Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Donald Bailey
Peer Reviewed

Othello (Quarto 1, 1622)

53
The Moore of Venice.

You would be satisfied.
2040Oth. Would, nay, I will.
Iag. And may, but how, how satisfied my Lord?
Would you, the superuisor grossely gape on,
Behold her topt?
Oth. Death and damnation --oh.
2045Iag. It were a tedious difficulty I thinke,
To bring em to that prospect, dam em then,
If euer mortall eyes did see them boulster
More then their owne; what then, how then?
What shall I say? where's satisfaction?
2050It is impossible you should see this.
Were they as prime as Goates, as hot as Monkies,
As salt as Wolues, in pride; and fooles as grosse,
As ignorance made drunke: But yet I say,
If imputation and strong circumstances,
2055Which leade directly to the doore of truth,
Will giue you satisfaction, you may ha't.
Oth. Giue me a liuing reason, that shee's disloyall.
Iag. I doe not like the office,
But sith I am enter'd into this cause so farre,
2060Prickt to't by foolish honesty and loue,
I will goe on: I lay with Cassio lately,
And being troubled with a raging tooth, I could not sleep.
There are a kinde of men so loose of soule,
That in their sleepes will mutter their affaires,
2065One of this kinde is Cassio:
In sleepe I heard him say. Sweete Desdemona,
Let vs be merry, let vs hide our loues;
And then sir, would he gripe and wring my hand,
Cry out, sweete creature, and then kisse me hard,
2070As if he pluckt vp kisses by the rootes,
That grew vpon my lips, then layed his
leg
Ouer my thigh, and sigh'd, and kissed, and then
Cried, cursed fate, that gaue thee to the Moore.
Oth. O Monstrous, monstrous.
2075Iag. Nay, this was but his dreame.
Oth.
H 3