Уильям Шекспир - Othello

Fled from her wish and yet said “Now I may 163”,

She that being ang’red, her revenge being nigh,

Bade her wrong stay and her displeasure fly,

She that in wisdom never was so frail

To change the cod’s head for the salmon’s tail 167,

She that could think and ne’er disclose her mind,

See suitors following and not look behind,

She was a wight 170, if ever such wights were—’DESDEMONA To do what?IAGO ‘To suckle 172fools and chronicle small beer.’DESDEMONA O, most lame and impotent conclusion! Do not

learn of him, Emilia, though he be thy husband. How say

you, Cassio? Is he not a most profane and liberal 175counsellor?CASSIO He speaks home 176, madam: you may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar. Cassio takes Desdemona’s hand and they converse apart

IAGO He takes her by the palm: ay, well said, Aside 177

whisper. With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a

fly as Cassio. Ay, smile upon her, do: I will gyve 180thee in thine

own courtship 181. You say true, ’tis so, indeed: if such tricks as

these strip you out of your lieutenantry, it had been better

you had not kissed your three fingers 183so oft, which now

again you are most apt to play the sir 184in. Very good: well

kissed, and excellent courtesy 185! ’Tis so, indeed. Yet again your

fingers to your lips? Would they were clyster-pipes 186for your

sake!—The Moor! I know his trumpet. Trumpet within

CASSIO ’Tis truly so.DESDEMONA Let’s meet him and receive him.CASSIO Lo 190, where he comes!

Enter Othello and Attendants OTHELLO O my fair warrior!DESDEMONA My dear Othello!OTHELLO It gives me wonder great as my content

To see you here before me. O my soul’s joy!

If after every tempest come such calms,

May the winds blow till they have wakened death!

And let the labouring bark 197climb hills of seas

Olympus-high 198and duck again as low

As hell’s from heaven! If it were now to die 199,

’Twere now to be most happy, for I fear

My soul hath her content so absolute

That not another comfort like to this

Succeeds 203in unknown fate.DESDEMONA The heavens forbid

But that our loves and comforts should increase,

Even as our days do grow!OTHELLO Amen to that, sweet powers!

I cannot speak enough of this content:

It stops 209me here: it is too much of joy.

And this, and this, the greatest discords be Kisses her

That e’er our hearts shall make!IAGO O, you are well tuned now! Aside

But I’ll set down 213the pegs that make this music,

As honest as I am.OTHELLO Come, let us to the castle.— To Desdemona

News, friends: our wars are done, the Turks are drowned.

How does my old acquaintance of this isle?—

Honey, you shall be well desired in Cyprus:

I have found great love amongst them. O my sweet,

I prattle 220out of fashion, and I dote

In mine own comforts 221. I prithee, good Iago,

Go to the bay and disembark my coffers 222.

Bring thou the master 223to the citadel:

He is a good one, and his worthiness

Does challenge 225much respect.— Come, Desdemona,

Once more, well met at Cyprus. Exeunt Othello and Desdemona

[with Attendants. Iago and Rodorigo remain]

IAGO Do thou meet me presently at the To an Attendant

harbour.— as he exits

Come hither. If thou be’st valiant — as they say To Rodorigo

base 229men being in love have then a nobility in their natures

more than is native to them — list 230me: the lieutenant tonight

watches on the court of guard 231is on duty at the guardhouse. First, I must tell thee this:

Desdemona is directly 232in love with him.RODORIGO With him? Why, ’tis not possible.IAGO Lay thy finger thus 234, and let thy soul be instructed.

Mark me 235with what violence she first loved the Moor, but for

bragging and telling her fantastical lies. To love him still for

prating 237? Let not thy discreet heart think it. Her eye must be

fed: and what delight shall she have to look on the devil?

When the blood is made dull 239with the act of sport, there

should be a game 240to inflame it and to give satiety a fresh

appetite, loveliness in favour 241, sympathy in years, manners

and beauties, all which the Moor is defective in. Now,

for want of these required conveniences 243, her delicate

tenderness will find itself abused, begin to heave the gorge 244,

disrelish 245and abhor the Moor: very nature will instruct her in

it and compel her to some second choice. Now, sir, this

granted — as it is a most pregnant 247and unforced position—

who stands so eminent in the degree 248of this fortune as Cassio

does? A knave very voluble 249, no further conscionable than

in putting on the mere form of civil and humane 250seeming

for the better compass 251of his salt and most hidden loose

affection? Why, none, why, none. A slipper 252and subtle knave,

a finder of occasion 253, that has an eye can stamp and

counterfeit advantages 254, though true advantage never

present itself: a devilish knave. Besides, the knave is

handsome, young, and hath all those requisites in him that

folly 257and green minds look after. A pestilent complete knave,

and the woman hath found him already.RODORIGO I cannot believe that in her: she’s full of most

blessed condition 260.IAGO Blessed fig’s-end! The wine she drinks is made of 261

grapes. If she had been blessed, she would never have loved

the Moor. Blessed pudding 263! Didst thou not see her paddle

with the palm of his hand? Didst not mark that?RODORIGO Yes, that I did, but that was but courtesy.IAGO Lechery, by this hand: an index 266and obscure

prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts. They met

so near with their lips that their breaths embraced together.

Villainous thoughts, Rodorigo! When these mutabilities 269so

marshal the way, hard 270at hand comes the master and main

exercise 271, th’incorporate conclusion. Pish! But, sir, be you

ruled by me: I have brought you from Venice. Watch you 272

tonight: for the command, I’ll lay’t upon you 273. Cassio knows

you not. I’ll not be far from you. Do you find some occasion

to anger Cassio, either by speaking too loud, or tainting his 275

discipline, or from what other course you please, which the

time shall more favourably minister 277.RODORIGO Well.IAGO Sir, he’s rash and very sudden in choler 279, and haply

may strike at you: provoke him that he may, for even out

of that will I cause these 281of Cyprus to mutiny, whose

qualification shall come into no true taste again but by the

displanting 283of Cassio. So shall you have a shorter journey to

your desires by the means I shall then have to prefer 284them,

and the impediment most profitably removed, without the

which there were no expectation of our prosperity 286.RODORIGO I will do this, if you can bring it to any opportunity 287.IAGO I warrant 288thee. Meet me by and by at the citadel: I

must fetch his 289necessaries ashore. Farewell.RODORIGO Adieu. Exit

IAGO That Cassio loves her, I do well believe’t:

That she loves him, ’tis apt 292and of great credit.

The Moor — howbeit that I endure him not 293—

Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,

And I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona

A most dear 296husband. Now, I do love her too,

Not out of absolute lust — though peradventure 297

I stand accountant 298for as great a sin —