Othello’s eyes widened. He was speechless. He raised his hand then stopped himself. All he could say was ‘Ha!’ Then he turned away. Iago affected a sigh of relief. ‘As I am an honest man I thought you had received some physical wound,’ he said. ‘That would be far more serious than a wounded reputation. Reputation is a useless and false concept, often gained without merit and lost without deserving. You haven’t lost your reputation – it’s all in your mind.’ He lifted Cassio’s face and looked into his eyes. ‘Come on man, there are ways of re-establishing yourself with the General. You’re a victim of the moment – it’s more of a diplomatic punishment, to set an example, than a permanent one, like beating an inoffensive dog to intimidate a fierce lion. Go to him and he’ll forgive you.’ Not you! I’ve told you not to hang around this house. To be blunt, you’ve heard me say my daughter is not for you. And now, crazed, bloated with food and drink, you’ve come here in your drunkenness to disturb my peace.’ Who’s ringing the bell?’ said Iago. He tried to stop the fighting again but the lieutenant and the governor were clinging to each other, each one trying to get the upper hand. ‘Your’re disturbing the town. For God’s sake, Lieutenant, stop! You’ll be shamed forever!’

Cassio, my lord? No, surely not. I can’t believe Cassio would sneak away so guiltily, seeing you coming.’ Despise me if I don’t,’ retorted Iago. ‘Three of our greatest city dignitaries approached him with a petition to make me his Lieutenant. I swear I know my value – I’m worth no less a rank. But he sweeps them aside with a bombastic beating about the bush, with a speech horribly stuffed with military language, and in conclusion, cuts the ground from under their feet.’ Putting on a deep pompous voice, Iago continued: ‘Indeed,’ says he, ‘I have already chosen my officer.’ And what was he? Believe it or not, a great theorist, one Michael Cassio, a Florentine, a fellow who’s never put a squad in the battlefield – who knows as much about war as a spinster does, apart from the theory of it that you can get from books. Our Venetian consuls in their togues can talk war with as much authority as he can. All talk and no action is the sum total of his soldiership. But he got the job. And I, who have proved myself to him at Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other battlefields both Christian and heathen, have to be cut off and put down. This clerk is about to become his Lieutenant and I – for God’s sake! – his Moorship’s Ensign.’There was shouting and scuffling and the door burst open and Bianca came running in, followed by a guard.

Iago gestured to Roderigo. ‘Get out of here,’ he hissed. ‘Make as much noise as you can. Cry mutiny.’ Act 2, scene 3 Iago gets Cassio drunk, making it easy for Roderigo to provoke Cassio into a brawl, first with Roderigo, then with Montano, whom he wounds. Othello, called from his bed by the noise, stops the brawl and strips Cassio of his lieutenancy. Iago advises Cassio to seek Desdemona’s help in getting reinstated. The next step in Iago’s plan is to tell Othello that Desdemona supports Cassio because Cassio is her lover.The sun was peeping up over the horizon. ‘My, my,’ said Iago. ‘It’s morning. Time flies when one’s having pleasure and action. Go to bed; go to your lodgings.’ Someone was coming. It was Othello, looking devastated. Iago watched him. It was as he had thought it would be. No drugs, neither poppy nor madragora, nor any drug in the world would ever restore that sweet sleep that he had known as recently as yesterday. Wake her father up,’ said Iago. ‘Let them disturb him and pursue him and spoil his pleasure. Shout his name out in the streets; get her relatives worked up, let the fertile climate he’s enjoying be plagued with flies. You can take the shine off his pleasure.’ Well I’m glad it was you who found me,’ said Othello. I have some business in the inn and then ‘I’ll go with you.’ Othello ignored her. His lips moved as he read. ‘ ‘This you must not fail to do, if you…’ he muttered.