Othello: Act 1, Scene 1
Enter RODERIGO and IAGO.
RODERIGO
1. never tell me: don't talk to me.
1 Tush! never tell me; I take it much unkindly
2 That thou, Iago, who hast had my purse
3. this: i.e., Othello's marriage to Desdemona.
3 As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this.
IAGO
4. 'Sblood: by God's (Christ's) blood.
4 'Sblood, but you will not hear me:
5 If ever I did dream of such a matter,
6. abhor me: i.e., loathe and abominate me.
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. bombast circumstance: wordy rigmarole. Bombast was cotton stuffing used in padded clothing. 14. epithets of war: military jargon.
13 Evades them, with a bombast circumstance
14 Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;
15 And, in conclusion,
16. Nonsuits: rejects, refuses. Certes: certainly.
16 Nonsuits my mediators; for, "Certes," says he,
17 "I have already chose my officer."
18 And what was he?
19. arithmetician: i.e., one adept at figures, not at fighting; implying that Cassio's knowledge of war is purely theoretical, based on books of tactics. 21. almost damn'd in a fair wife: We never hear another mention of Cassio's wife, and when the scene . . . more 23. division: arrangement. battle: battalion. 24. spinster: i.e., housewife (one of whose duties was spinning). theoric: theory. 25. toged: wearing togas (dressed for the council-chamber, not the battlefield). consuls: senators. propose: discuss, talk.
19 Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
20 One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
21 A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife,
22 That never set a squadron in the field,
23 Nor the division of a battle knows
24 More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,
25 Wherein the toged consuls can propose
26 As masterly as he. Mere prattle, without practise,
27 Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:
28. his eyes: i.e., Othello's eyes.
28 And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof
29 At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds
30. be be-lee'd and calm'd: have the wind taken out of my sails and be left becalmed. 31. debitor and creditor: i.e., bookkeeper. counter-caster: accountant; . . . more 32. in good time: Ironic, i.e., forsooth. 33. ancient: ensign, standard-bearer.
30 Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd
31 By debitor and creditor — this counter-caster,
32 He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,
33 And I — God bless the mark! — his Moorship's ancient.
RODERIGO
34. his hangman: the one to hang him.
34 By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.
IAGO
35 Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service,
36. Preferment: advancement. letter and affection: private recommendation and favoritism. 37. old gradation: seniority, as in the good old days.
36 Preferment goes by letter and affection,
37 And not by old gradation, where each second
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
40 I would not follow him then.
IAGO
41. content you: calm yourself.
41 O, sir, content you;
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. cashier'd: dismissed from service.
48 For nought but provender, and when he's old, cashier'd:
49 Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are
50. trimm'd in forms and visages of duty: wearing the manners and countenance of humble service.
50 Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,
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. peculiar: particular, personal, private.
60 But seeming so, for my peculiar end:
61 For when my outward action doth demonstrate
62. figure: shape.
62 The native act and figure of my heart
63. compliment extern: external show corresponding to these hidden motives.
63 In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
64 But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
65 For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
RODERIGO
66. thick-lips: i.e., Othello (Elizabethans often applied the term "Moor" to Blacks). owe: own. 67. carry't thus: carry this off.
66 What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe
67 If he can carry't thus!
IAGO
67 Call up her father,
68 Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,
69 Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,
70. though he in a fertile climate dwell: i.e., though his general situation is a fortunate one. Climate = region, country. 71. flies: i.e., petty annoyances. . . . more 72. changes of vexation: vexatious changes. 73. may lose some color: i.e., may lose some of its fresh gloss or appearance (of happiness).
70 And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,
71 Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,
72 Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,
73 As it may lose some color.
RODERIGO
74 Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud.
IAGO
75. timorous: terrifying.
75 Do, with like timorous accent and dire yell
76. by night and negligence: at night and as the result of negligence.
76 As when, by night and negligence, the fire
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: by God's (Christ's) wounds.
86 'Zounds, sir, you're robb'd; for shame, put on your gown;
87 Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul;
88 Even now, now, very now, an old black ram
89. tupping: copulating with (said of sheep).
89 Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise;
90. snorting: snoring.
90 Awake the snorting citizens with the bell,
91 Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you:
92 Arise, I say.
BRABANTIO
92 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. distempering: disordering, intoxicating.
99 Being full of supper and distempering draughts,
100. Upon malicious bravery: with hostile intent to defy me. 101. start: disrupt, startle.
100 Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come
101 To start my quiet.
RODERIGO
102 Sir, sir, sir, —
BRABANTIO
102 But thou must needs be sure
103 My spirit and my place have in them power
104 To make this bitter to thee.
RODERIGO
104 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
106 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;
112. nephews: i.e., grandsons.
112 you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have
113. coursers: powerful horses. cousins: kinsmen. gennets: small Spanish horses. germans: close relatives.
113 coursers for cousins and gennets for germans.
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. villain: base fellow.
118 Thou art a villain.
IAGO
118 You are — a senator.
BRABANTIO
119. answer: be held answerable for.
119 This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Roderigo.
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. odd-even: i.e., about midnight, when there is scarcely any distinction . . . more 124. with: by.
123 At this odd-even and dull watch o' the night,
124 Transported, with no worse nor better guard
125. but: than.
125 But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier,
126 To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor —
127. allowance: permission, approval.
127 If this be known to you and your allowance,
128. saucy: insolent.
128 We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs;
129 But if you know not this, my manners tell me
130 We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe
131. from the sense of all civility: contrary to all sense of decency.
131 That, from the sense of all civility,
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. extravagant: expatriate; literally, wandering beyond his limits. wheeling: roving. stranger: foreigner. 137. Straight: straightway.
136 In an extravagant and wheeling stranger
137 Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself:
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
140. tinder: charred linen ignited by a spark from flint and steel, used to light torches.
140 Strike on the tinder, ho!
141 Give me a taper! call up all my people!
142. accident: occurrence, event.
142 This accident is not unlike my dream:
143 Belief of it oppresses me already.
144 Light, I say! light!
Exit [above].
IAGO
144 Farewell; for I must leave you:
145 It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
146. producted: produced, brought forward (to give evidence).
146 To be produced — as, if I stay, I shall —
147 Against the Moor: for, I do know, the state,
148. gall him with some check: bring on him some irritating rebuke (gall = rub sore, check = rebuke). 149. cast: dismiss. 150. loud reason: i.e., evident rightness of choice.
148 How ever this may gall him with some check,
149 Cannot with safety cast him, for he's embark'd
150 With such loud reason to the Cyprus wars,
151. stands in act: are under way.
151 Which even now stand in act, that, for their souls,
152. fathom: i.e., capability, depth of experience.
152 Another of his fathom they have none,
153. in which regard: because of which consideration.
153 To lead their business; in which regard,
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. Sagittary: an inn where Othello and Desdemona are staying (so called because its sign bore the conventional figure of Sagittarius, the Archer—a Centaur shooting an arrow). raised search: party of searchers who have been roused from their beds.
158 Lead to the Sagittary the raised search;
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. what's to come of my despised time: the hateful remainder of my life.
161 And what's to come of my despised time
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!
165 How didst thou know 'twas she? O she deceives me
166. moe: more.
166 Past thought! What said she to you? Get moe tapers:
167 Raise all my kindred. Are they married, think you?
RODERIGO
168 Truly, I think they are.
BRABANTIO
169. of the blood: within the family.
169 O heaven! How got she out? O treason of the blood!
170 Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds
171. charms: magic spells.
171 By what you see them act. Is there not charms
172. property: special quality, nature.
s172 By which the property of youth and maidhood
173. abused: deceived.
173 May be abused? Have you not read, Roderigo,
174 Of some such thing?
RODERIGO
174 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. discover: uncover, bring to light.
178 I think I can discover him, if you please,
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: i.e., I can be sure of help from most of them.
181 I may command at most. Get weapons, ho!
182 And raise some special officers of night.
183. deserve: i.e., show gratitude for, reward.
183 On, good Roderigo: I'll deserve your pains.
Exeunt.