Scene III

[A council chamber.]

Enter Duke and Senators, set at a table with lights and attendants.

DUKE:

There is no composition in these news
That gives them credit.

DUKE:

There is no written in this news
That makes them believable.

FIRST SENATOR:

Indeed they are disproportion'd;
My letters say a hundred and seven galleys.

FIRST SENATOR:

Indeed, they are out of proportion;
My letters say a hundred and seven galleys.

DUKE:

And mine, a hundred and forty.(5)

DUKE:

And mine a hundred and forty.

SECOND SENATOR:

And mine, two hundred.
But though they jump not on a just account—
As in these cases, where the aim reports,
'Tis oft with difference—yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.(10)

SECOND SENATOR:

And mine two hundred.
But although they don’t give a true account,
As in these cases, where the goal tells the story,
It is often with differences. Still they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and sailing to Cyprus.

DUKE:

Nay, it is possible enough to judgement:
I do not so secure me in the error,
But the main article I do approve
In fearful sense.

DUKE:

No, it is accurate enough to judge.
I’m not so convinced of the error,
But I do believe the report’s intentions
In fearful sense.

[Within.]

SAILOR:

What, ho! What, ho! What, ho!(15)

SAILOR:

What, ho! what, ho! what, ho!

[Enter Sailor.]

FIRST OFFICER:

A messenger from the galleys.

FIRST OFFICER:

A messenger from the galleys.

DUKE:

Now, what's the business?

DUKE:

Now, what's the latest?

SAILOR:

The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes;
So was I bid report here to the state
By Signior Angelo.(20)

SAILOR:

The Turkish armies are headed for Rhodes;
So I was asked to report here to the state
By Signior Angelo.

DUKE:

How say you by this change?

DUKE:

What do you say about this change?

FIRST SENATOR:

This cannot be,
By no assay of reason; 'tis a pageant
To keep us in false gaze. When we consider
The importancy of Cyprus to the Turk;(25)
And let ourselves again but understand
That as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile question bear it,
For that it stands not in such warlike brace,
But altogether lacks the abilities(30)
That Rhodes is dress'd in;—
If we make thought of this,
We must not think the Turk is so unskillful
To leave that latest which concerns him first,
Neglecting an attempt of ease and gain,(35)
To wake and wage a danger profitless.

FIRST SENATOR:

This cannot be,
By any test of reason. It is a parade
To trick us into false vision. When we consider
The importance of Cyprus to the Turks,
And let ourselves again only understand
That, as it more concerns the Turks than Rhodes,
The Turks may bear it with easier question,
Because it is not in such warlike position,
But altogether lacks the abilities
That Rhodes is dressed in. If we think about this,
We must not think the Turks are so unskillful
To leave which concerns them first to the last,
Neglecting a try for ease and gain,
To wake and wage a profitless danger.

DUKE:

Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes.

DUKE:

No, in all confidence, the Turks are not going to Rhodes.

FIRST OFFICER:

Here is more news.

FIRST OFFICER:

Here is more news.

[Enter a Messenger.]

MESSENGER:

The Ottomites, reverend and gracious,
Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes,(40)
Have there injointed them with an after fleet.

MESSENGER:

The Ottoman, reverend and gracious,
Steering with due course toward the isle of Rhodes,
Have joined a later fleet there with them.

FIRST SENATOR:

Ay, so I thought. How many, as you guess?

FIRST SENATOR:

Yes, so I thought. How many, do you guess?

MESSENGER:

Of thirty sail; and now they do restem
Their backward course, bearing with frank appearance
Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,(45)
Your trusty and most valiant servitor,
With his free duty recommends you thus,
And prays you to believe him.

MESSENGER:

About thirty ships. And now they returned via
Their backward course, bearing, with frank appearance,
Toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trusty and very valiant servant,
Salutes you like this, with his free duty,
And begs you to believe him.

DUKE:

'Tis certain then for Cyprus.
Marcus Luccicos, is not he in town?(50)

DUKE:

It is certain, then, for Cyprus.
Marcus Luccicos, isn’t he in town?

FIRST SENATOR:

He's now in Florence.

FIRST SENATOR:

He's now in Florence.

DUKE:

Write from us to him, postposthaste dispatch.

DUKE:

Write to him from us; send it very, very quickly.

FIRST SENATOR:

Here comes Brabantio and the valiant Moor.

FIRST SENATOR:

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.(55)
I did not see you; welcome, gentle signior;
We lack'd your counsel and your help tonight.

DUKE:

Valiant Othello, we must straight send you
Against the general enemy Ottoman.
I didn’t see you; welcome, gentle Signior;
We missed your advice and your help tonight.

BRAB:

So did I yours. Good your Grace, pardon me:
Neither my place nor aught I heard of business
Hath raised me from my bed, nor doth the general care(60)
Take hold on me; for my particular grief
Is of so floodgate and o'erbearing nature
That it engluts and swallows other sorrows,
And it is still itself.

BRAB:

And I missed yours. Your good grace, pardon me;
Neither my place or anything I have heard of business
Has gotten me out of bed. Nor does public safety
Concern me, because my particular grief
Is of so massive and overbearing nature
That it engulfs and swallows other sorrows,
And it is still itself.

DUKE:

Why, what's the matter?(65)

DUKE:

Why, what's the matter?

BRAB:

My daughter! O, my daughter!

BRAB:

My daughter! O, my daughter!

ALL:

Dead?

ALL:

Dead?

BRAB:

Ay, to me.
She is abused, stol'n from me and corrupted
By spells and medicines bought of mountebanks;(70)
For nature so preposterously to err,
Being not deficient, blind, or lame of sense,
Sans witchcraft could not.

BRAB:

Yes, to me;
She is abused, stolen from me, and corrupted
By spells and medicines bought of false medicine men
Because, in order for nature to make such a
preposterous Mistake, being not deficient, blind, or crazy,
It couldn’t be done without witchcraft.

DUKE:

Whoe'er he be that in this foul proceeding
Hath thus beguiled your daughter of herself(75)
And you of her, the bloody book of law
You shall yourself read in the bitter letter
After your own sense.

DUKE:

Whoever he is that, in this disgusting event,
Has tricked your daughter of herself like this,
And you of her, the bloody book of law
You shall read yourself to the bitter letter of it
As you see fit.

BRAB:

Humbly I thank your Grace.
Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems,(80)
Your special mandate for the state affairs
Hath hither brought.

BRAB:

Humbly I thank your grace.
Here is the man, this Moor; who now, it seems,
Has been brought here by
Your special mandate for the state affairs.

ALL:

We are very sorry for't.

ALL:

We are very sorry for it .

DUKE:

What in your own part can you say to this?

DUKE:

What, in your own part, can you say to this?

BRAB:

Nothing, but this is so.(85)

BRAB:

Nothing, but that this is so.

OTHELLO:

Most potent, grave, and reverend signiors,
My very noble and approved good masters,
That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter,
It is most true; true, I have married her;
The very head and front of my offending(90)
Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech,
And little blest with the soft phrase of peace;
For since these arms of mine had seven years' pith,
Till now some nine moons wasted, they have used
Their dearest action in the tented field,(95)
And little of this great world can I speak,
More than pertains to feats of broil and battle;
And therefore little shall I grace my cause
In speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience,
I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver(100)
Of my whole course of love: what drugs, what charms,
What conjuration, and what mighty magic
For such proceeding I am charged withal
I won his daughter.

OTHELLO:

Very potent, grave, and reverend signiors,
My very noble and approved good masters,
That I have taken away this old man's daughter,
Is very true; true, I have married her.
The very top and bottom of my crime
Is this big, no more. I don’t speak well,
And I am little blessed with the soft phrase of peace
Because, since these arms of mine were seven years'
old, until now some nine months past, they have used
Their dearest actions on the battlefield;
And I can speak little of this great world,
Only what relates to feats of war and battle;
And therefore I shall grace my cause little
By speaking for myself. Yet, by your gracious patience,
I will deliver a round truthful tale
Of my whole course of love, by what drugs, what charms,
What invocation, and what mighty magic,
Because I am charged with such crimes,
I won his daughter.

BRAB:

A maiden never bold;(105)
Of spirit so still and quiet that her motion
Blush'd at herself; and she—in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, credit, everything—
To fall in love with what she fear'd to look on!
It is judgement maim'd and most imperfect,(110)
That will confess perfection so could err
Against all rules of nature, I therefore vouch again,
That with some mixtures powerful o'er the blood,
Or with some dram conjured to this effect,
He wrought upon her.(115)

BRAB:

A maiden never bold,
Of a spirit so still and quiet that she blushed at her own
Movements; and she, in spite of nature,
Of years, of country, reputation, everything,
To fall in love with what she feared to look at!
It is a judgment maimed and very imperfect
That will confess perfection could be so wrong,
Against all rules of nature; and it must be driven
To find out practices of cunning hell,
Why this should be. I therefore testify again,
That he worked on her with some mixtures powerful over
the blood,
Or with some dram that produced this effect.

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.

DUKE:

To testify is not proof,
Without wider and more open tests
Than these thin habits and poor probabilities
Of modern liking prefer against him.

FIRST SENATOR:

But, Othello, speak.(120)
Did you by indirect and forced courses
Subdue and poison this young maid's affections?
Or came it by request, and such fair question
As soul to soul affordeth?

FIRST SENATOR:

But, Othello, speak.
Did you, by indirect and forced methods,
Subdue and poison this young maid's affections?
Or did she ask for them, with such a beautiful question
As soul to soul allows?

OTHELLO:

I do beseech you,(125)
Send for the lady to the Sagittary,
And let her speak of me before her father:
If you do find me foul in her report,
The trust, the office I do hold of you,
Not only take away, but let your sentence(130)
Even fall upon my life.

OTHELLO:

I beg you,
Send to the Sagittary Inn for the lady,
And let her speak of me before her father.
If you find me evil after hearing her,
The trust, the office I hold of you,
Not only take away, but also let your sentence
Fall even on my life.

DUKE:

Fetch Desdemona hither.

DUKE:

Fetch Desdemona here.

Exit two or three.

OTHELLO:

Ancient, conduct them; you best know the place.

[Exit Iago]

And till she come, as truly as to heaven
I do confess the vices of my blood,(135)
So justly to your grave ears I'll present
How I did thrive in this fair lady's love
And she in mine.

OTHELLO:

Ensign, go with them; you know the place best.

And, until she comes, as truly as
I confess the vices of my blood to heaven,
So I'll present truthfully, to your hearing,
How I thrived in this beautiful lady's love,
And she in mine.