The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

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The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 417

by William Shakespeare


  Even as our days do grow.

  OTHELLO Amen to that, sweet powers!

  I cannot speak enough of this content,

  It stops me here, it is too much of joy.

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  And this, and this the greatest discords be [They kiss.]

  That e’er our hearts shall make.

  IAGO [aside]

  O, you are well tuned now: but I’ll set down

  The pegs that make this music, as honest

  As I am.

  OTHELLO Come, let us to the castle.

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  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 out of fashion, and I dote

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  In mine own comforts. I prithee, good Iago,

  Go to the bay and disembark my coffers.

  Bring thou the master to the citadel,

  He is a good one, and his worthiness

  Does challenge much respect. Come, Desdemona;

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  Once more, well met at Cyprus.

  Exeunt all but Iago and Roderigo.

  IAGO Do thou meet me presently at the harbour. Come

  hither: if thou be’st valiant – as, they say, base men

  being in love have then a nobility in their natures,

  more than is native to them – list me. The lieutenant

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  tonight watches on the court of guard. First I must tell

  thee this: Desdemona is directly in love with him.

  RODERIGO With him? why, ’tis not possible.

  IAGO Lay thy finger thus, and let thy soul be instructed.

  Mark me with what violence she first loved the Moor,

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  but for bragging and telling her fantastical lies – and

  will she love him still for prating? 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 with the act of sport, there should be, again

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  to inflame it, and to give satiety a fresh appetite,

  loveliness in favour, sympathy in years, manners and

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

  want of these required conveniences, her delicate

  tenderness will find itself abused, begin to heave the

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  gorge, disrelish and 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

  and unforced position – who stands so eminent in the

  degree of this fortune as Cassio does? a knave very

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  voluble, no farther conscionable than in putting on the

  mere form of civil and humane seeming, for the better

  compassing of his salt and most hidden loose affection.

  Why none, why none: a slipper and subtle knave, a

  finder out of occasions, that has an eye, can stamp and

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  counterfeit advantages, though true advantage never

  present itself – a devilish knave; besides, the knave is

  handsome, young, and hath all those requisites in him

  that folly and green minds look after. A pestilent

  complete knave, and the woman hath found him

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  already.

  RODERIGO I cannot believe that in her, she’s full of most

  blest condition.

  IAGO Blest fig’s-end! The wine she drinks is made of

  grapes. If she had been blest she would never have

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  loved the Moor. Blest pudding! Didst thou not see her

  paddle with the palm of his hand? Didst not mark

  that?

  RODERIGO Yes, that I did, but that was but courtesy.

  IAGO Lechery, by this hand: an index and obscure

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  prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts. They

  met so near with their lips that their breaths embraced

  together. Villainous thoughts, Roderigo: when these

  mutualities so marshal the way, hard at hand comes

  the master and main exercise, th’incorporate

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  conclusion. Pish! But, sir, be you ruled by me. I have

  brought you from Venice: watch you tonight. For the

  command, I’ll lay’t upon you. 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

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  his discipline, or from what other cause you please

  which the time shall more favourably minister.

  RODERIGO Well.

  IAGO Sir, he’s rash and very sudden in choler, and haply

  with his truncheon may strike at you: provoke him

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  that he may, for even out of that will I cause these of

  Cyprus to mutiny, whose qualification shall come into

  no true trust again but by the displanting of Cassio. So

  shall you have a shorter journey to your desires, by the

  means I shall then have to prefer them, and the

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  impediment most profitably removed, without the

  which there were no expectation of our prosperity.

  RODERIGO I will do this, if you can bring it to any

  opportunity.

  IAGO I warrant thee. Meet me by and by at the citadel:

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  I must fetch his necessaries ashore. Farewell.

  RODERIGO Adieu. Exit.

  IAGO That Cassio loves her, I do well believe it,

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

  The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not,

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  Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,

  And I dare think he’ll prove to Desdemona

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

  Not out of absolute lust – though peradventure

  I stand accountant for as great a sin –

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  But partly led to diet my revenge,

  For that I do suspect the lusty Moor

  Hath leaped into my seat, the thought whereof

  Doth like a poisonous mineral gnaw my inwards …

  And nothing can or shall content my soul

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  Till I am evened with him, wife for wife …

  Or, failing so, yet that I put the Moor

  At least into a jealousy so strong

  That judgement cannot cure; which thing to do,

  If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trash

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  For his quick hunting, stand the putting on,

  I’ll have our Michael Cassio on the hip,

  Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb –

  For I fear Cassio with my night-cap too –

  Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me

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  For making him egregiously an ass,

  And practising upon his peace and quiet

  Even to madness. ’Tis here, but yet confused:

  Knavery’s plain face is never seen, till used. Exit.

  2.2 Enter Othello’s Herald, with a proclamation.

  HERALD [Reads.] It is Othello’s pleasure, our noble and

  valiant general, that, upon certain tidings now arrived,

  importing the mere perdition of the Turkish fleet, every

  man put himself into triumph: some to dance, some to

  make bonfires, each man to what sport and revels his

  5

  addiction leads him. For besides these beneficial news, it is
r />   the celebration of his nuptial.– So much was his

  pleasure should be proclaimed. All offices are open,

  and there is full liberty of feasting from this present

  hour of five till the bell have told eleven. Heaven bless

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  the isle of Cyprus and our noble general Othello!

  Exit.

  2.3 Enter OTHELLO, CASSIO and DESDEMONA.

  OTHELLO

  Good Michael, look you to the guard tonight.

  Let’s teach ourselves that honourable stop

  Not to outsport discretion.

  CASSIO Iago hath direction what to do,

  But notwithstanding with my personal eye

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  Will I look to’t.

  OTHELLO Iago is most honest.

  Michael, good night. Tomorrow with your earliest

  Let me have speech with you. Come, my dear love,

  The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue:

  That profit’s yet to come ’tween me and you.

  10

  Good-night. Exeunt Othello and Desdemona.

  Enter IAGO.

  CASSIO Welcome, Iago, we must to the watch.

  IAGO Not this hour, lieutenant, ’tis not yet ten o’th’

  clock. Our general cast us thus early for the love of his

  Desdemona – whom let us not therefore blame; he

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  hath not yet made wanton the night with her, and she

  is sport for Jove.

  CASSIO She’s a most exquisite lady.

  IAGO And I’ll warrant her full of game.

  CASSIO Indeed she’s a most fresh and delicate creature.

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  IAGO What an eye she has! methinks it sounds a parley

  to provocation.

  CASSIO An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest.

  IAGO And when she speaks is it not an alarum to love?

  CASSIO She is indeed perfection.

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  IAGO Well: happiness to their sheets! Come, lieutenant,

  I have a stoup of wine, and here without are a brace of

  Cyprus gallants that would fain have a measure to the

  health of black Othello.

  CASSIO Not tonight, good Iago, I have very poor and

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  unhappy brains for drinking. I could well wish courtesy

  would invent some other custom of entertainment.

  IAGO O, they are our friends. But one cup, I’ll drink for

  you.

  CASSIO I have drunk but one cup tonight, and that was

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  craftily qualified too, and behold what innovation it

  makes here! I am unfortunate in the infirmity, and

  dare not task my weakness with any more.

  IAGO What, man, ’tis a night of revels, the gallants

  desire it.

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  CASSIO Where are they?

  IAGO Here, at the door, I pray you call them in.

  CASSIO I’ll do’t, but it dislikes me. Exit.

  IAGO If I can fasten but one cup upon him,

  With that which he hath drunk tonight already

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  He’ll be as full of quarrel and offence

  As my young mistress’ dog. Now my sick fool, Roderigo,

  Whom love hath turned almost the wrong side out,

  To Desdemona hath tonight caroused

  Potations pottle-deep, and he’s to watch.

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  Three else of Cyprus, noble swelling spirits

  That hold their honours in a wary distance,

  The very elements of this warlike isle,

  Have I tonight flustered with flowing cups,

  And the watch too. Now ’mongst this flock of drunkards

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  Am I to put our Cassio in some action

  That may offend the isle.

  Enter CASSIO, MONTANO and Gentlemen.

  But here they come.

  If consequence do but approve my dream

  My boat sails freely, both with wind and stream.

  CASSIO ’Fore God, they have given me a rouse already.

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  MONTANO Good faith, a little one, not past a pint, as

  I am a soldier.

  IAGO Some wine, ho!

  [Sings.]

  And let me the cannikin clink, clink,

  And let me the cannikin clink.

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  A soldier’s a man,

  O, man’s life’s but a span,

  Why then let a soldier drink!

  Some wine, boys!

  CASSIO ’Fore God, an excellent song!

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  IAGO I learned it in England, where indeed they are

  most potent in potting. Your Dane, your German, and

  your swag-bellied Hollander – drink, ho! – are nothing

  to your English.

  CASSIO Is your Englishman so exquisite in his drinking?

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  IAGO Why, he drinks you with facility your Dane dead

  drunk; he sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he

 

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