OTHELLO

Act 3 Scene 3

(Enter Desdemona, Cassio, and Emilia)
l1l	Desdemona	 Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do
l2l		All my abilities in thy behalf.
l3l	Emilia	Good madam, do. I warrant it grieves my husband
l4l		As if the cause were his.
l5l	Desdemona	O, that’s an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio,
l6l		But I will have my lord and you again
l7l		As friendly as you were.
	Cassio	Bounteous madam,
l8l		Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio
l9l		He’s never anything but your true servant.
l10l	Desdemona	I know ’t. I thank you. You do love my lord.
l11l		You have known him long, and be you well assured
l12l		He shall in strangeness stand no farther off
l13l		Than in a politic distance.
	Cassio	Ay, but, lady,
l14l		That policy may either last so long,
l15l		Or feed upon such nice and wat’rish diet,
l16l		Or breed itself so out of circumstance,
l17l		That, I being absent and my place supplied,
l18l		My general will forget my love and service.
l19l	Desdemona	Do not doubt that. Before Emilia here
l20l		I give thee warrant of thy place. Assure thee,
l21l		If I do vow a friendship I’ll perform it
l22l		To the last article. My lord shall never rest.
l23l		I’ll watch him tame, and talk him out of patience.
l24l		His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift.
l25l		I’ll intermingle everything he does
l26l		With Cassio’s suit. Therefore be merry, Cassio,
l27l		For thy solicitor shall rather die
l28l		Than give thy cause away.
		(Enter Othello and Iago)
		
	Emilia	 Madam, here comes my lord.
l29l	Cassio	Madam, I’ll take my leave.
	Desdemona	Why, stay, and hear me speak.
l30l	Cassio	Madam, not now. I am very ill at ease,
l31l		Unfit for mine own purposes.
l32l	Desdemona	Well, do your discretion.
		(Exit Cassio)
l33l	Iago	 Ha! I like not that.
l34l	Othello	What dost thou say?
l35l	Iago	Nothing, my lord. Or if, I know not what.
l36l	Othello	Was not that Cassio parted from my wife?
l37l	Iago	Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it,
l38l		That he would steal away so guilty-like
l39l		Seeing your coming.
l40l	Othello	I do believe ’twas he.
l41l	Desdemona	How now, my lord?
l42l		I have been talking with a suitor here,
l43l		A man that languishes in your displeasure.
l44l	Othello	Who is ’t you mean?
l45l	Desdemona	Why, your lieutenant, Cassio# good my lord,
l46l		If I have any grace or power to move you,
l47l		His present reconciliation take#
l48l		For if he be not one that truly loves you,
l49l		That errs in ignorance and not in cunning,
l50l		I have no judgement in an honest face.
l51l		I prithee call him back.
l52l	Othello	Went he hence now?
l53l	Desdemona	Yes, faith, so humbled
l54l		That he hath left part of his grief with me
l55l		To suffer with him. Good love, call him back.
l56l	Othello	Not now, sweet Desdemon. Some other time.
l57l	Desdemona	But shall ’t be shortly?
	Othello	The sooner, sweet, for you.
l58l	Desdemona	Shall ’t be tonight at supper?
	Othello	No, not tonight.
l59l	Desdemona	Tomorrow dinner, then?
	Othello	I shall not dine at home.
l60l		I meet the captains at the citadel.
l61l	Desdemona	Why then, tomorrow night, or Tuesday morn,
l62l		On Tuesday noon, or night, on Wednesday morn—
l63l		I prithee name the time, but let it not
l64l		Exceed three days. In faith, he’s penitent,
l65l		And yet his trespass, in our common reason—
l66l		Save that, they say, the wars must make example
l67l		Out of her best—is not almost a fault
l68l		T’ incur a private check. When shall he come?
l69l		Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul
l70l		What you would ask me that I should deny,
l71l		Or stand so mamm’ring on? What, Michael Cassio,
l72l		That came a-wooing with you, and so many a time
l73l		When I have spoke of you dispraisingly
l74l		Hath ta’en your part—to have so much to-do
l75l		To bring him in? By ’r Lady, I could do much.
l76l	Othello	Prithee, no more. Let him come when he will.
l77l		I will deny thee nothing.
	Desdemona	Why, this is not a boon.
l78l		’Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves,
l79l		Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm,
l80l		Or sue to you to do a peculiar profit
l81l		To your own person. Nay, when I have a suit
l82l		Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed,
l83l		It shall be full of poise and difficult weight,
l84l		And fearful to be granted.
	Othello	I will deny thee nothing,
l85l		Whereon I do beseech thee grant me this:
l86l		To leave me but a little to myself.
l87l	Desdemona	Shall I deny you? No. Farewell, my lord.
l88l	Othello	Farewell, my Desdemona. I’ll come to thee straight.
l89l	Desdemona	Emilia, come.
		(To Othello)
		 Be as your fancies teach you.
l90l		Whate’er you be, I am obedient.
		(Exeunt Desdemona and Emilia)
l91l	Othello	 Excellent wretch! Perdition catch my soul
l92l		But I do love thee, and when I love thee not,
l93l		Chaos is come again.
l94l	Iago	My noble lord.
l95l	Othello	What dost thou say, Iago?
l96l	Iago	Did Michael Cassio, when you wooed my lady,
l97l		Know of your love?
l98l	Othello	He did, from first to last. Why dost thou ask?
l99l	Iago	But for a satisfaction of my thought,
l100l		No further harm.
	Othello	Why of thy thought, Iago?
l101l	Iago	I did not think he had been acquainted with her.
l102l	Othello	O yes, and went between us very oft.
l103l	Iago	Indeed?
l104l	Othello	Indeed? Ay, indeed. Discern’st thou aught in that?
l105l		Is he not honest?
l106l	Iago	Honest, my lord?
l107l	Othello	Honest? Ay, honest.
l108l	Iago	My lord, for aught I know.
	Othello	What dost thou think?
l109l	Iago	Think, my lord?
l110l	Othello	“Think, my lord?” By heaven, thou echo’st me
l111l		As if there were some monster in thy thought
l112l		Too hideous to be shown! Thou dost mean something.
l113l		I heard thee say even now thou liked’st not that,
l114l		When Cassio left my wife. What didst not like?
l115l		And when I told thee he was of my counsel
l116l		In my whole course of wooing, thou cried’st “Indeed?”
l117l		And didst contract and purse thy brow together
l118l		As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
l119l		Some horrible conceit. If thou dost love me,
l120l		Show me thy thought.
l121l	Iago	My lord, you know I love you.
l122l	Othello	I think thou dost,
l123l		And for I know thou’rt full of love and honesty,
l124l		And weigh’st thy words before thou giv’st them breath,
l125l		Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more#
l126l		For such things in a false disloyal knave
l127l		Are tricks of custom, but in a man that’s just,
l128l		They’re close dilations, working from the heart
l129l		That passion cannot rule.
	Iago	For Michael Cassio,
l130l		I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.
l131l	Othello	I think so too.
	Iago	Men should be what they seem,
l132l		Or those that be not, would they might seem none.
l133l	Othello	Certain, men should be what they seem.
l134l	Iago	Why then, I think Cassio’s an honest man.
l135l	Othello	Nay, yet there’s more in this.
l136l		I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings,
l137l		As thou dost ruminate, and give thy worst of thoughts
l138l		The worst of words.
	Iago	Good my lord, pardon me.
l139l		Though I am bound to every act of duty,
l140l		I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.
l141l		Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false,
l142l		As where’s that palace whereinto foul things
l143l		Sometimes intrude not? Who has that breast so pure
l144l		But some uncleanly apprehensions
l145l		Keep leets and law-days, and in sessions sit
l146l		With meditations lawful?
l147l	Othello	Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
l148l		If thou but think’st him wronged and mak’st his ear
l149l		A stranger to thy thoughts.
	Iago	I do beseech you,
l150l		Though I perchance am vicious in my guess—
l151l		As I confess it is my nature’s plague
l152l		To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy
l153l		Shapes faults that are not—that your wisdom then,
l154l		From one that so imperfectly conceits,
l155l		Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble
l156l		Out of his scattering and unsure observance.
l157l		It were not for your quiet nor your good,
l158l		Nor for my manhood, honesty, and wisdom,
l159l		To let you know my thoughts.
	Othello	What dost thou mean?
l160l	Iago	Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
l161l		Is the immediate jewel of their souls.
l162l		Who steals my purse steals trash# ’tis something, nothing#
l163l		’Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands.
l164l		But he that filches from me my good name
l165l		Robs me of that which not enriches him
l166l		And makes me poor indeed.
	Othello	By heaven, I’ll know thy thoughts.
l167l	Iago	You cannot, if my heart were in your hand#
l168l		Nor shall not whilst ’tis in my custody.
l169l	Othello	Ha!
	Iago	O, beware, my lord, of jealousy.
l170l		It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock
l171l		The meat it feeds on. That cuckold lives in bliss
l172l		Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger.
l173l		But O, what damnèd minutes tells he o’er
l174l		Who dotes yet doubts, suspects yet fondly loves!
l175l	Othello	O misery!
l176l	Iago	Poor and content is rich, and rich enough,
l177l		But riches fineless is as poor as winter
l178l		To him that ever fears he shall be poor.
l179l		Good God the souls of all my tribe defend
l180l		From jealousy!
	Othello	Why, why is this?
l181l		Think’st thou I’d make a life of jealousy,
l182l		To follow still the changes of the moon
l183l		With fresh suspicions? No, to be once in doubt
l184l		Is once to be resolved. Exchange me for a goat
l185l		When I shall turn the business of my soul
l186l		To such exsufflicate and blowed surmises
l187l		Matching thy inference. ’Tis not to make me jealous
l188l		To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
l189l		Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well.
l190l		Where virtue is, these are more virtuous,
l191l		Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
l192l		The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt,
l193l		For she had eyes and chose me. No, Iago,
l194l		I’ll see before I doubt# when I doubt, prove#
l195l		And on the proof, there is no more but this:
l196l		Away at once with love or jealousy.
l197l	Iago	I am glad of this, for now I shall have reason
l198l		To show the love and duty that I bear you
l199l		With franker spirit. Therefore, as I am bound,
l200l		Receive it from me. I speak not yet of proof.
l201l		Look to your wife. Observe her well with Cassio.
l202l		Wear your eyes thus: not jealous, nor secure.
l203l		I would not have your free and noble nature
l204l		Out of self-bounty be abused. Look to ’t.
l205l		I know our country disposition well.
l206l		In Venice they do let God see the pranks
l207l		They dare not show their husbands# their best conscience
l208l		Is not to leave ’t undone, but keep ’t unknown.
l209l	Othello	Dost thou say so?
l210l	Iago	She did deceive her father, marrying you,
l211l		And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks
l212l		She loved them most.
	Othello	And so she did.
	Iago	Why, go to, then.
l213l		She that so young could give out such a seeming,
l214l		To seel her father’s eyes up close as oak,
l215l		He thought ’twas witchcraft! But I am much to blame.
l216l		I humbly do beseech you of your pardon
l217l		For too much loving you.
	Othello	I am bound to thee for ever.
l218l	Iago	I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.
l219l	Othello	Not a jot, not a jot.
	Iago	I’ faith, I fear it has.
l220l		I hope you will consider what is spoke
l221l		Comes from my love. But I do see you’re moved.
l222l		I am to pray you not to strain my speech
l223l		To grosser issues, nor to larger reach
l224l		Than to suspicion.
l225l	Othello	I will not.
l226l	Iago	Should you do so, my lord,
l227l		My speech should fall into such vile success
l228l		Which my thoughts aimed not. Cassio’s my worthy friend.
l229l		My lord, I see you’re moved.
	Othello	No, not much moved.
l230l		I do not think but Desdemona’s honest.
l231l	Iago	Long live she so, and long live you to think so!
l232l	Othello	And yet how nature, erring from itself—
l233l	Iago	Ay, there’s the point# as, to be bold with you,
l234l		Not to affect many proposèd matches
l235l		Of her own clime, complexion, and degree,
l236l		Whereto we see in all things nature tends.
l237l		Foh, one may smell in such a will most rank,
l238l		Foul disproportions, thoughts unnatural!
l239l		But pardon me. I do not in position
l240l		Distinctly speak of her, though I may fear
l241l		Her will, recoiling to her better judgement,
l242l		May fall to match you with her country forms
l243l		And happily repent.
	Othello	Farewell, farewell.
l244l		If more thou dost perceive, let me know more.
l245l		Set on thy wife to observe. Leave me, Iago.
l246l	Iago	(going)
		 My lord, I take my leave.
l247l	Othello	Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless
l248l		Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.
l249l	Iago	(returning)
		 My lord, I would I might entreat your honour
l250l		To scan this thing no farther. Leave it to time.
l251l		Although ’tis fit that Cassio have his place—
l252l		For sure he fills it up with great ability—
l253l		Yet, if you please to hold him off a while,
l254l		You shall by that perceive him and his means.
l255l		Note if your lady strain his entertainment
l256l		With any strong or vehement importunity.
l257l		Much will be seen in that. In the mean time,
l258l		Let me be thought too busy in my fears—
l259l		As worthy cause I have to fear I am—
l260l		And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.
l261l	Othello	Fear not my government.
	Iago	I once more take my leave.
		(Exit)
l262l	Othello	 This fellow’s of exceeding honesty,
l263l		And knows all qualities with a learned spirit
l264l		Of human dealings. If I do prove her haggard,
l265l		Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings
l266l		I’d whistle her off and let her down the wind
l267l		To prey at fortune. Haply for I am black,
l268l		And have not those soft parts of conversation
l269l		That chamberers have# or for I am declined
l270l		Into the vale of years—yet that’s not much—
l271l		She’s gone. I am abused, and my relief
l272l		Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage,
l273l		That we can call these delicate creatures ours
l274l		And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad
l275l		And live upon the vapour of a dungeon
l276l		Than keep a corner in the thing I love
l277l		For others’ uses. Yet ’tis the plague of great ones#
l278l		Prerogatived are they less than the base.
l279l		’Tis destiny unshunnable, like death.
l280l		Even then this forkèd plague is fated to us
l281l		When we do quicken.
		(Enter Desdemona and Emilia)
		 Look where she comes.
l282l		If she be false, O then heaven mocks itself!
l283l		I’ll not believe ’t.
	Desdemona	How now, my dear Othello?
l284l		Your dinner, and the generous islanders
l285l		By you invited, do attend your presence.
l286l	Othello	I am to blame.
l287l	Desdemona	Why do you speak so faintly? Are you not well?
l288l	Othello	I have a pain upon my forehead here.
l289l	Desdemona	Faith, that’s with watching. ’Twill away again.
l290l		Let me but bind it hard, within this hour
l291l		It will be well.
	Othello	Your napkin is too little.
		(He puts the napkin from him. It drops.)
l292l		Let it alone. Come, I’ll go in with you.
l293l	Desdemona	I am very sorry that you are not well.
		(Exeunt Othello and Desdemona)
l294l	Emilia	(taking up the napkin)
		 I am glad I have found this napkin.
l295l		This was her first remembrance from the Moor.
l296l		My wayward husband hath a hundred times
l297l		Wooed me to steal it, but she so loves the token—
l298l		For he conjured her she should ever keep it—
l299l		That she reserves it evermore about her
l300l		To kiss and talk to. I’ll ha’ the work ta’en out,
l301l		And give ’t Iago. What he will do with it,
l302l		Heaven knows, not I.
l303l		I nothing, but to please his fantasy.
		(Enter Iago)
l304l	Iago	 How now, what do you here alone?
l305l	Emilia	Do not you chide. I have a thing for you.
l306l	Iago	You have a thing for me? It is a common thing.
l307l	Emilia	Ha?
l308l	Iago	To have a foolish wife.
l309l	Emilia	O, is that all? What will you give me now
l310l		For that same handkerchief?
l311l	Iago	What handkerchief?
l312l	Emilia	What handkerchief?
l313l		Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona,
l314l		That which so often you did bid me steal.
l315l	Iago	Hast stol’n it from her?
l316l	Emilia	No, faith, she let it drop by negligence,
l317l		And to th’ advantage I, being here, took ’t up.
l318l		Look, here ’tis.
	Iago	A good wench! Give it me.
l319l	Emilia	What will you do with it, that you have been so earnest
l320l		To have me filch it?
	Iago	Why, what is that to you?
		(He takes the napkin)
l321l	Emilia	 If it be not for some purpose of import,
l322l		Give ’t me again. Poor lady, she’ll run mad
l323l		When she shall lack it.
l324l	Iago	Be not acknown on ’t. I have use for it. Go, leave me.
		( 324 Exit Emilia)
l325l		I will in Cassio’s lodging lose this napkin,
l326l		And let him find it. Trifles light as air
l327l		Are to the jealous confirmations strong
l328l		As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.
l329l		The Moor already changes with my poison.
l330l		Dangerous conceits are in their natures poisons,
l331l		Which at the first are scarce found to distaste,
l332l		But, with a little act upon the blood,
l333l		Burn like the mines of sulphur.
		(Enter Othello)
		 I did say so.
l334l		Look where he comes. Not poppy nor mandragora
l335l		Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world
l336l		Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep
l337l		Which thou owedst yesterday.
l338l	Othello	Ha, ha, false to me?
l339l	Iago	Why, how now, general? No more of that.
l340l	Othello	Avaunt, be gone. Thou hast set me on the rack.
l341l		I swear ’tis better to be much abused
l342l		Than but to know ’t a little.
	Iago	How now, my lord?
l343l	Othello	What sense had I of her stol’n hours of lust?
l344l		I saw ’t not, thought it not# it harmed not me.
l345l		I slept the next night well, fed well, was free and merry.
l346l		I found not Cassio’s kisses on her lips.
l347l		He that is robbed, not wanting what is stol’n,
l348l		Let him not know ’t and he’s not robbed at all.
l349l	Iago	I am sorry to hear this.
l350l	Othello	I had been happy if the general camp,
l351l		Pioneers and all, had tasted her sweet body,
l352l		So I had nothing known. O, now for ever
l353l		Farewell the tranquil mind, farewell content,
l354l		Farewell the plumèd troops and the big wars
l355l		That makes ambition virtue! O, farewell,
l356l		Farewell the neighing steed and the shrill trump,
l357l		The spirit-stirring drum, th’ ear-piercing fife,
l358l		The royal banner, and all quality,
l359l		Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!
l360l		And O, you mortal engines whose rude throats
l361l		Th’ immortal Jove’s dread clamours counterfeit,
l362l		Farewell! Othello’s occupation’s gone.
l363l	Iago	Is ’t possible, my lord?
l364l	Othello	(taking Iago by the throat)
		 Villain, be sure thou prove my love a whore.
l365l		Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof,
l366l		Or, by the worth of mine eternal soul,
l367l		Thou hadst been better have been born a dog
l368l		Than answer my waked wrath.
	Iago	Is ’t come to this?
l369l	Othello	Make me to see ’t, or at the least so prove it
l370l		That the probation bear no hinge nor loop
l371l		To hang a doubt on, or woe upon thy life.
l372l	Iago	My noble lord.
l373l	Othello	If thou dost slander her and torture me,
l374l		Never pray more# abandon all remorse,
l375l		On horror’s head horrors accumulate,
l376l		Do deeds to make heaven weep, all earth amazed,
l377l		For nothing canst thou to damnation add
l378l		Greater than that.
	Iago	O grace, O heaven forgive me!
l379l		Are you a man? Have you a soul or sense?
l380l		God buy you, take mine office. O wretched fool,
l381l		That lov’st to make thine honesty a vice!
l382l		O monstrous world, take note, take note, O world,
l383l		To be direct and honest is not safe!
l384l		I thank you for this profit, and from hence
l385l		I’ll love no friend, sith love breeds such offence.
l386l	Othello	Nay, stay. Thou shouldst be honest.
l387l	Iago	I should be wise, for honesty’s a fool,
l388l		And loses that it works for.
	Othello	By the world,
l389l		I think my wife be honest, and think she is not.
l390l		I think that thou art just, and think thou art not.
l391l		I’ll have some proof. My name, that was as fresh
l392l		As Dian’s visage, is now begrimed and black
l393l		As mine own face. If there be cords, or knives,
l394l		Poison, or fire, or suffocating streams,
l395l		I’ll not endure it. Would I were satisfied!
l396l	Iago	I see, sir, you are eaten up with passion.
l397l		I do repent me that I put it to you.
l398l		You would be satisfied?
	Othello	Would? Nay, and I will.
l399l	Iago	And may. But how, how satisfied, my lord?
l400l		Would you, the supervisor, grossly gape on,
l401l		Behold her topped?
	Othello	Death and damnation! O!
l402l	Iago	It were a tedious difficulty, I think,
l403l		To bring them to that prospect. Damn them then
l404l		If ever mortal eyes do see them bolster
l405l		More than their own! What then, how then?
l406l		What shall I say? Where’s satisfaction?
l407l		It is impossible you should see this,
l408l		Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkeys,
l409l		As salt as wolves in pride, and fools as gross
l410l		As ignorance made drunk. But yet I say,
l411l		If imputation, and strong circumstances
l412l		Which lead directly to the door of truth,
l413l		Will give you satisfaction, you might ha ’t.
l414l	Othello	Give me a living reason she’s disloyal.
l415l	Iago	I do not like the office,
l416l		But sith I am entered in this cause so far,
l417l		Pricked to ’t by foolish honesty and love,
l418l		I will go on. I lay with Cassio lately,
l419l		And being troubled with a raging tooth,
l420l		I could not sleep. There are a kind of men
l421l		So loose of soul that in their sleeps
l422l		Will mutter their affairs. One of this kind is Cassio.
l423l		In sleep I heard him say “Sweet Desdemona,
l424l		Let us be wary, let us hide our loves”,
l425l		And then, sir, would he grip and wring my hand,
l426l		Cry “O, sweet creature!”, then kiss me hard,
l427l		As if he plucked up kisses by the roots,
l428l		That grew upon my lips, lay his leg o’er my thigh,
l429l		And sigh, and kiss, and then cry “Cursèd fate,
l430l		That gave thee to the Moor!”
l431l	Othello	O, monstrous, monstrous!
l432l	Iago	Nay, this was but his dream.
l433l	Othello	But this denoted a foregone conclusion.
l434l	Iago	’Tis a shrewd doubt, though it be but a dream,
l435l		And this may help to thicken other proofs
l436l		That do demonstrate thinly.
	Othello	I’ll tear her all to pieces.
l437l	Iago	Nay, yet be wise# yet we see nothing done.
l438l		She may be honest yet. Tell me but this:
l439l		Have you not sometimes seen a handkerchief
l440l		Spotted with strawberries in your wife’s hand?
l441l	Othello	I gave her such a one. ’Twas my first gift.
l442l	Iago	I know not that, but such a handkerchief—
l443l		I am sure it was your wife’s—did I today
l444l		See Cassio wipe his beard with.
	Othello	If it be that—
l445l	Iago	If it be that, or any that was hers,
l446l		It speaks against her with the other proofs.
l447l	Othello	O that the slave had forty thousand lives!
l448l		One is too poor, too weak for my revenge.
l449l		Now do I see ’tis true. Look here, Iago.
l450l		All my fond love thus do I blow to heaven—’tis gone.
l451l		Arise, black vengeance, from the hollow hell.
l452l		Yield up, O love, thy crown and hearted throne
l453l		To tyrannous hate! Swell, bosom, with thy freight,
l454l		For ’tis of aspics’ tongues.
	Iago	Yet be content.
l455l	Othello	O, blood, blood, blood!
	Iago	Patience, I say. Your mind may change.
l456l	Othello	Never, Iago. Like to the Pontic Sea,
l457l		Whose icy current and compulsive course
l458l		Ne’er knows retiring ebb, but keeps due on
l459l		To the Propontic and the Hellespont,
l460l		Even so my bloody thoughts with violent pace
l461l		Shall ne’er look back, ne’er ebb to humble love,
l462l		Till that a capable and wide revenge
l463l		Swallow them up.
		(He kneels)
		 Now, by yon marble heaven,
l464l		In the due reverence of a sacred vow
l465l		I here engage my words.
	Iago	Do not rise yet.
		(Iago kneels)
l466l		Witness you ever-burning lights above,
l467l		You elements that clip us round about,
l468l		Witness that here Iago doth give up
l469l		The execution of his wit, hands, heart
l470l		To wronged Othello’s service. Let him command,
l471l		And to obey shall be in me remorse,
l472l		What bloody business ever.
		(They rise)
		
	Othello	 I greet thy love,
l473l		Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounteous,
l474l		And will upon the instant put thee to ’t.
l475l		Within these three days let me hear thee say
l476l		That Cassio’s not alive.
	Iago	My friend is dead.
l477l		’Tis done at your request# but let her live.
l478l	Othello	Damn her, lewd minx! O, damn her, damn her!
l479l		Come, go with me apart. I will withdraw
l480l		To furnish me with some swift means of death
l481l		For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant.
l482l	Iago	I am your own for ever.
		(Exeunt)