IAGO. Marry, heaven forbid!

CAS. 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 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 t ways to recover the general again: you are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his offenceless dog to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he's yours.

CAS. 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?

CAS. I know not.

IAGO. Is 't possible?

CAS. 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?

CAS. 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 befallen; but, since it is as it is, mend it for your own good.

CAS. I will ask him for my place again, he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such 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.

CAS. I have well approved it, sir.—I drunk!

IAGO. You, or any man living may be drunk at some § time, man.

(*) First folio inserts, had.

(+) First folio omits, God.

(t) First folio inserts, more.
(§) First folio, a time.

to affright an imperious lion:] Should we not read,—" to appease an imperious lion:"?

Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble? swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow] This is all wanting in the 1622 quarto.

I'll 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.

CAS. You advise me well.

IAGO. I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.

CAS. 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.†

IAGO. You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch.

CAS. 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,
Probala to thinking, and, indeed, the course

To win the Moor again? For 't is most easy
The inclining Desdemona to subdue

In any honest-suit: she's fram'd 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 enfetter'd 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 blackest sins put on,b
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes,§
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
That shall enmesh them all.-

(*) Old text, devotement; corrected by Theobald.
(1) First folio, were.

(†) First folio omits, here.

(§) First folio, fortune.

• Probal-] This contraction of probable is, as far as we know, without example.

b

put on,- Instigate, provoke.

c

suggest-] Tempt, entice.

Enter RODERIGO.

How now, Roderigo!

ROD. 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 to-night exceedingly well cudgelled; 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 cashier'd Cassio.
Though other things grow fair against the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe.
Content thyself awhile.-By the mass, 't is 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 ROD.] Two things are to be done,-
My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress,

I'll set her on;

Myself the 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.

ACT III.

SCENE I.-The same. Before the Castle.

Enter CASSIO, and some Musicians.

CAS. Masters, play here,-I will content your pains,Something that's brief; and bid good-morrow, general.

Enter Clown.

[Music.

CLO. Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i' the nose thus?

1 Mus. How, sir, how!

CLO. Are these, I pray you, wind-instruments?

1 Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir.

CLO. O, thereby hangs a tail.

1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

(*) First folio, In troth.

(+) Old text, awhile; corrected by Theobald.

for my pains;] The 1622 quarto adds,-"as that comes to," &c.

CLO. 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, of all loves,a to make no more noise with it.

1 Mus. Well, sir, we will not.

CLO. 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. 1 Mus. We have none such, sir.

CLO. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: go; vanish into air; away! [Exeunt Musicians.

CAS. Dost thou hear, my honest friend?

CLO. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.

CAS. Pr'ythee, 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 favour of speech: wilt thou do this?

CLO. She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.

CAS. Do, good my friend.

[Exit Clown.

Enter IAGO.

In happy time, Iago.

IAGO. You have not been a-bed, then?
CAS. 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.

CAS. I humbly thank you for 't. [Exit IAGO.] I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest.e

Enter EMILIA.

EMIL. 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,

of all loves,-] An old adjuration found in "The Merry Wives of Windsor," Act II. Sc. 2; and in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," Act II. Sc. 3; and which the folio reading, "for love's.sake," well explains.

b Dost thou hear, my honest friend?] So the quartos; the folio reads, "Dost thou heare me, mine honest friend?"

that attends the general's wife, &c.] This is according to the quartos; the folio has, "that attends the Generall," &c.'"

d Do, good my friend.] The folio omits this hemistich.

I never knew

A Florentine more kind and honest.]

As Iago from various passages is known to be a Venetian, and as he calls the lieutenan. "A Florentine" at the opening of the play, Cassio is supposed to mean that he never experienced more kindness and honesty even in one of his own countrymen.

And great affinity, and that in wholesome wisdom

He might not but refuse you; but he protests he loves you,
And needs no other suitor but his likings,

To take the saf'st occasion by the front a

To bring you in again.

CAS.

Yet, I beseech you,

SCENE II.-A Room in the Castle.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen.

ОTH. 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.

OTH. This fortification, gentlemen,-shall we see 't?

[Exeunt.

GENT. We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The Garden of the Castle.

Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA.

DES. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

EMIL. Good madam, do; I warrant it grieves my husband,

As if the cause were his.

DES. O, that's an honest fellow.

But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

CAS.

Do not doubt, Cassio,

Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

He's never any thing but your true servant.

DES. I know't, I thank you. You do love my lord: You have known him long; and be you well assur'd

He shall in strangeness stand no farther off

Than in a politic distance.

CAS.

Ay, but, lady,

That policy may either last so long,

Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,

Or breed itself so out of circumstance,*

(*) First folio, circumstances.

To take the safʼst occasion by the front-] A line not found in the folio.