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 delayed: If my offence be of such mortal kind,

That neither service past, nor present sorrows, Nor purposed merit in futurity,

Can ransom me into his love again,

But to know so must be my benefit:

So shall I clothe me in a forced content,
And shut myself up in some other course,
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 Were he in favour as in humour altered.

So help me every spirit sanctified

As I have spoken for you all my best,

And stood within the blank of his displeasure
For my free speech. You must a while be patient:
What I can do, I will; and more I will
Than for myself I dare. Let that suffice you.
Iago. Is my lord angry?

Emil.
He went hence but now;
And certainly in strange unquietness.

Iago. Can he be angry? I have seen the cannon
When it hath blown his ranks into the air;
And, like the devil, from his very arm
Puffed his own hrother :-and can he be angry?
Something of moment, then. I will go meet him:
There's matter in 't indeed, if he be angry.
Des. I pr'y thee, do so.-Something, sure, of
[Exit IAGO.

state,

Either from Venice, or some unhatched practice
Made démonstrable here in Cyprus to him,
Had puddled his clear spirit: and in such cases
Men's natures wrangle with inferior things,
Though great ones are their object. "T is even so:
For let our finger ache, and it indues

Our other healthful members ev'n to that sense
Of pain. Nay, we must think men are not gods;
Nor of them look for such observances
As fit the bridal.-Beshrew me much, Emilia,
I was (unhandsome warrior as I am)
Arraigning his unkindness with my soul :
But now I find I had suborned the witness,
And he's indicted falsely.

Emil. Pray heaven it be state matters, as you think;

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 answered so: They are not ever jealous for the cause;

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, The devil their virtue tempts, and they tempt heaven.

Iago. So they do nothing, 't is a venial slip: But if I give my wife a handkerchief,

Oth. What then?

Iago. Why, then, 't is hers, my lord; and being hers,

She may, I think, bestow 't on any man.

Oth. She is protectress of her honour too: May she give that?

Iago. Her honour is an essence that's not seen; They have it very oft, that have it not: But, for the handkerchief,

Oth. By heaven, I would most gladly have forgot it!

Thou saidst-O, it comes o'er my memory
As doth the raven o'er the infected house,
Boding to all-he had my handkerchief.
Iago. Ay, what of that?

Convinced or supplied them, cannot choose But they must blab),

Oth.

Hath he said anything?

Iago. He hath, my lord: but, be you well assured,

No more than he 'll unswear.

Oth.

What hath he said?

Iago. 'Faith, that he did-I know not what he did.

Oth. What; what? Iago. Lie

Oth. With her? Iago. With her; on her: what you will. Oth. Lie with her! lie on her!-We say, lie on her, when they belie her. Lie with her! that's fulse.-Handkerchief,-confessions,handkerchief!-To confess, and be hanged for his labour. First, to be hanged, and then to confess :-I tremble at it. Nature would not invest hers in such shadowing passion, without some instruct n. It is not words that shake me thus.-Pish!-Joses, ears, and lips :-Is it possible?-Confess!-Handkerchief!-O devil! [Falls in a trance.

Iago. Work on,

My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught;

And many worthy and chaste dames, even thus, All guiltless meet reproach.-What, ho! my lord!

Enter CASSIO.

My lord, I say! Othello!-How now, Cassio? Cas. What is the matter?

Iago. My lord is fallen into an epilepsy: This is his second fit; he had one yesterday. Cas. Rub him about the temples. No, forbear:

Iago.

The lethargy must have his quiet course :

If not, he foams at mouth, and by-and-by
Breaks out to savage madness. Look, he stirs :
Do you withdraw yourself a little while;
He will recover straight: when he is gone,
I would on great occasion speak with you.-

[Exit CASSIO. How is it, general? have you not hurt your head? Oth. Dost thou mock me?

Iago. I mock you! no, by heaven: 'Would you would bear your fortunes like a man. Oth. A hornéd man's a monster and a beast.

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: 't is certain.
Iago.

Stand you awhile apart;
Confine yourself but in a patient list.

Whilst you were 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:
Bade him anon return, and here speak with me;
The which he promised. Do but encave yourself,
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorns,
That dwell in every region of his face;

That dotes on Cassio,- -as 't is the strumpet's plague
To beguile many, and be beguiled by one:
He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From the excess of laughter.-Here he comes.
As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad;
And his unbookish jealousy must construe
Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behaviour,

Re-enter CASSIO.

Quite in the wrong.-How do you now, lieutenant? Cas. The worser that you give me the addition Whose want even kills me.

Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure of't. Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power, [Speaking lower.

How quickly should you speed!
Alas, poor caitiff!

Cas.
Oth. Look, how he laughs already! [Aside.
Iago. I never knew a woman love man so.
Cas. Alas, poor rogue, I think, i'faith, she
loves me.

Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs it out.

[Aside.

Oth. Have you scored me? Well. 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.

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. Will you sup there?

Cas. 'Faith, I intend so.

Iago. Well, I may chance to see you; for I would very fain speak with you.

Cas. Pr'y thee, come: will you?
Iago. Go to; say no more. [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?
Oth. Was that mine?

Iago. Yours, by this hand and to see how he prizes the foolish woman your wife! she gave it him, and he hath given it his 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 command 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!
Iago. O, 't is foul in her.
Oth. With mine officer!
Iago. That's fouler.

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. 'Save you, worthy general!

Lod. The Duke and senators of Venice greet you. [Gives him a packet. Oth. I kiss the instrument of their pleasures. [Opens the packet, and reads. Des. And what's the news, good cousin Lodovico?

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. Are you sure of that?

Sir, she can turn, and turn, and yet go on,
And turn again and she can weep, sir, weep:
And she's obedient, as you say; obedient:
Very obedient. Proceed you in your tears.—
Concerning this, sir,-O well-painted passion!-
I am commanded home.-Get you away:
I'll send for you anon.-Sir, I obey the man-
date,

And will return to Venice.-Hence, avaunt!
[Exit DESDEMONA.
Cassio shall have my place.-And, sir, to-night,
I do entreat that we may sup together.
You are welcome, sir, to Cyprus.—Goats and
monkeys!
[Exit.
Lod. Is this the noble Moor, whom our full

senate

Call all-in-all sufficient?-This the noble nature
Whom passion could not shake? whose solid virtue
The shot of accident, nor dart of chance,
Could neither graze nor pierce?

What he might be (if what he might he is not), I would to heaven he were.

That stroke would prove the worst.