The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 605
DESDEMONA
Who is thy lord?
Who is my lord?
EMILIA
He that is yours, sweet lady.
He that belongs to you, sweet lady.
DESDEMONA
I have none: do not talk to me, Emilia;
I own no one. Don’t talk to me, Emilia.
I cannot weep; nor answer have I none,
I can’t cry and I have no answers
But what should go by water. Prithee, tonight
Except for my tears. Please, tonight
Lay on my bed my wedding sheets: remember;
Make my bed with the wedding sheets. Do this
And call thy husband hither.
And call for my husband.
EMILIA
Here's a change indeed!
This is a strange change!
Exit
DESDEMONA
'Tis meet I should be used so, very meet.
It must be fair for him to treat me like this.
How have I been behaved, that he might stick
How have I acted that he might complain
The small'st opinion on my least misuse?
About even the smallest problem with me?
Re-enter EMILIA with IAGO
IAGO
What is your pleasure, madam?
What would you like, madam?
How is't with you?
How are you?
DESDEMONA
I cannot tell. Those that do teach young babes
I don’t know. Parents teach children
Do it with gentle means and easy tasks:
Gently, with easy suggestions.
He might have chid me so; for, in good faith,
He could have treated me like that, for honestly
I am a child to chiding.
I am only a child to being upbraided.
IAGO
What's the matter, lady?
What is the matter, lady?
EMILIA
Alas, Iago, my lord hath so bewhored her.
Iago, Othello has claimed she is a whore.
Thrown such despite and heavy terms upon her,
He has called her such awful names and said such awful things
As true hearts cannot bear.
For hearts to try to bear.
DESDEMONA
Am I that name, Iago?
Am I what he says, Iago?
IAGO
What name, fair lady?
And what is that, fair lady?
DESDEMONA
Such as she says my lord did say I was.
The name she says he called me.
EMILIA
He call'd her whore: a beggar in his drink
He called her a whore. A poor drunkard
Could not have laid such terms upon his callat.
Could not have been so mean to his woman.
IAGO
Why did he so?
Why did he say this?
DESDEMONA
I do not know; I am sure I am none such.
I don’t know. I am sure I am not one.
IAGO
Do not weep, do not weep. Alas the day!
Don’t cry, don’t cry. O awful day!
EMILIA
Hath she forsook so many noble matches,
She spurned so many good matches with noble men,
Her father and her country and her friends,
As well as her father, country, and friends,
To be call'd whore? would it not make one weep?
All to be called a whore? Isn’t that enough to make one cry?
DESDEMONA
It is my wretched fortune.
It is my poor luck.
IAGO
Beshrew him for't!
Well curse him for saying it!
How comes this trick upon him?
How did he get such an idea?
DESDEMONA
Nay, heaven doth know.
Only God knows.
EMILIA
I will be hang'd, if some eternal villain,
I swear on my life that some villain,
Some busy and insinuating rogue,
Some meddling and tricky man,
Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office,
Some lying slave, all for self-gain,
Have not devised this slander; I'll be hang'd else.
Made up this slanderous falsehood. I swear on my life.
IAGO
Fie, there is no such man; it is impossible.
No, no such person exists. That’s impossible.
DESDEMONA
If any such there be, heaven pardon him!
If there is, may heaven forgive him!
EMILIA
A halter pardon him! and hell gnaw his bones!
A hangman’s noose will forgive him! And may hell have his body!
Why should he call her whore? who keeps her company?
Why would he call her a whore? Who spends time with her?
What place? what time? what form? what likelihood?
Where? When? How?
The Moor's abused by some most villanous knave,
The Moor has been tricked by a villainous enemy,
Some base notorious knave, some scurvy fellow.
A notorious criminal, some evil fellow.
O heaven, that such companions thou'ldst unfold,
O heaven, I wish we could discover who these people are
And put in every honest hand a whip
And give every honest man a whip
To lash the rascals naked through the world
So they could beat these rascals everywhere they go,
Even from the east to the west!
Across the whole world!
IAGO
Speak within door.
Speak quietly.
EMILIA
O, fie upon them! Some such squire he was
O curses on them! It;s the same bastard
That turn'd your wit the seamy side without,
Who changed your mind to the wrong side
And made you to suspect me with the Moor.
And made you think I slept with the Moor.
IAGO
You are a fool; go to.
You fool, go away.
DESDEMONA
O good Iago,
O Iago,
What shall I do to win my lord again?
What can I do to win back Othello?
Good friend, go to him; for, by this light of heaven,
Good friend, go to him. By the sun above,
I know not how I lost him. Here I kneel:
I don’t know how I lost him. I’m begging you:
If e'er my will did trespass 'gainst his love,
If I ever wrong him or his love for me,
Either in discourse of thought or actual deed,
Either in what I thought or did,
Or that mine eyes, mine ears, or any sense,
Or if my eyes, ears, or anything about me
Delighted them in any other form;
Took pleasure in someone else,
Or that I do not yet, and ever did,
Or that I do not and have not
And ever will--though he do shake me off
And never will – even though he might
To beggarly divorcement--love him dearly,
Divorce me and make me poor – love him fully,
Comfort forswear me! Unkindness may do much;
Than I hope I never have comfort! Being mean can do a lot,
And his unkindness may defeat my life,
And his meanness might end my life,
But never taint my love. I cannot say 'whore:'
But it will never ruin my love. I cannot say “whore,”
It does abhor me now I speak the word;
It disgusts me to even say the word.
To do the act that might the addition earn
To do the act that would gain me that title –
&n
bsp; Not the world's mass of vanity could make me.
I wouldn’t do it for all the fame in the world.
IAGO
I pray you, be content; 'tis but his humour:
Please, be happy. This is only a mood,
The business of the state does him offence,
And the state business is angering him,
And he does chide with you.
He is only taking it out on you.
DESDEMONA
If 'twere no other--
If that’s all it is–
IAGO
'Tis but so, I warrant.
It is, I promise.
Trumpets within
Hark, how these instruments summon to supper!
Listen! The trumpets are calling out for dinner.
The messengers of Venice stay the meat;
The messengers from Venice are waiting to eat.
Go in, and weep not; all things shall be well.
Go to them, do not cry, and everything will be alright.
Exeunt DESDEMONA and EMILIA
Enter RODERIGO
How now, Roderigo!
Hello Roderigo!
RODERIGO
I do not find that thou dealest justly with me.
You are not being fair with me.
IAGO
What in the contrary?
Why do you say that?
RODERIGO
Every day thou daffest me with some device, Iago;
Every day you mess with me somehow, Iago,
and rather, as it seems to me now, keepest from me
and now, it seems to me, you keep me from
all conveniency than suppliest me with the least
making any advantage that would give me
advantage of hope. I will indeed no longer endure
the slightest hope. I will not put up with it any longer
it, nor am I yet persuaded to put up in peace what
and I am not persuaded to just accept what
already I have foolishly suffered.
I have already suffered.
IAGO
Will you hear me, Roderigo?
Will you hear me out, Roderigo?
RODERIGO
'Faith, I have heard too much, for your words and
I have already listened to you too much. Your words
performances are no kin together.
and actions do not fit together.
IAGO
You charge me most unjustly.
You charge me wrongly.
RODERIGO
With nought but truth. I have wasted myself out of
I charge you only with the truth. I have exhausted
my means. The jewels you have had from me to
Everything I have. The jewels that you made me
deliver to Desdemona would half have corrupted a
send to Desdemona would have tempted a
votarist: you have told me she hath received them
nun. You told me she received them
and returned me expectations and comforts of sudden
and would return to me certain comforts
respect and acquaintance, but I find none.
and signs of respect, but I got nothing.
IAGO
Well; go to; very well.
Fine, go on.
RODERIGO
Very well! go to! I cannot go to, man; nor 'tis
Fine! Go on! I cannot go on, and it is not
not very well: nay, I think it is scurvy, and begin
fine. No, it is anything but fine, and I think I
to find myself fobbed in it.
am being toyed with!
IAGO
Very well.
Fine.
RODERIGO
I tell you 'tis not very well. I will make myself
I am telling you that it is not fine. I will make sure
known to Desdemona: if she will return me my
that Desdemona knows about me. If she sends my
jewels, I will give over my suit and repent my
jewels back to me, I will give up my case and apologize
unlawful solicitation; if not, assure yourself I
for pursuing her. If she will not send them back, I
will seek satisfaction of you.
will get my repayment from you.
IAGO
You have said now.
So you say.
RODERIGO
Ay, and said nothing but what I protest intendment of doing.
Yes, and I say nothing except that which I will do.
IAGO
Why, now I see there's mettle in thee, and even from
Well, I see that there’s some fight in you, and from
this instant to build on thee a better opinion than
this moment I am building a better opinion of you
ever before. Give me thy hand, Roderigo: thou hast
than before. Give me your hand, Roderigo. You have
taken against me a most just exception; but yet, I
complained against me very rightly, but still, I
protest, I have dealt most directly in thy affair.
have dealt very fairly with you.
RODERIGO
It hath not appeared.
It doesn’t look like it.
IAGO
I grant indeed it hath not appeared, and your
I agree, it doesn’t look like it, and you
suspicion is not without wit and judgment. But,
are smart to be suspicious. But,
Roderigo, if thou hast that in thee indeed, which I
Roderigo, if you are really a more aggressive person, which I
have greater reason to believe now than ever, I mean
am beginning to think you are, and have
purpose, courage and valour, this night show it: if
bravery and courage, show it tonight. If
thou the next night following enjoy not Desdemona,
tomorrow night you are not sleeping with Desdemona,
take me from this world with treachery and devise
than find a way through treachery to take
engines for my life.
this world away from me.
RODERIGO
Well, what is it? is it within reason and compass?
Well, what do you want me to do? Is it within my abilities, and is it reasonable?
IAGO
Sir, there is especial commission come from Venice
Sir, there has been a special commission from Venice
to depute Cassio in Othello's place.
to put Cassio in charge and recall Othello.
RODERIGO
Is that true? why, then Othello and Desdemona
Really? Than Othello and Desdemona
return again to Venice.
must go back to Venice.
IAGO
O, no; he goes into Mauritania and takes away with
No, he will go to Mauritania with
him the fair Desdemona, unless his abode be
beautiful Desdemona unless he
lingered here by some accident: wherein none can be
is kept here through some accidental situation. The best situation
so determinate as the removing of Cassio.
for him to stay would be to get rid of Cassio.
RODERIGO
How do you mean, removing of him?
What do you mean, “get rid of him”?
IAGO
Why, by making him uncapable of Othello's place;
Well, by making him unable to lead –
knocking out his brains.
in other words, to knock out his brains and kill him.
RODERIGO
And that you would have me to do?
And you want me to do that?
IAGO
Ay, if you dare do yourself a profit and a right.
Yes, if you dare do something that will help you.
H
e sups to-night with a harlotry, and thither will I
He is dining tonight with a prostitute, where I
go to him: he knows not yet of his honorable
will meet him. He doesn’t know about his appointment
fortune. If you will watch his going thence, which
yet. You must watch when he leaves. I will
I will fashion to fall out between twelve and one,
make sure he leaves between twelve and one
you may take him at your pleasure: I will be near
and then you can snatch him. I will be nearby
to second your attempt, and he shall fall between
to help you, and between the two of us we can take him.
us. Come, stand not amazed at it, but go along with
Come now, stop standing so stunned but come with
me; I will show you such a necessity in his death
me. I will give you such reasons for his death
that you shall think yourself bound to put it on
that you will find it your obligation to kill
him. It is now high suppertime, and the night grows
him. It is almost suppertime and we are wasting
to waste: about it.
time. Let’s go.
RODERIGO
I will hear further reason for this.
I want to hear more about this.
IAGO
And you shall be satisfied.
You will hear as much as you want.
Exeunt
Enter OTHELLO, LODOVICO, DESDEMONA, EMILIA and Attendants
LODOVICO
I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.
Please sir, do not trouble yourself anymore.
OTHELLO
O, pardon me: 'twill do me good to walk.
O, excuse me. It would be good for me to take a walk.
LODOVICO
Madam, good night; I humbly thank your ladyship.
Madam, goodnight. I humbly thank you.
DESDEMONA
Your honour is most welcome.
Your welcome.
OTHELLO
Will you walk, sir?
Will you walk with me, sir?
O,--Desdemona,--