IAGO. Virtue! a fig! 't is in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are gardens; to the which our wills are gardeners: so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one gender of herbs or distract it with many, either to have it sterile with idleness or manured with industry, why, the power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. If the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise another of sensuality, the blood and baseness of our natures would conduct us to most preposterous conclusions: but we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lusts; whereof I take this, that you call love, to be a sect or

scion.

ROD. It cannot be.

IAGO. It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will. Come, be a man: drown thyself! drown cats and blind puppies. I have professed me thy friend, and I confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable toughness: I could never better stead thee

820 gardens] Thus the Quartos. The Folios read less satisfactorily our Gardens.

323 gender] species.

324 manured] cultivated, or tilled. Cf. Milton, Par. Lost, XI, 28: "his own hand manuring."

325 corrigible] corrective, or correcting.

326 balance] Thus the Quartos. The Folios read, quite unintelligibly,

the brain.

331 a sect or scion] a cutting or graft.

336 thy deserving] thy merits, deserts. 337 better stead] better serve.

332

than now. Put money in thy purse; follow thou the wars; defeat thy favour with an usurped beard; I say, put money in thy purse. It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the Moor - put money in thy purse nor he his to her: it was a violent commencement, and thou shalt see an answerable sequestration; put but money in thy purse. These Moors are changeable in their wills:- fill thy purse with money. The food that to him now is as luscious as locusts, shall be to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida. She must change for youth: when she is sated with his body, she will find the error of her choice: she must have change, she must therefore put money in thy purse. If thou wilt needs damn thyself, do it a more delicate way than drowning. Make all the money thou canst: if sanctimony and a frail vow betwixt an erring barbarian and a supersubtle Venetian be not too hard for my wits and all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enjoy her; therefore make money. A pox of drowning thyself! it is clean out of the way: seek thou rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy than to be drowned and go without her.

339 defeat thy favour] disfigure or disguise thy countenance. 343 an answerable sequestration] a corresponding separation, breach, or parting.

346 locusts] According to Gerard's Herbal, the fruit or bean of the carob (Siliqua dulcis) tree, found both in South Italy and Palestine, was of a juicy sweetness, and was "of some called St. John's bread, and thought to be that which is translated 'locusts' whereon St. John did feed when he was in the wilderness."

347 coloquintida] more familiarly known as "colocynth," made from "bitter" apples, a familiar ingredient in pills.

353 erring] vagabond.

358

ROD. Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on the issue?

IAGO. Thou art sure of me: go, make money: I have told thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor: my cause is hearted; thine hath no less reason. Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, me a sport. There are many events in the womb of time, which will be delivered. Traverse; go; provide thy money. We will have more of this to

morrow. Adieu.

ROD. Where shall we meet i' the morning?

IAGO. At my lodging.

ROD. I'll be with thee betimes.

IAGO. Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo?
ROD. What say you?

IAGO. No more of drowning, do you hear?

ROD. I am changed: I'll go sell all my land. [Exit. IAGO. Thus do I ever make my fool my purse; For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane, If I would time expend with such a snipe But for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor; And it is thought abroad that 'twixt my sheets He has done my office: I know not if 't be true; But I for mere suspicion in that kind

363 hearted] fixed in my heart.

367 Traverse] March; a military word of command.

379 snipe] "Woodcock" is also frequent in the sense of simpleton. 381-382 And it is thought. my office] See note on I, i, 21, supra, ii, 148, infra.

and II, i, 289-293, and IV,

360

370

380

Will do as if for surety. He holds me well;
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio's a proper man: let me see now;
To get his place, and to plume up my will
In double knavery How, how? - Let's see:
After some time, to abuse Othello's ear
That he is too familiar with his wife.

He hath a person and a smooth dispose

To be suspected; framed to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,

That thinks men honest that but seem to be so;
And will as tenderly be led by the nose

As asses are.

I have't. It is engender'd. Hell and night

Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light.

390

384 Will... surety] Will act as if I were certain of it.

He holds me well] He thinks well of me.

386 a proper man] a handsome fellow.

387 plume up my will ] exalt, glorify my ambition.

391 a smooth dispose] a smooth or gentle disposition or manner.

[Exit.

IN CYPRUS

AN OPEN PLACE NEAR THE QUAY
Enter MONTANO and two Gentlemen

What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them,
Can hold the mortise?

7 ruffian'd] blustered.

What shall we hear of this?

9 hold the mortise] keep the dovetailed beams in place.