Scene I

[Cyprus. Before the castle.]

Enter Iago and Othello.

IAGO:

Will you think so?

IAGO:

Will you think so?

OTHELLO:

Think so, Iago?

OTHELLO:

Think so, Iago?

IAGO:

What,
To kiss in private?

IAGO:

What,
To kiss in private?

OTHELLO:

An unauthorized kiss.(5)

OTHELLO:

An unauthorized kiss.

IAGO:

Or to be naked with her friend in bed
An hour or more, not meaning any harm?

IAGO:

Or to be naked with her friend in bed
An hour or more, not meaning any harm?

OTHELLO:

Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean harm!
It is hypocrisy against the devil:
They that mean virtuously and yet do so,(10)
The devil their virtue tempts and they tempt heaven.

OTHELLO:

Naked in bed, Iago, and not mean harm!
It is hypocrisy against the devil.
They that mean it virtuously and still do so,
The devil tempts their virtue, and they tempt heaven.

IAGO:

So they do nothing, 'tis a venial slip:
But if I give my wife a handkerchief

IAGO:

So they do nothing, It is a minor slip.
But if I give my wife a handkerchief…

OTHELLO:

What then?

OTHELLO:

What then?

IAGO:

Why, then, 'tis hers, my lord, and being hers,(15)
She may, I think, bestow't on any man.

IAGO:

Why, then, it is hers, my lord, and being hers,
She may, I think, give it to any man.

OTHELLO:

She is protectress of her honor too:
May she give that?

OTHELLO:

She is protectress of her honor too.
May she give that?

IAGO:

Her honor is an essence that's not seen;
They have it very oft that have it not:(20)
But for the handkerchief—

IAGO:

Her honor is an essence that's not seen;
They that don’t have it, have it very often.
But, for the handkerchief…

OTHELLO:

By heaven, I would most gladly have forgot it:
Thou said'st—O, it comes o'er my memory,
As doth the raven o'er the infected house,
Boding to all—he had my handkerchief.(25)

OTHELLO:

By heaven, I would have very gladly forgotten it.
You said, O, it comes over my memory,
As the raven flies over the infected house,
Announcing to all, he had my handkerchief.

IAGO:

Ay, what of that?

IAGO:

Yes, what of that?

OTHELLO:

That's not so good now.

OTHELLO:

That's not so good now.

IAGO:

What if I had said I had seen him do you wrong?
Or heard him say—as knaves be such abroad,
Who having, by their own importunate suit,(30)
Or voluntary dotage of some mistress,
Convinced or supplied them, cannot choose
But they must blab—

IAGO:

What,
If I had said I had seen him do you wrong?
Or heard him say, as rogues abroad do,
Who having convinced or supplied them,
By their own pressing suit,
Or voluntary love of some Mistress, cannot choose
But to blab.

OTHELLO:

Hath he said anything?

OTHELLO:

Has he said anything?

IAGO:

He hath, my lord; but be you well assured,(35)
No more than he'll unswear.

IAGO:

He has, my lord; but be well assured,
No more than he'll deny.

OTHELLO:

What hath he said?

OTHELLO:

What has he said?

IAGO:

Faith, that he did—I know not what he did.

IAGO:

Faith, that he did, I don’t know what he did.

OTHELLO:

What? what?

OTHELLO:

What? what?

IAGO:

Lie—(40)

IAGO:

Lie.

OTHELLO:

With her?

OTHELLO:

With her?

IAGO:

With her, on her, what you will.

IAGO:

With her, on her, whatever you want to think.

OTHELLO:

Lie with her! lie on her!—We say lie on her, when
they belie her.—Lie with her! 'Zounds, that's fulsome!
Handkerchief—confessions—handkerchief! To confess(45)
and be hanged for his labor first, to be hanged, and then
to confess. I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself
in such shadowing passion without some instruction. It
is not words that shakes me thus. Pish! Noses, ears, and
lips. Is't possible? Confess?—Handkerchief?—O devil!(50)

OTHELLO:

Lie with her! Lie on her! We say lie on her when they
belie her. Lie with her! that's sickening. Handkerchief,
Confessions, handkerchief! To confess, and be hanged
for his labor, first, to be hanged, and then to confess.—I
tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such
shadowing passion without some reason. It is not words
that shake me like this. Rubbish! Noses, ears, and lips. Is
it possible? Confess, handkerchief! O devil!

He falls down [in a trance.]

IAGO:

Work on,
My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught:
And many worthy and chaste dames even thus,
All guiltless, meet reproach. What, ho! My lord!
My lord, I say! Othello!(55)

Enter Cassio.

How now, Cassio!

IAGO:

Work on,
My medicine, work! Believing fools are caught like this;
And many worthy and chaste dames just like this, All
innocent, meet punishment. What, ho! my lord! my lord, I
say! Othello! How are you, Cassio!

CASSIO:

What's the matter?

CASSIO:

What's the matter?

IAGO:

My lord is fall'n into an epilepsy:
This is his second fit; he had one yesterday.

IAGO:

My lord is fallen into an epileptic fit.
This is his second fit; he had one yesterday.

CASSIO:

Rub him about the temples.(60)

CASSIO:

Rub him around the temples.

IAGO:

No, forbear;
The lethargy must have his quiet course:
If not, he foams at mouth, and by and by
Breaks out to savage madness. Look, he stirs:
Do you withdraw yourself a little while,(65)
He will recover straight. When he is gone,
I would on great occasion speak with you.

[Exit Cassio.]

How is it, general? Have you not hurt your head?

IAGO:

No, don’t;
The disease must run its quiet course.
If not, he foams at mouth, and by and by
Breaks out to savage madness. Look, he’s coming to.
Step aside and hide yourself a little while,
He will recover right away. When he is gone,
I would like to speak with you urgently. How is it, general? Haven’t hurt your head?

OTHELLO:

Dost thou mock me?

OTHELLO:

Do you make fun of me?

IAGO:

I mock you? No, by heaven.(70)
Would you would bear your fortune like a man!

IAGO:

I make fun of you! No, by heaven.
I wish you would bear your luck like a man!

OTHELLO:

A horned man's a monster and a beast.

OTHELLO:

An adulterer's a monster and a beast.

IAGO:

There's many a beast then in a populous city,
And many a civil monster.

IAGO:

There's many a beast, then, in a crowded city,
And many a civil monster.

OTHELLO:

Did he confess it?(75)

OTHELLO:

Did he confess it?

IAGO:

Good sir, be a man;
Think every bearded fellow that's but yoked
May draw with you. There's millions now alive
That nightly lie in those unproper beds
Which they dare swear peculiar. Your case is better.(80)
O, 'tis the spite of hell, the fiend's archmock,
To lip a wanton in a secure couch,
And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know;
And knowing what I am, I know what she shall be.

IAGO:

Good sir, be a man;
Do you think every bearded fellow that wears a harness
May be driven by you? There's millions now alive
That nightly lie in those adulterous beds which they dare
To swear is the first time. Your case is better.
O, it is the spite of hell, the fiend's high mockery,
To kiss a whore on a safe couch,
And to suppose her to be chaste! No, let me know;
And knowing what I am, I know what she shall be.

OTHELLO:

O, thou art wise; 'tis certain.(85)

OTHELLO:

O, you are wise; that is certain.

IAGO:

Stand you awhile apart;
Confine yourself but in a patient list.
Whilst you were here o'erwhelmed with your grief—
A passion most unsuiting such a man—
Cassio came hither. I shifted him away,(90)
And laid good ‘scuse upon your ecstasy;
Bade him anon return and here speak with me;
The which he promised. Do but encave yourself,
And mark the fleers, the gibes, and notable scorns,
That dwell in every region of his face;(95)
For I will make him tell the tale anew,
Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when
He hath and is again to cope your wife:
I say, but mark his gesture. Marry, patience,
Or I shall say you are all in all in spleen,(100)
And nothing of a man.

IAGO:

Stand you aside a while;
Restrict yourself only in patient way.
While you were being overwhelmed here by your grief,
A passion very unsuitable to such a man,
Cassio came here. I sent him away,
And gave him a good excuse for your fit;
I told him to come back soon and speak here with me;
Which he promised to do. Only hide yourself,
And mark the sneers, the taunts, and outstanding scorns,
That dwell in every region of his face,
Because I will make him tell the story as if it were new,
About where, how, how often, how long ago, and when
He has had, and is again to have, sex with your wife.
I say only notice his gestures. By Mary, have patience;
Or I shall say you are totally in a temper,
And not a man.

OTHELLO:

Dost thou hear, Iago?
I will be found most cunning in my patience;
But—dost thou hear?—most bloody.

OTHELLO:

Do you hear me, Iago?
I will be found very cunning in my patience;
But, do you hear me? Very bloody.

IAGO:

That's not amiss;(105)
But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw?
Now will I question Cassio of Bianca,
A housewife that by selling her desires
Buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature
That dotes on Cassio, as 'tis the strumpet's plague(110)
To beguile many and be beguiled by one.
He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From the excess of laughter. Here he comes.

Eenter Cassio.

As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad;
And his unbookish jealousy must construe(115)
Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and light behavior,
Quite in the wrong. How do you now, lieutenant?

IAGO:

There’s nothing wrong with that,
But still be patient in all. Will you leave and hide?
Now I will question Cassio about Bianca,
A housewife that, by selling her desires,
Buys herself bread and clothes. It is a creature
That dotes on Cassio, as it is the whore's disease
To trick many and be tricked by one.
He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain
From excessive laughter. Here he comes. As he smiles, Othello shall go crazy;
And his ignorant jealousy must interpret
Poor Cassio's smiles, gestures, and happy behavior
All wrong.
How are you now, lieutenant?

CASSIO:

The worser that you give me the addition
Whose want even kills me.

CASSIO:

The worse that you give me the additional information
Whose lack of information even kills me.

IAGO:

Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure on't.(120)
Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power,
How quickly should you speed!

IAGO:

Persist with Desdemona well, and you are sure of it.
Now, if this promise was in Bianca's power, How quickly you would you succeed!

CASSIO:

Alas, poor caitiff!

CASSIO:

Alas, poor wretch!

OTHELLO:

Look, how he laughs already!

OTHELLO:

Look, how he laughs already!

IAGO:

I never knew a woman love man so.(125)

IAGO:

I never knew a woman could love man so.

CASSIO:

Alas, poor rogue! I think, i'faith, she loves me.

CASSIO:

Alas, poor rogue! I think, in faith, she loves me.

OTHELLO:

Now he denies it faintly and laughs it out.

OTHELLO:

Now he denies it faintly and laughs it out.

IAGO:

Do you hear, Cassio?

IAGO:

Do you hear me, Cassio?

OTHELLO:

Now he importunes him
To tell it o'er. Go to; well said, well said.(130)

OTHELLO:

Now he urges him
To tell it again. Do it, it’s well said, well said.

IAGO:

She gives it out that you shall marry her;
Do you intend it?

IAGO:

She’s telling everyone that you shall marry her.
Do you intend to?

CASSIO:

Ha, ha, ha!

CASSIO:

Ha, ha, ha!

OTHELLO:

Do you triumph, Roman? Do you triumph?

OTHELLO:

Do you win, Roman? Do you win?

CASSIO:

I marry her! What? A customer! I prithee, bear some(135)
charity to my wit; do not think it so unwholesome. Ha,
ha, ha!

CASSIO:

Me marry her! What? A customer! I beg you, have some
charity for my wit; don’t think it is so unwholesome. ha, ha, ha!