Othello

prithee 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 free¹⁵⁴.

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

     As where’s that palace whereinto foul things

     Sometimes intrude not? Who has that breast so pure,

     Where no uncleanly¹⁵⁸ apprehensions

     Keep leets¹⁵⁹ and law-days and in sessions sit

     With¹⁶⁰ meditations lawful?OTHELLO   Thou dost conspire against thy friend¹⁶¹, Iago,

     If thou but think’st him wronged and mak’st his ear

     A stranger to thy thoughts.IAGO   I do beseech you,

     Though I perchance am vicious¹⁶⁵ in my guess —

     As I confess it is my nature’s plague

     To spy into abuses, and oft my jealousy¹⁶⁷

     Shapes faults that are not — that your wisdom,

     From one that so imperfectly conceits¹⁶⁹,

     Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble

     Out of his scattering¹⁷¹ and unsure observance.

     It were not for your quiet nor your good,

     Nor for my manhood, honesty and wisdom,

     To let you know my thoughts.OTHELLO   What dost thou mean?IAGO   Good name in man and woman, dear my lord,

     Is the immediate¹⁷⁷ 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.OTHELLO   I’ll know thy thoughts.IAGO   You cannot, if¹⁸⁴ my heart were in your hand,

     Nor shall not, whilst ’tis in my custody.OTHELLO   Ha?IAGO   O, beware, my lord, of jealousy:

     It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock¹⁸⁸

     The meat it feeds on. That cuckold¹⁸⁹ lives in bliss

     Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger¹⁹⁰:

     But, O, what damned minutes tells¹⁹¹ he o’er

     Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet soundly loves!OTHELLO   O misery!IAGO   Poor and content is rich and rich enough,

     But riches fineless¹⁹⁵ 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!OTHELLO   Why? Why is this?

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

     To follow still the changes of the moon²⁰¹

     With fresh suspicions? No: to be once in doubt

     Is to be resolved. Exchange me for a goat²⁰³

     When I shall turn the business of my soul

     To such exsufflicate²⁰⁵ and blowed surmises

     Matching thy inference²⁰⁶. ’Tis not to make me jealous

     To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,

     Is free of speech, sings, plays and dances:

     Where virtue is, these are more virtuous:

     Nor from mine own weak merits²¹⁰ will I draw

     The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt²¹¹,

     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 eyes thus, not jealous nor secure²²¹.

     I would not have your free and noble nature,

     Out of self-bounty²²³, be abused: look to’t.

     I know our country²²⁴ disposition well:

     In Venice they do let heaven see the pranks²²⁵

     They dare not show their husbands: their best conscience

     Is not to leave’t undone²²⁷, but kept unknown.OTHELLO   Dost thou say so?IAGO   She did deceive her father, marrying you:

     And when she seemed to shake and fear your looks,

     She loved them most.OTHELLO   And so she did.IAGO   Why, go to²³³ then:

     She that so young could give out such a seeming,

     To seel²³⁵ 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.OTHELLO   I am bound²³⁹ to thee for ever.IAGO   I see this hath a little dashed your spirits.OTHELLO   Not a jot, not a jot.IAGO   Trust me, I fear it has.

     I hope you will consider what is spoke

     Comes from your love²⁴⁴. But I do see you’re moved:

     I am to pray you not to strain my speech

     To grosser²⁴⁶ issues nor to larger reach

     Than to suspicion²⁴⁷.OTHELLO   I will not.IAGO   Should you do so, my lord,

     My speech should fall into such vile success²⁵⁰

     Which my thoughts aimed not. Cassio’s my worthy friend.

     My lord, I see you’re moved.OTHELLO   No, not much moved:

     I do not think but Desdemona’s honest²⁵⁴.IAGO   Long live she so; and long live you to think so!OTHELLO   And yet, how nature erring from itself—IAGO   Ay, there’s the point: as — to be bold with you —

     Not to affect²⁵⁸ many proposed matches

     Of her own clime, complexion and degree²⁵⁹,

     Whereto we see in all things nature tends—

     Foh, one may smell in such a will²⁶¹ most rank,

     Foul²⁶² disproportions, thoughts unnatural.

     But pardon me: I do not in position²⁶³

     Distinctly²⁶⁴ speak of her, though I may fear

     Her will, recoiling to her better judgement,

     May fall to match you with her country forms²⁶⁶

     And happily²⁶⁷ repent.OTHELLO   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.Starts to leave

OTHELLO   Why did I marry? This honest creature doubtless

     Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds.IAGO   My lord, I would I might entreat your honourReturns

     To scan²⁷⁵ this thing no further: leave it to time.

     Although ’tis fit that Cassio have his place²⁷⁶,

     For sure he fills it up with great ability,

     Yet, if you please to put him off awhile,

     You shall by that perceive him and his means²⁷⁹.

     Note, if your lady strain his entertainment²⁸⁰

     With any strong or vehement importunity,

     Much will be seen in that. In the meantime,

     Let me be thought too busy²⁸³ in my fears —

     As worthy cause I have to fear I am —

     And hold her free²⁸⁵, I do beseech your honour.OTHELLO   Fear not my government²⁸⁶.IAGO   I once more take my leave.Exit

OTHELLO   This fellow’s of exceeding honesty,

     And knows all quantities²⁸⁹, with a learned spirit,

     Of human dealings²⁹⁰. If I do prove her haggard,

     Though that her jesses²⁹¹ were my dear heartstrings,

     I’d whistle her off and let her down the wind²⁹²

     To prey at fortune²⁹³. Haply, for I am black

     And have not those soft parts of conversation²⁹⁴

     That chamberers²⁹⁵ have, or for I am declined

     Into the vale of years — yet that’s not much —

     She’s gone. I am abused²⁹⁷, and my relief

     Must be to loathe her. O curse of marriage!

     That we can call these delicate²⁹⁹ creatures ours

     And not their appetites! I