Iago. 'Tis evermore the prologue to his sleep: He'll watch the horologe a double set,

If drink rock not his cradle.

Mon. It were well, The general were put in mind of it. Perhaps, he sees it not; or his good nature Prizes the virtue that appears in Cassio, And looks not on his evils; Is not this true? Enter RODERIGO.

Iago. How now, Roderigo? [Aside. I pray you, after the lieutenant; go. [Exit ROD. Mon. And 'tis great pity, that the noble Moor Should hazard such a place, as his own second, With one of an ingraft infirmity;

It were an honest action, to say

So to the Moor.

Iago. Not I, for this fair island: I do love Cassio well; and would do much To cure him of this evil. But hark! what noise?

[Cry within-Help! help!

Re-enter CASSIO, driving in RODERIGO.

Cas. You rogue! you rascal!
Mon.

What's the matter, lieutenant?

Cas. A knave !-teach me my duty!

I'll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle.

Rod. Beat me!

Come, come, you're drunk.

[They fight.

Or I'll knock you o'er the mazzard.

Mon.

Cas. Drunk! lago. Away, I say! go out, and cry-a mutiny. [Aside to ROD. who goes out. Nay, good lieutenant,-alas, gentlemen,Help, ho!-Lieutenant, sir,- Montano,

sir;

deed!

Help, masters!-Here's a goodly watch, in[Bell rings. Who's that that rings the bell?-Diablo, ho! The town will rise; God's will, lieutenant, hold; You will be sham'd for ever.

VOL. VIII.

2

Oth.

Enter OTHELLO and Attendants.

What is the matter here?

Mon. I bleed still, I am hurt to the death;

he dies.

Oth. Hold, for your lives.

lago. Hold, hold, lieutenant, sir, Montano,gentlemen,

Have you forgot all sense of place and duty? Hold, hold! the general speaks to you; hold, for shame!

Oth. Why, how now, ho! from whence ariseth this?

Are we turn'd Turks; and to ourselves do that, Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?

For christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl:

He that stirs next to carve for his own rage, Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.Silence that dreadful bell, it frights the isle From her propriety.-What is the matter, masters?

Honest Iago, that look'st dead with grieving, Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee.

Iago. I do not know;-friends all but now, even now,

In quarter, and in terms like bride and groom
Devesting them for bed: and then, but now,
(As if some planet had unwitted men),
Swords out, and tilting one at other's breast,
In opposition bloody. I cannot speak
Any beginning to this peevish odds;
And 'would, in action glorious I had lost
These legs, that brought me to a part of it!
Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thes
forgot?

Cas. I pray you, pardon me, I cannot speak.
Oth. Worthy Montano, you were wont be civil;
The gravity and stillness of your youth
The world hath noted, and your name is great
In mouths of wisest censure; What's the matter,
That you unlace your reputation thus,
And spend your rich opinion, for the name
Of a night brawler? give me answer to it.
Mon. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger;

Your officer, lago, can inform you-
While spare speech, which something now
offends me:-

Of all that I do know: nor know I aught
By me that's said or done amiss this night:
Unless self-charity be sometime a vice;
And to defend ourselves it be a sin,

When violence assails us.

Oth. Now, by heaven, My blood begins my safer guides to rule: And passion, having my best judgment collied, Assays to lead the way: If I once stir, Or do but lift this arm, the best of you Shall sink in my rebuke. Give me to know How this foul rout began, who set it on; And he that is approv'd in this offence, Though he had twinn'd with me, both at a birth, Shall lose me.-What! in a town of war, Yet wild, the people's hearts brimful of fear, To manage private and domestick quarrel, In night, and on the court of guard and safety! 'Tis monstrous.-Iago, who began it?

Mon. If partially affin'd, or leagu'd in office, Thou dost deliver more or less than truth, Thou art no soldier. Lago. Touch me not so near: I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth. Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio; Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth Shall nothing wrong him.-Thus it is, general. Montano and myself being in speech, There comes a fellow, crying out for help; And Cassio following with determin'd sword, To execute upon him: Sir, this gentleman Steps in to Cassio, and entreats his pause; Myself the crying fellow did pursue, Lest, by his clamour (as it so fell out), The town might fall in fright: he, swift of foot, Outran my purpose; and I return'd the rather For that I heard the clink and fall of swords, And Cassio high in oath; which, till to-night, I ne'er might say before: when I came back (For this was brief) I found them close together, At blow, and thrust; even as again they were, When you yourself did part them.

More of this matter can I not report :

But men are men; the best sometimes forget:-
Though Cassio did some little wrong to him,—
As men in rage strike those that wish them
best,-

Yet, surely, Cassio, I believe, receiv'd,
From him that fled, some strange indignity,
Which patience could not pass.

Oth.
I know, lago,
Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Cassio:-Cassio, I love thee;
But never more be officer of mine.-

Enter DESDEMONA, attended.

Look, if my gentle love be not rais'd up;-
I'll make thee an example.

Des.

What's the matter, dear?

Oth. All's well now, sweeting; Come away

to bed.

Sir, for your hurts,

Myself will be your surgeon; Lead him off. [To MONTANO, who is led off.

Iago, look with care about the town;

And silence those whom this vile brawl dis

tracted.

Come, Desdemona; 'tis the soldier's life,

To have their balmy slumbers wak'd with strife. [Exeunt all but IAGO and CASSIO. Iago. What, are you hurt, lieutenant?

Cas. Ay, past all surgery.

Iago. Marry, heaven forbid !

Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! 0, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial. My reputation, lago, my reputation.

Iago. As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more offence in that, than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving: You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again: You are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would be at his offenceless dog, to affright an imperious lion: sue to him again, and he's yours.

Cas. I will rather sue to be despised, than to deceive, so good a commander, with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk? and speak parrot? and squabble? swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow?-0 thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee-devil.

lago. What was he that you followed with your sword? What had he done to you? Cas. I know not.

Iago. Is it possible?

Cas. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. O, that men should put an enemy in their mouths, to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, revel, pleasure, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts!

Iago. Why, but you are now well enough: How came you thus recovered?

Cas. It hath pleased the devil drunkenness, to give place to the devil, wrath: one unperfectness shows me another, to make me frankly despise myself.

Iago. Come, you are too severe a moraler : As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this had not befallen; but, since it is as it is, mend it for your own good.

Cas. I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me, I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O strange!Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil.

Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well used; exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think, you think I love you.

Cas. I have well approved it, sir,-I drunk! Iago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at some time, man. I'll tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is now the general; -I may say so in this respect, for that he hath devoted and given up himself to the contem