Othello

had rather be a toad

     And live upon the vapour of a dungeon

     Than keep a corner³⁰² in the thing I love

     For others’ uses³⁰³. Yet, ’tis the plague to great ones,

     Prerogatived³⁰⁴ are they less than the base:

     ’Tis destiny unshunnable, like death:

     Even then this forked plague³⁰⁶ is fated to us

     When we do quicken³⁰⁷. Look where she comes:

     If she be false, heaven mocked³⁰⁸ itself!

     I’ll not believe’t.

Enter Desdemona and EmiliaDESDEMONA   How now, my dear Othello?

     Your dinner, and the generous³¹¹ islanders

     By you invited, do attend³¹² your presence.OTHELLO   I am to blame.DESDEMONA   Why do you speak so faintly?

     Are you not well?OTHELLO   I have a pain upon my forehead³¹⁶ here.DESDEMONA   Why, that’s with watching³¹⁷. ’Twill away again:

     Let me but bind it hard, within this hourOffers her handkerchief

     It will be well.OTHELLO   Your napkin³²⁰ is too little:He pushes away the handkerchief and it drops

     Let it alone. Come, I’ll go in with you.Exit

DESDEMONA   I am very sorry that you are not well.Following him

EMILIA   I am glad I have found this napkin:Picks up the handkerchief

     This was her first remembrance³²⁴ from the Moor:

     My wayward husband hath a hundred times

     Wooed³²⁶ me to steal it, but she so loves the token —

     For he conjured her³²⁷ she should ever keep it —

     That she reserves³²⁸ it evermore about her

     To kiss and talk to. I’ll have the work ta’en out³²⁹,

     And give’t Iago: what he will do with it

     Heaven knows, not I:

     I nothing³³² but to please his fantasy.

Enter IagoIAGO   How now? What do you here alone?EMILIA   Do not you chide: I have a thing for you.IAGO   You have a thing for me? It is a common³³⁵ thing—EMILIA   Ha?IAGO   To have a foolish wife.EMILIA   O, is that all? What will you give me now

     For the same handkerchief? IAGO   What handkerchief?EMILIA   What handkerchief?

     Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona,

     That which so often you did bid me steal.IAGO   Hast stol’n it from her?EMILIA   No, but she let it drop by negligence.

     And, to th’advantage³⁴⁶, I, being here, took’t up.

     Look, here ’tis.IAGO   A good wench: give it me.EMILIA   What will you do with’t, that you have been

     So earnest to have me filch it?IAGO   Why, what is that to you?Snatches it

EMILIA   If it be not for some purpose of import,

     Give’t me again: poor lady, she’ll run mad

     When she shall lack³⁵⁴ it.IAGO   Be not acknown on’t³⁵⁵: I have use for it.

     Go, leave me.Exit Emilia

     I will in Cassio’s lodging loose this napkin

     And let him find it. Trifles light as air

     Are to the jealous confirmations strong

     As proofs of holy writ³⁶⁰: this may do something.

     The Moor already changes with my poison:

     Dangerous conceits³⁶² are in their natures poisons,

     Which at the first are scarce found to distaste³⁶³,

     But with a little act³⁶⁴ upon the blood,

     Burn like the mines of sulphur. I did say so:

Enter OthelloAt a distance

     Look, where he comes! Not poppy³⁶⁶, nor mandragora,

     Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world

     Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep

     Which thou owed’st³⁶⁹ yesterday.OTHELLO   Ha, ha, false to me?IAGO   Why how now, general? No more of that.OTHELLO   Avaunt³⁷², be gone! Thou hast set me on the rack:

     I swear ’tis better to be much abused

     Than but to know’t a little.IAGO   How now, my lord?OTHELLO   What sense had I in her stol’n hours of lust?

     I saw’t not, thought it not, it harmed not me:

     I slept the next night well, fed well, was free³⁷⁸ and merry:

     I found not Cassio’s kisses on her lips.

     He that is robbed, not wanting³⁸⁰ what is stol’n,

     Let him not know’t and he’s not robbed at all.IAGO   I am sorry to hear this.OTHELLO   I had been happy, if the general camp,

     Pioneers³⁸⁴ and all, had tasted her sweet body,

     So³⁸⁵ I had nothing known. O, now, for ever

     Farewell the tranquil mind; farewell content;

     Farewell the plumed³⁸⁷ troops and the big wars

     That makes ambition virtue! O, farewell!

     Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump³⁸⁹,

     The spirit-stirring drum, th’ear-piercing fife³⁹⁰,

     The royal banner, and all quality³⁹¹,

     Pride³⁹², pomp and circumstance of glorious war!

     And, O, you mortal engines³⁹³, whose rude throats

     Th’immortal Jove’s dread clamours³⁹⁴ counterfeit,

     Farewell! Othello’s occupation’s gone.IAGO   Is’t possible, my lord?OTHELLO   Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore;Grabs him

     Be sure of it: give me the ocular proof,

     Or by the worth of mine eternal soul,

     Thou hadst been better have been born a dog

     Than answer my waked wrath!IAGO   Is’t come to this?OTHELLO   Make me to see’t, or at the least so prove it

     That the probation⁴⁰⁴ bear no hinge nor loop

     To hang a doubt on, or woe upon thy life!IAGO   My noble lord—OTHELLO   If thou dost slander her and torture me,

     Never pray more: abandon all remorse⁴⁰⁸,

     On horror’s head horrors accumulate,

     Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amazed⁴¹⁰,

     For nothing canst thou to damnation add

     Greater than that.IAGO   O grace! O heaven forgive me!

     Are you a man? Have you a soul? Or sense?

     God b’wi’you⁴¹⁵, take mine office. O wretched fool,

     That lov’st to make thine honesty a vice!

     O monstrous world! Take note, take note, O world,

     To be direct and honest is not safe.

     I thank you for this profit⁴¹⁹, and from hence

     I’ll love no friend, sith⁴²⁰ love breeds such offence.OTHELLO   Nay, stay: thou shouldst be⁴²¹ honest.IAGO   I should be⁴²² wise, for honesty’s a fool

     And loses that⁴²³ it works for.OTHELLO   By the world,

     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. My name, that was as fresh

     As Dian⁴²⁸’s visage, is now begrimed and black

     As mine own face. If there be cords, or knives,⁴²⁹

     Poison, or fire, or suffocating streams,

     I’ll not endure it. Would I were satisfied!IAGO   I see you are eaten up with passion:

     I do repent me that I put it to you.

     You would be satisfied?OTHELLO   Would? Nay, and I will.IAGO   And may: but, how? How satisfied, my lord?

     Would you the supervision⁴³⁷ grossly gape on?

     Behold her topped⁴³⁸?OTHELLO   Death and damnation! O!IAGO   It were a tedious difficulty, I think,

     To bring them to that prospect⁴⁴¹: damn them then,

     If ever mortal eyes do see them bolster⁴⁴²

     More⁴⁴³ than their own. What then? How then?

     What shall I say? Where’s satisfaction⁴⁴⁴?

     It is impossible you should see this,

     Were they as prime⁴⁴⁶ as goats, as hot as monkeys,

     As salt⁴⁴⁷ as wolves in pride, and fools as gross

     As