And prays you to believe him. Duke. "Tis certain then for Cyprus.Marcus Lucchesé, is he not in town? 1 Sen. He's now in Florence. Duke. Write from us; wish him' post-post-haste: despatch. 1 Sen. Here comes Brabantio, and the valiant Moor. Enter BRABANTIO, OTHELLO, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Officers. Duke. Valiant Othello, we must straight employ you Against the general enemy Ottoman. I did not see you; welcome, gentle signior; [TO BRABANTIO. We lack'd your counsel and your help to night. Bra. So did I yours: Good your grace, pardon me; Neither my place, nor aught I heard of business, Hath rais'd me from my bed; nor doth the general care Take hold on me; for my particular grief Duke. Why, what's the matter? Bra. My daughter! O, my daughter? Sen. Bra. Dead? Ay, to me; She is abus'd, stol'n from me, and corrupted By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks: Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense, ·wish him- i, e. recommend, desire him. تا Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul pro ceeding, Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, Bra. Humbly I thank your grace. Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems, Your special mandate, for the state affairs, Hath hither brought. Duke & Sen. We are very sorry for it. [TO OTHELLO. Duke. What, in your own part, can you say to this? Bra. Nothing, but this is so. Oth. Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors, And little bless'd with the set phrase of peace; In speaking for myself: Yet, by your gracious patience, I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver 2 Stood in your action.] Were the man exposed to your charge or accusation. The very head and front of my offending-] The main, the whole, unextenuated. * Their dearest action- i. e. their most important action, Of my whole course of love; what drugs, what charms, What conjuration, and what mighty magick, Bra. Why this should be. I therefore vouch again, Duke. Than these thin habits, and 5 poor likelihoods Of modern seeming," do prefer against him. 1 Sen. But, Othello, speak; Did you by indirect and forced courses Subdue and poison this young maid's affections? Oth. The trust, the office, I do hold of 7 you, overt test,] Open proofs, external evidence. Of modern seeming,] Weak show of slight appearance. the Sagittary,] The Sagittary means the sign of the fictitious creature so called, i. e. an animal compounded of man and horse, and armed with a bow and quiver. Not only take away, but let your sentence Even fall upon my life. Fetch Desdemona hither. Oth. Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place. [Exeunt IAGO and Attendants. And, till she come, as truly as to heaven I do confess the vices of my blood, Duke. Say it, Othello. Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; Still question'd me the story of my life, I ran it through, even from my boyish days, And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, 8 Wherein of antres9 vast, and desarts idle, Rough quarries, rocks, and hills whose heads touch heaven, It was my hint to speak, such was the process; The Anthropophagi, and men whose heads 1 Do grow beneath their shoulders. These things to hear, • And portance] and behaviour. 9 1 Do antres-] Caves and dens. men whose heads grow beneath their shoulders,] Of these men there is an account in the interpolated travels of Mandeville, a book of that VOL. IX. A A Would Desdemona seriously incline: But still the house affairs would draw her thence; 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful: She wish'd, she had not heard it; yet she wish'd That heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me; And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her, Enter DESDEMONA, IAGO, and Attendants. Duke. I think, this tale would win my daughter too. Good Brabantio, time. Raleigh also has given an account of men whose heads do grow beneath their shoulders, in his Description of Guiana, published in 1596, a book that without doubt Shakspeare had read. 2 But not intentively:] i. e. with attention to all its parts. |