Enter 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.
Othello’s headquarters: enter Othello and Iago
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 it.
Exit Othello and Iago
Othello’s lodgings: enter Desdemona, Emilia and Cassio
Desdemona
Be thou assur’d, good Cassio, I will do
All thy abilities in thy behalf.
Cassio
Bounteous madam,
Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,
He’s never anything but your true servant.
Enter Othello and Iago
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 purpose.
Desdemona
Well, do your descreetion.
Exit Cassio
Othello
Was not that Cassio parted with my wife?
Iago
Cassio, my lord? No, sure I cannot think it
That he would steal away so guilty-like,
Seeing you coming.
Othello
I do believe ‘twas he.
Desdemona
How now, my lord?
I have been talking with a suitor here,
A man that languishes in your displeasure.
Othello
Who is’t you mean?
Desdemona
Why, your lieutenant, Cassio. Good my lord,
If I have any grace or power to move you,
His present reconciliation take.
For if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgement in an honest face.
I prithee call him back.
Othello
Where he hence now?
Desdemona
Ay, sooth; so humbled
That he hath left path of his grief with me
To suffer with him. Good live, call him back.
Othello
Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time.
Desdemona
But shall’t be shortly?
Othello
The sooner, sweet, for you.
Desdemona
Why, then tomorrow night, or Tuesday morn,
On Tuesday noon, or night; on Wednesday morn.
I prithee name the time, but let it not
Exceed three days. In faith, he’s pertinent;
And yet he trespass, in our common reason –
Save that, they say, the wars must take example
Out of their best – is not almost a fault
T’incur a private check. When shall he come?
Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul
What you would ask me that I should deny,
Or stand so mammering on. What! Michael Cassio,
That came a-wooing with you, and so many a time
When I have spoke of you disprasingly
Have tane your part, to have so much to do
To bring him in? By’r Lady, I could do much-
Othello
Prithee no more. Let him come when he will;
I will deny thee nothing.
Desdemona
Why, this is not a boon;
‘Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,
Or sue to you do a peculiar profit
To your own person. Nay, when I have a suit
Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,
It shall be full of poise and difficult weight,
And fearful to be granted.
Othello
I will deny thee nothing.
Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this,
To leave me but a little to myself.
Desdemona
Shall I deny you? No; farewell, my lord.
Othello
Farewell, my Desdemona, I’ll come to you straight.
Desdemona
Emilia, come. Be as your fancies teach you;
Whate’er you be, I am obedient.
Exeunt Desdemona and Emilia
Othello
Excellent wretch, perdition catch my soul,
But I do love thee, and when I love thee not,
Chaos is come again.
Iago
My nobel lord,-
Othello
What dost thou say, Iago?
Iago
Did Michael Cassio, when you woo’d my lady,
Know of your love?
Othello
He did, from first to last:… who why dost thou ask?
Iago
But for the satisfaction of my thought.
No further harm.
Othello
Why of thy thought, Iago?
Iago
I did not think he had been acquainted with her.
Othello
O yes, and when between us very often.
Iago
Indeed?
Othello
Indeed? Indeed: discern’st thou aught in that?
Is he not honest?
Iago
Honest, my lord?
Othello
Honest? Ay, honest.
Iago
My lord, for aught I know.
Othello
What dost thou think?
Iago
Think, my lord?
Othello
Think, my lord? By heaven, he echoes me,
As if there were some monster in his thought,
Too hideous to be shown: thou didst mean something;
I heard thee say but now, thou lik’st not that,
When Cassio left my wife: what didst not like?
And when I told thee he was on my counsel,
In my whole course of wooing, thou criedst “Indeed?”
And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: if thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.
Iago
My lord, you know I love you.
Othello
I think thou dost,
And for I know thou art full of love and honesty
And weighest thy words, before thou give ‘em breath,
Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more:
For such things in a false disloyal knave
Are tricks of custom; but in a man that’s just,
They are close denotements, working from the heart,
That passion cannot rule.
Iago
I dare presume, I think that he is honest.
Othello
I think so too.
Iago
Men should be that they seem,
Or those that be not, would they might seem none!
Othello
Certain, men should be what they seem.
Iago
Why then I think Cassio’s an honest man.
Othello
Nay, yet there’s more in this:
I prithee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,
As thou dost ruminate, and give the worst of thoughts
The worst of words.
Iago
Good my lord, pardon me;
Though I am not bound to every act of duty,
I am not bound to that all slaves are free to;
Utter my thoughts? Why, say that they are vile and false;
As where’s that palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not? Who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions
Keep leets and law-days, and in session sit
With meditations lawful?
Othello
Thou dost conspire against my friend, Iago,
If thou but thinkest him wrong’d, and makest his ear
A stranger to thy thoughts.
Iago
I do beseech you,
Though I perchance am vicious in my guess,
(As I confess it is in my nature’s plague
To spy into abuses, and off my jealousy
Shapes faults that are not) I entreat you then,
From one that so imperfectly conjects,
You’ld take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble
Out of my scattering and unsure observance;
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.
Othello
Zounds!
Iago
Good name in man and women’s dear, my lord;
Is the immediate jewel of our souls:
Who steals my purse, steals trash, ‘tis something, nothing,
‘Twas mine, ‘tis his, and has been slave to thousands:
But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enrich him,
And makes me poor indeed.
Othello
By heaven I’ll know thy tought.
Iago
You cannot, if my heart were in your hand,
Not shall not, whilst ‘tis in my custody:
O, beware jealousy;
It’s the green-ey’d monster, which doth mock
That meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss,
Who certain of his fate, loves not his wronger:
But O, what damned minutes tell he o’er
Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves!
Othello
O misery!
Iago
Poor and content is rich, and rich enough,
But riches, fineless, is as poor as winter
To him that ever fears he shall be poor:
Good God, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!
Othello
Why, why is this?
To follow still the change of the moon
With fresh suspicions? No, to be once in doubt,
Is once to be resolv’d: exchange me for a goat,
When I shall turn the business of my soul
To such exsufflicate and blown surmises,
Matching thy inference: ‘tis not to make me jealous,
To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, play and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:
Nor from mine own weak merits I will draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt,
For she had eyes, and chose me. No, Iago
I’ll see before I doubt, when I doubt, prove,
And on the proof, there is no more but this:
Away at once with love or jealousy!
Iago
I am glad of it, for now I shall have reason
To show the love and duty that I bear you
Which fanker spirit: therefore I am bound
Receive it from me: I speak not yet of proof;
Look to your wife, observe her well with Cassio;
Wear your eyes thus, not jealous, nor se cure.
I would not have your free and noble nature
Out of self-bounty be abused, look to’t:
I know our country disposition well;
In Venice they do let God see the pranks
They dare not show their husbands: their best conscience
Is not to leave undone, but keep unknown.
Othello
Dost thou say so?
Iago
She did deceive her father, marrying you;
And when she seem’d to shake and fear your looks,
She lov’d them most.
Othello
And so she did.
Iago
Why, go to then,
She that so young could give out such a seeming,
To seal her father’s eyes up, close as oak,
He thought ‘twas witchcraft: but I am much to blame,
I humbly do beseech you of your pardon,
For too much loving you.
Othello
I am bound to thee for ever.
Iago
Should you say so, my lord,
My speech should fall into such vile success
As my thoughts aim not at: Cassio’s my trusty friend:
My lord, I see you are mov’d.
Othello
No, not much mov’d,
I do not think but Desdemona’s honest.
Iago
Long live she so, and long live you to think so!
Othello
And yet how nature erring from itself-
Iago
Ay, there’s the point: as, to be bold with you,
Not to affect many proposed matches,
Of her own clime, complexion and degree,
Whereto we see in all things nature tends;
Fie, we may smell in such a will most rank,
Foul disproportion; thoughts unnatural.
But pardon me: I do not in position
Distinctly speak of her, though I may fear
Her will, recoiling to her better judgement,
May fall to match you with her country forms,
And happily repent.
Othello
Farewell, if more
Thou dost perceive, let me know more, set on
Thy wife to observe; leave me, Iago.
Iago
Going
My lord, I take my leave.
Othello
Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless
Sees and knows more, much more, then he unfolds.
Iago
Returning
My lord, I would I might entreat your honour
To scan this things no further, leave it to time:
Though it be fit that Cassio have his place,
For sure he fills it up with great ability,
Yet if you please to hold him off awhile,
You shall by that perceive him and his mdeans;
Note if your lady strain her entertainment
With any strong or vehement importunity,
Much will be seen in that; in the mean time,
Let me be thought too busy in my fears
(As worthy cause I have to fear I am);
And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.
Othello
Fear not, my government.
Iago
I once more take my leave.
