Let me have speech with you. (To Desdemona) Come,

my dear love,

The purchase made, the fruits are to ensue.

That profit’s yet to come ’tween me and you.

(To Cassio) Good night.

Exeunt Othello, Desdemona, and attendants

Enter Iago

CASSIO

Welcome, Iago. We must to the watch.

IAGO Not this hour, lieutenant; ‘tis not yet ten o’th’ clock. Our general cast us thus early for the love of his Desdemona, who let us not therefore blame. He hath not yet made wanton the night with her, and she is sport for Jove.

CASSIO She’s a most exquisite lady.

IAGO And I’ll warrant her full of game.

CASSIO Indeed, she’s a most fresh and delicate creature.

IAGO What an eye she has! Methinks it sounds a parley to provocation.

CASSIO An inviting eye, and yet, methinks, right modest.

IAGO And when she speaks, is it not an alarum to love?

CASSIO She is indeed perfection.

IAGO Well, happiness to their sheets. Come, lieutenant. I have a stoup of wine, and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants that would fain have a measure to the health of black Othello.

CASSIO Not tonight, good Iago. I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking. I could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment.

IAGO O, they are our friends! But one cup. I’ll drink for you.

CASSIO I ha’ drunk but one cup tonight, and that was craftily qualified, too, and behold what innovation it makes here! I am infortunate in the infirmity, and dare not task my weakness with any more.

IAGO What, man, ’tis a night of revels, the gallants desire it!

CASSIO Where are they?

IAGO

Here at the door. I pray you call them in.

CASSIO I’ll do’t, but it dislikes me.

Exit

IAGO

If I can fasten but one cup upon him,

With that which he hath drunk tonight already

He’ll be as full of quarrel and offence

As my young mistress’ dog. Now my sick fool Roderigo,

Whom love hath turned almost the wrong side out,

To Desdemona hath tonight caroused

Potations pottle-deep, and he’s to watch.

Three else of Cyprus—noble swelling spirits

That hold their honours in a wary distance,

The very elements of this warlike isle—

Have I tonight flustered with flowing cups,

And they watch too. Now ’mongst this flock of

drunkards

Am I to put our Cassio in some action

That may offend the isle.

Enter Montano, Cassio, Gentlemen, [and servants] with wine

But here they come.

If consequence do but approve my dream,

My boat sails freely both with wind and stream.

CASSIO

Fore God, they have given me a rouse already.

MONTANO

Good faith, a little one; not past a pint,

As I am a soldier.

IAGO Some wine, ho!

(Sings)

And let me the cannikin clink, clink, And let me the cannikin clink.

A soldier’s a man,

O, man’s life’s but a span,

Why then, let a soldier drink.

Some wine, boys!

CASSIO Fore God, an excellent song.

IAGO I learned it in England, where indeed they are most potent in potting. Your Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied Hollander—drink, ho!—are nothing to your English.

CASSIO Is your Englishman so exquisite in his drinking?

IAGO Why, he drinks you with facility your Dane dead drunk. He sweats not to overthrow your Almain. He gives your Hollander a vomit ere the next pottle can be filled.

CASSIO To the health of our general!

MONTANO I am for it, lieutenant, and I’ll do you justice.

IAGO O sweet England!

(Sings)

King Stephen was and a worthy peer, His breeches cost him but a crown;

He held them sixpence all too dear,

With that he called the tailor lown.

He was a wight of high renown,

And thou art but of low degree.

’Tis pride that pulls the country down,

Then take thy auld cloak about thee.

Some wine, ho!

CASSIO Fore God, this is a more exquisite song than the other.

IAGO Will you hear’t again?

CASSIO No, for I hold him to be unworthy of his place that does those things. Well, God’s above all, and there be souls must be saved, and there be souls must not be saved.

IAGO It’s true, good lieutenant.

CASSIO For mine own part—no offence to the general, nor any man of quality—I hope to be saved.

IAGO And so do I too, lieutenant.

CASSIO Ay, but, by your leave, not before me. The lieutenant is to be saved before the ensign. Let’s ha’ no more of this. Let’s to our affairs. God forgive us our sins. Gentlemen, let’s look to our business. Do not think, gentlemen, I am drunk. This is my ensign, this is my right hand, and this is my left. I am not drunk now. I can stand well enough, and I speak well enough.

GENTLEMEN Excellent well.

CASSIO Why, very well then. You must not think then that I am drunk.

Exit

MONTANO

To th’ platform, masters. Come, let’s set the watch.

Exeunt Gentlemen

IAGO

You see this fellow that is gone before—

He’s a soldier fit to stand by Caesar

And give direction; and do but see his vice.

‘Tis to his virtue a just equinox,

The one as long as th’other. ’Tis pity of him.

I fear the trust Othello puts him in,

On some odd time of his infirmity,

Will shake this island.

MONTANO But is he often thus?

IAGO

’Tis evermore his prologue to his sleep.

He’ll watch the horologe a double set

If drink rock not his cradle.

MONTANO 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 [aside] How now, Roderigo!

I pray you after the lieutenant, go.

Exit Roderigo

MONTANO

And ’tis great pity that the noble Moor

Should hazard such a place as his own second

With one of an engraffed 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