1    Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do
2    All my abilities in thy behalf.

3    Good madam, do: I warrant it grieves my husband,
4    As if the case were his.

5    O, that's an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio,
6    But I will have my lord and you again
7    As friendly as you were.

8    Bounteous madam,
9    Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,
10   He's never any thing but your true servant.

11   I know't; I thank you. You do love my lord:
12   You have known him long; and be you well assured
13   He shall in strangeness stand no further off
14   Than in a polite distance.

15   Ay, but, lady,
16   That policy may either last so long,
17   Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
18   Or breed itself so out of circumstance,
19   That, I being absent and my place supplied,
20   My general will forget my love and service.

21   Do not doubt that; before Emilia here
22   I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,
23   If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it
24   To the last article: my lord shall never rest;
25   I'll watch him tame and talk him out of patience;
26   His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;
27   I'll intermingle every thing he does
28   With Cassio's suit: therefore be merry, Cassio;
29   For thy solicitor shall rather die
30   Than give thy cause away.

31   Madam, here comes my lord.

32   Madam, I'll take my leave.

33   Why, stay, and hear me speak.

34   Madam, not now: I am very ill at ease,
35   Unfit for mine own purposes.

36   Well, do your discretion.

37   Ha! I like not that.

38   What dost thou say?

39   Nothing, my lord: or if--I know not what.

40   Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?

41   Cassio, my lord! No, sure, I cannot think it,
42   That he would steal away so guilty-like,
43   Seeing you coming.

44   I do believe 'twas he.

45   How now, my lord!
46   I have been talking with a suitor here,
47   A man that languishes in your displeasure.

48   Who is't you mean?

49   Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord,
50   If I have any grace or power to move you,
51   His present reconciliation take;
52   For if he be not one that truly loves you,
53   That errs in ignorance and not in cunning,
54   I have no judgment in an honest face:
55   I prithee, call him back.

56   Went he hence now?

57   Ay, sooth; so humbled
58   That he hath left part of his grief with me,
59   To suffer with him. Good love, call him back.

60   Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time.

61   But shall't be shortly?

62   The sooner, sweet, for you.

63   Shall't be to-night at supper?

64   No, not to-night.

65   To-morrow dinner, then?

66   I shall not dine at home;
67   I meet the captains at the citadel.

68   Why, then, to-morrow night; or Tuesday morn;
69   On Tuesday noon, or night; on Wednesday morn:
70   I prithee, name the time, but let it not
71   Exceed three days: in faith, he's penitent;
72   And yet his trespass, in our common reason--
73   Save that, they say, the wars must make examples
74   Out of their best--is not almost a fault
75   To incur a private cheque. When shall he come?
76   Tell me, Othello: I wonder in my soul,
77   What you would ask me, that I should deny,
78   Or stand so mammering on. What! Michael Cassio,
79   That came a-wooing with you, and so many a time,
80   When I have spoke of you dispraisingly,
81   Hath ta'en your part; to have so much to do
82   To bring him in! Trust me, I could do much,--

83   Prithee, no more: let him come when he will;
84   I will deny thee nothing.

85   Why, this is not a boon;
86   'Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
87   Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,
88   Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit
89   To your own person: nay, when I have a suit
90   Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,
91   It shall be full of poise and difficult weight
92   And fearful to be granted.

93   I will deny thee nothing:
94   Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this,
95   To leave me but a little to myself.

96   Shall I deny you? no: farewell, my lord.

97   Farewell, my Desdemona: I'll come to thee straight.

98   Emilia, come. Be as your fancies teach you;
99   Whate'er you be, I am obedient.

100  Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul,
101  But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,
102  Chaos is come again.

103  My noble lord--

104  What dost thou say, Iago?

105  Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady,
106  Know of your love?

107  He did, from first to last: why dost thou ask?

108  But for a satisfaction of my thought;
109  No further harm.

110  Why of thy thought, Iago?

111  I did not think he had been acquainted with her.

112  O, yes; and went between us very oft.

113  Indeed!

114  Indeed! ay, indeed: discern'st thou aught in that?
115  Is he not honest?

116  Honest, my lord!

117  Honest! ay, honest.

118  My lord, for aught I know.

119  What dost thou think?

120  Think, my lord!

121  Think, my lord!
122  By heaven, he echoes me,
123  As if there were some monster in his thought
124  Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something:
125  I heard thee say even now, thou likedst not that,
126  When Cassio left my wife: what didst not like?
127  And when I told thee he was of my counsel
128  In my whole course of wooing, thou criedst 'Indeed!'
129  And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
130  As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
131  Some horrible conceit: if thou dost love me,
132  Show me thy thought.

133  My lord, you know I love you.

134  I think thou dost;
135  And, for I know thou'rt full of love and honesty,
136  And weigh'st thy words before thou givest them breath,
137  Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more:
138  For such things in a false disloyal knave
139  Are tricks of custom, but in a man that's just
140  They are close delations, working from the heart
141  That passion cannot rule.

142  For Michael Cassio,
143  I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.

144  I think so too.

145  Men should be what they seem;
146  Or those that be not, would they might seem none!

147  Certain, men should be what they seem.

148  Why, then, I think Cassio's an honest man.

149  Nay, yet there's more in this:
150  I prithee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,
151  As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts
152  The worst of words.

153  Good my lord, pardon me:
154  Though I am bound to every act of duty,
155  I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.
156  Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false;
157  As where's that palace whereinto foul things
158  Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,
159  But some uncleanly apprehensions
160  Keep leets and law-days and in session sit
161  With meditations lawful?

162  Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
163  If thou but think'st him wrong'd and makest his ear
164  A stranger to thy thoughts.

165  I do beseech you--
166  Though I perchance am vicious in my guess,
167  As, I confess, it is my nature's plague
168  To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy
169  Shapes faults that are not--that your wisdom yet,
170  From one that so imperfectly conceits,
171  Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble
172  Out of his scattering and unsure observance.
173  It were not for your quiet nor your good,
174  Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
175  To let you know my thoughts.

176  What dost thou mean?

177  Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
178  Is the immediate jewel of their souls:
179  Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
180  'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands:
181  But he that filches from me my good name
182  Robs me of that which not enriches him
183  And makes me poor indeed.

184  By heaven, I'll know thy thoughts.

185  You cannot, if my heart were in your hand;
186  Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody.

187  Ha!

188  O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;
189  It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
190  The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss
191  Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;
192  But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er
193  Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!

194  O misery!

195  Poor and content is rich and rich enough,
196  But riches fineless is as poor as winter
197  To him that ever fears he shall be poor.
198  Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
199  From jealousy!

200  Why, why is this?
201  Think'st thou I'ld make a lie of jealousy,
202  To follow still the changes of the moon
203  With fresh suspicions? No; to be once in doubt
204  Is once to be resolved: exchange me for a goat,
205  When I shall turn the business of my soul
206  To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,
207  Matching thy inference. 'Tis not to make me jealous
208  To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
209  Is free of speech, sings, plays and dances well;
210  Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:
211  Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
212  The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt;
213  For she had eyes, and chose me. No, Iago;
214  I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
215  And on the proof, there is no more but this,--
216  Away at once with love or jealousy!

217  I am glad of it; for now I shall have reason
218  To show the love and duty that I bear you
219  With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,
220  Receive it from me. I speak not yet of proof.
221  Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;
222  Wear your eye thus, not jealous nor secure:
223  I would not have your free and noble nature,
224  Out of self-bounty, be abused; look to't:
225  I know our country disposition well;
226  In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks
227  They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience
228  Is not to leave't undone, but keep't unknown.

229  Dost thou say so?

230  She did deceive her father, marrying you;
231  And when she seem'd to shake and fear your looks,
232  She loved them most.

233  And so she did.

234  Why, go to then;
235  She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,
236  To seal her father's eyes up close as oak-
237  He thought 'twas witchcraft--but I am much to blame;
238  I humbly do beseech you of your pardon
239  For too much loving you.

240  I am bound to thee for ever.

241  I see this hath a little dash'd your spirits.

242  Not a jot, not a jot.

243  I' faith, I fear it has.
244  I hope you will consider what is spoke
245  Comes from my love. But I do see you're moved:
246  I am to pray you not to strain my speech
247  To grosser issues nor to larger reach
248  Than to suspicion.

249  I will not.

250  Should you do so, my lord,
251  My speech should fall into such vile success
252  As my thoughts aim not at. Cassio's my worthy friend--
253  My lord, I see you're moved.

254  No, not much moved:
255  I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

256  Long live she so! and long live you to think so!

257  And yet, how nature erring from itself,--

258  Ay, there's the point: as--to be bold with you--
259  Not to affect many proposed matches
260  Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,
261  Whereto we see in all things nature tends--
262  Foh! one may smell in such a will most rank,
263  Foul disproportion thoughts unnatural.
264  But pardon me; I do not in position
265  Distinctly speak of her; though I may fear
266  Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,
267  May fall to match you with her country forms
268  And happily repent.

269  Farewell, farewell:
270  If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;
271  Set on thy wife to observe: leave me, Iago:

Going
272   My lord, I take my leave.

273  Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless
274  Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

Returning
275   My lord, I would I might entreat
276  your honour
277  To scan this thing no further; leave it to time:
278  Though it be fit that Cassio have his place,
279  For sure, he fills it up with great ability,
280  Yet, if you please to hold him off awhile,
281  You shall by that perceive him and his means:
282  Note, if your lady strain his entertainment
283  With any strong or vehement importunity;
284  Much will be seen in that. In the mean time,
285  Let me be thought too busy in my fears--
286  As worthy cause I have to fear I am--
287  And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.

288  Fear not my government.

289  I once more take my leave.

290  This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
291  And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
292  Of human dealings. If I do prove her haggard,
293  Though that her jesses were my dear heartstrings,
294  I'ld whistle her off and let her down the wind,
295  To pray at fortune. Haply, for I am black
296  And have not those soft parts of conversation
297  That chamberers have, or for I am declined
298  Into the vale of years,--yet that's not much--
299  She's gone. I am abused; and my relief
300  Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
301  That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
302  And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
303  And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
304  Than keep a corner in the thing I love
305  For others' uses. Yet, 'tis the plague of great ones;
306  Prerogatived are they less than the base;
307  'Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:
308  Even then this forked plague is fated to us
309  When we do quicken. Desdemona comes:
Re-enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA
310  If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!
311  I'll not believe't.

312  How now, my dear Othello!
313  Your dinner, and the generous islanders
314  By you invited, do attend your presence.

315  I am to blame.

316  Why do you speak so faintly?
317  Are you not well?

318  I have a pain upon my forehead here.

319  'Faith, that's with watching; 'twill away again:
320  Let me but bind it hard, within this hour
321  It will be well.

322  Your napkin is too little:
He puts the handkerchief from him; and it drops
323  Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you.

324  I am very sorry that you are not well.

325  I am glad I have found this napkin:
326  This was her first remembrance from the Moor:
327  My wayward husband hath a hundred times
328  Woo'd me to steal it; but she so loves the token,
329  For he conjured her she should ever keep it,
330  That she reserves it evermore about her
331  To kiss and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out,
332  And give't Iago: what he will do with it
333  Heaven knows, not I;
334  I nothing but to please his fantasy.

335  How now! what do you here alone?

336  Do not you chide; I have a thing for you.

337  A thing for me? it is a common thing--

338  Ha!

339  To have a foolish wife.

340  O, is that all? What will you give me now
341  For the same handkerchief?

342  What handkerchief?

343  What handkerchief?
344  Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;
345  That which so often you did bid me steal.

346  Hast stol'n it from her?

347  No, 'faith; she let it drop by negligence.
348  And, to the advantage, I, being here, took't up.
349  Look, here it is.

350  A good wench; give it me.

351  What will you do with 't, that you have been
352  so earnest
353  To have me filch it?

Snatching it
354   Why, what's that to you?

355  If it be not for some purpose of import,
356  Give't me again: poor lady, she'll run mad
357  When she shall lack it.

358  Be not acknown on 't; I have use for it.
359  Go, leave me.
Exit EMILIA
360  I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin,
361  And let him find it. Trifles light as air
362  Are to the jealous confirmations strong
363  As proofs of holy writ: this may do something.
364  The Moor already changes with my poison:
365  Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons.
366  Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
367  But with a little act upon the blood.
368  Burn like the mines of Sulphur. I did say so:
369  Look, where he comes!
Re-enter OTHELLO
370  Not poppy, nor mandragora,
371  Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
372  Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
373  Which thou owedst yesterday.

374  Ha! ha! false to me?

375  Why, how now, general! no more of that.

376  Avaunt! be gone! thou hast set me on the rack:
377  I swear 'tis better to be much abused
378  Than but to know't a little.

379  How now, my lord!

380  What sense had I of her stol'n hours of lust?
381  I saw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me:
382  I slept the next night well, was free and merry;
383  I found not Cassio's kisses on her lips:
384  He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stol'n,
385  Let him not know't, and he's not robb'd at all.

386  I am sorry to hear this.

387  I had been happy, if the general camp,
388  Pioners and all, had tasted her sweet body,
389  So I had nothing known. O, now, for ever
390  Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!
391  Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,
392  That make ambition virtue! O, farewell!
393  Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
394  The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
395  The royal banner, and all quality,
396  Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war!
397  And, O you mortal engines, whose rude throats
398  The immortal Jove's dead clamours counterfeit,
399  Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone!

400  Is't possible, my lord?

401  Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore,
402  Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof:
403  Or by the worth of man's eternal soul,
404  Thou hadst been better have been born a dog
405  Than answer my waked wrath!

406  Is't come to this?

407  Make me to see't; or, at the least, so prove it,
408  That the probation bear no hinge nor loop
409  To hang a doubt on; or woe upon thy life!

410  My noble lord,--

411  If thou dost slander her and torture me,
412  Never pray more; abandon all remorse;
413  On horror's head horrors accumulate;
414  Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amazed;
415  For nothing canst thou to damnation add
416  Greater than that.

417  O grace! O heaven forgive me!
418  Are you a man? have you a soul or sense?
419  God be wi' you; take mine office. O wretched fool.
420  That livest to make thine honesty a vice!
421  O monstrous world! Take note, take note, O world,
422  To be direct and honest is not safe.
423  I thank you for this profit; and from hence
424  I'll love no friend, sith love breeds such offence.

425  Nay, stay: thou shouldst be honest.

426  I should be wise, for honesty's a fool
427  And loses that it works for.

428  By the world,
429  I think my wife be honest and think she is not;
430  I think that thou art just and think thou art not.
431  I'll have some proof. Her name, that was as fresh
432  As Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black
433  As mine own face. If there be cords, or knives,
434  Poison, or fire, or suffocating streams,
435  I'll not endure it. Would I were satisfied!

436  I see, sir, you are eaten up with passion:
437  I do repent me that I put it to you.
438  You would be satisfied?

439  Would! nay, I will.

440  And may: but, how? how satisfied, my lord?
441  Would you, the supervisor, grossly gape on--
442  Behold her topp'd?

443  Death and damnation! O!

444  It were a tedious difficulty, I think,
445  To bring them to that prospect: damn them then,
446  If ever mortal eyes do see them bolster
447  More than their own! What then? how then?
448  What shall I say? Where's satisfaction?
449  It is impossible you should see this,
450  Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys,
451  As salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross
452  As ignorance made drunk. But yet, I say,
453  If imputation and strong circumstances,
454  Which lead directly to the door of truth,
455  Will give you satisfaction, you may have't.

456  Give me a living reason she's disloyal.

457  I do not like the office:
458  But, sith I am enter'd in this cause so far,
459  Prick'd to't by foolish honesty and love,
460  I will go on. I lay with Cassio lately;
461  And, being troubled with a raging tooth,
462  I could not sleep.
463  There are a kind of men so loose of soul,
464  That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs:
465  One of this kind is Cassio:
466  In sleep I heard him say 'Sweet Desdemona,
467  Let us be wary, let us hide our loves;'
468  And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand,
469  Cry 'O sweet creature!' and then kiss me hard,
470  As if he pluck'd up kisses by the roots
471  That grew upon my lips: then laid his leg
472  Over my thigh, and sigh'd, and kiss'd; and then
473  Cried 'Cursed fate that gave thee to the Moor!'

474  O monstrous! monstrous!

475  Nay, this was but his dream.

476  But this denoted a foregone conclusion:
477  'Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream.

478  And this may help to thicken other proofs
479  That do demonstrate thinly.

480  I'll tear her all to pieces.

481  Nay, but be wise: yet we see nothing done;
482  She may be honest yet. Tell me but this,
483  Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief
484  Spotted with strawberries in your wife's hand?

485  I gave her such a one; 'twas my first gift.

486  I know not that; but such a handkerchief--
487  I am sure it was your wife's--did I to-day
488  See Cassio wipe his beard with.

489  If it be that--

490  If it be that, or any that was hers,
491  It speaks against her with the other proofs.

492  O, that the slave had forty thousand lives!
493  One is too poor, too weak for my revenge.
494  Now do I see 'tis true. Look here, Iago;
495  All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven.
496  'Tis gone.
497  Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!
498  Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne
499  To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,
500  For 'tis of aspics' tongues!

501  Yet be content.

502  O, blood, blood, blood!

503  Patience, I say; your mind perhaps may change.

504  Never, Iago: Like to the Pontic sea,
505  Whose icy current and compulsive course
506  Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on
507  To the Propontic and the Hellespont,
508  Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace,
509  Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love,
510  Till that a capable and wide revenge
511  Swallow them up. Now, by yond marble heaven,
Kneels
512  In the due reverence of a sacred vow
513  I here engage my words.

514  Do not rise yet.
Kneels
515  Witness, you ever-burning lights above,
516  You elements that clip us round about,
517  Witness that here Iago doth give up
518  The execution of his wit, hands, heart,
519  To wrong'd Othello's service! Let him command,
520  And to obey shall be in me remorse,
521  What bloody business ever.

522  I greet thy love,
523  Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounteous,
524  And will upon the instant put thee to't:
525  Within these three days let me hear thee say
526  That Cassio's not alive.

527  My friend is dead; 'tis done at your request:
528  But let her live.

529  Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her!
530  Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw,
531  To furnish me with some swift means of death
532  For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant.

533  I am your own for ever.