A hall in the castle.
[Song]
And let me the canakin clink, clink;
And let me the canakin clink
A soldier’s a man;
A life’s but a span;
Why, then, let a soldier drink.
Some wine, boys!
CASSIO ‘Fore God, Iago, an excellent song.
But come, 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; he hath not yet made wanton
the night with her; and she is sport for Jove.
CASSIO She’s a most exquisite lady.
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.
IAGO O, they are our friends; but one cup:
I’ll drink for you.
CASSIO I have drunk but one cup to-night, 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 offence
As my young mistress’ dog. Now, my sick fool Roderigo,
To Desdemona hath to-night caroused
Potations pottle-deep; and he’s to watch:
Three lads of Cyprus, noble swelling spirits,
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:
[Re-enter CASSIO; with
him MONTANO and Gentlemen;
servants following with wine]
CASSIO
‘Fore God, they have given me a rouse already.
MONTANO Good faith, a little one; not past a pint,
as I am a soldier.
CASSIO To the health of our general!
MONTANO
I am for it, lieutenant; and I’ll do you justice.
CASSIO Let’s have no more of this; let’s to our affairs.
–Forgive us our sins!
–Gentlemen, let’s look to our business.
Do not think, gentlemen. I am drunk: this is my
ancient; this is my right hand, and this is my left:
I am not drunk now; I can stand well enough, and
speak well enough.
All Excellent well.
CASSIO Why, very well then;
you must not think then that I am drunk.
[Exit]
MONTANO To the platform, masters; come,
let’s set the watch.
IAGO You see this fellow that is gone before;
He is a soldier fit to stand by Caesar
And give direction: and do but see his vice;
‘Tis pity of him.
I fear the trust Othello puts him in.
On some odd time of his infirmity,
Will shake this island.
MONTANO But is he often thus?
IAGO ‘Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep:
MONTANO And ’tis great pity that the noble Moor
Should hazard such a place as his own second
With one of an ingraft infirmity:
It were an honest action to say
So to the Moor.
IAGO Not I, for this fair island:
I do love Cassio well; and would do much
To cure him of this evil–But, hark! what noise?
[Cry within: ‘Help! help!’]
[Re-enter CASSIO,
driving in RODERIGO]
CASSIO You rogue! you rascal!
MONTANO What’s the matter, lieutenant?
CASSIO A knave teach me my duty!
I’ll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle.
RODERIGO Beat me!
CASSIO Dost thou prate, rogue?
[Striking RODERIGO]
MONTANO Nay, good lieutenant;
[Staying him]
I pray you, sir, hold your hand.
CASSIO Let me go, sir,
Or I’ll knock you o’er the mazzard.
MONTANO Come, come, you’re drunk.
CASSIO Drunk!
[They fight]
IAGO [Aside to RODERIGO] Away, I say;
go out, and cry a mutiny.
[Exit RODERIGO]
Nay, good lieutenant,–alas, gentlemen;–
Help, ho!–Lieutenant,–sir,–Montano,–sir;
Help, masters!–Here’s a goodly watch indeed!
[Bell rings]
Who’s that which rings the bell?–Diablo, ho!
The town will rise: God’s will, lieutenant, hold!
You will be shamed for ever.
[Re-enter OTHELLO and Attendants]
OTHELLO What is the matter here?
MONTANO ‘Zounds, I bleed still; I am hurt to the death.
[Faints]
OTHELLO Hold, for your lives!
IAGO Hold, ho! Hold! the general speaks to you;
hold, hold, for shame!
OTHELLO From whence ariseth this?
Are we turn’d Turks, and to ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?
For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl:
He that stirs next dies upon his motion.
Silence that dreadful bell: it frights the isle
From her propriety.
Honest Iago, that look’st dead with grieving,
Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee.
MONTANO If partially affined, or leagued in office,
Thou dost deliver more or less than truth,
Thou art no soldier.
IAGO
I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio;
Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him. Thus it is, general.
Montano and myself being in speech,
There comes a fellow crying out for help:
And Cassio following him with determined sword,
To execute upon him. Montano, here,
Steps in to Cassio, and entreats his pause:
Myself the crying fellow did pursue,
he, swift of foot, outran my purpose.
When I returned I found them close together,
At blow and thrust; even as again they were
When you yourself did part them.
More of this matter cannot I report:
But men are men; the best sometimes forget:
OTHELLO I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee
But never more be officer of mine.
[Re-enter DESDEMONA, attended]
Look, if my gentle love be not raised up!
I’ll make thee an example.
DESDEMONA What’s the matter?
OTHELLO
All’s well now, sweeting; come away to bed.
Sir, for your hurts, myself will be your surgeon:
Lead him off.
[To MONTANO, who is led off]
Iago, look with care about the town,
And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.
Come, Desdemona: ’tis the soldiers’ life
To have their balmy slumbers waked with strife.
[Exeunt all but IAGO and CASSIO]
IAGO What, are you hurt, lieutenant?
CASSIO Ay, past all surgery.
IAGO Marry, God forbid!
CASSIO Reputation, reputation, reputation!
O, I have lost 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. What, man! there are ways
to recover the general again: you are but now cast in
his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice:
sue to him again, and he’s yours.
CASSIO 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! I, drunk?
IAGO Come, come…
You or any man living may be drunk! at a time, man.
I’ll tell you what you shall do. Our general’s wife
is now the general: confess yourself freely to her;
importune her help to put you in your place again.
CASSIO You advise me well.
IAGO
I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.
CASSIO 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
cheque me here.
IAGO You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant;
I must to the watch.
CASSIO: Good night, honest Iago.
[Exit]
IAGO
And what’s he then that says I play the villain?
When this advice is free I give and honest,
[Re-enter RODERIGO]
How now, Roderigo!
RODERIGO My money is almost spent;
I have been to-night exceedingly well
cudgelled; and I shall have so much experience
for my pains, and no money at all and with
that wit, return to Venice.
IAGO How poor are they that have not patience!
Does’t not go well? Cassio hath beaten thee.
And thou, by that small hurt, hast cashier’d Cassio:
Content thyself awhile. By the mass, ’tis morning;
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.
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