aloud at land;
A fuller blast ne’er shook our battlements:
If it hath ruffian’d so upon the sea,
What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them,
Can hold the mortise? What shall we hear of this?
SECOND GENTLEMAN
A segregation of the Turkish fleet:
For do but stand upon the foaming shore,
The chidden billow seems to pelt the clouds;
The wind-shak’d surge, with high and monstrous main,
Seems to cast water on the burning Bear,
And quench the guards of the ever-fixèd pole;
I never did like molestation view
On the enchafèd flood.
MONTANO
If that the Turkish fleet
Be not enshelter’d and embay’d, they are drown’d;
It is impossible to bear it out.
German
SCENE II
[Enter a third Gentleman.]
THIRD GENTLEMAN
News, lads! our wars are done.
The desperate tempest hath so bang’d the Turks
That their designment halts; a noble ship of Venice
Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance
On most part of their fleet.
MONTANO
How! is this true?
THIRD GENTLEMAN
The ship is here put in,
A Veronessa; Michael Cassio,
Lieutenant to the warlike Moor Othello,
Is come on shore: the Moor himself’s at sea,
And is in full commission here for Cyprus.
MONTANO
I am glad on’t; ‘tis a worthy governor.
THIRD GENTLEMAN
But this same Cassio,—though he speak of comfort
Touching the Turkish loss,—yet he looks sadly,
And prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted
With foul and violent tempest.
MONTANO
Pray heavens he be;
For I have serv’d him, and the man commands
Like a full soldier. Let’s to the seaside, ho!
As well to see the vessel that’s come in
As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello,
Even till we make the main and the aerial blue
An indistinct regard.
THIRD GENTLEMAN
Come, let’s do so;
For every minute is expectancy
Of more arrivance.
German
SCENE III
[Enter Cassio.]
CASSIO
Thanks you, the valiant of this warlike isle,
That so approve the Moor! O, let the heavens
Give him defence against the elements,
For I have lost him on a dangerous sea!
MONTANO
Is he well shipp’d?
CASSIO
His bark is stoutly timber’d, and his pilot
Of very expert and approv’d allowance;
Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,
Stand in bold cure.
[Within.] A sail, a sail, a sail!
[Enter a fourth Gentleman.]
CASSIO
What noise?
FOURTH GENTLEMAN
The town is empty; on the brow o’ the sea
Stand ranks of people, and they cry, “A sail!”
CASSIO