Are you a man? have you a soul, or sense?— God be wi' you; take mine office.-O wretched fool, That liv'st to make thine honesty a vice!— Oth. I'll tear her all to pieces. Iago. Nay, but be wise; yet we see nothing done; She may be honest yet. Tell me but this, O monstrous world! take note, take note, O Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief, world, To be direct and honest, is not safe. I thank you for this profit; and, from hence, Oth. By the world, I think my wife be honest, and think she is not; Oth. Would? nay, I will. [lord Iago. And may; but, how? how satisfied, my Would you, the supervisor, grossly gupe on? Behold her tupp'd? Oth. Death and damnation! O! Iago. It were a tedious difficulty, I think, To bring them to that prospect: Damn them then, If ever mortal eyes do see them bolster, Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, Oth. Give me a living reason she's disloyal. But, sith I am enter'd in this cause so far,- There are a kind of men so loose of soul, In sleep I heard him say,-Sweet Desdemona, And then, sir, would he gripe, and wring my hand, Cry,-O sweet creature! and then kiss me hard, Oth. But this denoted a foregone conclusion; Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream. lago. And this may help to thicken other That do demonstrate thinly. [proofs, Spotted with strawberries, in your wife's hand? Oth. I gave her such a one; 'twas my first gift. Iago. I know not that: but such a handker chief, (I am sure, it was your wife's), did I to-day See Cassio wipe his beard with. Oth. If it be that, Iago. If it be that, or any that was hers, It speaks against her, with the other proofs. Oth. O, that the slave had forty thousand lives; One is too poor, too weak, for my revenge! Now do I see 'tis true.-Look here, Iago; All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven: 'Tis gone. Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell! Iago. Pray, be content. Iago. Patience, I say; your mind, perhaps, may change. Oth. Never Iago. Like to the Pontic sea, Whose icy current and compulsive course Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on To the Propontic, and the Hellespont; Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace, Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love, Till that a capable and wide revenge [heaven, Swallow them up.-Now, by yond' marble In the due reverence of a sacred vow [kneels. I here engage my words. [kneels. Iago. Do not rise yet.Witness, you ever-burning lights above! You elements that clip us round about! Witness, that here lago doth give up The execution of his wit, hands, heart, To wrong'd Othello's service! let him command, And to obey shall be in me remorse, What bloody work soever. Oth. I greet thy love, [teous. Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance boun- Iago. My friend is dead; 'tis done, at your But let her live. [request: Oth. Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw, To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant. Iago. I am your own for ever. [ereunt. I Cio. To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you | The thoughts of people; she told her, while she where I lie. Des. Can any thing be made of this? Clo. I know not where he lodges; and for me to devise a lodging, and say—he lies here, or he| lies there, were to lie in my own throat. Des. Can you inquire him out, and be edified by report? Clo. I will catechise the world for him; that is, make questions, and by them answer. Des. Seek him, bid him come hither; tell him, I have moved my lord in his behalf, and hope, all will be well. Clo. To do this, is within the compass of man's wit; and therefore I will attempt the doing it. [erit. Des. Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia? Emil. I know not, madam. [purse kept it, 'Twould make her amiable, and subdue my father Des. Is it possible? Oth. 'Tis true; there's magic in the web of it; A sibyl, that had number'd in the world The sun to make two hundred compasses, In her prophetic fury sew'd the work: The worms were hallow'd, that did breed the silk; And it was died in mummy, which the skilful Conserv'd of maidens' hearts. Des. Indeed! is't true? Oth. Most veritable; therefore look to't well. Des. Then 'would to heaven, that I had never Oth. Ha! wherefore? [seen it. Des. Why do you speak so startingly and rash? Des. It is not lost; but what an if it were! Des. I say, it is not lost, Oth. Fetch't, let me see it. Des. Why, so I can, sir: but I will not now; This is a trick, to put me from my suit; I pray, let Cassio be receiv'd again. Oth. Fetch me that handkerchief: my mina Des. Come, come; [misgives. You'll never meet a more sufficient man. Oth. The handkerchief! Des. I pray, talk to me of Cassio. Des. A man that, all his time, Hath founded his good fortune on your love Oth. The handkerchief!- You are to blame. Oth. Away! [exit Othello. Emil. Is not this man jealous? Des. I ne'er saw this before. Sure, there's some wonder in this handkerchief: I am most unhappy in the loss of it. Emil. 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man: They are all but stomachs, and we all but food; They eat us hungerly, and when they are full, They belch us. Look you! Cassio, and my husband. Enter Iago and Cassio. Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't; And, lo, the happiness! go, and impórtune her. Des. How now, good Cassio? what's the news with you? Cas. Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you, That by your virtuous means, I may again Exist, and be a member of his love, Whom I, with all the duty of my heart, Entirely honour; I would not be delay'd: Can rausom me into his love again, But to know so must be my benefit; So shall I clothe me in a forc'd content, And shut myself up in some other course, bo To fortune's alms. Des. Alas! thrice-gentle Cassio, My advocation is not now in tune; My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him, As I have spoken for you all my best; Emil. He went hence but now, Tago. Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon, ! Our other healthful members ev'n to that sense [think; as you Emil. Pray heaven, it be state matters, as y And no conception, nor no jealous toy, Concerning you. Des. Alas, the day! I never gave him cause. Emil. But jealous souls will not be answer'd so; They are not ever jealous for the cause, But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster, Begot upon itself, born on itself. To kiss in private? Oth. An unauthoriz'd kiss. If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit, Bian. Save you, friend Cassio! Bian. And I was going to your lodging, Cassio. What! keep a week away? seven days and nights? Eight score eight hours? and lovers' absent hours, More tedious than the dial eight score times? O weary reckoning! Cas. Pardon me, Bianca; I have this while with leaden thoughts been Take me this work out. Cas. Woman, go to! ACT IV. Iago. Or to be naked with her friend abed, An hour, or more, not meaning any harm? Oth. Naked abed, Iago, and not mean harm? It is hypocrisy against the devil: They that mean virtuously, and yet do so, Oth. By heaven, I would most gladly have Which they dare swear peculiar; your case is better. O, 'tis the spite of hell, the fiend's arch-mock, To lip a wanton in a secure couch, And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know; And, knowing what I am, I know what she shall be. Oth. O, thou art wise; 'tis certain. Iago. Stand you awhile apart; Confine yourself but in a patient list. Whilst you are here, ere while mad with your grief, (A passion most unsuiting such a man), Cassio came hither: I shifted him away, And laid good 'scuse upon your ecstasy; Iago. He hath, my lord; but, be you well Bade him anon return, and here speak with me; I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion, without some instruction. It is not words, that shake.ome thus: Pish! Noses, ears, and lips: Is it possible? Confess! Handkerchief! O devil! bookswoons. Iago. Work on, The which he promis'd. Do but encave yourself, And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorns, That dwell in every region of his face: For I will make him tell the tale anew,— I Oth. Dost thou hear, Iago? I will be found most cunning in my patience But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw? [Oth. retires. A housewife, that, by selling her desires, My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are To beguile many, and be beguil'd by one ;- And many worthy and chaste dames, even thus, ་་་་་་ My lord, I say! Othello!-How now, Cassio? Iago. My lord is fallen into an epilepsy; The lethargy must have his quiet course: Iago. I mock you! no, by heaven! Oth. Did he confess it? [city, Iago. Good sir, be a man; Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yok'd, May draw with you: there's millions now alive, That nightly lie in those unproper beds, He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad; Cas. The worser, that you gave me the addition, Whose want even kills me. [of't. Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power, [speaking lower. How quickly should you speed? Oth. Look, how he laughs already! [aside. Cas. I marry her!-what? a customer! I pr'ythee, bear some charity to my wit: do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha! Oth. So, so, so, so: they laugh that win. [aside. Iago. 'Faith, the cry goes, that you shall marry her. Cas. Pry'thee, say true. [aside. Cas. This is the monkey's own giving out: she is persuaded I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise. Oth. Iago beckons me; now he begins the story. [aside. Cas. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was, the other day, talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes this bauble; by this hand, she falls thus about my neck ; Oth. Crying, O dear Cassio! as it were: his gesture imports it. [aside. Cas. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; so hales, and pulls me: ha, ha, ha!— Oth. Now he tells, how she plucked him to my chamber: O, I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall throw it to. [aside. Cas. Well, I must leave her company. Cas. 'Tis such another fitchew! marry, a perfumed one. What do you mean by this haunting of me? Bian. Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did you mean by that same handkerchief, you gave me even now? I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the whole work ?-A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there! This is some minx's token, and I must take out the work? There,-give it your hobby-horse: wheresoever you had it, I'll take out no work on't. Cas. How now, my sweet Bianca? how now? how now? Oth. By heaven, that should be my handkerchief! [aside. Bian. An you'll come to supper to-night, you may: an you will not, come when you are next prepared for. [exit. Iago. After her, after her. Cas. 'Faith I must, she'll rail in the street else. Iago. Well, I may chance to see you; for I would very fain speak with you. Cas. Pr'ythee, come; will you? [exit Cassio. Oth. How shall I murder him, Iago? Iago. Did you perceive how he laughed at his vice? Oth. O, Iago! Iago. And did you see the handkerchief? Iago. Yours, by this hand and to see how he prizes the foolish woman, your wife! she gave it Lim, and he hath given it bis whore! Oth. I would have him nine years a killing :A fine woman! a fair woman! a sweet woman! Iago. Nay, you must forget that. Oth. Ay, let her rot, and perish, and be damned to-night; for she shall not live: no, my heart is turned to stone; I strike it, and it hurts my hand. O, the world hath not a sweeter creature: she might lie by an emperor's side, and commard him tasks. Iago. Nay, that's not your way. Oth. Hang her! I do but say what she is:So delicate with her needle! An admirable musician! O, she will sing the savageness out of a bear!-Of so high and plenteous wit and invention !— Iago. She's the worse for all this. Oth. O, a thousand, a thousand times;-and then, of so gentle a condition !— Iago. Ay, too gentle. Oth. Nay, that's certain: but yet the pity of it, Iago!-O, Iago, the pity of it, Iago! Iago. If you are so fond over her iniquity, give her patent to offend; for, if it touch not you, it comes near nobody. Oth. I will chop her into messes: Cuckold me! Oth. Get me some poison, Iago; this night: -I'll not expostulate with her, lest her body and beauty unprovide my mind again :—this night, Iago. Iago. Do it not with poison; strangle her in her bed, even the bed she hath contaminated. Oth. Good, good; the justice of it pleases; very good. Iago. And, for Cassio,-let me be his undertaker: You shall hear more by midnight. [a trumpet within. Oth. Excellent good.-What trumpet is that same? Iago. Something from Venice, sure. 'Tis Lodovico, Come from the duke: and, see, your wife is with him. Enter Lodovico, Desdemona, and Attendants. Lod. The duke and senators of Venice greet vico ? Iago. I am very glad to see you, signior; Welcome to Cyprus. Lod. I thank you: how does lieutenant Cassio? Iago. Lives, sir. Des. Cousin, there's fallen between him and my lord An unkind breach: but you shall make all well. Oth. This fail you not to do as you wil— |