Were he in favour as in humour alter'd.

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 awhile 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

Puff'd his own brother; 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'ythee, do so.

130

[Exit IAGO.

Something, sure, of State,
Either from Venice, or some unhatch'd practice
Made demonstrable here in Cyprus to him,
Hath puddled his clear spirit; and in such cases
Men's natures wrangle with inferior things,
Though great ones are their object. 'Tis even so;
For let our finger ache, and it indues

Our other healthful members even to that sense
Of pain: nay, we must think men are not Gods,
Nor of them look for such observancy

As fits 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 suborn'd 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!

140

150

ACT III

Sc. IV

EMIL. But jealous souls will not be answer'd so;

They are not ever jealous for the cause,

160

But jealous for they are jealous: 'tis a monster
Begot upon itself, born on itself.

ACT III DES. Heaven keep that monster from Othello's mind!

DES. I will go seek him. Cassio, walk hereabout:

If I do find him fit, I'll move your suit,

And seek to effect it to my uttermost.
CAS. I humbly thank your Ladyship.

[Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA.

Enter BIANCA.

BIAN. Save you, friend Cassio!
CAS.

170

What make you from home?
How is it with you, my most fair Bianca?
I'faith, sweet Love, I was coming to your house.
BIAN. And I was going to your lodging, Cassio.
What, keep a week away? seven days and nights ?
Eight score eight hours? and lovers' absent hours,
More tedious than the dial eight score times?
O weary reckoning!

I have this while with leaden thoughts been press'd:
But I shall, in a more continuate time,

Strike off this score of absence.
Take me this work out.

BIAN.

Sweet Bianca,

[giving her DESDEMONA's handkerchief.
O Cassio, whence came this?

This is some token from a newer friend:
To the felt absence now I feel a cause.

Is 't come to this? Well, well.
CAS.

181

Go to, Woman!
Throw your vile guesses in the Devil's teeth,
From whence you have them. You are jealous

now

That this is from some mistress, some remembrance :

No, in good troth, Bianca.

BIAN.
Why, whose is it?
CAS. I know not, Sweet: I found it in my chamber.
I like the work well: ere it be demanded
(As like enough it will) I 'ld have it copied :
Take it, and do 't; and leave me for this time.
BIAN. Leave you! wherefore?

190

CAS. I do attend here on the General;
And think it no addition, nor my wish,
To have him see me woman'd.

BIAN.

CAS. Not that I love you not.
BIAN.

Why, I pray you?

But that you do not love me.

I pray you, bring me on the way a little;
And say if I shall see you soon at night.
CAS. "Tis but a little way that I can bring you;

For I attend here: but I'll see you soon.

200

BIAN. 'Tis very good; I must be circumstanc'd. [exeunt.

ACT IV

SCENE I. Cyprus. Before the Castle.

Enter OTHELLO and IAGO.

IAGO. Will you think so?

OTн. Think so, Iago!

IAGO. What, to kiss in private?

ОTн. An unauthoriz'd kiss.

IAGO. Or to be naked with her friend in bed

An hour or more, not meaning any harm? OTн. Naked in bed, 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, 'tis a venial slip.

But, if I give my wife a handkerchief—

ОTH. What then?

IAGO. Why, then 'tis her's, my Lord; and, being her's,

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

Отн. 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

ΙΟ

20

ACT III
Sc. IV

ACT IV OTH. By Heaven, I would most gladly have forgot it!

Sc. I

Thou said'st-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?

Отн.
IAGO.

That's not so good now.

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 importunate suit,
Or voluntary dotage of some mistress,
Convinced or supplied them, cannot choose
But they must blab)—

Отн.

What,

Hath he said any thing?
IAGO. He hath, my Lord; but, be you well assur'd,

No more than he'll unswear.

Отн.

What hath he said?

IAGO. 'Faith, that he did-I know not what he did.
OTн. What? what?

IAGO. Lie

30

Отн.

IAGO.

With her?

With her, on her; what you will. Отн. Lie with her! lie on her! We say lie on her, when they belie her. Lie with her! that's fulsome.-Handkerchief-confessions-handkerchief!-To confess, and be hang'd for his labour;-first, to be hang'd, and then to confess.-I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion without some instruction. It is not 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 credulous fools are caught;
And many worthy and chaste dames even thus,
All guiltless, meet reproach. What, ho! my Lord!
My Lord, I say! Othello!

Enter CASSIO.

How now, Cassio! 50

CAS. What's the matter?

LAGO. My Lord is fall'n into an epilepsy:

ACT IV
Sc. I

No, forbear;

This is his second fit; he had one yesterday. CAS. Rub him about the temples.

LAGO.

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? ОTH. Dost thou mock me?

IAGO.

Would you would bear

61

I mock you! no, by Heaven. your fortune like a man!

Отн. A horned man's a monster and a beast.

IAGO. There's many a beast, then, in a populous city,

And many a civil monster.

ОTн. Did he confess it?

IAGO.

Good Sir, be a man;

Think every bearded fellow that's but yok'd

May draw with you. There's millions now alive
That nightly lie in those unproper beds

Which they dare swear peculiar: your case is better.
O, 'tis the spite of Hell, the Fiend's arch-mock,

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.
Отн. O, thou art wise; 'tis certain.

IAGO.

70

80

Stand you awhile apart;
Confine yourself but in a patient list.
Whilst you were here o'erwhelmed 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 promis'd. Do but encave yourself,
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 anew,
Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when