Othello Translated Into Modern English: The most accurate line-by-line translation available, alongside original English, stage directions and historical notes

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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.’

Please do, good madam,’ said Emilia. ‘I know this has upset my husband as if it were he this has happened to.’ Othello filled in the rest – her dragging him to their bedroom. He was going to feed Cassio’s nose to the dogs. I don’t like doing this,’ said Iago. ‘But since I’ve gone so far, moved to it by my foolish honesty and love, I’ll tell you. I stayed with Cassio recently, and being troubled with a raging toothache, I couldn’t sleep. There are some people who are so unguarded that they expose their private affairs by talking in their sleep. Cassio is one of those. I heard him say, while still asleep: ‘Sweet Desdemona, we must be careful, we must hide our love.’ And then, Sir, he gripped my hand and wrung it, and cried ‘Oh sweet creature!’ and kissed me passionately as though he was pulling up by the roots the kisses that grew on my lips. Then he put his leg over my thigh and sighed and kissed me and then cried ‘Cursed fate, that gave you to the Moor!’’

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Montano, in a celebratory mood, laughed. ‘As I am a soldier, it’s a small one. Not much more than a pint.’ you don’t know about it, I think you’ve done us a wrong. Don’t think that I’m the kind of person who would play games with a man like you. I insist, your daughter – if you haven’t given her permission – has seriously rebelled. She’s given her allegiance, her beauty, her intelligence and her fortune away in the most unintelligible way. Go and see. If she’s in her room, or anywhere in your house use all your power against me for deluding you.’ Get me some poison tonight, Iago. I won’t delay in case her body and beauty make me change my mind. Tonight, Iago.’

Well,’ he said. ‘How did this start? Have we become Turks that we are doing what the Ottomites’ religion has forbidden even them? For Christian shame, stop this barbarous brawl. Whichever of you moves again has no regard for his soul: he dies instantly.’ He turned to one of his attendants. ‘Silence that dreadful bell. It’s disturbing the people of the island.’Act 3, scene 1 Cassio arrives with musicians to honor Othello and Desdemona. As Iago has recommended, Cassio asks Emilia to arrange a meeting with Desdemona, even though Emilia assures him that Desdemona is already urging Othello to reinstate him. But tell me Sir, did you get married? Because one thing you can be sure of is that the Magnifico is very popular and can command at least twice as many votes as the Duke can. He will dissolve the marriage or penalise you as much as the law, with all his ability to enforce it, will allow him to.’ The monkey has spread the rumours herself. She flatters herself. She does it out of self love, not because of any promise I made her.’

Let the devil and his mother stalk you,’ she shouted. ‘What did you mean by giving me that handkerchief? I was a real fool to take it. A likely story that you found it in your bedroom and not know who left it there. This is a gift from some hussy, and I must take the embroidery out. Here!’ She threw the handkerchief at him. ‘Give it to your mistress, whoever gave it to you. I’m not taking the embroidery out.’ Iago continued with his theme, appearing not to notice Othello’s state. ‘I think it would be incredibly difficult to arrange that. If any mortal eyes were to see them sharing a bed they would be eternally damned. What then? How shall we do this? What can I say? Where can we get satisfaction? It would be impossible to arrange for you to see this, even if they were as lecherous as goats, as hot as monkeys, as lustful as wolves on heat, and if they were such fools, made drunk by ignorance. But still, if inference and circumstantial evidence which would lead directly to the door of truth will give you satisfaction, you could have it.’ Really, I think it has. I hope you will understand that what I have said is because of my love for you.’ Othello tied to laugh again but failed. ‘But I can see it’s affected you,’ said Iago. ‘I’m asking you not to force me to tell you worse things, not to go beyond suspicion.’Iago shrugged. ‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘They were friends until now, until just a minute ago. In the guardroom they were like bride and groom preparing themselves for bed: and then, just a moment ago, as though some planet had taken possession of them – swords out, and tilting at each other’s chests in bloody opposition. I can’t tell you how this animosity began. I wish that I had lost the legs that have brought me here to see it in some glorious battle.’ Iago spoke slowly, as though feeling for the right words. ‘Regarding Michael Cassio, I would swear that he is honest.’ He slipped away just as Brabantio came out of his front door, in his nightgown, surrounded by men with torches. He whimpered like a wounded child: ‘It’s too true and evil, she’s gone, and all I have to look forward to for the rest of my wretched life is bitterness.’ The torches lit up the waiting Roderigo. Lodovico laughed. ‘He wasn’t talking to you. He’s engrossed in the letter. Has there been a quarrel between my lord and Cassio?’