Ha! ha! false to me?

Which thou owedst yesterday.
Oth.
lago. Why, how now, general! no more of that.
Oth. Avaunt! be gone! thou hast set me on the rack:
I swear 'tis better to be much abused
Than but to know 't a little.

lago.
How now, my lord!
Oth. What sense had I of her stol'n hours of lust?
I saw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me:
I slept the next night well, was free and merry; 340
I found not Cassio's kisses on her lips:

He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stol'n, Let him not know't and he's not robb'd at all. lago. I am sorry to hear this.

Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp,

Pioners and all, had tasted her sweet body,
So I had nothing known. O, now for ever
Farewell the tranquil mind! farewell content!
Farewell the plumed troop and the big wars
That make ambition virtue! O, farewell,
Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife,
The royal banner and all quality,
Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war !
And, O you mortal engines, whose rude throats
The immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit,
Farewell! Othello's occupation's gone!

Iago. Is't possible, my lord?

Oth. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore;
Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof;
Or, by the worth of man's eternal soul,
Thou hadst been better have been born a dog

350

360 Than answer my waked wrath!

Is't come to this?

lago.
Oth. Make me to see 't; or at the least so prove it,
That the probation bear no hinge nor loop
To hang a doubt on; or woe upon thy life!
lago. My noble lord, -

Oth. If thou dost slander her and torture me,
Never pray more; abandon all remorse;
On horror's head horrors accumulate;

Iago.

Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amazed;
For nothing canst thou to damnation add

Greater than that.

370

O grace! O heaven defend me!

wretched

Are you a man? have you a soul or sense?

God be wi' you; take mine office.

fool,

That livest to make thine honesty a vice!
O monstrous world! Take note, take note, O world,

To be direct and honest is not safe.

I thank you for this profit, and from hence

I'll love no friend sith love breeds such offence. 380

Oth. Nay, stay: thou shouldst be honest.
Iago. I should be wise; for honesty 's a fool,

Oth.

And loses that it works for.

By the world,

I think my wife be honest, and think she is not;
I think that thou art just, and think thou art not:
I'll have some proof. Her name, that was as fresh

As Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black

As mine own face. If there be cords, or knives,

I'll not endure it. Would I were satisfied!

390

lago. I see, sir, you are eaten up with passion:

I do repent me that I put it to you.
You would be satisfied?

Would! nay, I will.

Oth.
Iago. And may: but, how? how satisfied, my lord?

Would you, the supervisor, grossly gape on ?

Behold her topp'd?

Oth.

Death and damnation! Ο!

lago. It were a tedious difficulty, I think,

To bring them to that prospect: damn them then,
If ever mortal eyes do see them bolster
More than their own! What then? how then? 400
What shall I say? Where's satisfaction?
It is impossible you should see this,

Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys,
As salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross
As ignorance made drunk. But yet, I say,
If imputation and strong circumstances,
Which lead directly to the door of truth,
Will give you satisfaction, you may have 't.

Oth. Give me a living reason she's disloyal.
lago. I do not like the office :

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.

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';

410

420

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

Cried Cursed fate that gave thee to the Moor!'

Oth. O monstrous! monstrous!

Iago.

Nay, this was but his dream.

Oth. But this denoted a foregone conclusion:

'Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream.

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

430

I'll tear her all to pieces.

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

Oth. I gave her such a one; 'twas my first gift.
lago. I know not that: but such a handkerchief-
I am sure it was your wife's-did I to-day
See Cassio wipe his beard with.

Oth.

If it be that, Iago. If it be that, or any that was hers,

It speaks against her with the other proofs.
Oth. O, that the slave had forty thousand lives!
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!
Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne

44° Iago.

To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy fraught,

For 'tis of aspics' tongues!

Oth. O, blood, blood, blood!

Yet be content.

Iago. Patience, I say; your mind perhaps may change.
Oth. Never, Iago. Like to the Pontic sea,

450

Whose icy current and compulsive course
Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on

To the Propontic and the Hellespont;

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

459

Swallow them up. Now, by yond marble heaven,

Witness that here Iago doth give up

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.

[They rise.

Oth.

I greet thy love,

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.

lago. My friend is dead; 'tis done at your request :
But let her live.

Oth.

471

Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her!

Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw,