Iago. I do not like the office:

But, sith I am enter'd in this cause so far,-
Prick'd to it by foolish honesty and love,—
I will go on. I lay with Cassio lately;
And, being troubled with a raging tooth,
I could not sleep.

There are a kind of men so loose of soul,
That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs;
One of this kind is Cassio:

In sleep I heard him say,-Sweet Desdemona,
Let us be wary, let us hide our loves!

And then, sir, would he gripe, and wring my hand,
Cry,-O, sweet creature! and then kiss me hard,
As if he pluck'd up kisses by the roots,

That grew upon my lips: then laid his leg

Over my thigh, and sigh'd, and kiss'd; and then Cry'd, Cursed fate! that gave thee to the Moor! Oth. O monstrous! monstrous!

Iago. Nay, this was but his dream. Oth. But this denoted a foregone conclusion; 'Tis a shrew'd doubt, though it be but a dream. Iago. And this may help to thicken other proofs, That do demonstrate thinly.

Oth

I'll tear her all to pieces. Iago. Nay, but be wise: yet we see nothing done; She may be honest yet. Tell me but this,Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief, Spotted with strawberries, in your wife's hand? Oth. I gave her such a one; 'twas my first gift. Iago. I know not that: but such a handkerchief, (I am sure it was your wife's,) did I to-day See Cassio wipe his beard with.

8

Oth.

If it be that,Iago. If it be that, or any that was her's,

a foregone conclusion;] A conclusion in Shakspeare's

time meant an experiment or trial.

It speaks against her with the other proofs.
Oth. O, that the slave had forty thousand lives;
One is too poor, too weak for my revenge!
Now do I see 'tis true.-Look here, Iago;
All my fond love thus I do blow to heaven:
"Tis gone.-

Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!
Yield up, O love, thy crown, and hearted throne,9
To tyrannous hate! swell, bosom, with thy fraught,'
For 'tis of aspicks' tongues!

Iago. Pray, be content.

Oth.

O, blood, Iago, blood! Iago. Patience, I say; your mind, perhaps, may

change.

Oth. Never, Iago. Like to the Pontick sea,
Whose icy current and compulsive course
Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on
To the Propontick, and the Hellespont;
Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace,
Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love,
Till that a capable and wide revenge

Swallow them up.-Now, by yond' marble heaven,
In the due reverence of a sacred vow

I here engage my words.
Iago.

[Kneels.

Do not rise yet.—

[Kneels.

Witness, you ever-burning lights above!
You elements that clip us round about!
Witness, that here Iago doth give up
The execution3 of his wit, hands, heart,

To wrong'd Othello's service! let him command,

9

hearted throne,] Hearted throne, is the heart on which thou wast enthroned.

1- swell, bosom, &c.] i. e. swell, because the fraught is of poison.

2

a capable-] Capable perhaps signifies ample, capacious. 3 The execution-] i. e. employment or exercise.

And to obey shall be in me remorse,
What bloody work soever.*

Oth.

I greet thy love,

Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounte

ous,

And will upon the instant put thee to't:

Within these three days let me hear thee say,
That Cassio's not alive.

Iago. My friend is dead; 'tis done, at your request:

But let her live.

Oth.

Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her! Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw, To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant. Iago. I am your own for ever.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

The same.

Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, and Clown.

Des. Do you know, sirrah, where lieutenant Cassio lies?

Clo. I dare not say, he lies any where.

Des. Why, man?

Clo. He is a soldier; and for me to say a soldier lies, is stabbing.

Des. Go to; Where lodges he?

Clo. To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you where I lie.

let him command,

And to obey shall be in me remorse,

What bloody work soever.] Iago devotes himself to wronged Othello, and says, Let him command whatever bloody business, and in me it shall be an act, not of cruelty, but of tenderness, to obey him; not of malice to others, but of tenderness for him.

Des. Can any thing be made of this?

Clo. I know not where he lodges; and for me to devise a lodging, and say-he lies here, or he lies there, were to lie in my own throat.

Des. Can you enquire him out, and be edified by report?

Clo. I will catechize the world for him; that is, make questions, and by them answer."

Des. Seek him, bid him come hither: tell him, I have moved my lord in his behalf, and hope, all will be well.

Clo. To do this, is within the compass of man's wit; and therefore I will attempt the doing it.

[Exit. Des. Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia ?

Emil. I know not, madam.

Des. Believe me, I had rather have lost my purse Full of cruzadoes. And, but my noble Moor Is true of mind, and made of no such baseness As jealous creatures are, it were enough

To put him to ill thinking.

Emil.

Is he not jealous?

Des. Who, he? I think, the sun, where he was

born,

Drew all such humours from him.

Emil.

Look, where he comes,

Des. I will not leave him now, till Cassio
Be call'd to him.-How is't with you, my lord?

5

and by them answer.] i. e. and by them, when answered, form my own answer to you. The quaintness of the expression is in character.

6 cruzadoes.] A Portuguese coin, in value three shillings sterling. So called from the cross stamped upon it.

Enter OTHELLO.

Oth. Well, my good lady:-[Aside.] O, hardness to dissemble!

How do you, Desdemona?

Des.

Well, my good lord. Oth. Give me your hand; This hand is moist, my lady.

Des. It yet has felt no age, nor known no sorrow.
Oth. This argues fruitfulness, and liberal heart;-
Hot, hot, and moist: This hand of yours requires
A sequester from liberty, fasting and prayer,
Much castigation, exercise devout;"

For here's a young and sweating devil here,
That commonly rebels. 'Tis a good hand,
A frank one.

Des.

You may, indeed, say so; For 'twas that hand that gave away my heart. Oth. A liberal hand: The hearts of old, gave

hands;

But our new heraldry is-hands, not hearts.

Des. I cannot speak of this.

promise.

Oth. What promise, chuck?

Come now your

Des. I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with

you.

Oth. I have a salt and sullen rheum offends me; Lend me thy handkerchief.

7

8

Des.

Here, my lord.

Oth. That which I gave you.

Des.

Oth. Not?

Des.

I have it not about me.

No, indeed, my lord.

exercise devout ;] Exercise was the religious term.

· salt and sullen rheum-] Sullen, that is, a rheum obsti

nately troublesome..