IAGO. Is't possible? CAS. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. O God, that men should put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause, transform

ourselves into beasts!

IAGO. Why, but you are now well enough: how came you thus recovered?

270

CAS. It hath pleased the devil drunkenness to give place to the devil wrath: one unperfectness shows me another, to make me frankly despise myself.

IAGO. Come, you are too severe a moraler: 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 for your own good.

CAS. I will ask him for my place again,—he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O strange !-Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil. IAGO. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used: exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think you think I love you.

282

CAS. I have well approv'd it, sir.—I drunk! IAGO. You or any man living may be drunk at a time, man. I'll tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is now the general;-I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces:-confess yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in your place again: she is of so free, 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; and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love shall grow stronger than it was before.

CAS. You advise me well.

300

IAGO. I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness. CAS. I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me: I am desperate of fortunes if they check me here.

my IAGO. You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to

the watch.

CAS. Good night, honest Iago.

IAGO. And what's he, then, that says I play the villain?

When this advice is free I give and honest,

Probal to thinking, and, indeed, the course

[Exit.

To win the Moor again?

For 'tis most easy

310

The inclining Desdemona to subdue

In any honest suit: she's fram'd as fruitful

As the free elements. And then for her

To win the Moor,—were 't to renounce his baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin,

His soul is so enfetter'd to her love,

That she may make, unmake, do what she list,

Even as her appetite shall play the god

With his weak function. How am I, then, a villain

To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,

320

Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes,
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,-
That she repeals him for her body's lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch;
And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Enter RODERIGO

How now, Roderigo!

330

ROD. I do follow here in the chase, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; and I think the issue will be I shall have so much experience for my pains; and so, with 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 time.

Does't not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee,

And thou, by that small hurt, hast cashier'd Cassio:
Though other things grow fair against the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe:
Content thyself awhile.-By the mass, '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 ROD.] Two things are to be done,

350

340

My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress ;
I'll set her on;

Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,

And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife:-ay, that's the way;
Dull not device by coldness and delay.

[Exit.

ACT III

SCENE I.-The Same. Before the Castle

Enter CASSIO and some Musicians

CAS. Masters, play here,-I will content your pains,-
Something that's brief; and bid good morrow, general.

Enter Clown

[Music.

CLO. Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i' the nose thus ?

FIRST MUS. How, sir, how!

CLO. Are these, I pray you, wind-instruments?

FIRST MUS. Ay, marry, are they, sir.

CLO. O, thereby hangs a tail.

FIRST MUS. Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

CLO. Marry, sir, by many a wind-instrument that I know. But, masters, here's money for you: and the general so likes your music, that he desires you, for love's sake, to make no more noise with it.

FIRST MUS. Well, sir, we will not.

CLO. 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.

FIRST MUS. We have none such, sir.

CLO. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: go; vanish into air; away!

CAS. Dost thou hear, mine honest friend?

[Exeunt Musicians.

21

CLO. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you. CAS. Prithee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife be stirring, tell her there's one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech: wilt thou do this?

CLO. She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.

CAS. Do, good my friend.

[Exit Clown.

9

Enter IAGO

In happy time, lago.

IAGO. You have not been a-bed, then?
CAS. 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;

And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor

Out of the way, that your converse and business

May be more free.

CAS. I humbly thank you for 't. [Exit IAGO.] I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.

Enter EMILIA

EMIL. Good morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry

For

your displeasure; 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 in Cyprus

And great affinity, and that in wholesome wisdom

He might not but refuse you; but he protests he loves you,
And needs no other suitor but his likings

To take the saf'st occasion by the front

To bring you in again.

CAS.

Yet, I beseech you,— If you think fit, or that it may be done,Give me advantage of some brief discourse With Desdemon alone.

EMIL.

Pray you, come in:

I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.

CAS.

I am much bound to you.

SCENE II.-A Room in the Castle

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen

Oтн. These letters give, Iago, to the pilot;
And, by him, do my duties to the senate:
That done, I will be walking on the works;
Repair there to me.

IAGO.

Well, my good lord, I'll do't.

ОTH. This fortification, gentlemen,-shall we see 't?
GENT. We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The Garden of the Castle

Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA

ΙΟ

DES. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

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

DES. O, that's an honest fellow.-Do not doubt, Cassio,
But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

CAS.

Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

He's never any thing but your true servant.

DES. I know 't, I thank you. You do love my lord:
You have known him long; and be you well assur'd
He shall in strangeness stand no further off
Than in a politic distance.

CAS.

Ay, but, lady,
That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself so out of circumstance,

That, I being absent, and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service.
DES. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here

I give thee warrant 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, and talk him out of patience;
His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;
I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Cassio's suit: therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die

Than give thy cause away.

EMIL. Madam, here comes my lord.

CAS. Madam, I'll take my leave.

DES. Why, stay, and hear me speak.

CAS. Madam, not now: I am very ill at ease,

Unfit for mine own purposes.

DES. Well, do your discretion.

[Exit CASSIO.

Enter OTHELLO and IAGO

IAGO. Ha! I like not that.

Отн.
IAGO. Nothing, my lord: or if I know not what.
Oтн. Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?

What dost thou say?