Othello (10 page)
Authors: William Shakespeare
Indicates Montano
Steps in to Cassio and entreats
his pause
221
:
Myself the crying fellow did pursue,
Lest by his clamour — as it so fell out —
The town might fall in fright: he, swift of foot,
Outran my purpose, and I returned then
rather
225
For that
I heard the clink and fall of swords
And Cassio
high in oath
227
, which till tonight
I ne’er might say before. When I came back —
For this was brief — I found them close together
At blow and thrust, even as again they were
When you yourself did part them.
More of this matter cannot I report.
But men are men: the best sometimes
forget
233
:
Though Cassio did some little wrong to
him
234
,
As men in rage strike those that wish them best,
Yet surely Cassio, I believe, received
From him that fled some strange
indignity
237
,
Which patience could not
pass
238
.
OTHELLO
I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth
mince
240
this matter,
Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee,
But never more be officer of mine.
Enter Desdemona, attended
Look, if my gentle love be not raised up.
I’ll make thee an example.
DESDEMONA
What is the matter, dear?
OTHELLO
All’s well,
sweeting
246
:
Come away to bed.— Sir, for your hurts,
To Montano
Myself will be your surgeon
248
.— Lead him off.
[
Exeunt some with Montano
]
Iago, look with care about the town
And silence those whom this vile brawl
distracted
250
.—
Come, Desdemona: ’tis the soldiers’ life
To have their
balmy
252
slumbers waked with strife.
Exeunt[
all but Iago and Cassio
]
IAGO
What, are you hurt, lieutenant?
CASSIO
Ay, past all surgery.
IAGO
Marry, heaven forbid!
CASSIO
Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost
my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and
what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!
IAGO
As I am an honest man, I had thought you had
received some bodily wound; there is more
sense
260
in that
than in reputation. Reputation is an
idle
261
and most false
imposition
262
: 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 more ways to
recover
264
the general again: you are but now
cast in his mood
265
— a
punishment more in policy than in malice — even so as one
would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion.
Sue to
268
him again and he’s yours.
CASSIO
I will rather sue to be despised than to deceive
so good a commander with so
slight
270
, so drunken and
so
indiscreet
271
an officer. Drunk? And speak parrot? And
squabble? Swagger? Swear? And
discourse fustian
272
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
275
was he that you followed with your sword?
What had he done to you?
CASSIO
I know not.
IAGO
Is’t possible?
CASSIO
I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly:
a quarrel, but
nothing wherefore
280
. O, that men should put an
enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! That we
should, with joy,
pleasance
282
, revel and applause transform
ourselves into beasts!
IAGO
Why, but you are now well enough: how came you
thus recovered?
CASSIO
It hath pleased the devil drunkenness to give place
to the devil wrath: one unperfectness shows me another, to
make me
frankly
288
despise myself.
IAGO
Come, you are too severe a
moraler
289
. 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
292
for your own good.
CASSIO
I will ask him for my place again: he shall tell me I
am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as
Hydra
294
, such an
answer would
stop
295
them all. To be now a sensible man, by
and by a fool, and presently a beast! O, strange! Every
inordinate
297
cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil.
IAGO
Come, come, good wine is a good
familiar
298
creature,
if it be well used: exclaim no more against it. And, good
lieutenant, I think you think I love you.
CASSIO
I have well
approved it
301
, sir. I drunk?
IAGO
You or any man living may be drunk at
a time
302
,
man. I tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife is now
the general: I may say so in this respect,
for that
304
he hath
devoted and given up himself to the contemplation,
mark,
305
and denotement
of her
parts
306
and graces: confess yourself
freely to her,
importune
307
her help to put you in your place
again. She is of so
free
308
, so kind, so apt, so blessed a
disposition, 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
311
, and, my fortunes against
any
lay
312
worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow
stronger than it was before.
CASSIO
You advise me well.
IAGO
I
protest
315
, in the sincerity of love and honest
kindness.
CASSIO
I
think it freely
317
, and betimes in the morning I will
beseech the virtuous Desdemona to
undertake
318
for me: I am
desperate of
319
my fortunes if they check me.
IAGO
You are in the right. Goodnight, lieutenant: I must
to the watch.
CASSIO
Goodnight, honest Iago.
Exit Cassio
IAGO
And what’s he then that says I play the villain?
When this advice is
free
324
I give, and honest,
Probal
325
to thinking, and indeed the course
To win the Moor again? For ’tis most easy
Th’inclining
327
Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit: she’s
framed as fruitful
328
As the free elements. And then for her
To win the Moor — were’t to renounce his baptism,
All
seals
331
and symbols of redeemèd sin —
His soul is so
enfettered
332
to her love
That she may make, unmake, do what she
list
333
,
Even as her
appetite
334
shall play the god
With his weak
function
335
. How am I then a villain
To counsel Cassio to this
parallel
336
course
Directly to his good?
Divinity
337
of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins
put on
338
,
They do
suggest
339
at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now. For whiles this honest fool
Plies
341
Desdemona to repair his fortune,
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I’ll pour this
pestilence
343
into his ear,
That she
repeals him
344
for her body’s lust,
And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her
credit
346
with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into
pitch
347
,
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.—
Enter Rodorigo
How now, Rodorigo?
RODORIGO
I do follow here in the
chase
350
, not like a hound that
hunts, but one that
fills up the cry
351
. My money is almost
spent; I have been tonight exceedingly well
cudgelled
352
, and I
think the
issue
353
will be I shall have so much experience for my
pains, and so,
wit
354
h no money at all and a little more wit,
return again 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
359
time.
Does’t not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee,
And thou, by that small hurt, hath
cashiered
361
Cassio.
Though other things grow fair
against
362
the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe
363
.
Content thyself awhile. In
troth
364
, ’tis morning;
Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.
Retire thee: go where thou art billeted.
Away, I say! Thou shalt know more hereafter.
Nay, get thee gone.
Exit Rodorigo
Two things are to be done:
My wife must
move
370
for Cassio to her mistress:
I’ll set her on:
Myself
the while
372
to draw the Moor apart
And bring him
jump
373
when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife: ay, that’s the way.
Dull not
device
375
by coldness and delay.
Exit
running scene 7
Location: Cyprus (governor’s residence/citadel)
Enter Cassio,
Musicians
, Clown
CASSIO
Masters, play here: I will
content your pains
1
:
Something that’s brief, and bid ‘Good morrow,
Music
general.’
CLOWN
Why masters, have your instruments been in
Naples
4
, that they speak i’th’nose thus?
MUSICIAN
How
5
, sir? How?
CLOWN
Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?
MUSICIAN
Ay, marry, are they, sir.
CLOWN
O, thereby hangs a
tail
8
.
MUSICIAN
Whereby hangs a tale, sir?
CLOWN
Marry, sir, by many a
wind instrument
10
that I know.
But, masters, here’s money for you: and the
Gives money
general so likes your music that he desires you, for
love’s
12
sake, to make no more
noise
13
with it.
MUSICIAN
Well, sir, we will not.
CLOWN
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.
MUSICIAN
We have none such, sir.
CLOWN
Then put
up
19
your pipes in your bag, for I’ll away: go,
vanish into air, away!
Exeunt Musicians
CASSIO
Dost thou hear me, mine honest friend?
CLOWN
No, I hear not your honest friend: I hear you.
CASSIO
Prithee
keep up thy quillets
23
. There’s a
Gives money
poor piece of gold for thee: if the
gentlewoman
24
that attends
the general be
stirring
25
, tell her there’s one Cassio entreats
her a little favour of speech: wilt thou do this?
CLOWN
She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I shall
seem
27
to notify unto her.
Exit Clown
Enter Iago
CASSIO
In happy time
29
, Iago.
IAGO
You have not been a-bed, then?
CASSIO
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
36
,
And I’ll devise a
mean
37
to draw the Moor
Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free.
Exit
CASSIO
I humbly thank you for’t.— I never knew
A Florentine
41
more kind and honest.
Enter Emilia
EMILIA
Good morrow, good Lieutenant: I am sorry
For your
displeasure
43
, but all will sure be well.
The general and his wife are talking of it,
And she speaks for you stoutly: the Moor replies
That he you hurt is of great
fame
46
in Cyprus
And great
affinity
47
, and that in wholesome wisdom
He might not but refuse you: but he protests he loves you
And needs no other
suitor
49
but his likings
To bring you in again.
CASSIO
Yet, I beseech you,
If you think fit, or that it may be done,
Give me
advantage of
53
some brief discourse
With Desdemon alone.
EMILIA
Pray you come in:
I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your
bosom
57
freely.
CASSIO
I am much bound to you.
[Exeunt]
running scene 7 continues
Enter Othello, Iago and Gentlemen
OTHELLO
These letters give, Iago, to the pilot,
Gives him letters
And by him
do my duties
2
to the senate:
That done, I will be walking on the
works
3
.
Repair
4
there to me.
IAGO
Well, my good lord, I’ll do’t.
OTHELLO
This fortification, gentlemen, shall we see’t?
GENTLEMEN
We’ll wait upon your lordship.
Exeunt
running scene 7 continues
Enter Desdemona, Cassio and Emilia
DESDEMONA
Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do
All my abilities in thy behalf.
EMILIA
Good madam, do:
I warrant
3
it grieves my husband
As if the cause were his.
DESDEMONA
O, that’s an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio,
But I will have my lord and you again
As friendly as you were.
CASSIO
Bounteous madam,
Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,
He’s never anything but your true servant.
DESDEMONA
I know’t: I thank you. You do love my lord:
You have known him long, and be you well assured
He shall in
strangeness
13
stand no further off
Than in a
politic
14
distance.
CASSIO
Ay, but, lady,
That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon such
nice and waterish
17
diet,
Or
breed itself so out of circumstances
18
,
That I being absent and my place
supplied
19
,
My general will forget my love and service.
DESDEMONA
Do not
doubt
21
that: before Emilia here
I give thee
warrant
22
of thy place. Assure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I’ll perform it
To the last article: my lord shall never rest,
I’ll
watch him tame
25
and talk him out of patience;
His bed shall seem a school, his
board a shrift
26
:
I’ll intermingle everything he does
With Cassio’s suit. Therefore be merry, Cassio,
For thy
solicitor
29
shall rather die
Than give thy cause
away
30
.
Enter Othello and Iago
EMILIA
Madam, here comes my lord.
CASSIO
Madam, I’ll take my leave.
DESDEMONA
Why, stay and hear me speak.
CASSIO
Madam, not now: I am very ill at ease,
Unfit for mine own purposes.
DESDEMONA
Well,
do your discretion
36
.
Exit Cassio
IAGO
Ha? I like not that.
OTHELLO
What dost thou say?
IAGO
Nothing, my lord; or if — I know not what.
OTHELLO
Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?
IAGO
Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it,
That he would steal away so guilty-like,
Seeing your coming.
OTHELLO
I do believe ’twas he.
DESDEMONA
How now, my lord?
I have been talking with a
suitor
46
here,
A man that languishes in your displeasure.
OTHELLO
Who is’t you mean?
DESDEMONA
Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord,
If I have any
grace
50
or power to move you,
His
present reconciliation take
51
,
For if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance and not
in cunning
53
,
I have no judgement in an honest face.
I prithee call him back.
OTHELLO
Went he hence now?
DESDEMONA
Ay,
sooth
57
; so humbled
That he hath left part of his grief with me
To suffer with him. Good love, call him back.
OTHELLO
Not now, sweet Desdemon: some other time.
DESDEMONA
But shall’t be shortly?
OTHELLO
The sooner, sweet, for you.
DESDEMONA
Shall’t be tonight at supper?
OTHELLO
No, not tonight.
DESDEMONA
Tomorrow
dinner
65
, then?
OTHELLO
I shall not dine at home:
I meet the captains at the citadel.
DESDEMONA
Why then, tomorrow night, on Tuesday morn,
On Tuesday noon, or night; on Wednesday morn:
I prithee name the time, but let it not
Exceed three days. In faith, he’s penitent:
And yet his
trespass
72
, in our common reason —
Save that they say the wars must make example
Out of her
best
74
— is not almost a fault
T’incur a private
check
75
. When shall he come?
Tell me, Othello: I wonder in my soul
What you would ask me that I should deny,
Or stand so
mamm’ring
78
on. What? Michael Cassio,
That came a-wooing with you, and so many a time —
When I have spoke of you dispraisingly —
Hath ta’en your part: to have so much to do
To br
in
82
g him in! Trust me, I could do much—
OTHELLO
Prithee, no more: let him come when he will:
I will deny thee nothing.
DESDEMONA
Why, this is not a
boon
85
:
’Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,
Or sue to you to do a
peculiar
88
profit
To your own person: nay, when I have a suit
Wherein I mean to
touch
90
your love indeed,
It shall be full of
poise
91
and difficult weight,
And fearful to be granted.
OTHELLO
I will deny thee nothing:
Whereon
94
, I do beseech thee, grant me this,
To leave me but a little to myself.
DESDEMONA
Shall I deny you? No. Farewell, my lord.
OTHELLO
Farewell, my Desdemona, I’ll come to thee
straight
97
.
DESDEMONA
Emilia, come.— Be as your
fancies
98
teach you:
Whate’er you be, I am obedient.
Exeunt [Desdemona and Emilia]
OTHELLO
Excellent wretch!
Perdition
100
catch my soul,
But I do love thee! And when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.
IAGO
My noble lord—
OTHELLO
What dost thou say, Iago?
IAGO
Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady,
Know of your love?
OTHELLO
He did, from first to last: why dost thou ask?
IAGO
But for a satisfaction of my thought,
No further harm.
OTHELLO
Why of thy thought, Iago?
IAGO
I did not think he had been acquainted with her.
OTHELLO
O, yes, and went between us very oft.
IAGO
Indeed?
OTHELLO
Indeed? Ay, indeed. Discern’st thou
aught
114
in that?
Is he not honest?
IAGO
Honest, my lord?
OTHELLO
Honest, ay, honest.
IAGO
My lord, for aught I know.
OTHELLO
What dost thou think?
IAGO
Think, my lord?
OTHELLO
‘Think, my lord?’ Alas, thou echo’st me,
As if there were some monster in thy thought
Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something.
I heard thee say even now, thou lik’st not that,
When Cassio left my wife: what didst not like?
And when I told thee he was
of my counsel
126
Of my whole course of wooing, thou cried’st ‘Indeed?’
And didst contract and
purse
128
thy brow together
As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
Some horrible
conceit
130
: if thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.
IAGO
My lord, you know I love you.
OTHELLO
I think thou dost,
And
for
134
I know thou’rt full of love and honesty,
And weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them breath,
Therefore these
stops
136
of thine fright me the more,
For such things in a
false
137
disloyal knave
Are tricks of
custom
138
, but in a man that’s just
They’re
close dilations
139
, working from the heart
That passion cannot
rule
140
.
