Oth. Think, my lord!

By heaven, he echoes me,

As if there were some monster in his thought

Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something:
I heard thee say but now,-Thou lik'dst not that,
When Cassio left my wife; What didst not like?
And, when I told thee-he was of my counsel
In my whole course of wooing, thou criedst, Indeed!
And didst contract and purse thy brow together,
As if thou then hadst shut up in thy brain
Some horrible conceit: If thou dost love me,
Show me thy thought.

Iago. My lord, you know I love you.

Oth. I think, thou dost;

And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty,

And weigh'st thy words before thou giv'st them breath,Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more:

For such things in a false disloyal knave,

Are tricks of custom; but in a man that's just,
They are close denotements,* working from the heart,
That passion cannot rule.

Iago. For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn, I think that he is honest.

Oth. I think so too.

Iago. Men should be what they seem;

Or, those that be not, 'would they might seem none !
Oth. Certain, men should be what they seem.

Iago. Why, then,

I think that Cassio is an honest man.

Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this:

I pray thee, speak to me as to thy thinkings,

As thou dost ruminate; and give thy worst of thoughts The worst of words.

Iago. Good my lord, pardon me;

Though I am bound to every act of duty,

I am not bound to that all slaves are free to.

Utter my thoughts? Why, say, they are vile and false,→

As where's that palace, whereinto foul things

Sometimes intrude not? who has a breast so pure,

But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keep leets, and law-days, and in session sit

With meditations lawful?

Oth. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago, If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak'st his ear A stranger to thy thoughts.

Iago. I do beseech you,

Though I, perchance, am vicious in my guess,

As, I confess, it is my nature's plague

To spy into abuses; and, oft, my jealousy

Shapes faults that are not,-I entreat you then,
From one that so imperfectly conjects,t

You'd take no notice; nor build yourself a trouble

Out of his scattering and unsure observance:-
It were not for your quiet, nor your good,
Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom,
To let you know my thoughts.

Oth. What dost thou mean?

Iago. Good name, in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate 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 filches from me my good name,

Robs me of that, which not enriches him,

And makes me poor indeed.

Oth. By heaven, I'll know thy thought.

Iago. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand; Nor shall not, whilst 'tis in my custody.

Oth. Ha!

Iago. O, beware, my lord, of jealousy;

It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock
The meat it feeds on: That cuckold lives in bliss,
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger;
But, O, what damned minutes tells he o'er,

Who dotes, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves!
Oth. O misery!

Iago. Poor, and content, is rich, and rich enough!
But riches, fineless, is as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he shall be poor

Good heaven, the souls of all my tribe defend
From jealousy!

Oth. Why? why is this?

Think'st thou, I'd make a life of jealousy,

To follow still the changes of the moon

With fresh suspicions? No: to be once in doubt,
Is-once to be resolved: Exchange me for a goat,
When I shall turn the business of my soul

To such exsufflicatet and blown surmises,

Matching thy inference. "Tis not to make me jealous,
To say-my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:‡
Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt;
For she had eyes, and chose me: No, Iago;
I'll see before I doubt; when I doubt, prove;
And on the proof, there is no more but this,-
Away at once with love, or jealousy.

Iago. I am glad of this, for now I shall have reason
To show the love and duty that I bear you

With franker spirit: therefore, as I am bound,
Receive it from me: I speak not yet of proof.
Look to your wife; observe her well with Cassio;
Wear your eye-thus, not jealous, nor secure:

* Unbounded.
+ Swollen.
"Which makes fair gifts fairer."

1

I would not have your free and noble nature,
Out of self-bounty,* be abused; look to't:
I know our country disposition well;

In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks

They dare not show their husbands; their best conscience
Is-not to leave undone, but keep unknown.

Oth. Dost thou say so?

Iago. She did deceive her father, marrying you; And, when she seem'd to shake, and fear your looks, She loved them most.

Oth. And so she did.

Iago. Why, go to, then;

She that, so young, could give out such a seeming,

To seelt her father's eyes up, close as oak,

He thought, 'twas witchcraft:-But I am much to blame;
I humbly do beseech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

Oth. I am bound to thee for ever.

Iago. I see this hath a little dash'd your spirits.

Oth. Not a jot, not a jot.

Iago. Trust me, I fear it has.

I hope you will consider, what is spoke

Comes from my love;-But I do see you are moved :

I am to pray you, not to strain my speech

To grosser issues, nor to larger reach,

Than to suspicion.

Oth. I will not.

Iago. Should you do so, my lord,

My speech should fall into such vile success

As my thoughts aim not at. Cassio 's my worthy friend :-
My lord, I see you are moved.

Oth. No, not much moved :

I do not think but Desdemona's honest.

Iago. Long live she so! and long live you to think so!
Oth. And yet, how nature erring from itself,-

Tago. Ay, there's the point:-As,-to be bold with you,―
Not to affect many proposed matches,

Of her own clime, complexion, and degree;

Whereto, we see, in all things nature tends:

Foh! one may smell, in such, a will most rank,
Foul disproportion, thoughts unnatural.-
But pardon me; I do not, in position,

Distinctly speak of her; though I may fear,
Her will, recoiling to her better judgment,

May fall to match you with her country forms
And (happily) repent.

Oth. Farewell, farewell:

If more thou dost perceive, let me know more;

Set on thy wife to observe: Leave me, Iago.
Iago. My lord, I take my leave.

[Going.

Oth. Why did I marry ?—This honest creature, doubtless, Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.

* Inherent generosity.

+ Sew up.

Wilfulness.

Iago. My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour
To scan this thing no further; leave it to time:
And though it be fit that Cassio have his place
(For, sure, he fills it up with great ability),
Yet, if you please to hold him off a while,
You shall by that perceive him and his means:
Note, if your lady strain his entertainment*
With any strong or vehement importunity;
Much will be seen in that. In the mean time,
Let me be thought too busy in my fears
(As worthy cause I have, to fear-I am),
And hold her free, I do beseech your honour.
Oth. Fear not my government.†
Iago. I once more take my leave.

Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty,
And knows all qualities, with a learned spirit,
Of human dealings: If I do prove her haggard,+

Though that her jesses § were my dear heart-strings,
I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind,
To prey at fortune. Haply, for I am black;
And have not those soft parts of conversation
That chamberers || have:-Or, for I am declined
Into the vale of years;-yet that's not much;-
She's gone; I am abused; and my relief
Must be to loath her. O curse of marriage,
That we can call these delicate creatures ours,
And not their appetites! I had rather be a toad,
And live upon the vapour of a dungeon,
Than keep a corner in the thing I love,

For other's uses. Yet, 'tis the plague of great ones;
Prerogatived are they less than the base;

'Tis destiny unshunnable, like death;

Even then this forked plague is fated to us,
When we do quicken.

Desdemona comes:

Enter DESDEMONA, and EMILIA.

If she be false, Ọ, then heaven mocks itself!-
I'll not believe it.

Des. How now, my dear Othello ?
Your dinner, and the generous islanders,
By you invited, do attend your presence.

Oth. I am to blame.

Des. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well ?
Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here.

Des. Faith, that's with watching; 'twill away again:
Let me but bind it hard, within this hour

It will be well.

Oth. Your napkin is too little;

[Exit.

He puts the handkerchief from him, and it drops.

Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you.

Re-admission.
Straps of leather.

+ Command over myself.
Men of intrigue.

A wild hawk.

¶ When we begin to live.

Des. I am very sorry that you are not well.

[Exeunt OTHELLO and DESDEMONA,

Emil. I am glad I have found this napkin;
This was her first remembrance from the Moor:
My wayward husband hath a hundred times
Woo'd me to steal it: but she so loves the token
(For he conjured her, she would ever keep it),
That she reserves it evermore about her,

To kiss, and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out,
And give it Iago:

What he'll do with it, heaven knows, not I;
I nothing, but to please his fantasy.

Enter IAGO.

Iago. How now! what do you here alone?
Emil. Do not you chide; I have a thing for you.
Iago. A thing for me-It is a common thing,-
Emil. Ha!

Iago. To have a foolish wife.

Emil. O, is that all? What will you give me now For that same handkerchief?

Iago. What handkerchief?

Emil. What handkerchief!

Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona;
That which so often you did bid me steal.
Iago. Hast stolen it from her?

Emil. No, faith; she let it drop by negligence;
And, to the advantage, I being here, took❜t up.
Look, here it is.

Iago. A good wench: give it me.

Emil. What will you do with it, that you have been so earnest To have me filch it?

Iago. Why, what's that to you?

Emil. If it be not for some purpose of import,

Give it me again: Poor lady! she'll run mad,

When she shall lack it.

Iago. Be not you known of't;* I have use for it.

Go, leave me.

I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin,
And let him find it: Trifles, light as air,
Are, to the jealous, confirmation strong

As proofs of holy writ. This may do something.
The Moor already changes with my poison :-
Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons,
Which, at the first, are scarce found to distaste;
But, with a little act upon the blood,

[Snatching it.

[Exit EMILIA.

Burn like the mines of sulphur.-I did say so:→→→
Look where he comes! Not poppy, nor mandragora,+
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,

Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet sleep

Which thou ow'dst‡ yesterday.

* Seem as if you knew nothing of the matter.
† Mandrake.
# Possessedst.