Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen.

Oth. These letters give, Iago, to the pilot;
And, by him, do my duties to the state:
That done, I will be walking on the works,
Repair there to me.

Iago.

Well, my good lord, I'll do't.

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen,-shall we see't? Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship.

SCENE III.

Before the Castle.

[Exeunt.

Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA.

Des. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

Emil. Good madam, do; I know, it grieves my husband, As if the case were his.

Des. O, that's an honest fellow.-Do not doubt, Cassio, But I will have my lord and you again 1

As friendly as you were.

Cas.

Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

He's never any thing but your true servant.

Des. O, sir, I thank you: You do love my lord: You have known him long: and be you well assur'd, He shall in strangeness stand no further off

Than in a politick distance.

Cas.

Ay, but, lady,

That policy may either last so long,

Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself so out of circumstance,
That, I being absent, and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service."

Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it

To the last article: my lord shall never rest;
I'll watch him tame," and talk him out of patience;
His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;
I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

And hear me speak.

Why, stay,

Cas. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease,

Unfit for mine own purposes.

Des.

Do your discretion.

Iago.

Well, well,

[Exit CASSIO.

Ha! I like not that.

Oth. What dost thou say?

Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like,

Seeing you coming.

Oth.

I do believe 'twas he.

That policy may either last so long,

Or feed upon, &c.] He may either of himself think it politic to keep me out of office so long, or he may be satisfied with such slight reasons, or so many accidents may make him think my re-admission at that time improper, that I may be quite forgotten.-JOHNSON.

I'll watch him tame,] Hawks and other birds are tamed by keeping them from sleep, and it is to the management of these that Shakspeare alludes.STEEVENS.

Des. How now, my lord?

I have been talking with a suitor here,

A man that languishes in your displeasure.
Oth. Who is't, you mean?

Des. Why, your lieutenant Cassio.

Good my lord,
If I have any grace, or power to move you,
His present reconciliation take;

For, if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honest face:
I pr'ythee, call him back.

Oth.

k

Went he hence now?

Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled,

That he hath left part of his grief with me;

I suffer with him. Good love, call him back.

Oth. Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time.
Des. But shall't be shortly?

Oth.

The sooner, sweet, for you.

No, not to-night.

Des. Shall't be to-night at supper?
Oth.

Des. To-morrow dinner then?
Oth.

I shall not dine at home;

I meet the captains at the citadel.

Des. Why then, to-morrow night; or Tuesday morn; Or Tuesday noon, or night; or Wednesday morn ;—

I pray thee, name the time; but let it not
Exceed three days: in faith, he's penitent;

And yet his trespass, in our common reason,

(Save that, they say, the wars must make examples

Out of their best,') is not almost a fault

To incur a private check: When shall he come?
Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul,

What you could ask me, that I should deny,

Or stand so mammering on. What! Michael Cassio,

i reconciliation take ;] i. e. Accept the submission which he makes in order to be reconciled.-JOHNSON.

Out of their best,] The severity of military discipline must not spare the best men of their army, when their punishment may afford a wholesome example.-JOHNSON.

m

– mammering—] i. e. Hesitating, standing in suspense. VOL. VIII.

2 E

That came a wooing with you; and many a time,
When I have spoke of you dispraisingly,

Hath ta'en your part; to have so much to do
To bring him in! Trust me, I could do much,-

Oth. Pr'ythee, no more: let him come when he will; I will deny thee nothing.

Des.

Why, this is not a boon;
'Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm;
Or sue to you to do peculiar profit

To your own person: Nay, when I have a suit,
Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,
It shall be full of poize" and difficulty,

And fearful to be granted.

Oth.

I will deny thee nothing:

Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this,

To leave me but a little to myself.

Des. Shall I deny you? no: Farewell, my lord.

Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona; I will come to thee

straight.

Des. Emilia, come :-Be it as your fancies teach you; Whate'er you be, I am obedient. [Exit, with EMILIA. Oth. Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul,

But I do love thee! and when I love thee not,

Chaos is come again.

Iago. My noble lord,

Oth.

What dost thou say, Iago?

Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady, Know of your love?

Oth. He did, from first to last: Why dost thou ask? Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought;

No further harm.

n

Oth.

Why of thy thought, Iago?

Iago. I did not think, he had been acquainted with her.
Oth. O, yes; and went between us very oft.
Iago. Indeed?

poise-] i. e. Weight.

wretch! This word is still, in some parts of England, a term of the softest and fondest tenderness. It expresses the utmost degree of amiableness, joined with an idea which perhaps all tenderness includes, of feebleness, softness, and want of protection.-JOHNSON.

Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed :-Discern'st thou aught in

As if there were some monster in his thought

Too hideous to be shown.-Thou dost mean something:

I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik'dst not that,
When Cassio left my wife; What did❜st not like?
And, when I told thee-he was of my counsel

In

my whole course of wooing, thou cry'dst, Indeed?
And did'st contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then had'st shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.

Iago. My lord, you know I love you.

Oth.
I think, thou dost;
And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty,
And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath,-
Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more :
For such things, in a false disloyal knave,

Are tricks of custom; but, in a man that's just,
They are close denotements, working from the heart,
That passion cannot rule."

Iago.

For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest.

Oth. I think so too.

Iago.

Men should be what they seem;

Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem none!
Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem.

P They are clase denotements, working from the heart,

That passion cannot rule,] i. e. Indications, or discoveries, not openly revealed, but involuntarily working from the heart, which cannot rule and suppress its feelings.-MALONE.