［Cyprus．Before
  the
  castle．Enter
  OTHELLO
  and
  IAGO］
  IAGO
  Will
  you
  think
  so？
  OTHELLO
  Think
  so，Iago！
  IAGO
  What，
  To
  kiss
  in
  private？
  OTHELLO
  An
  unauthorizedkiss．
  IAGO
  Or
  to
  be
  nakedwith
  her
  friend
  in
  bed
  An
  hour
  or
  more，not
  meaning
  any
  harm？
  OTHELLO
  Naked
  in
  bed，Iago，and
  not
  mean
  harm！
  It
  is
  hypocrisyagainst
  the
  devil：
  They
  that
  mean
  virtuously，and
  yet
  do
  so，
  The
  devil
  their
  virtue
  tempts，
  and
  they
  tempt
  heaven．
  IAGO
  So
  they
  do
  nothing，’tis
  a
  venialslip：
  But
  if
  I
  give
  my
  wife
  a
  handkerchief，——
  OTHELLO
  What
  then？
  IAGO
  Why，then，’tis
  hers，my
  lord；and，being
  hers，
  She
  may，I
  think，bestow’ton
  any
  man．
  OTHELLO
  She
  is
  protectressof
  her
  honour
  too：
  May
  she
  give
  that？
  IAGO
  Her
  honour
  is
  an
  essencethat’s
  not
  seen；
  They
  have
  it
  very
  oft
  that
  have
  it
  not：
  But，for
  the
  handkerchief，——
  OTHELLO
  By
  heaven，I
  would
  most
  gladly
  have
  forgot
  it．
  Thou
  said’st，it
  comes
  o’ermy
  memory，
  As
  doth
  the
  raveno’er
  the
  infectedhouse，
  Bodingto
  all——he
  had
  my
  handkerchief．
  IAGO
  Ay，what
  of
  that？
  OTHELLO
  That’s
  not
  so
  good
  now．
  IAGO
  What，
  If
  I
  had
  said
  I
  had
  seen
  him
  do
  you
  wrong？
  Or
  heard
  him
  say，——as
  knaves
  be
  such
  abroad，
  Who
  having，by
  their
  own
  importunatesuit，
  Or
  voluntarydotageof
  some
  mistress，
  Convincedor
  supplied
  them，cannot
  choose
  But
  they
  must
  blab——
  OTHELLO
  Hath
  he
  said
  any
  thing？
  IAGO
  He
  hath，my
  lord；but
  be
  you
  well
  assured，
  No
  more
  than
  he’ll
  unswear．
  OTHELLO
  What
  hath
  he
  said？
  IAGO
  ‘Faith，that
  he
  did——I
  know
  not
  what
  he
  did
  OTHELLO
  What？what？
  IAGO
  Lie——
  OTHELLO
  With
  her？
  IAGO
  With
  her，on
  her；what
  you
  will．
  OTHELLO
  Lie
  with
  her！lie
  on
  her！We
  say
  lie
  on
  her，when
  they
  belieher．
  Lie
  with
  her！that’s
  fulsome．
  ——Handkerchief——confessions——handkerchief！——To
  confess，and
  be
  hanged
  for
  his
  labour；——first，to
  be
  hanged，and
  then
  to
  confess．——I
  trembleat
  it．
  Nature
  would
  not
  investherself
  in
  such
  shadowing
  passion
  without
  some
  instruction．It
  is
  words
  that
  shake
  me
  thus．Pish
  ！Noses，ears，and
  lips．
  —Is’t
  possible？—Confess—handkerchief！—O
  devil！—
  ［Falls
  in
  a
  trance．］
  IAGO
  Work
  on，My
  medicine，work！Thus
  credulousfools
  are
  caught；
  And
  many
  worthy
  and
  chastedameseven
  thus，
  All
  guiltless，meet
  reproach．What，ho！my
  lord！
  My
  lord，I
  say！Othello！
  ［Enter
  CASSIO］
  How
  now，Cassio！
  CASSIO
  What’s
  the
  matter？
  IAGO
  My
  lord
  is
  fall’n
  into
  an
  epilepsy：
  This
  is
  his
  second
  fit；he
  had
  one
  yesterday．
  CASSIO
  Rubhim
  about
  the
  temples．
  IAGO
  No，forbear；
  The
  lethargymust
  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
  occasionspeak
  with
  you．
  ［Exit
  CASSIO］
  How
  is
  it，general？have
  you
  not
  hurt
  your
  head？
  OTHELLO
  Dost
  thou
  mockme？
  IAGO
  I
  mock
  you！no，by
  heaven．
  Would
  you
  would
  bear
  your
  fortune
  like
  a
  man！
  OTHELLO
  A
  hornedman’s
  a
  monster
  and
  a
  best．
  IAGO
  There’s
  many
  a
  beast
  then
  in
  a
  populouscity，
  And
  many
  a
  civilmonster．
  OTHELLO
  Did
  he
  confess
  it？
  IAGO
  Good
  sir，be
  a
  man；
  Think
  every
  bearded
  fellow
  that’s
  but
  yoked
  May
  draw
  with
  you：there’s
  millions
  now
  alive
  That
  nightly
  lie
  in
  those
  unproperbeds
  Which
  they
  dare
  swear
  peculiar：your
  case
  is
  better．
  O，’tis
  the
  spiteof
  hell，the
  fiend’s
  arch－mock，
  To
  lip
  a
  wanton
  in
  a
  securecouch
  ，
  And
  to
  suppose
  her
  chaste！No，let
  me
  know；
  And
  knowing
  what
  I
  am，I
  know
  what
  she
  shall
  be．
  OTHELLO
  O，thou
  art
  wise；’tis
  certain．
  IAGO
  Stand
  you
  awhile
  apart；
  Confine
  yourself
  but
  in
  a
  patient
  list．
  Whilst
  you
  were
  here
  o’erwhelmedwith
  your
  grief——
  A
  passion
  most
  unsuiting
  such
  a
  man——
  Cassio
  came
  hither：I
  shifted
  him
  away，
  And
  laid
  good’scuseupon
  your
  ecstasy，
  Bade
  him
  anonreturn
  and
  here
  speak
  with
  me；
  The
  which
  he
  promised．Do
  but
  encaveyourself，
  And
  mark
  the
  fleers，the
  gibes
  ，and
  notable
  scorns’，
  That
  dwell
  in
  every
  region’of
  his
  face；
  For
  I
  will
  make
  him
  tell
  the
  tale
  anew⒀，
  Where，how，how
  oft，how
  long
  ago，
  and
  when
  He
  hath，and
  is
  again
  to
  cope
  your
  wife：
  I
  say，but
  mark
  his
  gesture．Marry，patience；
  Or
  I
  shall
  say
  you
  are
  all
  in
  allin
  spleen，
  And
  nothing
  of
  a
  man．
  OTHELLO
  Dost
  thou
  hear，Iago？
  I
  will
  be
  found
  most
  cunningin
  my
  patience；
  But——dost
  thou
  hear？——most
  bloody．
  IAGO
  That’s
  not
  amiss；
  But
  yet
  keep
  time
  in
  all．Will
  you
  withdraw？
  ［OTHELLO
  retires］
  Now
  will
  I
  question
  Cassio
  of
  Bianca，
  A
  housewife
  that
  by
  selling
  her
  desires
  Buys
  herself
  bread
  and
  clothes：it
  is
  a
  creature
  That
  doteson
  Cassio；as
  ’tis
  the
  strumpet’splague
  To
  beguilemany
  and
  be
  beguiled
  by
  one：
  He，when
  he
  hears
  of
  her，cannot
  refrain
  From
  the
  excessof
  laughter．Here
  he
  comes：
  ［Re-enter
  CASSIO］
  As
  he
  shall
  smile，Othello
  shall
  go
  mad；
  And
  his
  unbookishjealousy
  must
  construe
  Poor
  Cassio’s
  smiles，gestures
  and
  light
  behavior，
  Quite
  in
  the
  wrong．How
  do
  you
  now，lieutenant？
  CASSIO
  The
  worser
  that
  you
  give
  me
  the
  addition
  Whose
  want
  even
  kills
  me．
  IAGO
  Ply’
  Desdemona
  well，and
  you
  are
  sure
  on’t．
  ［Speaking
  lower］
  Now，if
  this
  suit
  lay
  in
  Bianco’s
  power，
  How
  quickly
  should
  you
  speed！
  CASSIO
  Alas，poor
  caitiff！
  OTHELLO
  look，how
  he
  laughs
  already！
  IAGO
  I
  never
  knew
  woman
  love
  man
  so．
  CASSIO
  Alas，poor
  rogue！I
  think，i’faith，she
  loves
  me．
  OTHELLO
  Now
  he
  deniesit
  faintly，and
  laughs
  it
  out．
  IAGO
  Do
  you
  hear，Cassio？
  OTHELLO
  Now
  he
  importunes
  him
  To
  tell
  it
  o’er：go
  to；well
  said，well
  said．
  IAGO
  She
  gives
  it
  outthat
  you
  shall
  marry
  hey：
  Do
  you
  intend
  it？
  CASSIO
  Ha，ha，ha！
  OTHELLO
  Do
  you
  triumph，Roman？do
  you
  triumph？
  CASSIO
  I
  marry
  her！what？a
  customer！Prithee，bear
  some
  charityto
  my
  wit：do
  not
  think
  it
  so
  unwholesome．
  Ha，ha，ha！
  OTHELLO
  So，so，so，so：they
  laugh
  that
  win．
  IAGO
  ‘Faith，the
  cry
  goes
  thatyou
  shall
  marry
  her．
  CASSIO
  Prithee，say
  true．
  IAGO
  I
  am
  a
  very
  villain
  else．
  OTHELLO
  Have
  you
  scoredme？Well．
  CASSIO
  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．
  OTHELLO
  Iago
  beckonsme；now
  he
  begins
  the
  story．
  CASSIO
  She
  was
  here
  even
  now；she
  hauntsme
  in
  every
  place．
  I
  was
  the
  other
  daytalking
  on
  the
  sea－bank
  with
  certain
  Venetians；and
  thithercomes
  the
  bauble，
  and，by
  this
  hand，she
  falls
  me
  thus
  about
  my
  neck——
  OTHELLO
  Crying’O
  dear
  Cassio！’as
  it
  were：his
  gesture
  imports
  it．
  CASSIO
  So
  hangs，and
  lolls，and
  weeps
  upon
  me；so
  hales，
  and
  pulls
  me：ha，ha，ha！
  OTHELLO
  Now
  he
  tells
  how
  she
  pluckedhim
  to
  my
  chamber．O，
  I
  see
  that
  nose
  of
  yours，
  but
  not
  that
  dog
  I
  shall
  throw
  it
  to．
  CASSIO
  Well，I
  must
  leave
  her
  company．
  IAGO
  Before
  me！look，where
  she
  comes．
  CASSIO
  ‘Tis
  such
  another
  fitchew
  ！marry
  a
  perfumedone．
  ［Enter
  BIANCA］
  What
  do
  you
  mean
  by
  this
  haunting
  of
  me？
  BIANCA
  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
  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’stoken，and
  I
  must
  take
  out
  the
  work？There；give
  it
  your
  hobby-horse：where
  so
  ever
  you
  had
  it，I’ll
  take
  out
  no
  work
  on’t．
  CASSIO
  How
  now，my
  sweet
  Bianca！how
  now！how
  now！
  OTHELLO
  By
  heaven，that
  should
  be
  my
  handkerchief！
  BIANCA
  An
  you’ll
  come
  to
  supper
  to-night，you
  may；an
  you
  will
  not，come
  you
  are
  next
  prepared
  for．［Exit．］
  IAGO
  After
  her，after
  her．
  CASSIO
  ‘Faith，I
  must；she’ll
  railin
  the
  street
  else．
  IAGO
  Will
  you
  supthere？
  CASSIO
  ‘Faith，I
  intend
  so．
  IAGO
  Well，I
  may
  chance
  to
  see
  you；for
  I
  would
  very
  fain
  speak
  with
  you．
  CASSIO
  Prithee，come；will
  you？
  IAGO
  Go
  to；say
  no
  more．
  ［Exit
  CASSIO］
  OTHELLO
  ［Advancing］How
  shall
  I
  murderhim，Iago？
  IAGO
  Did
  you
  perceivehow
  he
  laughed
  at
  his
  vice？
  OTHELLO
  O
  Iago！
  IAGO
  And
  did
  you
  see
  the
  handkerchief？
  OTHELLO
  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．
  OTHELLO
  I
  would
  have
  him
  nine
  years
  a－killing．
  A
  fine
  woman！a
  fair
  woman！a
  sweet
  woman！
  IAGO
  Nay，you
  must
  forget
  that．
  OTHELLO
  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．
  OTHELLO
  Hang
  her！Ido
  but
  say
  what
  she
  is：so
  delicate
  with
  her
  needle：an
  admirablemusician：O！she
  will
  sing
  the
  savageness
  out
  of
  a
  bear：of
  so
  high
  and
  plenteouswit
  and
  invention：——
  IAGO
  She’s
  the
  worse
  for
  all
  this．
  OTHELLO
  O，a
  thousand
  thousand
  times：and
  then，of
  so
  gentle
  a
  condition！
  IAGO
  Ay，too
  gentle．
  OTHELLO
  Nay，that’s
  certain：but
  yet
  the
  pity
  of
  it，lago！
  O
  Iago，the
  pity
  of
  it，Iago！
  IAGO
  If
  you
  are
  so
  fond
  over
  her
  iniquity，give
  her
  patentto
  offend；for，if
  it
  touch
  not
  you，it
  comes
  near
  nobody．
  OTHELLO
  I
  will
  chop
  her
  into
  messes：cuckold
  me！
  IAGO
  O，’tis
  foulin
  her．
  OTHELLO
  With
  mine
  officer！
  IAGO
  That’s
  fouler．
  OTHELLO
  Get
  me
  some
  poison，Iago；this
  night：I’ll
  not
  expostulatewith
  her，lesther
  body
  and
  beauty
  unprovidemy
  mind
  again：this
  night，Iago．
  IAGO
  Do
  it
  not
  with
  poison，strangleher
  in
  her
  bed，even
  the
  bed
  she
  hath
  contaminated．
  OTHELLO
  Good，good：the
  justice
  of
  it
  pleases：very
  good．
  IAGO
  And
  for
  Cassio，let
  me
  be
  his
  undertaker：you
  shall
  hear
  more
  by
  midnight．
  OTHELLO
  Excellent
  good．
  ［A
  trumpetwithin］
  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］
  LODOVICO
  Save
  you，worthygeneral！
  OTHELLO
  With
  all
  my
  heart，sir．
  LODOVICO
  The
  duke
  and
  senatorsof
  Venice
  greet
  you．
  ［Gives
  him
  a
  letter］
  OTHELLO
  I
  kiss
  the
  instrument
  of
  their
  pleasures
  ［Opens
  the
  letter，and
  reads］
  DESDEMONA
  And
  what’s
  the
  news，good
  cousinLodovico？
  IAGO
  I
  am
  very
  glad
  to
  see
  you，signio
  Welcome
  to
  Cyprus．
  LODOVICO
  I
  thank
  you．How
  does
  Lieutenant
  Cassio？
  IAGO
  Lives，sir．
  DESDEMONA
  Cousin，there’s
  fall’nbetween
  him
  and
  my
  lord
  An
  unkind
  breach：but
  you
  shall
  make
  all
  well．
  OTHELLO
  Are
  you
  sure
  of
  that？
  DESDEMONA
  My
  lord？
  OTHELLO［Reads］
  ‘This
  fail
  you
  not
  to
  do，as
  you
  will——’
  LODOVICO
  He
  did
  not
  call；he’s
  busy
  in
  the
  paper．
  Is
  there
  division’twixtmy
  lord
  and
  Cassio？
  DESDEMONA
  A
  most
  unhappy
  one：I
  would
  do
  much
  To
  atonethem，for
  the
  love
  I
  bear
  to
  Cassio．
  OTHELLO
  Fire
  and
  brimstone！
  DESDEMONA
  My
  lord？
  OTHELLO
  Are
  you
  wise？
  DESDEMONA
  What，is
  he
  angry？
  LODOVICO
  May
  be
  the
  letter
  moved
  him；
  For，as
  I
  think，they
  do
  command
  him
  home，
  Deputing．Cassio
  in
  his
  government
  DESDEMONA
  Trust
  me，I
  am
  glad
  on’t．
  OTHELLO
  Indeed！
  DESDEMONA
  My
  lord？
  OTHELLO
  I
  am
  glad
  to
  see
  you
  mad．
  DESDEMONA
  Why，sweet
  Othello，——
  OTHELLO
  ［Striking
  her］Devil！
  DESDEMONA
  I
  have
  not
  deserved
  this．
  LODOVICO
  My
  lord，this
  would
  not
  be
  believed
  in
  Venice，
  Though
  I
  should
  swearI
  saw’t：’Tis
  very
  much：
  Make
  her
  amends；she
  weeps．
  OTHELLO
  O
  devil，devil！
  If
  that
  the
  earth
  could
  teemwith
  woman’s
  tears，
  Each
  drop
  she
  falls
  would
  prove
  a
  crocodileOut
  of
  my
  sight！
  DESDEMONA
  I
  will
  not
  stay
  to
  offend
  you．
  ［Going］
  LODOVICO
  Truly，an
  obedientlady：
  I
  do
  beseech
  your
  lordship，call
  her
  back．
  OTHELLO
  Mistress！
  DESDEMONA
  My
  lord？
  OTHELLO
  What
  would
  you
  with
  her，sir？
  LODOVICO
  Who，I，my
  lord？
  OTHELLO
  Ay；you
  did
  wish
  that
  I
  would
  make
  her
  turn：
  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
  foryou
  anonSir，I
  obey
  the
  mandate，
  And
  will
  return
  to
  Venice．Hence，avaunt！
  ［Exit
  DESDEMONA］
  Cassio
  shall
  have
  my
  place．And，sir，tonight，
  I
  do
  entreatthat
  we
  may
  sup
  together：
  You
  are
  welcome，sir，to
  Cyprus．——Goats
  and
  monkeys！
  ［Exit］
  LODOVICO
  Is
  this
  the
  noble
  Moor
  whom
  our
  full
  senate．
  Call
  all
  in
  allsufficient？Is
  this
  the
  nature
  Whom
  passion
  could
  not
  shake？whose
  solid
  virtue
  The
  shot
  of
  accident，nor
  dartof
  chance，
  Could
  neither
  grazenor
  pierce？
  IAGO
  He
  is
  much
  changed．
  LODOVICO
  Are
  his
  wits
  safe？is
  he
  not
  lightof
  brain？
  IAGO
  He’s
  that
  he
  is
  ：I
  may
  not
  breathe
  my
  censure
  What
  he
  might
  be：if
  what
  he
  might
  he
  is
  not，
  I
  would
  to
  heaven
  he
  were
  ！
  LODOVICO
  What，strike
  his
  wife！
  IAGO
  ‘Faith，that
  was
  not
  so
  well；yet
  would
  I
  knewThat
  stroke
  would
  prove
  the
  worst！
  LODOVICO
  IS
  it
  his
  use？
  Or
  did
  the
  letter
  work
  upon
  his
  blood，
  And
  new-create
  this
  fault？
  IAGO
  Alas，alas！
  It
  is
  not
  honesty
  in
  me
  to
  speak
  What
  I
  have
  seen
  and
  known．You
  shall
  observe
  him，
  And
  his
  own
  courses
  will
  denote
  him
  so
  That
  I
  may
  save
  my
  speech：do
  but
  go
  after，
  And
  mark
  how
  he
  continues．
  LODOVICO
  I
  am
  sorry
  that
  I
  am
  deceived
  in
  him．
  ［Exeunt］