Home > Othello Text > Act II, Scene III - Page 3

OTHELLO:

Now, by heaven,
My blood begins my safer guides to rule,
And passion, having my best judgement collied,
Assays to lead the way. If I once stir,
Or do but lift this arm, the best of you(200)
Shall sink in my rebuke. Give me to know
How this foul rout began, who set it on,
And he that is approved in this offense,
Though he had twinn'd with me, both at a birth,
Shall lose me. What! in a town of war,(205)
Yet wild, the people's hearts brimful of fear,
To manage private and domestic quarrel,
In night, and on the court and guard of safety!
'Tis monstrous. Iago, who began't?

OTHELLO:

Now, by heaven,
My blood begins to rule my safer sense,
And passion, having influenced my better judgment
Tries to lead the way. If I once get angry,
And only lift this arm, the best of you
Shall sink in my scolding. Let me know
How this nasty fight began, who started it,
And he that is guilty of this offense,
Even if he is my twin brother, both born at the same time,
He’ll be finished with me. What! In a town of war
Still waging, the people's hearts brimful of fear,
To control private and domestic quarrels,
At night, and on the court and guard of safety!
It is monstrous. Iago, who started it ?

MONTANO:

If partially affined, or leagued in office,(210)
Thou dost deliver more or less than truth,
Thou art no soldier.

MONTANO:

If partially connected or together in office,
You deliver more or less than truth,
You are no soldier.

IAGO:

Touch me not so near:
I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio;(215)
Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him. Thus it is, general.
Montano and myself being in speech,
There comes a fellow crying out for help,
And Cassio following him with determined sword,(220)
To execute upon him. Sir, this gentleman
Steps in to Cassio and entreats his pause:
Myself the crying fellow did pursue,
Lest by his clamor—as it so fell out—
The town might fall in fright. He, swift of foot,(225)
Outran my purpose; and I return'd the rather
For that I heard the clink and fall of swords,
And Cassio high in oath, which till tonight
I ne'er might say before. When I came back—
For this was brief —I found them close together,(230)
At blow and thrust, even as again they were
When you yourself did part them.
More of this matter cannot I report.
But men are men; the best sometimes forget:
Though Cassio did some little wrong to him,(235)
As men in rage strike those that wish them best,
Yet surely Cassio, I believe, received
From him that fled some strange indignity,
Which patience could not pass.

IAGO:

Don’t talk about me as if I’m not here.
I’d rather have this tongue cut from my mouth
Than it should do offense to Michael Cassio;
Still, I convince myself, speaking the truth
Shall not wrong him. It’s like this, general.
Montano and myself were talking, and
There comes a fellow crying out for help,
With Cassio following him with determined sword,
To kill him. Sir, this gentleman
Turns around to Cassio and begs him to stop.
I pursued the crying fellow myself,
So that by his clamor, as it so came out,
The town might not fall into fright. He, fast of foot,
Outran me; and I returned
Because that I heard the clink and fall of swords,
And Cassio swearing loudly; which, until tonight,
I never saw him do before. When I came back,
For this was brief,--I found them close together,
Everyone was fighting, even as again they were
When you yourself parted them.
I can’t report more of this matter,
But men are men; the best sometimes forget themselves.
Though Cassio did only little wrong to him,
As men in rage strike those that wish them best,
Yet surely Cassio, I believe, received
Some strange insult From him that fled,
Which patience could not let him get away with.

OTHELLO:

I know, Iago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,(240)
Making it light to Cassio. Cassio, I love thee;
But never more be officer of mine.

Enter Desdemona with others.

Look, if my gentle love be not raised up!
I'll make thee an example.

OTHELLO:

I know, Iago,
Your honesty and love minimize this matter,
Making it easier for Cassio. Cassio, I love you;
But never more be an officer of mine.

Look, my gentle love is awakened!
I'll make you an example.

DESD:

What's the matter?(245)

DESD:

What's the matter?

OTHELLO:

All's well now, sweeting; come away to bed.
Sir, for your hurts, myself will be your surgeon.
Lead him off.

[To Montano who is led off.]

Iago, look with care about the town,
And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.(250)
Come, Desdemona, 'tis the soldiers' life—
To have their balmy slumbers waked with strife.

OTHELLO:

All's well now, sweetheart; come away to bed.
Sir, for your hurts, I myself will be your surgeon.
Take him away.

Iago, look carefully about the town,
And silence those whom this vile brawl has upset.
Come, Desdemona. it is the soldiers' life.
To have their balmy slumbers awakened with strife.

Exit Moor [Othello], Desdemona, Attendents.

IAGO:

What, are you hurt, lieutenant?

IAGO:

What, are you hurt, lieutenant?

CASSIO:

Ay, past all surgery.

CASSIO:

Yes, beyond all cures.

IAGO:

Marry, heaven forbid!(255)

IAGO:

By Mary, heaven forbid!

CASSIO:

Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my
reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and
what remains is bestial. My reputation, Iago, my reputation!

CASSIO:

Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my
reputation! I have lost the immortal part of myself, and
what remains is beastly. My reputation, Iago, my
reputation!

IAGO:

As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some
bodily wound; there is more sense in that than in reputa-(260)
tion. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got
without merit and lost without deserving. You have lost no
reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser.
What, man! there are ways to recover the general again. You
are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy(265)
than in malice; even so as one would beat his offenseless
dog to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again, and he's
yours.

IAGO:

As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some
bodily wound; there is more sense in that than in
reputation. Reputation is an idle and very false burden,
often got without merit and lost without being deserved.
You have lost no reputation at all, unless you believe
yourself to be such a loser. What, man! There are ways
to regain the general again. You are now only fallen in his
mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even
as some one would beat his defenseless dog to scare an
imperious lion. Talk to him again, and he’ll like you again.

CASSIO:

I will rather sue to be despised than to deceive so good
a commander with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet(270)
an officer. Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble?
swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own
shadow? O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no
name to be known by, let us call thee devil!

CASSIO:

I will rather seek to be despised than to deceive so good
a commander with so slight, so drunken, and so
indiscreet an officer. Drunk? and talk like a parrot? and
squabble? swagger? swear? and pick a fight with my
own shadow? O you invisible spirit of wine, if you don’t
have a name to be known by, let’s call you devil!

IAGO:

What was he that you followed with your sword? What(275)
had he done to you?

IAGO:

Who were you following with your sword?
What had he done to you?

CASSIO:

I know not.

CASSIO:

I don’t know.

IAGO:

Is't possible?

IAGO:

Is it possible?

CASSIO:

I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly;
a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. O God, that men should(280)
put an enemy in their mouths to steal away their brains!
that we should, with joy, pleasance, revel, and applause,
transform ourselves into beasts!

CASSIO:

I remember a lot, but nothing clearly, a quarrel, but not
why. O God, that men should put an enemy in their
mouths to steal away their brains! That we should, with
joy, pleasure, partying, and applause, transform
ourselves into beasts!

IAGO:

Why, but you are now well enough. How came you
thus recovered?(285)

IAGO:

Why, you’re sober enough now. How did you get this
sober?

CASSIO:

It hath pleased the devil drunkenness to give place to
the devil wrath: one unperfectness shows me another, to
make me frankly despise myself.

CASSIO:

It has pleased the devil drunkenness to give place to the
devil anger. One imperfection shows me another, to
make me frankly hate myself.

IAGO:

Come, you are too severe a moraler. As the time, the
place, and the condition of this country stands, I could(290)
heartily wish this had not befallen; but since it is as it is,
mend it for your own good.

IAGO:

Come, you are too moral. As the time, the place, and the
condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this
had not happen, but since it is what it is, fix it for your
own good.

CASSIO:

I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me I
am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such
an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man,(295)
by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O strange! Every
inordinate cup is unblest, and the ingredient is a devil.

CASSIO:

I’ll ask him for my job back; he’ll tell me I am a drunkard!
If I had as many mouths as a seven-headed goddess,
such an answer would shut them all. Now I’m a sensible
man, soon a fool, and now a beast! O strange! Every
uncontrolled cup is evil, and the ingredient is a devil.

IAGO:

Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if
it be well used. Exclaim no more against it. And, good
lieutenant, I think you think I love you.(300)

IAGO:

Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it is
well used. Say no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I
think you think I love you.

CASSIO:

I have well approved it, sir. I drunk!

CASSIO:

I have well proven it, sir. I got drunk!

IAGO:

You or any man living may be drunk at some time,
man. I'll tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is
now the general. I may say so in this respect, for that he
hath devoted and given up himself to the contemplation,(305)
mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confess
yourself freely to her; importune her help to put you in
your place again. She is of so free, so kind, so apt, so
blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodness
not to do more than she is requested. This broken joint(310)
between you and her husband entreat her to splinter;
and, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack
of your love shall grow stronger than it was before.

IAGO:

You, or any man living, may be drunk at a time, man. I'll
tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is now the
general; I may say so in this respect, because that he
has devoted and given up himself to the idea, listen, and
the list of her parts and graces. freely tell her the truth;
beg her help to put you in your place again. She is so
free, so kind, so proper, so blessed a disposition, she
holds it a sin in her goodness not to do more than she is
asked. Beg her to fix this broken joint between you and
her husband, and, I’ll bet against any thing worth naming,
this crack in your love shall grow stronger than it was
before.

CASSIO:

You advise me well.

CASSIO:

You advise me well.

IAGO:

I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.(315)

IAGO:

No, only in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.

CASSIO:

I think it freely; and betimes in the morning I will
beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me. I
am desperate of my fortunes if they check me here.

CASSIO:

I think it is noble, and early in the morning, I will beg the
virtuous Desdemona to help me; I am desperately out of
luck if it stops me here.

IAGO:

You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant, I must to the
watch.(320)

IAGO:

You are right. Good-night, lieutenant; I must get going to
the guard.

CASSIO:

Good night, honest Iago.

CASSIO:

Good night, honest Iago.