Des. Worse and worse. Emil. How, if fair and foolish? Iago. She never yet was foolish that was fair; For even her folly help'd her to an heir. Des. These are old fond paradoxes, to make fools laugh i'the alehouse. What miserable praise hast thou for her that's foul and foolish? Iago. There's none so foul, and foolish thereunto, But does foul pranks which fair and wise ones do. Des. O heavy ignorance!—thou praisest the worst best. But what praise could'st thou bestow on a deserving woman indeed? one, that, in the authority of her merit, did justly put on the vouch of very malice itself? now I may; Iago. She that was ever fair, and never proud; Had tongue at will, and yet was never loud; Never lack'd gold, and yet went never gay; Fled from her wish, and yet said, She that, being anger'd, her revenge being nigh, Bade her wrong stay, and her displeasure fly : She that in wisdom never was so frail, To change the cod's head for the salmon's tail; She that could think, and ne'er disclose her mind, See suitors following, and not look behind; She was a wight, if ever such wight were, — Des. To do what? 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, well said, whisper with as little a web as this, will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will give thee in thine own courtship. You say true; 'tis so, indeed: if such tricks as these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better you had not kissed your three fingers so oft, which now again you are most apt to play the sir in. Very good; well kissed! an excellent courtesy! 'tis so, indeed. Yet again your fingers to your lips? would, they were clyster-pipes for your sake! [Trumpet.] The Moor, I know his trumpet. Cas. 'Tis truly so. Des. Let's meet him, and receive him. Enter OTHELLO, and Attendants. Des. May the winds blow till they have waken'd death! As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die, [Exeunt OтH. 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 eye must be fed; and what delight shall she have to look on the devil? When the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there should be, again to inflame it, and to give satiety a fresh appetite, loveliness in favour; sympathy in years, manners 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. Villainous 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 minister. Rod. Well. 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. Jago. That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it; That she loves him, 'tis apt, and of great credit: The Moor - howbeit that I endure him not, Is of a constant, loving, noble nature; And, I dare think, he'll prove to Desdemona A most dear husband. Now I do love her too; Not out of absolute lust, (though, peradventure, I stand accountant for as great a sin,) But partly led to diet my revenge, For that I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leap'd into my seat: the thought whereof do, Which thing to If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trasa Enter a Herald, with a proclamation; People following. 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 Iago. What an eye she has! methinks it sounds a parley of provocation. Cas. An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest. Iago. And, when she speaks, is it not an alarm to love? Cas. She is, indeed, perfection. Come, Iago. Well, happiness to their sheets! 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 drunk 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 Iago. Here at the door; I pray you call them in. Cas. I'll do it; but it dislikes me. [Exit CASSIO. Iago. If I can fasten but one cup upon him, With that which he hath drunk to-night already, He'll be as full of quarrel and offence As my young mistress' dog. Now, my sick fool, Roderigo, Whom love has turn'd almost the wrong side out ward, To Desdemona hath to-night carous'd A life's but a span; Why then, let a soldier drink. Some wine, boys! [Wine brought in. Cas. 'Fore heaven, an excellent song. Iago. I learned it in England, where (indeed) they are most potent in potting: your Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied Hollander,-Drink, ho!are nothing to your English. Cas. Is your Englishman so expert in his drinking? Iago. 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; He held them sixpence all too dear, With that he call'd the tailor- lown. He was a wight of high renown, And thou art but of low degree : 'Tis pride that pulls the country down, Then take thine auld cloak about thee. Some wine, ho! 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 Javed. 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 hand: - -I am not drunk now; I can stand well enough, and speak well enough. Iago. You see this fellow, that is gone before; The one as long as the other: 'tis pity of him. But is he often thus ? Mon. If drink rock not his cradle. It were well, Iago. How, now, Roderigo? Aside. [Exit RODERIGO, Mon. And 'tis great pity, that the noble Moor Should hazard such a place, as his own second, With one of an ingraft infirmity: It were an honest action, to say Have you forgot all sense of place and duty? Hold, hold! the general speaks to you; hold, for shame! Oth. Why, how now, ho! from whence ariseth this? Are we turn'd Turks; and to ourselves do that, ters? Honest Iago, that look'st dead with grieving, now, In quarter, and in terms like bride and groom Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot? Mon. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger; Your officer, Iago, can inform you Of all that I do know: nor know I aught Oth. Mon. If partially affin'd, or leagu'd in office, Thou dost deliver more or less than truth, Thou art no soldier. Myself the crying fellow did pursue, Oth. Enter DESDEMONA, attended. Look, if my gentle love be not rais'd up; — I'll make thee an example. What's the matter, dear? Des. 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; To have their balmy slumbers wak'd with strife. Iago. Marry, heaven forbid ! 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 is 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. Why, but you are now well enough: How came you thus recovered? Cas. It hath pleased the devil, drunkenness, to give place to the deyil, wrath one unperfectness shows me another, to make me frankly despise myself. Iago. 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 denote- | ment 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 in her goodness, not to do more than she is requested: This broken joint, between you and her husband, entreat her to splinter; and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before 3 -- ACT II. SCENE III. In any honest suit; she's fram'd as fruitful So will I turn her virtue into pitch; 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; 3 And wit depends on dilatory time. My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress ; ACT III. Cas. Masters, play here, I will content your pains, Something that's brief; and bid -good-morrow, general. [Musick. Enter Clown. Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i'the nose thus? 1 Mus. How, sir, how! [Exit. Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instru ments? 1 Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir. Clo. O, thereby hangs a tail. 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 |