Othello, William Shakespeare [classic reads .TXT] 📗

low
As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die,
'Twere now to be most happy; for, I fear,
My soul hath her content so absolute
That not another comfort like to this
Succeeds in unknown fate.

DESDEMONA.
The heavens forbid
But that our loves and comforts should increase
Even as our days do grow!

OTHELLO.
Amen to that, sweet powers! -
I cannot speak enough of this content;
It stops me here; it is too much of joy:
And this, and this, the greatest discords be

[Kissing her.]

That e'er our hearts shall make!

IAGO.
[Aside.] O, you are well tun'd now!
But I'll set down the pegs that make this music,
As honest as I am.

OTHELLO.
Come, let us to the castle. -
News, friends; our wars are done, the Turks are drown'd.
How does my old acquaintance of this isle?
Honey, you shall be well desir'd in Cyprus;
I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet,
I prattle out of fashion, and I dote
In mine own comforts. - I pry'thee, good Iago,
Go to the bay and disembark my coffers:
Bring thou the master to the citadel;
He is a good one, and his worthiness
Does challenge much respect. - Come, Desdemona,
Once more well met at Cyprus.

[Exeunt Othello, Desdemona, and Attendants.]

IAGO.
Do thou meet me presently at the harbour. Come hither. If thou
be'st valiant, - as, they say, base men being in love have then a
nobility in their natures more than is native to them, - list me.
The lieutenant to-night watches on the court of guard: first, I
must tell thee this - Desdemona is directly in love with him.

RODERIGO.
With him! why, 'tis not possible.

IAGO.
Lay thy finger thus, and let thy soul be instructed. Mark me
with what violence she first loved the Moor, but for bragging,
and telling her fantastical lies: and will she love him still for
prating? Let not thy discreet heart think it. Her eye must be
fed; and what delight shall she have to look on the devil? When
the blood is made dull with the act of sport, there should
be, - again to inflame it and to give satiety a fresh appetite, -
loveliness in favour; sympathy in years, manners, and beauties;
all which the Moor is defective in: now, for want of these
required conveniences, her delicate tenderness will find itself
abused, begin to heave the gorge, disrelish and abhor the Moor;
very nature will instruct her in it, and compel her to some
second choice. Now sir, this granted; - as it is a most pregnant
and unforced position, - who stands so eminently in the degree of
this fortune as Cassio does? a knave very voluble; no further
conscionable than in putting on the mere form of civil and
humane seeming, for the better compass of his salt and most
hidden loose affection? why, none; why, none; - a slipper and
subtle knave; a finder out of occasions; that has an eye can
stamp and counterfeit advantages, though true advantage never
present itself: a devilish knave! besides, the knave is
handsome, young, and hath all those requisites in him that folly
and green minds look after: a pestilent complete knave; and the
woman hath found him already.

RODERIGO.
I cannot believe that in her; she is full of most blessed
condition.

IAGO.
Blest fig's end! the wine she drinks is made of grapes: if
she had been blessed, she would never have loved the Moor:
blessed pudding! Didst thou not see her paddle with the palm of
his hand? didst not mark that?

RODERIGO.
Yes, that I did; but that was but courtesy.

IAGO.
Lechery, by this hand; an index and obscure prologue to the
history of lust and foul thoughts. They met so near with their
lips that their breaths embraced together. Villainous thoughts,
Roderigo! when these mutualities so marshal the way, hard at
hand comes the master and main exercise, the incorporate
conclusion: pish! - But, sir, be you ruled by me: I have brought
you from Venice. Watch you to-night: for the command, I'll lay't
upon you: Cassio knows you not: - I'll not be far from you: do you
find some occasion to anger Cassio, either by speaking too loud,
or tainting his discipline, or from what other course you
please, which the time shall more favourably minister.

RODERIGO.
Well.

IAGO.
Sir, he is rash, and very sudden in choler, and haply with his
truncheon may strike at you: provoke him, that he may; for even
out of that will I cause these of Cyprus to mutiny, whose
qualification shall come into no true taste again but by the
displanting of Cassio. So shall you have a shorter journey to
your desires by the means I shall then have to prefer them; and
the impediment most profitably removed, without the which there
were no expectation of our prosperity.

RODERIGO.
I will do this, if I can bring it to any opportunity.

IAGO.
I warrant thee. Meet me by and by at the citadel: I must
fetch his necessaries ashore. Farewell.

RODERIGO.
Adieu.

[Exit.]

IAGO.
That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it;
That she loves him, 'tis apt, and of great credit:
The Moor, - howbeit that I endure him not, -
Is of a constant, loving, noble nature;
And, I dare think, he'll prove to Desdemona
A most dear husband. Now, I do love her too;
Not out of absolute lust, - though, peradventure,
I stand accountant for as great a sin, -
But partly led to diet my revenge,
For that I do suspect the lusty Moor
Hath leap'd into my seat: the thought whereof
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my inwards;
And nothing can or shall content my soul
Till I am even'd with him, wife for wife;
Or, failing so, yet that I put the Moor
At least into a jealousy so strong
That judgement cannot cure. Which thing to do, -
If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trash
For his quick hunting, stand the putting on,
I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip;
Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb, -
For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too; -
Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me
For making him egregiously an ass
And practicing upon his peace and quiet
Even to madness. 'Tis here, but yet confus'd:
Knavery's plain face is never seen till us'd.

[Exit.]


SCENE II. A street.

[Enter a Herald with a proclamation; People following.]

HERALD.
It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiant general,
that upon certain tidings now arrived, importing the mere
perdition of the Turkish fleet, every man put himself into
triumph; some to dance, some to make bonfires, each man to
what sport and revels his addiction leads him: for, besides these
beneficial news, it is the celebration of his nuptial: - so
much was his pleasure should be proclaimed. All offices are open;
and there is full liberty of feasting from this present hour of
five till the bell have told eleven. Heaven bless the isle of
Cyprus and our noble general Othello!

[Exeunt.]


SCENE III. A Hall in the Castle.

[Enter Othello, Desdemona, Cassio, and Attendants.]

OTHELLO.
Good Michael, look you to the guard to-night:
Let's teach ourselves that honourable stop,
Not to out-sport discretion.

CASSIO.
Iago hath direction what to do;
But, notwithstanding, with my personal eye
Will I look to't.

OTHELLO.
Iago is most honest.
Michael, good night: to-morrow with your earliest
Let me have speech with you. - [To Desdemona] Come, my dear love, -
The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue;
That profit's yet to come 'tween me and you. -
Good-night.

[Exeunt Othello, Desdemona, and Attendants.]

[Enter Iago.]

CASSIO.
Welcome, Iago; we must to the watch.

IAGO.
Not this hour, lieutenant; 'tis not yet ten o' the clock.
Our general cast us thus early for the love of his Desdemona; who
let us not therefore blame: he hath not yet made wanton the night
with her; and she is sport for Jove.

CASSIO.
She's a most exquisite lady.

IAGO.
And, I'll warrant her, full of game.

CASSIO.
Indeed, she is a most fresh and delicate creature.

IAGO.
What an eye she has! methinks it sounds a parley to provocation.

CASSIO.
An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest.

IAGO.
And when she speaks, is it not an alarm to love?

CASSIO.
She is, indeed, perfection.

IAGO.
Well, happiness to their sheets! Come, lieutenant, I have a
stoup of wine; and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants
that would fain have a measure to the health of black Othello.

CASSIO.
Not to-night, good Iago: I have very poor and unhappy
brains for drinking: I could well wish courtesy would invent some
other custom of entertainment.

IAGO.
O, they are our friends; but one cup: I'll drink for you.

CASSIO.
I have drunk but one cup to-night, and that was craftily
qualified too, and behold, what innovation it makes here: I am
unfortunate in the infirmity, and dare not task my weakness
with any more.

IAGO.
What, man! 'tis a night of revels: the gallants desire it.

CASSIO.
Where are they?

IAGO.
Here at the door; I pray you, call them in.

CASSIO.
I'll do't; but it dislikes me.

[Exit.]

IAGO.
If I can fasten but one cup upon him,
With that which he hath drunk to-night already,
He'll be as full of quarrel and offense
As my young mistress' dog. Now, my sick fool Roderigo,
Whom love hath turn'd almost the wrong side out,
To Desdemona hath to-night carous'd
Potations pottle-deep; and he's to watch:
Three lads of Cyprus, - noble swelling spirits,
That hold their honours in a wary distance,
The very elements of this warlike isle, -
Have I to-night fluster'd with flowing cups,
And they watch too. Now, 'mongst this flock of drunkards,
Am I to put our Cassio in some action
That may offend the isle: - but here they come:
If consequence do but approve my dream,
My boat sails freely, both with wind and stream.

[Re-enter Cassio; with him Montano and Gentlemen; followed by
Servant with wine.]

CASSIO.
'Fore heaven, they have given me a rouse already.

MONTANO.
Good faith, a little one; not past a pint, as I am a soldier.

IAGO.
Some wine, ho!

[Sings.]
"And let me the canakin clink, clink;
And let me the canakin clink.
A soldier's a man;
O, man's life's but a span;
Why then let a soldier drink."

Some wine, boys!

CASSIO.
'Fore God, an excellent song.

IAGO.
I learned it in England, where, indeed, they are most
potent in potting: your Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied
Hollander, - Drink, ho! - are nothing to your English.

CASSIO.
Is your Englishman so expert in his drinking?

IAGO.
Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead drunk; he
sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he gives your Hollander
a vomit ere the next pottle can be filled.

CASSIO.
To the health of our general!

MONTANO.
I am for it, lieutenant; and I'll do you justice.

IAGO.
O sweet England!

[Sings.]
"King Stephen was and a worthy peer,
His breeches cost him but a crown;
He held them sixpence all too dear,
With that he call'd the tailor lown.
He was a wight of