Tago. Away, I say! go out, and cry—a mutiny.
[Aside to RODERIGO, who runs out.

Nay, good lieutenant, alas, gentlemen,—
Help, ho!--Lieutenant, sir,-Montano,-sir ;-
Help, masters!-Here's a goodly watch, indeed!-
[Bell rings.
Who's that that rings the bell ?-Diablo, ho!
The town will rise :-Heaven's will, lieutenant!

hold;

You will be sham'd for ever.

[MONTANO is wounded,-ANTONIO and JULIO support him.

Enter OTHELLO, MARCO, PAULO, GIOVANNI, LUCA, and SERVANTS with Torches.

Oth. Hold, for your lives.

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 forth his own rage,
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.—
[Bell rings.
Silence that dreadful bell, it frights the isle
From her propriety.-

[Exit MARCO, and returns. Honest Jago, 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
Divesting 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 thus 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.
Mont. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger;
Your officer, Iago, can inform you-

While I 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! and in a town of war,
Yet wild, the people's hearts brim-full of fear,
To manage private and domestic quarrel !—
In night, and on the court and guard of safety !—
"Tis monstrous.-Iago, who began't?

Mont. If partially affin'd, or leagu'd in office,
Thou dost deliver more or less than truth,
Thou art no soldier.

Iago. 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, Iago,

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

Sir, for your hurts, myself will be your surgeon :—
Lead him off.-

[MONTANO is led off by JULIO and ANTONIO.

Iago, look with care about the town;

And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.

[Exeunt all but CASSIO and IAGO.

Iago. What, are you hurt, lieutenant?

Cas. Ay, past all surgery.

Iago. Marry, Heaven forbid !

Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! I have

lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial.--My reputation, Iago, 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: sue to him, 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 ?-O, thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call thee-devil!

Jago. 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!

Iago. Why, but you are now well enough: How came you thus recover'd?

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

Iago. I could heartily wish this had not so 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 unbless'd, and the ingredient is a devil.

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

you.

Cas. I have well approv'd it, sir.—I drunk!

Iago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at some time, man. I tell you what you shall do. Our general's wife is now the general;-confess yourself freely to her; importune her, she'll help to put you in your place: she is of so free, so kind, so apt, so bless'd a disposition, that she holds it a vice in her goodness, not to do more than she is requested.

Cas. You advise me well.

Iago. I protest, in the sincerity of love and honest kindness.

Cas. I think it freely; and, betimes in the morning, I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me: I am desperate of my fortunes, if they check me here.

Iago. You are in the right. Good night, lieutenant; I must to the watch.

Cas. Good night, honest Iago.

[Exit. Iago. And what's he then, that says,-I play the

villain,-

When this advice is free, I give, and honest,

Probable to the thinking, and (indeed) the course
To win the Moor again?-

How am I then a villain,

To council Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good?-Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now: For, while this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes,
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,--
That she repeals him for her body's lust;
And, by how much she strives to do him good,