Shakespeare's First Folio Part 625

Mon. And 'tis great pitty, that the n.o.ble Moore Should hazard such a Place, as his owne Second With one of an ingraft Infirmitie, It were an honest Action, to say so To the Moore

Iago. Not I, for this faire Island, I do loue Ca.s.sio well: and would do much To cure him of this euill, But hearke, what noise?

Enter Ca.s.sio pursuing Rodorigo.

Cas. You Rogue: you Rascall

Mon. What's the matter Lieutenant?

Cas. A Knaue teach me my dutie? Ile beate the Knaue in to a Twiggen-Bottle

Rod. Beate me?

Cas. Dost thou prate, Rogue?

Mon. Nay, good Lieutenant: I pray you Sir, hold your hand

Ca.s.sio. Let me go (Sir) Or Ile knocke you o're the Mazard

Mon. Come, come: you're drunke

Ca.s.sio. Drunke?

Iago. Away I say: go out and cry a Mutinie.

Nay good Lieutenant. Alas Gentlemen: Helpe hoa. Lieutenant. Sir Montano: Helpe Masters. Heere's a goodly Watch indeed.

Who's that which rings the Bell: Diablo, hoa: The Towne will rise. Fie, fie Lieutenant, You'le be asham'd for euer.

Enter Oth.e.l.lo, and Attendants.

Othe. What is the matter heere?

Mon. I bleed still, I am hurt to th' death. He dies

Othe. Hold for your liues

Iag. Hold hoa: Lieutenant, Sir Montano, Gentlemen: Haue you forgot all place of sense and dutie?

Hold. The Generall speaks to you: hold for shame

Oth. Why how now hoa? From whence ariseth this?

Are we turn'd Turkes? and to our selues do that Which Heauen hath forbid the Ottamittes.

For Christian shame, put by this barbarous Brawle: He that stirs next, to carue for his owne rage, Holds his soule light: He dies vpon his Motion.

Silence that dreadfull Bell, it frights the Isle, From her propriety. What is the matter, Masters?

Honest Iago, that lookes dead with greeuing, Speake: who began this? On thy loue I charge thee?

Iago. I do not know: Friends all, but now, euen now.

In Quarter, and in termes like Bride, and Groome Deuesting them for Bed: and then, but now: (As if some Planet had vnwitted men) Swords out, and tilting one at others breastes, In opposition b.l.o.o.d.y. I cannot speake Any begining to this peeuish oddes.

And would, in Action glorious, I had lost Those legges, that brought me to a part of it

Othe. How comes it (Michaell) you are thus forgot?

Cas. I pray you pardon me, I cannot speake

Othe. Worthy Montano, you were wont to be ciuill: The grauitie, and stillnesse of your youth The world hath noted. And your name is great In mouthes of wisest Censure. What's the matter That you vnlace your reputation thus, And spend your rich opinion, for the name Of a night-brawler? Giue me answer to it

Mon. Worthy Oth.e.l.lo, I am hurt to danger, Your Officer Iago, can informe you, While I spare speech which something now offends me.

Of all that I do know, nor know I ought By me, that's said, or done amisse this night, Vnlesse selfe-charitie be sometimes a vice, And to defend our selues, it be a sinne When violence a.s.sailes vs

Othe. Now by Heauen, My blood begins my safer Guides to rule, And pa.s.sion (hauing my best iudgement collied) a.s.saies to leade the way. If I once stir, Or do but lift this Arme, the best of you Shall sinke in my rebuke. Giue me to know How this foule Rout began: Who set it on, And he that is approu'd in this offence, Though he had twinn'd with me, both at a birth, Shall loose me. What in a Towne of warre, Yet wilde, the peoples hearts brim-full of feare, To Manage priuate, and domesticke Quarrell?

In night, and on the Court and Guard of safetie?

'Tis monstrous: Iago, who began't?

Mon. If partially Affin'd, or league in office, Thou dost deliuer more, or lesse then Truth, Thou art no Souldier

Iago. Touch me not so neere, I had rather haue this tongue cut from my mouth, Then it should do offence to Michaell Ca.s.sio.

Yet I perswade my selfe, to speake the truth Shall nothing wrong him. This it is Generall: Montano and my selfe being in speech, There comes a Fellow, crying out for helpe, And Ca.s.sio following him with determin'd Sword To execute vpon him. Sir, this Gentleman, Steppes in to Ca.s.sio, and entreats his pause: My selfe, the crying Fellow did pursue, Least by his clamour (as it so fell out) The Towne might fall in fright. He, (swift of foote) Out-ran my purpose: and I return'd then rather For that I heard the clinke, and fall of Swords, And Ca.s.sio high in oath: Which till to night I nere might say before. When I came backe (For this was briefe) I found them close together At blow, and thrust, euen as againe they were When you your selfe did part them.

More of this matter cannot I report, But Men are Men: The best sometimes forget, Though Ca.s.sio did some little wrong to him, As men in rage strike those that wish them best, Yet surely Ca.s.sio, I beleeue receiu'd From him that fled, some strange Indignitie, Which patience could not pa.s.se

Othe. I know Iago Thy honestie, and loue doth mince this matter, Making it light to Ca.s.sio: Ca.s.sio, I loue thee, But neuer more be Officer of mine.

Enter Desdemona attended.

Looke if my gentle Loue be not rais'd vp: Ile make thee an example

Des. What is the matter (Deere?) Othe. All's well, Sweeting: Come away to bed. Sir for your hurts, My selfe will be your Surgeon. Lead him off: Iago, looke with care about the Towne, And silence those whom this vil'd brawle distracted.

Come Desdemona, 'tis the Soldiers life, To haue their Balmy slumbers wak'd with strife.

Enter.

Iago. What are you hurt Lieutenant?

Cas. I, past all Surgery

Iago. Marry Heauen forbid

Cas. Reputation, Reputation, Reputation: Oh I haue lost my Reputation. I haue lost the immortall part of myselfe, and what remaines is b.e.s.t.i.a.ll. My Reputation, Iago, my Reputation

Iago. As I am an honest man I had thought you had receiued some bodily wound; there is more sence in that then in Reputation. Reputation is an idle, and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deseruing.

You haue lost no Reputation at all, vnlesse you repute your selfe such a looser. What man, there are more wayes to recouer the Generall againe. You are but now cast in his moode, (a punishment more in policie, then in malice) euen so as one would beate his offencelesse dogge, to affright an Imperious Lyon. Sue to him againe, and he's yours

Cas. I will rather sue to be despis'd, then to deceiue so good a Commander, with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an Officer. Drunke? And speake Parrat? And squabble? Swagger? Sweare? And discourse Fustian with ones owne shadow? Oh thou invisible spirit of Wine, if thou hast no name to be knowne by, let vs call thee Diuell

Iago. What was he that you follow'd with your Sword? What had he done to you?

Cas. I know not

Iago. Is't possible?

Cas. I remember a ma.s.se of things, but nothing distinctly: a Quarrell, but nothing wherefore. Oh, that men should put an Enemie in their mouthes, to steale away their Braines? that we should with ioy, pleasance, reuell and applause, transforme our selues into Beasts

Iago. Why? But you are now well enough: how came you thus recouered?

Cas. It hath pleas'd the diuell drunkennesse, to giue place to the diuell wrath, one vnperfectnesse, shewes me another to make me frankly despise my selfe

Iago. Come, you are too seuere a Moraller. As the Time, the Place, & the Condition of this Country stands I could hartily wish this had not befalne: but since it is, as it is, mend it for your owne good

Cas. I will aske him for my Place againe, he shall tell me, I am a drunkard: had I as many mouthes as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a Foole, and presently a Beast. Oh strange! Euery inordinate cup is vnbless'd, and the Ingredient is a diuell

Iago. Come, come: good wine, is a good familiar Creature, if it be well vs'd: exclaime no more against it.

And good Lieutenant, I thinke, you thinke I loue you

Ca.s.sio. I haue well approued it, Sir. I drunke?

Iago. You, or any man liuing, may be drunke at a time man. I tell you what you shall do: Our General's Wife, is now the Generall. I may say so, in this respect, for that he hath deuoted, and giuen vp himselfe to the Contemplation, marke: and deuotement of her parts and Graces. Confesse your selfe freely to her: Importune her helpe to put you in your place againe. She is of so free, so kinde, so apt, so blessed a disposition, she holds it a vice in her goodnesse, not to do more then she is requested. This broken ioynt betweene you, and her husband, entreat her to splinter. And my Fortunes against any lay worth naming, this cracke of your Loue, shall grow stronger, then it was before

Ca.s.sio. You aduise me well