See suitors following, and not look behind; eye must be fed; and what delight shall she have Iago. To suckle fools, and chronicle small beer. Do not learn of him, Emilia, though he be thy Cas. He speaks home, madam; you may relish him more in the soldier, than in the scholar. Iago. (Aside.) He takes her by the palm: Ay, Des. Let's meet him, and receive him. Enter OTHELLO, and Attendants. Oth. O my fair warrior! My dear Othello! Oth. It gives me wonder, great as my content, May the winds blow till they have waken'd death! As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die, Des. Oth. (Kissing her.) How do our old acquaintance of this isle?— In mine own comforts.-I pr'ythee, good Iago, [Exeunt Oth. Des. and Attend. Iago. Do thou meet me presently at the harbour. Come hither. If thou be'st valiant, as (they say) base men, being in love, have then a nobility in their natures more than is native to them,-list me. The lieutenant to-night watches on the court of guard:-First, I must tell thee this-Desdemona is directly in love with him. Rod. With him! why 'tis not possible. Iago. Lay thy finger-thus, and let thy soul be instructed. Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor, but for bragging, and telling her fantastical lies: And will she love him still for prating? let not thy discreet heart think it. Her and beauties; all which the Moor is defective in: Now, for want of these required conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itself abused, begin to heave the gorge, disrelish and abhor the Moor; very nature will instruct her in it, and compel her to some second choice. Now, sir, this granted, (as it is a most pregnant and unforced position,) who stands so eminently in the degree of this fortune, as Cassio does? a knave very voluble; no further conscionable, than in putting on the mere form of civil and humane seeming, for the better compassing of his salt and most hidden loose affection? why, none; why, none: A slippery and subtle knave; a finder out of occasions; that has an eye can stamp and counterfeit advantages, though true advantage never present itself: A devilish knave! besides, the knave is handsome, young; and hath all those requisites in him, that folly and green minds look after: A pestilent complete knave; and the woman hath found him already. Rod. I cannot believe that in her; she is full of most blessed condition. Iago. Blessed fig's end! the wine she drinks is made of grapes: if she had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor: Blessed pudding! Didst thou not see her paddle with the palm of his hand? didst not mark that? Rod. Yes, that I did; but that was but courtesy. Iago. Lechery, by this hand; an index, and obscure prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts. They met so near with their lips, that their breaths embraced together. Villanous thoughts, Roderigo! when these mutualities so marshal the way, hard at hand comes the master and main exercise, the incorporate conclusion: Pish!-But, sir, be you ruled by me: I have brought you from Venice. Watch you to-night; for the command, I'll lay't upon you: Cassio knows you not;-I'll not be far from you: Do you find some occasion to anger Cassio, either by speaking too loud, or tainting his discipline; or from what other course you please, which the time shall more favourably miRod. Well. [nister. Iago. Sir, he is rash, and very sudden in choler; and, haply, with his truncheon may strike at you: Provoke him, that he may: for, even out of that, will I cause these of Cyprus to mutiny; whose qualification shall come into no true taste again, but by the displanting of Cassio. So shall you have a shorter journey to your desires, by the means I shall then have to prefer them; and the impediment most profitably removed, without the which there were no expectation of our prosperity. Rod. I will do this, if I can bring it to any opportunity. Iago. I warrant thee. Meet me by and by at the citadel: I must fetch his necessaries ashore. Farewell. Rod. Adieu. [Exit. Iago. That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it; At least into a jealousy so strong, Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb, For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too; Iago. What, man! 'tis a night of revels; gallants desire it. Cas. Where are they? Iago. Here at the door; I pray you, call them i Iago. If I can fasten but one cup upon him, Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me, He'll be as full of quarrel and offence For making him egregiously an ass, And practising upon his peace and quiet Enter a Herald, with a proclamation; People Her. It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiant general, that, upon certain tidings now arrived, importing the mere perdition of the Turkish fleet, every man put himself into triumph; some to dance, some to make bonfires, each man to what sport and revels his addiction leads him; for, besides these beneficial news, it is the celebration of his nuptials: So much was his pleasure should be proclaimed. All offices are open; and there is full liberty of feasting, from this present hour of five, till the bell hath told eleven. Heaven bless the isle of Cyprus, and our noble general, Othello! [Exeunt. Let's teach ourselves that honourable stop, Not to outsport discretion. Cas. Iago hath direction what to do; But, notwithstanding, with my personal eye Oth. Iago is most honest. Michael, good night: To-morrow, with our earliest, Let me have speech with you.-Come, my dear love, The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue; (To Desdemona.) | That profit's yet to come 'twixt me and you.Good night, [Exeunt Oth. Des. and Attend. Enter IAGO. Cas. Welcome, Iago: We must to the watch. Cas. She's a most exquisite lady. Cas. Indeed, she is a most fresh and delicate creature. Iago. What an eye she has! methinks it sounds a parley of provocation. modest. Cas. An inviting eye; and yet, methinks, right Iago. Well, happiness to their sheets! Come, lieutenant, I have a stoop of wine: and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants, that would fain have a measure to the health of the black Othello. Cas. Not to-night, good Iago; I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking: I could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment. Iago. O, they are our friends; but one cup: I'll drink for you. Cas. I have drank but one cup to-night, and that was craftily qualified too, and, behold, what innovation it makes here: I am unfortunate in the infirmity, and dare not task my weakness with any more. As my young mistress' dog. Now, my sick fie. Roderigo, ward Whom love has turn'd almost the wrong side o Cas. 'Fore heaven, they have given me a rou already. Mon. Good faith, a little one; not past a pir as I am a soldier. Iago. Some wine, ho! ing? Tago. Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead drunk; he sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he gives your Hollander a vomit, ere the next pottle can be filled. Cas. To the health of our general. Mon. I am for it, lieutenant; and I'll do you justice. Iago. O sweet England! King Stephen was a worthy peer, His breeches cost him but a crown; And thou art but of low degree: Cas. Why, this is a more exquisite song than the other. Iago. Will you hear it again? Cas. No; for I hold him to be unworthy of his place, that does those things.-Well,- Heaven's above all; and there be souls that must be saved, and there be souls must not be saved. Iago. It's true, good lieutenant. Cas. For mine own part,-no offence to the general, nor any man of quality,-I hope to be saved. Iago. And so do I too, lieutenant. Cas. Ay, but, by your leave, not before me; the lieutenant is to be saved before the ancient. Let's have no more of this; let's to our affairs.-Forgive us our sins!-Gentlemen, let's look to our business. Do not think, gentlemen, I am drunk; this is my ancient; this is my right hand, and this is my left and:-I am not drunk now; I can stand well nough, and speak well enough. All. Excellent well. Cas. Why, very well, then you must not think then that I am drunk. [Exit. Mon. To the platform, masters; come, let's set The watch. Iago. You see this fellow that is gone before; He is a soldier, fit to stand by Cæsar And give direction; and do but see his vice; The one as long as th' other: 'tis pity of him. Iago. Not I, for this fair island: I do love Cassio well; and would do much (Cry within,-Help! help!) Re-enter CASSIO, driving in RODERIGO. Cas. You rogue! you rascal! I'll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle. Dost thou prate, rogue? Mon. Cas. Or I'll knock you o'er the mazzard. Mon. Cas. Drunk! Let me go, sir, Come, come, you're drunk. (They fight.) Iago. Away, I say! go out, and cry-a mutiny. (Aside to Rod. who goes out.) Nay, good lieutenant,-alas, gentlemen,Help, ho!-Lieuteuant,-sir, Montano,-sir;— Help, masters!-Here's a goodly watch, indeed! (Bell rings.) Who's that that rings the bell?-Diable, ho! The town will rise: God's will, lieutenant! hold; You will be sham'd for ever. Enter OTHELLO, and Attendants. Oth. What is the matter here? Mon. I bleed still, I am hurt to the death;-he dies. Oth. Hold, for your lives. Iago. Hold, hold, lieutenant,-sir, Montano,gentlemen, shame! Have you forgot all sense of place and duty? now, even In quarter, and in terms like bride and groom Oth. Or do but lift this arm, the best of you Mon. If partially affin'd, or leagu'd in office, Thou art no soldier. There comes a fellow crying out for help; Enter DESDEMONA, attended. Look, if my gentle love be not rais'd up;— I'll make thee an example. Des. What's the matter, dear? Oth. All's well now, sweeting; Come away to bed. Sir, for your hurts, Myself will be your surgeon: Lead him off. (To Montano, who is led off.) Iago, look with care about the town; in her goodness, not to do more than she is re quested: This broken joint, between you and her husband, entreat her to splinter; and, my fortes against any lay worth naming, this crack of you love shall grow stronger than it was before. Cas. You advise me well. Iago. I protest, in the sincerity of love, and ho nest kindness. Cas. I think it freely; and, betimes in the morn And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.-ing, I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to 87Come, Desdemona; 'tis the soldiers' life, To have their balmy slumbers wak'd with strife. Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation. Iago. As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more offence in that, than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving: You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: You are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his offenceless dog, to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he's your's. Cas. I will rather sue to be despised, than to deceive so good a commander, with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble? swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow ?-O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee-devil! Iago. What was he that you followed with your sword? What had he done to you? Cas. I know not. Iago. Is it possible? Cas. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore.-0, that men should put an enemy in their mouths, to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, revel, pleasure, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! Iago. Why, but you are now well enough: How came you thus recovered? Cas. It hath pleased the devil, drunkenness, to give place to the devil, wrath: one imperfectness shews me another, to make me frankly despise myself. lago. Come, you are too severe a moraler: As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this had not befallen; but since it is as it is, mend it for your own good. Cas. I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me, I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O strange!-Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil. Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used; exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think, you think I love you. Cas. I have well approved it, sir.—I drunk! Iago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at some time, man. I'll tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is now the general;-I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces:-Confess yourself freely to her; importune her; she'll help to put you in your place again: she is of so free, so kind, so apt, so blessed a disposition, that she holds it a vice dertake for me: I am desperate of my fortunes, il they check me here. Lago. You are in the right. Good-night, hent nant; I must to the watch. Cas. Good-night, honest Jago. Iago. And what's he then, that says,-I play the villain? When this advice is free, I give, and honest, Enter RODERIGO. Rod. I do follow here in the chase, not like : hound that hants, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night esceedingly well cudgelled; and, I think, the issue will be I shall have so much experience for my pains: and so, with no money at all, and a little more wit, return to Venice. Iago. How poor are they, that have not patience!What wound did ever heal, but by degrees! Thou know'st, we work by wit, and not by witchcraft; And wit depends on dilatory time. Myself, the while, to draw the Moor apart, ACT III. SCENE I.-Before the Castle. Enter CASSIO, and some Musicians. Cas. Masters, play here, I will content your pains, [ments? Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instru- 1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir? Clo. Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you: and the general so likes your music, that he desires * you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it. 1 Mus. Well, sir, we will not. Clo. If you have any music that may not be heard, to't again: but, as they say, to hear music, the general does not greatly care. 1 Mus. We have none such, sir. Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: Go; vanish into air; away. [Exeunt Musicians. Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend? Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. Cas. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman, that attends the general's wife, be stirring, tell her, there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech: Wilt thou do this? Clo. She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her. Enter IAGO. [Exit. Cas. Do, good my friend. In happy time, Iago. Iago. You have not been a-bed, then? Cas. Why, no; the day had broke Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago, To send in to your wife: My suit to her Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona Procure me some access. Iago. I'll send her to you presently; And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor Out of the way, that your converse and business May be more free. [Exit. Cas. I humbly thank you for't. I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest. Enter EMILIA. Emil. Good-morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry And needs no other suitor, but his likings, Cas. Yet, I beseech you,— Emil. I am much bound to you. [Exeunt. Emil. Good madam, do; I know it grieves my As if the case were his. [Cassio, Des. O, that's an honest fellow.-Do not doubt, But I will have my lord and you again As friendly as you were. Cas. Bounteous madam, Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio, He's never any thing but your true servant. Des. O, sir, I thank you: You do love my lord: You have known him long; and be you well assur'd, He shall in strangeness stand no further off Than in a politic distance. Cas. Ay, but, lady, That policy may either last so long, Or breed itself so out of circumstance, Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet, That, I being absent, and my place supplied, My general will forget my love and service. Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here, Enter OTHELLO and IAGO, at a distance. Emil. My lord. Iago. Ha! I like not that. Oth. What dost thou say? Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if-I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Jago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like, Seeing you coming. Oth. I do believe 'twas he. I have been talking with a suitor here, Des. Why, your lieutenant Cassio. Good my lord, For, if he be not one that truly loves you, Oth. Went he hence now? Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled, That he hath left part of his grief with me; I suffer with him. Good love, call him back. [time. Oth. Des. To-morrow dinner then? I shall not dine at home; [morn; I meet the captains at the citadel. I |