By no assay of reason; 'tis a pageant, That, as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes, That Rhodes is dress'd in: if we make thought of this, We must not think, the Turk is so unskilful, Duke. Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes. Enter a Messenger. Mess. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious, Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes, Have there injointed them with an after fleet. 1 Sen. Ay, so I thought:-How many, as you guess? Mess. Of thirty sail and now do they re-stem Their backward course, bearing with frank appearance Their purposes toward Cyprus.-Signior Montano, Your trusty and most valiant servitor, With his free duty recommends you thús, 6 By no assay of reason;] Bring it to the test, examine it by reason as we examine metals by the assay, it will be found counterfeit by all trials. 7 with more facile question-] That is, he may carry it with less dispute, with less opposition. 8 warlike brace,] State of defence. To arm was called to brace on the armour. To wake, and wage,] To wage here, as in many other places in Shakspeare, signifies to fight, to combat. And prays you to believe him. 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? Sen. -Bra we 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.himi.e. recommend, desire him. Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul pro ceeding, Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, After your own sense; yea, though our proper son 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, My very noble and approv'd good masters, That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, And little bless'd with the set phrase of peace; 4 And little of this great world can I speak, 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. 3 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, That with some mixtures powerful o'er the blood, Or with some dram conjur'd to this effect, He wrought upon her. Duke. To vouch this, is no proof; Without more certain and more overt test," Than these thin habits, and poor likelihoods Of modern seeming, do prefer against him. 1 Sen. But, Othello, speak ; 6 Did you by indirect and forced courses Subdue and poison this young maid's affections? Oth. 5 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 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, So justly to your grave ears I'll present Duke. Say it, Othello. Oth. Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; I ran it through, even from my boyish days, Of hair-breadth scapes i' the imminent deadly breach; And sold to slavery; of my redemption thence, Wherein of antres 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 And portance] And behaviour. antres-] Caves and dens. -men whose heads Do grow beneath their shoulders,] Of these men there is an account in the interpolated travels of Mandeville, a book of that 2 |