Othello, Act 4, Scene 3

Lodovico

I do beseech you, sir, trouble yourself no further.

Please, sir, don't trouble yourself any further.

Othello

O, pardon me; ’twill do me good to walk.

Oh, excuse me. A walk will do me good.

Lodovico

Madam, good night. I humbly thank your ladyship.

Good night, madam. I humbly thank your ladyship.

Desdemona

Your honour is most welcome.

Your honor is very welcome.

Othello

Will you walk, sir?—O, Desdemona,—

Shall we walk, sir?—Oh, Desdemona—

Desdemona

My lord?

My lord?

Othello

Get you to bed on th’ instant, I will be return’d forthwith. Dismiss your attendant there. Look ’t be done.

Go to bed immediately. I'll return very soon. Send your attendant away. Make sure you do it.

Desdemona

I will, my lord.

I will, my lord.

Emilia

How goes it now? He looks gentler than he did.

How are things now? He looks gentler than he did.

Desdemona

He says he will return incontinent,He hath commanded me to go to bed,And bade me to dismiss you.

He says he'll return very soon. He ordered me to go to bed and told me to send you away.

Emilia

Dismiss me?

Send me away?

Desdemona

It was his bidding. Therefore, good Emilia,Give me my nightly wearing, and adieu.We must not now displease him.

Those were his orders. So, good Emilia, give me my nightclothes, and good night. We must not displease him now.

Emilia

I would you had never seen him!

I wish you had never seen him!

Desdemona

So would not I. My love doth so approve him,That even his stubbornness, his checks, his frowns,—Prithee, unpin me,—have grace and favour in them.

I don't. My love finds so much good in him that even his stubbornness, his scolding, his frowns—please, undo my dress pins—seem graceful and attractive to me.

Emilia

I have laid those sheets you bade me on the bed.

I've put the sheets you asked for on the bed.

Desdemona

All’s one. Good faith, how foolish are our minds!If I do die before thee, prithee, shroud meIn one of those same sheets.

It makes no difference. Honestly, how foolish our minds are! If I die before you, please wrap me in one of those very sheets.

Emilia

Come, come, you talk.

Come on, that's nonsense.

Desdemona

My mother had a maid call’d Barbary,She was in love, and he she lov’d prov’d madAnd did forsake her. She had a song of “willow”,An old thing ’twas, but it express’d her fortune,And she died singing it. That song tonightWill not go from my mind. I have much to doBut to go hang my head all at one sideAnd sing it like poor Barbary. Prithee dispatch.

My mother had a maid named Barbary. She was in love, and the man she loved turned out to be crazy and abandoned her. She had a song about a willow. It was an old song, but it told her story, and she died singing it. Tonight I can't get that song out of my mind. I can hardly keep from letting my head droop to one side and singing it like poor Barbary. Please hurry.

Emilia

Shall I go fetch your night-gown?

Shall I fetch your nightgown?

Desdemona

No, unpin me here.This Lodovico is a proper man.

No, undo my dress pins here. This Lodovico is a good-looking man.

Emilia

A very handsome man.

A very handsome man.

Desdemona

He speaks well.

He speaks well.

Emilia

I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip.

I know a lady in Venice who would have walked barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his lower lip.

Desdemona (singing)

The poor soul sat sighing by a sycamore tree,Sing all a green willow.Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee,Sing willow, willow, willow.The fresh streams ran by her, and murmur’d her moans,Sing willow, willow, willow;Her salt tears fell from her, and soften’d the stones;—

The poor soul sat sighing beside a sycamore tree. Sing of the green willow. Her hand was on her chest, her head on her knee. Sing willow, willow, willow. The clear streams ran beside her, murmuring along with her moans. Sing willow, willow, willow. Her salty tears fell and softened the stones—

Emilia

It’s the wind.

It’s the wind.

Desdemona (sings)

I call’d my love false love; but what said he then?Sing willow, willow, willow:If I court mo women, you’ll couch with mo men.

I called my love unfaithful, but what did he say then?
Sing willow, willow, willow:
If I court more women, you’ll sleep with more men.

Emilia

’Tis neither here nor there.

It doesn’t mean anything.

Desdemona

I have heard it said so. O, these men, these men!Dost thou in conscience think,—tell me, Emilia,—That there be women do abuse their husbandsIn such gross kind?

I’ve heard people say it does. Oh, these men, these men! Tell me, Emilia, do you honestly believe there are women who betray their husbands in such a shameful way?

Emilia

There be some such, no question.

There are some, without a doubt.

Desdemona

Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?

Would you do such a thing in exchange for the whole world?

Emilia

Why, would not you?

Why, wouldn’t you?

Desdemona

No, by this heavenly light!

No, I swear by this heavenly light!

Emilia

Nor I neither by this heavenly light,I might do’t as well i’ the dark.

Neither would I, by this heavenly light. I could just as well do it in the dark.

Desdemona

Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?

Would you do such a thing in exchange for the whole world?

Emilia

The world’s a huge thing. It is a great priceFor a small vice.

The world is a huge thing. That’s a great reward for a small sin.

Desdemona

In troth, I think thou wouldst not.

Honestly, I don’t think you would.

Emilia

In troth, I think I should, and undo’t when I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint-ring, nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition; but, for the whole world—why, who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for ’t.

Honestly, I think I would, and then undo it afterward. Of course, I wouldn’t do such a thing for a ring, or lengths of fine linen, or gowns, petticoats, or caps, or any small payment. But for the whole world—well, who wouldn’t cheat on her husband to make him a king? I’d risk purgatory for that.

Desdemona

Beshrew me, if I would do such a wrong for the whole world.

Curse me if I would do such a wrong for the whole world.

Emilia

Why, the wrong is but a wrong i’ the world; and having the world for your labour, ’tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right.

Well, the wrong is only a wrong within the world. Once you have the world as your reward, it’s a wrong in your own world, and you could quickly make it right.

Desdemona

I do not think there is any such woman.

I don’t believe any woman like that exists.

Emilia

Yes, a dozen; and as many to the vantage as would store the world they played for.But I do think it is their husbands’ faultsIf wives do fall: say that they slack their duties,And pour our treasures into foreign laps;Or else break out in peevish jealousies,Throwing restraint upon us. Or say they strike us,Or scant our former having in despite.Why, we have galls; and though we have some grace,Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands knowTheir wives have sense like them: they see, and smellAnd have their palates both for sweet and sour,As husbands have. What is it that they doWhen they change us for others? Is it sport?I think it is. And doth affection breed it?I think it doth. Is’t frailty that thus errs?It is so too. And have not we affections,Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?Then let them use us well: else let them know,The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.

Yes, a dozen, and enough more to fill the world they gambled for.
But I do think it’s their husbands’ fault if wives go astray. Suppose husbands neglect their duties and spend our wealth on other women. Or they burst into unreasonable jealousy and restrict our freedom. Or suppose they hit us, or spitefully cut the allowance they used to give us. Well, we can feel bitterness. Though we have some goodness, we also want revenge. Husbands should know their wives have senses just as they do. We see and smell, and we can taste both sweet and sour, just as husbands can. What are they doing when they trade us for other women? Is it for pleasure? I think it is. Does desire drive them to it? I think it does. Is it weakness that leads them astray? That’s true too. And don’t we have desires, a longing for pleasure, and weaknesses, just as men do? Then let them treat us well. Otherwise, let them know that the wrongs we do are lessons we’ve learned from theirs.

Desdemona

Good night, good night. Heaven me such usage send,Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend!

Good night, good night. May heaven teach me, when I’m treated badly, not to answer wrong with wrong, but to become better because of it!