Her father lov'd me; oft invited me; From year to year; the battles, sieges, fortunes, I ran it through, even from my boyish days, Of hair-breadth 'scapes i' the imminent deadly breach; Of being taken by the insolent foe, And sold to slavery: of my redemption thence, * These things to hear, Would Desdemona seriously incline: But still the house affairs would draw her thence; That my youth suffer'd. My story being done, She gave me for my pains a world of sighs: She swore,-In faith, 'twas strange, 'twas passing strange; 'Twas pitiful, 'twas wondrous pitiful; She wish'd, she had not heard it: yet she wish'd That heaven had made her such a man: she thank'd me; And bade me, if I had a friend that lov'd her, I should but teach him how to tell my story, * My behaviour. † Parts. Intention and attention were once synonymous. And that would woo her. Upon this hint, I spake: She lov'd me for the dangers I had pass'd; And I lov❜d her, that she did pity them. ACT II. PERFECT CONTENT. O my soul's joy! If after every tempest come such calms, May the winds blow till they have waken'd death! As hell's from heaven! If it were now to die, ACT III. A LOVER'S EXCLAMATION. Farewell, my Desdemona. I will come to thee straight. [Exit DESDEMona. Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again. As if there were some monster in his thought thing: I heard thee say but now-Thou lik'dst not that, In my whole course of wooing, thou cry'dst, Indeed? Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me, lago. My lord, you know I love you. I think, thou dost; And, for I know thou art fall of love and honesty, And weigh'st thy words before thou givist them breath, Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: Are tricks of custom; but in a man that's just, REPUTATION. Good name, in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse, steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he, that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that, which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed. OTHELLO'S JEALOUSY GAINING GROUND. This fellow's of exceeding honesty, And knows all qualities with a learned spirit, Of human dealings: If I do prove her haggard, Must be to loath her. O curse of marriage, * A species of hawk, also a term of reproach applied to & wanton. + Straps of leather by which a hawk is held on the fist. Men of intrigue. Than keep a corner in the thing I love, For other's uses. DEFINITION OF JEALOUSY. Trifles, light as air, Are, to the jealous, confirmations strong As proofs of holy writ. Iago. Look, where he comes! [Enter Othello. Not poppy, nor mandragora,* Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world, Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep Which thou ow'dst† yesterday. Oth. To me? Ha! ha! false to me? Iago. 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 abus'd, lago. How now, my lord? Oth. What sense had I of her stolen hours of lust? I saw it not, thought it not, it harm'd not me: I slept the next night well, was free and merry; I found not Cassio's kisses upon her lips: He that is robb'd, not wanting what is stolen, Let him not know it, and he's not robb'd at all. Iago. I am sorry to hear this. Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp, Pioneers 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! 0, 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 mandrake has a soporific quality. † Possessed'st. The vilest of the camp. Pioneers were generally degraded soldiers. The immortal Jove's dread clamours counterfeit, Iago. Is it possible !-My lord, Oth. Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore Be sure of it; give me the occular proof: [Taking him by the throat Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul, Thou hadst been better have been born a dog, Than answer my wak'd wrath. Iago. Is it come to this? Oth. Make me to see it; or (at the least) so prove it, That the probation bear no hinge, nor loop, To hang a doubt on: or, wo upon thy life! Iago. My noble lord Oth. If thou doth slander her, and torture me, Never pray more: abandon all remorse:* On horror's head horrors accumulate: Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amaz'd, For nothing canst thou to damnation add, Greater than that. Iago. O grace! O heaven defend me! Are you a man? have you a soul, or sense?— God be wi' you; take mine office.-O wretched fool, That liv'st 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, since love breeds such offence. Oth. I'll not endure it.-Would, I were satisfied. * All tenderness, all pity. |