Othello Page #10

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IAGO:

And what's he then that says I play the villain?

When this advice is free I give and honest,

Probal to thinking and indeed the course

To win the Moor again? For 'tis most easy

The inclining Desdemona to subdue

In any honest suit: she's framed 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,

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.

Re-enter RODERIGO

How now, Roderigo!

RODERIGO:

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, 'tis 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 RODERIGO

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. Before the castle.

Enter CASSIO and some Musicians

CASSIO:

Masters, play here; I will content your pains;

Something that's brief; and bid 'Good morrow, general.'

Music

Enter Clown

Clown

Why masters, have your instruments been in Naples,

that they speak i' the nose thus?

First Musician

How, sir, how!

Clown

Are these, I pray you, wind-instruments?

First Musician

Ay, marry, are they, sir.

Clown

O, thereby hangs a tail.

First Musician

Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

Clown

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, for love's

sake, to make no more noise with it.

First Musician

Well, sir, we will not.

Clown

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.

First Musician

We have none such, sir.

Clown

Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away:

go; vanish into air; away!

Exeunt Musicians

CASSIO:

Dost thou hear, my honest friend?

Clown

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

CASSIO:

Prithee, 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?

Clown

She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I

shall seem to notify unto her.

CASSIO:

Do, good my friend.

Exit Clown

Enter IAGO

In happy time, Iago.

IAGO:

You have not been a-bed, 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.

Enter EMILIA

EMILIA:

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,

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 safest occasion by the front

To bring you in again.

CASSIO:

Yet, I beseech you,

If you think fit, or that it may be done,

Give me advantage of some brief discourse

With Desdemona alone.

EMILIA:

Pray you, come in;

I will bestow you where you shall have time

To speak your bosom freely.

CASSIO:

I am much bound to you.

Exeunt

SCENE II. A room in the castle.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen

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't.

OTHELLO:

This fortification, gentlemen, shall we see't?

Gentleman

We'll wait upon your lordship.

Exeunt

SCENE III. The garden of the castle.

Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA

DESDEMONA:

Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

EMILIA:

Good madam, do:
I warrant it grieves my husband,

As if the case were his.

DESDEMONA:

O, that's an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio,

But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

CASSIO:

Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

He's never any thing but your true servant.

DESDEMONA:

I know't; I thank you. You do love my lord:

You have known him long; and be you well assured

He shall in strangeness stand no further off

Than in a polite distance.

CASSIO:

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,

That, I being absent and my place supplied,

My general will forget my love and service.

DESDEMONA:

Do not doubt that; before Emilia here

I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,

If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it

To the last article: my lord shall never rest;

I'll watch him tame and talk him out of patience;

His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;

I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Cassio's suit: therefore be merry, Cassio;

For thy solicitor shall rather die

Than give thy cause away.

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 purposes.

DESDEMONA:

Well, do your discretion.

Exit CASSIO

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