Thou art no soldier.
IAGO Touch me not so near.
I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio;
Yet I persuade myself, to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him. This it is, general.
Montano and myself being in speech,
There comes a fellow crying out for help
And Cassio following him with determined sword
To execute upon him. Sir, this gentleman
Steps in to Cassio and entreats his pause.
Myself the crying fellow did pursue,
Lest by his clamor (as it so fell out)
The town might fall in fright. He, swift of foot,
Outran my purpose; and I returned then rather
For that I heard the clink and fall of swords,
And Cassio high in oath; which till tonight
I ne'er might say before. When I came back -
For this was brief - I found them close together
At blow and thrust, even as again they were
When you yourself did part them.
More of this matter cannot I report.
But men are men; the best sometimes forget.
Though Cassio did some little wrong to him,
As men in rage strike those that wish them best,
Yet surely Cassio I believe received
From him that fled some strange indignity,
Which patience could not pass.
OTHELLO I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee, 209 Touch charge 217 execute upon take action against 224 high in oath in a fit of cursing 235 pass i.e., pass over, let go by 236 love i.e., affection for your colleague; mince reduce, minimize 237 love respect and feel affection for
But never more be officer of mine.
Enter Desdemona, attended.
Look if my gentle love be not raised up!
I'll make thee an example.
DESDEMONA
What is the matter, dear?
OTHELLO All's well, sweeting.
Come away to bed. [To Montano] Sir, for your hurts,
Myself will be your surgeon. Lead him off.
[Montano is led off.]
Iago, look with care about the town
And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.
Come, Desdemona, 'tis the soldiers' life
To have their balmy slumbers waked with strife.
Exit [with all but Iago and Cassio].
IAGO What, are you hurt, lieutenant?
CASSIO Ay, past all surgery.
IAGO Marry, God forbid!
CASSIO Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!
IAGO As I am an honest man, I had thought you had received some bodily wound. There is more sense in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition, oft got without merit and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are more ways to recover the general again. You are but now cast in his mood - a punishment more in policy than in 241 sweeting sweetheart 245 distracted excited, disturbed 256 sense material reality 258 imposition something imposed from without 261 recover the general i.e., recuperate your standing with Othello 261-62 cast in his mood dismissed owing to his anger 262 in policy i.e., a strategic punishment
malice, even so as one would beat his offenseless dog to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again, and he's yours.
CASSIO I will rather sue to be despised than to deceive so good a commander with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk! and speak parrot! and squabble! swagger! swear! and discourse fustian with one's own shadow! O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee devil!
IAGO What was he that you followed with your sword? What had he done to you?
CASSIO I know not.
IAGO Is't possible?
CASSIO 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?
CASSIO 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 befall'n; but since it is as it is, mend it for your own good.
CASSIO I will ask him for my place again: he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such 263-64 beat . . . lion i.e., make an example of you to frighten others 264 imperious powerful; Sue to petition 268 speak parrot babble idiotically 269 discourse fustian speak bombastic nonsense 278 nothing wherefore not why 281 applause approval (i.e., social approbation) 285 unperfectness failing 292 Hydra the legendary multiheaded monster
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.
CASSIO I have well approved it, sir. I drunk!
IAGO You or any man living may be drunk at a time, man. I 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.
CASSIO You advise me well.
IAGO I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.
CASSIO I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me. I am desperate of my fortunes if they check me here.
295 inordinate immoderate 297-98 familiar creature friendly thing (but with pun on familiar in the sense of an evil spirit) 300 approved demonstrated, proved 302-3 general's wife . . . general i.e., Desdemona rules her husband 305 parts gifts, abilities 307 free generous 310-11 entreat her to splinter i.e., ask her to set with a splint 311 lay wager 312 crack of division in 315 protest affirm 318-19 undertake for me take up my plea 319 desperate of my fortunes in despair about my future; check me stop me
IAGO You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch.
CASSIO Good night, honest Iago. Exit Cassio.
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
To win the Moor again? For 'tis most easy
Th' inclining Desdemona to subdue
In any honest suit; she's framed 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 redeemed sin -
His soul is so enfettered 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,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blac
kest 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 fortune,
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 326 Probal plausible 328 subdue convince 329 fruitful generous 331-32 were't . . . redeemed sin i.e., she could make him go as far as to renounce his faith 333 enfettered bound, enslaved 335-36 Even as . . . weak function i.e., he is helpless to deny whatever she wants 337 parallel similar, related 338 Divinity theology 339 put on bring about 342 Plies petitions 345 repeals i.e., tries to get him reinstated (literally, "recalls")
That shall enmesh them all.
Enter Roderigo. How, now, Roderigo?
RODERIGO 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 tonight exceedingly well cudgeled; 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 cashiered 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 Roderigo.
Two things are to be done:
My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress -
I'll set her on -
Myself a 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. 352 cry pack of dogs 354 cudgeled beaten (with a cudgel); issue outcome 359 wit cunning, mind 360 dilatory slow-moving, unfolding 362 cashiered dismissed (i.e., got him fired) 363-64 Though . . . ripe i.e., although it looks as if others are prospering, our plan ( fruits that blossom first) will soon bear fruit ( first be ripe) 367 billeted assigned lodging 370 move plead 373 jump just, exactly 375 Dull not device don't hold up the scheme
III.1 Enter Cassio, Musicians, and Clown.
CASSIO
Masters, play here, I will content your pains:
Something that's brief; and bid "Good morrow, general."
[They play.]
CLOWN Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i' th' nose thus?
MUSICIAN How, sir, how?
CLOWN Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?
MUSICIAN Ay, marry, are they, sir.
CLOWN O, thereby hangs a tail.
MUSICIAN Whereby hangs a tale, sir?
CLOWN 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.
MUSICIAN Well, sir, we will not.
CLOWN 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.
MUSICIAN We have none such, sir.
CLOWN Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away. Go, vanish into air, away! Exit Musicians.
CASSIO Dost thou hear, mine honest friend?
CLOWN No, I hear not your honest friend. I hear you.
CASSIO 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 favor of speech. Wilt thou do this?
III.1 The grounds of the castle 1 content your pains reward you for your labor 3-4 in Naples . . . thus i.e., why do your musical instruments whine so (Have they been in Naples, associated with venereal disease, and caught syphilis, thus causing their noses to fall off and produce such a sound?) 6 wind instruments (the following lines initiate a series of puns on wind, or flatulence, and tail) 18 none such ("Nonesuch" was the name of a popular tune) 23 keep up put away; quillets quips, jokes 25 be stirring i.e., is moving around, awake
CLOWN She is stirring, sir. If she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.
CASSIO
Do, good my friend. Exit Clown.
Enter Iago. In happy time, Iago.
IAGO
You have not been abed then?
CASSIO
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.
CASSIO
I humbly thank you for't. Exit [Iago].
I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.
Enter Emilia.
EMILIA
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, 29 happy fortunate (i.e., "good to see you") 36 devise a mean invent a way
40 Florentine . . . honest i.e., even my own countrymen aren't so honest (Cassio comes from Florence, Iago from Venice, notorious for trickery) 44
stoutly strongly 46 great affinity i.e., is well-connected 46-47 in
wholesome . . . refuse you i.e., common sense forbids him to reinstate you
And needs no other suitor but his likings
To bring you in again.
CASSIO Yet I beseech you,
If you think fit, or that it may be done,
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemon alone.
EMILIA Pray you come in.
I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.
CASSIO I am much bound to you.
[Exeunt.]
III.2 Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen.
OTHELLO
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.
OTHELLO
This fortification, gentlemen, shall we see't?
GENTLEMEN
We'll wait upon your lordship. Exeunt.
III.3 Enter Desdemona, Cassio, and Emilia.
DESDEMONA
Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do
All my abilities in thy behalf. 48 no . . . likings i.e., his own inclination would be sufficient by itself 54 bosom i.e., inmost feelings
III.2 The grounds of the castle 3 works breastworks, fortifications 4 Repair return III.3 The grounds of the castle
EMILIA
Good madam, do. I warrant it grieves my husband
As if the cause were his.
DESDEMONA
O, that's an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio,
But I will have my lord and you again
As friendly as you were.
CASSIO Bounteous madam,
Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,
He's never anything but your true servant.
DESDEMONA
I know't; I thank you. You do love my lord;
You have known him long; and be you well assured
He shall in strangeness stand no farther off
Than in a politic distance.
CASSIO Ay, but, lady,
That policy may either last so long,
Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself so out of circumstances,
That, I being absent, and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service.
DESDEMONA
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 everything he does
With Cassio's suit. Therefore be merry, Cassio,
For thy solicitor shall rather die 12 strangeness aloofness 13 Than . . . distance than wise policy demands 15 feed . . . diet i.e., have so little to nourish it 16 breed . . . circumstances i.e., get so far away from the original point 17 place supplied position filled by someone else 19 doubt suspect, fear 23 watch him tame i.e., keep him awake until he does what I want 24 board a shrift i.e., his dining table will seem a confessional (where he receives spiritual advice)
Than give thy cause away.
Enter Othello and Iago [at a distance].
EMILIA
Madam, here comes my lord.
CASSIO
Madam, I'll take my leave.
DESDEMONA
Why, stay, and hear me speak.
CASSIO
Madam, not now: I am very ill at ease,
Unfit for mine own purposes.
DESDEMONA
Well, do your discretion. Exit Cassio.
IAGO
Ha! I like not that.
OTHELLO What dost thou say?
IAGO
Nothing, my lord; or if - I know not what.
OTHELLO
Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?