Othello

line />

     Or that¹⁷² mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense

     Delighted them, or any other form,

     Or that I do not yet¹⁷⁴, and ever did,

     And ever will — though he do shake me off

     To beggarly divorcement — love him dearly,

     Comfort forswear¹⁷⁷ me! Unkindness may do much,

     And his unkindness may defeat my life,

     But never taint my love. I cannot say ‘whore’:

     It does abhor¹⁸⁰ me now I speak the word:

     To do the act that might the addition¹⁸¹ earn

     Not the world’s mass of vanity¹⁸² could make me.IAGO   I pray you be content: ’tis but his humour¹⁸³.

     The business of the state does him offence.DESDEMONA   If ’twere no other—IAGO   It is but so, I warrant.Trumpets within

     Hark, how these instruments summon to supper!

     The messengers of Venice stays¹⁸⁸ the meat:

     Go in, and weep not: all things shall be well.Exeunt Desdemona and Emilia

Enter Rodorigo     How now, Rodorigo?RODORIGO   I do not find that thou deal’st justly with me.IAGO   What in the contrary?RODORIGO   Every day thou daff’st me¹⁹³ with some device, Iago,

     and rather, as it seems to me now, keep’st from me all

     conveniency¹⁹⁵ than suppliest me with the least advantage of

     hope. I will indeed no longer endure it, nor am I yet

     persuaded to put up¹⁹⁷ in peace what already I have foolishly

     suffered.IAGO   Will you hear me, Rodorigo?RODORIGO   I have heard too much, and your words and

     performances are no kin together.IAGO   You charge me most unjustly.RODORIGO   With naught but truth: I have wasted myself out

     of my means. The jewels you have had from me to

     deliver Desdemona would half have corrupted a votarist²⁰⁵:

     you have told me she hath received them and returned

     me expectations and comforts²⁰⁷ of sudden respect and

     acquaintance²⁰⁸, but I find none.IAGO   Well, go to²¹⁰, very well.RODORIGO   ‘Very well’! ‘Go to’! I cannot go to, man, nor ’tis not

     very well: nay, I think it is scurvy, and begin to find myself

     fopped²¹² in it.IAGO   Very well.RODORIGO   I tell you ’tis not very well. I will make myself

     known to Desdemona: if she will return me my jewels, I will

     give over my suit and repent my unlawful solicitation: if not,

     assure yourself I will seek satisfaction²¹⁷ of you.IAGO   You have said²¹⁸ now.RODORIGO   Ay, and said nothing but what I protest intendment²¹⁹

     of doing.IAGO   Why, now I see there’s mettle²²¹ in thee, and even from

     this instant do build on thee a better opinion than ever

     before. Give me thy hand, Rodorigo: thou hast taken against

     me a most just exception²²⁴, but yet I protest I have dealt most

     directly²²⁵ in thy affair.RODORIGO   It hath not appeared.IAGO   I grant indeed it hath not appeared, and your

     suspicion is not without wit and judgement. But, Rodorigo, if

     thou hast that in thee indeed which I have greater reason to

     believe now than ever — I mean purpose, courage and

     valour — this night show it: if thou the next night following

     enjoy not Desdemona, take me from this world with

     treachery and devise engines²³³ for my life.RODORIGO   Well, what is it? Is it within reason and compass²³⁴?IAGO   Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice

     to depute Cassio in Othello’s place.RODORIGO   Is that true? Why then Othello and Desdemona

     return again to Venice.IAGO   O, no. He goes into Mauritania²³⁹ and taketh away

     with him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be lingered²⁴⁰

     here by some accident, wherein none can be so determinate²⁴¹

     as the removing of Cassio.RODORIGO   How do you mean, removing him?IAGO   Why, by making him uncapable of Othello’s place:

     knocking out his brains.RODORIGO   And that you would have me to do?IAGO   Ay, if you dare do yourself a profit and a right. He

     sups tonight with a harlotry²⁴⁸, and thither will I go to him. He

     knows not yet of his honourable fortune: if you will watch

     his going thence — which I will fashion to fall out²⁵⁰ between

     twelve and one — you may take him at your pleasure. I will

     be near to second²⁵² your attempt, and he shall fall between us.

     Come, stand not amazed²⁵³ at it, but go along with me: I will

     show you such a necessity in his death that you shall think

     yourself bound to put it on him. It is now high²⁵⁵ suppertime,

     and the night grows to waste²⁵⁶RODORIGO   I will hear further reason for this.IAGO   And you shall be satisfied.Exeunt

Act 4 Scene 3running scene 9 continues

Enter Othello, Lodovico, Desdemona, Emilia and AttendantsLODOVICO   I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.OTHELLO   O, pardon me: ’twill do me good to walk.LODOVICO   Madam, goodnight. I humbly thank your ladyship.DESDEMONA   Your honour is most welcome.OTHELLO   Will you walk, sir?— O, Desdemona!DESDEMONA   My lord?Exeunt [Othello, Lodovico and Attendants]

OTHELLO   Get you to bed on th’instant, I will be returned

     forthwith. Dismiss your attendant there: look’t be done.DESDEMONA   I will, my lord.EMILIA   How goes it now? He looks gentler than he did.DESDEMONA   He says he will return incontinent¹¹,

     And hath commanded me to go to bed,

     And bid me to dismiss you.EMILIA   Dismiss me?DESDEMONA   It was his bidding: therefore, good Emilia,

     Give me my nightly wearing¹⁶, and adieu.

     We must not now displease him.EMILIA   I would you had never seen him.DESDEMONA   So would not I: my love doth so approve¹⁹ him

     That even his stubbornness²⁰, his checks, his frowns —

     Prithee unpin me²¹ — have grace and favour.EMILIA   I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed.DESDEMONA   All’s one²³.— Good father, how foolish are our

     minds!—

     If I do die before²⁴, prithee shroud me

     In one of these same sheets.EMILIA   Come, come, you talk²⁶.DESDEMONA   My mother had a maid called Barbary²⁷:

     She was in love, and he she loved proved mad²⁸

     And did forsake her. She had a song of ‘willow²⁹’,

     An old thing ’twas, but it expressed her fortune,

     And she died singing it: that song tonight

     Will not go from my mind: I have much to do

     But to go hang my head all at one side

     And sing it like poor Barbary. Prithee dispatch.EMILIA   Shall I go fetch your nightgown?DESDEMONA   No, unpin me here.

     This Lodovico is a proper³⁷ man.EMILIA   A very handsome man.DESDEMONA   He speaks well.EMILIA   I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to

     Palestine for a touch of his nether⁴¹ lip.DESDEMONA   The poor soul sat singing by a sycamore⁴² tree,Sings

     Sing all a green willow:

     Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,

     Sing willow, willow, willow.

     The fresh streams ran by her, and murmured her moans,

     Sing willow, willow, willow:

     Her salt tears fell from her, and softened the stones,

     Sing willow—

     Lay by these⁵⁰—To Emilia

     Willow, willow—Sings

   Prithee, hie thee⁵²: he’ll come anon—     Sing all a green willow must be my garland.Sings

     Let nobody blame him, his scorn I approve—

     Nay, that’s not next.— Hark, who is’t that knocks?EMILIA   It’s the