English extract
IAGO
That Cassio loves her, I do well believe ’t.
That she loves him, ’tis apt and of great
credit.
The Moor, howbeit that I endure him not,
Is of a constant, loving, noble nature,
215And I dare think he’ll prove to
Desdemona
A most dear husband. Now, I do love her
too,
Not out of absolute lust—though
peradventure
I stand accountant for as great a sin—
But partly led to diet my revenge,
220For that I do suspect the lusty Moor
Hath leaped into my seat. The thought
whereof
Doth, like a poisonous mineral, gnaw my
inwards,
And nothing can or shall content my soul
Till I am evened with him, wife for wife.
225Or, failing so, yet that I put the Moor
At least into a jealousy so strong
That judgment cannot cure. Which thing to
do,
If this poor trash of Venice, whom I trace
For his quick hunting, stand the putting on,
230I’ll have our Michael Cassio on the hip,
Abuse him to the Moor in the right garb
(For I fear Cassio with my night-cape too)
Make the Moor thank me, love me, and
reward me
For making him egregiously an ass
235And practicing upon his peace and quiet
IAGO
I think Cassio really does love her, and it’s
perfectly likely that she loves him too. I
can’t stand the Moor, but I have to admit
that he’s a reliable, loving, and good-natured
man. He’d probably be a good husband to
Desdemona. I love her too, not simply out of
lust, but also to feed my revenge. I have a
feeling the Moor slept with my wife. That
thought keeps gnawing at me, eating me up
inside. I won’t be satisfied until I get even
with him, wife for wife. If I can’t do that, I
can at least make the Moor so jealous that
he can’t think straight. If that piece of
Venetian trash Roderigo can do what I need
to carry out my plan, I’ll have power over
Cassio. I’ll say bad things about him to the
Moor. I have a feeling Cassio seduced my wife
as well. I’ll make the Moor thank me, love
me, and reward me, even though the joke
will be on him the whole time. I’ve got a
good plan, though I haven’t worked out the
details yet. You can never see the end of an
evil plan until the moment comes.
 Even to madness. 'Tis here, but yet
confused.
Knavery’s plain face is never seen till used.
IAGO
Touch me not so near.
I had rather have this tongue cut from my
mouth
185Than it should do offence to Michael
Cassio.
Yet I persuade myself to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him. This it is, general:
Montano and myself being in speech,
There comes a fellow crying out for help
190And Cassio following him with determined
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 clamor—as it so fell out—
195The town might fall in fright. He, swift
of foot,
Outran my purpose, and I returned then
rather
For that I heard the clink and fall of
swords
And Cassio high in oath, which till tonight
I ne'er might say before. When I came
back—
200For this was brief— I found them close
together
IAGO
You’re hitting close to home there. I’d
rather cut my tongue out of my mouth than
say anything bad about Michael Cassio. But I
don’t think it’ll hurt him to tell the truth.
This is what happened, General. Montano and
I were talking when a man came running,
crying for help. Cassio was chasing him with
his sword out, trying to kill the guy. This
gentleman stopped Cassio and told him to
put away his sword. I followed the guy who
was crying for help, to keep him from scaring
the public. But he was fast and outran me.
When I got back, I heard the swords clinking
and Cassio swearing. I’d never heard him
swear before. They were nearly killing each
other, as you saw when you pulled them
apart. I can’t tell you anything else.
 At blow and thrust, even as again they
were
When you yourself did part them.
More of this matter cannot I report.

But men are men, the best sometimes forget.

205Though Cassio did some little wrong to him,
As men in rage strike those that wish them best,
Yet surely Cassio, I believe, received
From him that fled some strange indignity
Which patience could not pass.

Allusion to the speech of brutus in Julius ceaser – 184

Transferred epithet
Cassio is determined
Gentleman is montano
Cassio gets screwed

IAGO
245And what’s he then that says I play the
villain?
When this advice is free I give and honest,
Probal to thinking and indeed the course
To win the Moor again? For ’tis most easy
Th' inclining Desdemona to subdue
250In any honest suit. She’s framed as
fruitful
As the free elements. And then for her
To win the Moor, were to renounce his
baptism,
All seals and symbols of redeemèd sin,
IAGO
Who can say I’m evil when my advice is so
good? That’s really the best way to win the
Moor back again. It’s easy to get Desdemona
on your side. She’s full of good intentions.
And the Moor loves her so much he would
renounce his Christianity to keep her happy.
He’s so enslaved by love that she can make
him do whatever she wants. How am I evil
to advise Cassio to do exactly what’ll do him
good? That’s the kind of argument you’d
expect from Satan! When devils are about to
commit their biggest sins they put on their
His soul is so enfettered to her love,
255That she may make, unmake, do what
she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god
With his weak function. How am I then a
villain
To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
260When devils will the blackest sins put on
They do suggest at first with heavenly
shows
As I do now. For whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortune
And she for him pleads strongly to the
Moor,
265I’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
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch
270And out of her own goodness make the
net
That shall enmesh them all.
Enter RODERIGO
How now, Roderigo!
RODERIGO
I do follow here in the chase not like a
hound that hunts, but one that fills up the
cry. My money is almost spent, I have been
tonight exceedingly well cudgeled, and I think
the issue will be I shall have so much
most heavenly faces, just like I’m doing now.
And while this fool is begging Desdemona to
help him, and while she’s pleading his case to
the Moor, I’ll poison the Moor’s ear against
her, hinting that she’s taking Cassio’s side
because of her lust for him. The more she
Commented [S1]: Iago calls cassio an honest fool and this
shows that iago’s perspective towards honest ppl, which
tells that honest ppl are fools….
Commented [S2]: poisson
tries to help Cassio, the more she’ll shake
Othello’s confidence in her. And that’s how
I’ll turn her good intentions into a big trap
to snag them all.
RODERIGO enters.
Hello, Roderigo!
RODERIGO
I’m totally worn out. My chase is too much
for me. I’ve spent most of my money, and
tonight I got beaten up. The upshot is that
I’ve got a little more experience. So with no
experience for my pains. And so, with no money, but a little more wisdom, I’m going
money at all and a little more wit, return back to Venice.
again to Venice.