as great a fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do; I will gyve 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? [Trumpet.] The Moor, I know his trumpet. 180 CAS. 'Tis truly so. DES. Let's meet him, and receive him. CAS. Lo, where he comes! Enter OTHELLO and Attendants. Отн. Oh my fair warrior! DES. My dear Othello! OTH. It gives me wonder great as my content, To see you here before me. Oh my soul's joy! If after every tempest come such calms, May the winds blow till they have wakened death! As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die, That not another comfort like to this Succeeds in unknown fate. The heavens forbid DES. Even as our days do grow! OTH. 190 Amen to that, sweet powers!— I cannot speak enough of this content, And this, and this, the greatest discords be [Kissing her. 201 IAGO. Oh, you are well tuned now! But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, As honest as I am. OTH. Come; let us to the castle. [Aside. News, friends; our wars are done, the Turks are drowned. How does my old acquaintance of this isle? Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus; I have found great love amongst them. Oh my sweet, I prattle out of fashion, and I dote 210 In mine own comforts.-I prithee, good Iago, Does challenge much respect.-Come, Desdemona, [Exeunt OTH., 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. 221 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, there should be, again to inflame it, 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 eminent 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 slipper and subtle knave; a finder 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. 254 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? 260 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. Villanous thoughts, Roderigo! 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. 277. IAGO. Sir, he's rash, and very sudden in choler, and haply 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. 289 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. IAGO. That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it; For that I do suspect the lusty Moor Hath leaped into my seat: the thought whereof 300 Or, failing so, yet that I put the Moor At least into a jealousy so strong That judgment cannot cure. Which thing to do,- Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me, Even to madness. 'Tis here, but yet confused; SCENE II. A street. 310 320 [Exit. 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 nuptial:-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 have told eleven. Heaven bless the isle of Cyprus, and our noble general Othello! [Exeunt. SCENE III. A Hall in the Castle. Enter OTHELLO, Desdemona, CASSIO, and Attendants. OTH. Good Michael, look you to the guard to-night : Let's teach ourselves that honourable stop, Not to out-sport discretion. CAS. Iago hath direction what to do ; But, notwithstanding, with my personal eye Michael, good night: To-morrow, with your earliest, Let me have speech with you.—Come, my dear love.— Good night. [To DES. [Exeunt OTH., DES., and Attend. Enter IAGO. CAS. Welcome, Iago: we must to the watch. IAGO. Not this hour, lieutenant; 'tis not yet ten o' the clock. Our general cast us thus early for the love of his Desdemona, whom let us not therefore blame. She is sport for Jove. CAS. She's a most exquisite lady. IAGO. And I'll warrant her full of game. 20 CAS. Indeed, she's a most fresh and delicate creature. 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 alarum to love? CAS. She is, indeed, perfection. IAGO. Well, come, 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 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. Oh, they are our friends! But one cup; I'll drink for you. 39 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 more. IAGO. What, man! 'tis a night of revels: the gallants desire it. CAS. Where are they? IAGO. Here at the door; I pray you call them in. CAS. I'll do it; but it dislikes me. 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 [Exit. 50 As my young mistress' dog. Now, my sick fool Roderigo, Potations pottle deep; and he's to watch: Three else of Cyprus,-noble swelling spirits, That hold their honours in a wary distance, The very elements of this warlike isle,— 60 And they watch too. Now, 'mongst this flock of drunkards, |