Des. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well? Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here. Let me but bind it hard, within this hour Oth. Your napkin is too little; [He puts the Handkerchief from him, and it drops. Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you. Des. I am very sorry that you are not well. [Exeunt ОTH. and DES. Emil. I am glad I have found this napkin; This was her first remembrance from the Moor: My wayward husband hath a hundred times Woo'd me to steal it: but she so loves the token, (For he conjur'd her, she would ever keep it,) That she reserves it evermore about her, To kiss, and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out, And give it Iago: What he'll do with it, heaven knows, not I; I nothing, but to please his fantasy. Enter IAGO. lago. How now! what do you here alone? Emil. Do not you chide; I have a thing for you. lago. A thing for me?-it is a common thing. Emil. Ha! Jago. To have a foolish wife. 8 S I'll have the work ta'en out,] That is, copied. Her first thoughts are, to have a copy made of it for her husband, and restore the original to Desdemona. But the sudden coming in of Iago, in a suriy humour, makes her alter her resolution, to please him. Emil. O, is that all? What will you give me now For that same handkerchief? Iago. Emil. What handkerchief? What handkerchief? Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona; Emil. No, faith; she let it drop by negligence; Iago. A good wench; give it me. Emil. What will you do with it, that you have been so earnest To have me filch it? Iago. Why, what's that to you? [Snatching it. Iago. Be not you known of't;' I have use for it. Burn like the mines of sulphur.-I did say so: it up. to the advantage, &c.] I being opportunely here, took Be not you known of't;] i. e. seem as if you knew nothing of the matter. Enter OTHELLO. Look, where he comes! Not poppy, nor mandra 2 gora, Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world, Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep Oth. To me? Ha ha! false to me? Iago. Why, how now, general? no more of that. Oth. Avaunt! be gone! thou hast set me on the rack: I swear, 'tis better to be much abus'd, Than but to know't a little. Iago. How now, my lord? Oth. What sense had I of her stolen hours of lust? I saw it not, thought it not, it harm'd not me: He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stolen, Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp, 2 nor mandragora,] The mandragoras or mandrake has a soporifick quality, and the ancients used it when they wanted an opiate of the most powerful kind. 3 Which thou ow'dst yesterday.] To owe is, in our author, oftener to possess, than to be indebted, and such is its meaning here. 4 Pioneers and all,] That is, the most abject and vilest of the camp. Pioneers were generally degraded soldiers, appointed to the office of pioneer, as a punishment for misbehaviour. That make ambition virtue! O, farewell! Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war! Iago. Is it possible ?-My lord, Oth. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore; Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof; [Taking him by the Throat. Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul, Thou hadst been better have been born a dog, Iago. Is it come to this? Oth. Make me to see it; or (at the least) so prove it, That the probation bear no hinge, nor loop, Oth. If thou dost slander her, and torture me, Never pray more: abandon all remorse;5 On horror's head horrors accumulate: Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amaz'd, Iago. O grace! O heaven defend me ! Are you a man? have you a soul, or sense?— God be wi' you; take mine office.-O wretched fool, That liv'st to make thine honesty a vice!— O monstrous world! Take note, take note, O world, I thank you for this profit; and, from hence, 5 abandon all remorse;] All tenderness of nature, all pity; in which sense the word was frequently used in Shakspeare's time. Oth. Nay, stay :-Thou should'st be honest. Iago. I should be wise; for honesty's a fool, And loses that it works for. By the world, Oth. I think my wife be honest, and think she is not; I think that thou art just, and think thou art not; I'll have some proof: Her name, that was as fresh As Dian's visage, is now begrim'd and black As mine own face.-If there be cords, or knives, Poison, or fire, or suffocating streams, I'll not endure it.-Would, I were satisfied! Iago. I see, sir, you are eaten up with passion: I do repent me, that I put it to you. You would be satisfied? Oth. Would? nay, I will. Tago. And may: But, how? how satisfied, my lord? Would you, the supervisor, grossly gape on? Behold her tupp'd? Oth. Death and damnation! O! Iago. It were a tedious difficulty, I think, To bring them to that prospect: Damn them then, It is impossible, you should see this, 6 Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys, 6 Were they as prime as goats,] Prime is prompt. 7 Give me a living reason-] Living, for speaking, manifest, actual proof. |