Othello (10 page)

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

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]

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

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
.