But Othello himself cared only to visit at the house of a certain Venetian gentleman named Brabantio, who had a fair daughter named Desdemona; for the beauty, gentleness, and virtue3 of this lady had completely enslaved the heart of the handsome Moor, who grew to love her with all the strength of his passionate4 nature. And as the fair Desdemona listened to the glowing tales of peril5, adventure, and victory related by the dusky visitor, she hung upon his words with eager interest, weeping for his woes6 and rejoicing at his escapes; and at last she grew to love him so dearly that all her thoughts became bound up in him.
Othello knew that Brabantio would be horrified8 at the mere9 thought of giving his daughter to a Moor; and so he very easily persuaded Desdemona to enter into a secret marriage with him.
Brabantio was filled with great indignation when he was afterwards told of their union, and, accusing Othello of having resorted to magic spells in winning the affections of the maiden10, he took the whole matter before the Duke of Venice; but when the royal judge had listened to Othello's simple tale of love, and Desdemona's sweet declaration of trust in her husband, he announced that their mutual11 affection had come about in a perfectly12 natural way, and that no magic had been used.
So Brabantio was obliged to give his daughter to her lawful13 husband; and almost immediately after the case had been settled, Othello, as leader of the Venetian Army, was sent on a military expedition to the island of Cyprus.
The Moor departed first, leaving Desdemona to follow in the care of his lieutenant15, Cassio; and upon their arrival in Cyprus great rejoicings were held.
Now, Othello had another confidential16 officer, whose name was Iago, and who served him as his Ancient; and this Iago, who was of an envious17, cruel, and bitter nature, had a grudge18 against Cassio, because the latter had been made lieutenant, a post he coveted19 himself. He also envied the happiness of Othello; for he himself had cherished a passion for Desdemona, and had been filled with bitterness at her preference for the noble Moor. He therefore determined20 to bring Cassio quickly out of favour with his master, so that he himself might be advanced; and with this object he devised the cunning and cruel plan of making Othello believe that Cassio was the lover of Desdemona, and thus, by bringing misery21 on all, to satisfy his vengeful and envious nature.
He first of all led the unsuspecting Cassio into the folly22 of drinking too deeply one night when on guard in the camp; and then, as squabbling arose in consequence of this, he brought Othello upon the scene to learn the cause of the disturbance23.
The Moor was so displeased24 with the foolish conduct of Cassio that he would not permit him to be his lieutenant any longer; but the cunning Iago was not yet satisfied, and he determined to use the disgraced officer still further, in order to bring woe7 upon Othello himself, whose happiness in the possession of the lovely Desdemona he was so eager to destroy.
He therefore now pretended to be Cassio's friend, and advised him earnestly to ingratiate himself with the Lady Desdemona, who might be induced to intercede25 with her husband on behalf of the erring26 officer; and as Iago's own wife, Emilia, was chief lady-in-waiting to Desdemona, it was quite easy for the necessary interviews to be arranged.
The gentle Desdemona, with never a thought of evil, received Cassio very kindly27, and promised to plead for him with her husband, saying:
"... Assure thee,
If I do vow28 a friendship I'll perform it
To the last article ...
Therefore, be merry, Cassio,
For thy solicitor29 shall rather die
Than give thy cause away!"
Unfortunately, just as Cassio bent30 to kiss the lady's hand in gratitude31 as he departed, Othello himself appeared, accompanied by Iago, who cunningly drew his attention to this little scene.
The first faint shadow of jealousy32 thus crept into the mind of Othello; and when Desdemona presently began to plead for Cassio, although he answered her with fair words, he had already begun to doubt her in his heart.
After Desdemona had retired33, Iago ruthlessly continued his wicked scheme of sowing the seeds of doubt in Othello's passionate heart; and the Moor quickly began to suffer the sharp pangs34 of jealousy, and to cherish a secret wrath35 against his innocent wife.
"Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,
Is the immediate14 jewel of their souls:
Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing;
'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands;
But he that filches36 from me my good name,
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed!"
said Iago, in a careless tone; and with such enigmatical, subtle words did he set the poison of doubt to work in his master's mind.
Encouraged by the quick success of his villainy, Iago now bade his wife Emilia to procure37 for him a certain richly worked handkerchief belonging to Desdemona, which had been Othello's first gift to her during their courtship; and Emilia, having no suspicion of treachery, but humbly38 obedient to her husband's wishes, secured the pretty trifle for him without the knowledge of her mistress. Iago then found an opportunity to make Othello believe that he had discovered this handkerchief amongst the belongings39 of Cassio, and that it had been given to the ex-lieutenant by Desdemona; and he also added casually40 that he had often heard Cassio murmur41 the name of Desdemona with loving emphasis in his sleep.
This announcement filled Othello with such rage that he rushed furiously at Iago, and flung him to the ground; and when next he met Desdemona he broke out into such a stormy tirade42 that the gentle lady was terrified.
As the days went on the poison of jealousy so artfully administered by the ruthless Iago began to permeate43 the whole being of the unfortunate Moor to such an extent that he put an evil construction upon the most innocent remarks of Desdemona; and the bewildered wife became very unhappy as she noted44 the altered behaviour of her husband, being quite unable to account for such a change, since her love for him was as deep and true as ever.
One day there came ambassadors from Venice with letters on State matters for Othello, in which he was bidden to return home; and upon the messengers asking for the absent Cassio, who was to be deputed to the Moor's place, Desdemona replied that the lieutenant had been disgraced, but that she was constantly pleading for his restoration to favour, since she had much regard for him. On hearing these words, spoken in all innocence45 and kindly feeling for one in trouble, Othello's mad jealousy was roused again; and in a wild outburst of rage he struck Desdemona a rough blow, and then fell to the ground in a convulsive fit brought on by his deep emotion.
That night, as Desdemona retired to rest, she was filled with sad thoughts and strange forebodings of ill; and as Emilia helped her to disrobe, she sang a low, plaintive46 song, which she declared had been sung to her mother on her death-bed, and which had haunted the unhappy lady all day. These were the words of the song:
"The poor soul sat singing by a sycamore tree,
Sing all a green willow47;
Her hand on her bosom48, her head on her knee,
Sing willow, willow, willow:
The fresh streams ran by her and murmured her moans,
Sing willow, willow, willow:
Her salt tears fell from her, and soften'd the stones;
Sing willow, willow, willow!"
When this sad ditty came to an end, Emilia left her mistress in bed; and the troubled Desdemona at length fell asleep.
Presently Othello entered the chamber49 with his sword in his hand, intending to kill her; but she looked so fair and tranquil50 as she slept that he could not bear to shed her blood, though he did not mean to go back from his resolve. He still loved her tenderly, in spite of the over-mastering jealousy which had eaten into his heart, and his firm belief that she had permitted Cassio to be her lover; and bending over the bed he kissed her sweet lips passionately51, murmuring softly:
"O balmy breath, that doth almost persuade
Justice to break her sword!—one more, one more—
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
And love thee after:—One more, and that's the last:
So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,
But they are cruel tears: This sorrow's heavenly;
It strikes where it doth love!"
The hot kisses of Othello awakened52 Desdemona, who was much startled at finding her husband bending over her with such a fierce look in his passionate eyes; nor was she reassured53 when Othello asked sternly:
"Have you prayed to-night, Desdemona?"
The poor lady assured him that she had offered up her prayers as usual, and asked him the meaning of such a strange question; and then Othello declared that it was his resolve to kill her, again fiercely denouncing her as untrue to her wifely vows54.
It was in vain that the hapless Desdemona protested her innocence, and pleaded piteously for mercy; so firmly was Othello convinced of her perfidy55, owing to the false insinuations of Iago, that nothing could now make him believe in her innocence, and in a paroxysm of jealous passion he seized the pillows and bed-coverings and pressed them over his victim until she was stifled56.
Just then Emilia's voice was heard calling loudly for admission; and thinking she had come to bring news of Cassio, whose death he had already ordered, Othello opened the door and let her into the room. But Emilia reported that Cassio was not dead, though wounded; and as she related this news the weak voice of the expiring Desdemona murmured softly, "A guiltless death I die!"
Emilia hurried to the bedside, just as her beloved mistress breathed her last; and filled with horror as she thus understood that Othello had slain57 his fair wife, she uttered loud cries of grief and alarm, so that a number of attendants hurried into the room, amongst them Iago and the Venetian Ambassadors.
Othello defended his conduct by relating the false tales of Desdemona which he had heard from Iago, more particularly dwelling58 upon the incident of the embroidered59 handkerchief; but when Emilia heard this, her husband's treachery dawned upon her for the first time, and she declared stoutly60 that she herself had procured61 the handkerchief for Iago at his own command.
It was in vain that Iago endeavoured to prevent his wife from telling what she knew about this incident, and from proclaiming Desdemona's innocence, which was now plain to all; and finding that she would not be silenced, and that her accusing words had brought his villainy to light, he rushed upon her in fury, and stabbed her to the heart.
The Ambassador immediately ordered his arrest; and then, turning to Othello, who was now filled with agonising remorse62 and despair on learning that he had slain his beloved wife without cause, since she had been innocent after all, he said:
"O thou Othello, that was once so good,
What shall be said to thee?"
And Othello replied humbly and sorrowfully:
"When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate63,
Nor set down aught in malice64: then must you speak
Of one that lov'd not wisely, but too well;
Of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought65,
Perplex'd in the extreme; of one, whose hand,
Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away,
Richer than all his tribe; of one, whose subdued66 eyes,
Albeit67 unused to the melting mood,
drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees
Their medicinal gum: Set you down this:
And say besides—that in Aleppo once,
Where a malignant68 and a turban'd Turk
Beat a Venetian and traduced69 the state,
I took by the throat the circumcised dog,
And smote70 him—thus!"
With these words the unhappy Moor seized his sword, and stabbed himself to the heart; then, as the attendants sprang forward in horror, he fell back dead beside the corpse71 of his beloved Desdemona.
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1
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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honourable
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| adj.可敬的；荣誉的，光荣的 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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woes
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| 困境( woe的名词复数 )； 悲伤； 我好苦哇； 某人就要倒霉 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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8
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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9
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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mutual
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| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
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12
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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13
lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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14
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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15
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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16
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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17
envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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18
grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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19
coveted
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| adj.令人垂涎的；垂涎的，梦寐以求的v.贪求，觊觎(covet的过去分词)；垂涎；贪图 | |
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20
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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21
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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22
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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23
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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24
displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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25
intercede
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| vi.仲裁，说情 | |
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26
erring
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| 做错事的，错误的 | |
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27
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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28
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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29
solicitor
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| n.初级律师，事务律师 | |
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30
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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31
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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32
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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33
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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34
pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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35
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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36
filches
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| v.偷（尤指小的或不贵重的物品）( filch的第三人称单数 ) | |
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37
procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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38
humbly
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| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
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39
belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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40
casually
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| adv.漠不关心地，无动于衷地，不负责任地 | |
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41
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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42
tirade
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| n.冗长的攻击性演说 | |
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43
permeate
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| v.弥漫，遍布，散布；渗入，渗透 | |
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44
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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45
innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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46
plaintive
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| adj.可怜的，伤心的 | |
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47
willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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48
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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49
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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50
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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51
passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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52
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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53
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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54
vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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55
perfidy
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| n.背信弃义，不忠贞 | |
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56
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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57
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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58
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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59
embroidered
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| adj．绣花的 | |
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60
stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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61
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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62
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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63
extenuate
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| v.减轻，使人原谅 | |
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64
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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65
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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66
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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albeit
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| conj.即使；纵使；虽然 | |
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malignant
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| adj.恶性的，致命的；恶意的，恶毒的 | |
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traduced
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| v.诋毁( traduce的过去式和过去分词 )；诽谤；违反；背叛 | |
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70
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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