Home > Othello Text > Act III, Scene III - Page 4

OTHELLO:

Give me a living reason she's disloyal.

OTHELLO:

Give me a living reason why she's unfaithful.

IAGO:

I do not like the office;(455)
But sith I am enter'd in this cause so far,
Prick'd to't by foolish honesty and love,
I will go on. I lay with Cassio lately
And, being troubled with a raging tooth,
I could not sleep.(460)
There are a kind of men so loose of soul,
That in their sleeps will mutter their affairs;
One of this kind is Cassio
In sleep I heard him say, “Sweet Desdemona,
Let us be wary, let us hide our loves”;(465)
And then, sir, would he gripe and wring my hand,
Cry, “O sweet creature!” and then kiss me hard,
As if he pluck'd up kisses by the roots,
That grew upon my lips; then laid his leg
Over my thigh, and sigh'd and kiss'd; and then(470)
Cried, “Cursed fate that gave thee to the Moor!”

IAGO:

I don’t like the job;
But, since I am entered already so far into this cause,
Encouraged to it by foolish honesty and love,
I will go on. I slept with Cassio lately,
And, being troubled with a raging tooth,
I could not sleep.
There are a kind of men so loose of soul,
That in their sleeps will speak about their affairs.
Cassio is one of this kind.
In his sleep, I heard him say, "Sweet Desdemona,
Let’s be careful, let’s hide our loves,"
And then, sir, he griped and wrung my hand,
Crying, "O sweet creature!" and then kissed me hard,
As if he pulled up kisses by their roots
That grew on my lips. Then he laid his leg
Over my thigh, and sighed and kissed; and then
Cried, "Cursed fate that gave you to the Moor!"

OTHELLO:

O monstrous! monstrous!

OTHELLO:

O monstrous! Monstrous!

IAGO:

Nay, this was but his dream.

IAGO:

No, this was only his dream.

OTHELLO:

But this denoted a foregone conclusion:
'Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream.(475)

OTHELLO:

But this indicated a foregone conclusion.
It is a evil doubt, although it is only a dream.

IAGO:

And this may help to thicken other proofs
That do demonstrate thinly.

IAGO:

And this may help to support other proofs
That look questionable.

OTHELLO:

I'll tear her all to pieces.

OTHELLO:

I'll tear her all to pieces.

IAGO:

Nay, but be wise; yet we see nothing done;
She may be honest yet. Tell me but this;(480)
Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief
Spotted with strawberries in your wife's hand?

IAGO:

No, only be wise. We see nothing done yet.
She may be honest yet. Tell me but this,
Haven’t you sometimes seen a handkerchief
Spotted with strawberries in your wife's hand?

OTHELLO:

I gave her such a one; 'twas my first gift.

OTHELLO:

I gave her such a one; it was my first gift.

IAGO:

I know not that; but such a handkerchief—
I am sure it was your wife's—did I today(485)
See Cassio wipe his beard with.

IAGO:

I don’t know that. but such a handkerchief,
I am sure it was your wife's, did I today
See Cassio wipe his beard with.

OTHELLO:

If it be that—

OTHELLO:

If it is that...

IAGO:

If it be that, or any that was hers,
It speaks against her with the other proofs.

IAGO:

If it is that, or any that was hers,
It speaks against her with the other proofs.

OTHELLO:

O, that the slave had forty thousand lives!(490)
One is too poor, too weak for my revenge.
Now do I see 'tis true. Look here, Iago;
All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven:
'Tis gone.
Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell!(495)
Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne
To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,
For 'tis of aspics' tongues!

OTHELLO:

O, that that slave had forty thousand lives,
One is too poor, too weak for my revenge!
Now I see it is true. Look here, Iago;
All my fond love like this do I blow to heaven.
It is gone.
Arise, black vengeance, from your hollow hell!
Yield up, O love, your crown and hearted throne
To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with your fury,
Because it is from lavender’s tongues!

IAGO:

Yet be content.

IAGO:

Yet calm down.

OTHELLO:

O, blood, blood, blood!(500)

OTHELLO:

O, blood, Iago, blood!

IAGO:

Patience, I say; your mind perhaps may change.

IAGO:

Patience, I say; your mind may perhaps change.

OTHELLO:

Never, Iago: Like to the Pontic Sea,
Whose icy current and compulsive course
Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on
To the Propontic and the Hellespont,(505)
Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace,
Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love,
Till that a capable and wide revenge
Swallow them up. Now, by yond marble heaven,
In the due reverence of a sacred vow(510)
I here engage my words.

OTHELLO:

Never, Iago. Like the Pontic Sea,
Whose icy current and compulsive course
Never feels a low ebb but keeps straight on
To the Propontic and the Hellespont Oceans,
Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace,
Shall never look back, never ebb to humble love,
Unless a capable and wide revenge
Swallow them up. Now, by marble heaven above,
In the reverence due a sacred vow
I here engage my words

IAGO:

Do not rise yet.
Witness, you everburning lights above,
You elements that clip us round about, Iago Kneels.
Witness that here Iago doth give up(515)
The execution of his wit, hands, heart,
To wrong'd Othello's service! Let him command,
And to obey shall be in me remorse,
What bloody business ever.

IAGO:

Don’t rise yet.

Witness, you ever-burning lights above,
You elements that hit us round about,
Witness that here Iago does give up
The execution of his wit, hands, heart,
To wronged Othello's service! Let him command,
And it shall be penance for me to obey,
Whatever the bloody business is.

OTHELLO:

I greet thy love,(520)
Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounteous,
And will upon the instant put thee to't:
Within these three days let me hear thee say
That Cassio's not alive.

OTHELLO:

I welcome your love,
Not with empty thanks, but with generous acceptance,
And will put you to it instantly.
Within these three days let me hear you say
That Cassio's not alive.

IAGO:

My friend is dead, 'tis done at your request;(525)
But let her live.

IAGO:

My friend is dead; it is done at your request.
But let her live.

OTHELLO:

Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her!
Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw,
To furnish me with some swift means of death
For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant.(530)

OTHELLO:

Damn her, lewd cat! O, damn her!
Come, go aside with me; I will leave so I can
Equip me with some swift means of death
For the beautiful devil. Now you are my lieutenant.

IAGO:

I am your own forever.

IAGO:

I am your own forever.

Exeunt.