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IAGO. I did not think he had been acquainted with

her.

Отн. O, yes, and went between us very oft.

IAGO. Indeed!

Oтн. Indeed! ay, indeed: discern'st thou aught in that?

Is he not honest?

IAGO. Honest, my lord!

OTн. Honest! ay, honest.

IAGO. My lord, for aught I know.

ОTн. What dost thou think?

IAGO. Think, my lord!

100

ОTн. Think, my lord! By heaven, he echoes me, 110 As if there were some monster in his thought

Too hideous to be shown. Thou dost mean something:
I heard thee say even now, thou likedst 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.

I think thou dost;

Отн. And for I know thou 'rt full of love and honesty And weigh'st thy words before thou givest them breath, Therefore these stops of thine fright me the more: For such things in a false disloyal knave

110-111 By heaven, he echoes . . . his thought] Thus the First Quarto. The Folios read less graphically, Alas, thou eccho'st . . . thy thought.

120

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

IAGO.

For Michael Cassio, I dare be sworn I think that he is honest.

Отн. I think so too. IAGO. Men should be what they seem; Or those that be not, would they might seem none! ОTн. Certain, men should be what they seem. IAGO. Why then I think Cassio 's an honest man. Отн. Nay, yet there's more in this:

I 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 free to.
Utter my thoughts? Why, say they are vile and false;

127 close delations] Thus Johnson. The First Quarto reads close denotements, and the First Folio and later Quartos close dilations. "Delations," which has been interpreted as "accusations," like the Latin "delatio," is not apparently found elsewhere in Elizabethan literature in that sense. It is only found as an alternative spelling of "dilations," i. e., delays, protractions. Probably "close delations" or "dilations" means mysterious or suspicious pauses.

128 That passion cannot rule] That cannot govern its emotion.

131 Or those... seem none] Or those men that be not what they seem, would they might not seem men at all, would they might have no semblance of men about them.

139–140 are free to. Utter my thoughts?] Thus the First Quarto, save that a comma follows to instead of the full stop. The Folios omit to. "Free" has the sense of "not bound," "free from any compulsion."

131

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?

OTн. Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
If thou but think'st him wrong'd and makest 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 that your wisdom yet,
From one that so imperfectly conceits,

Would take no notice, nor build yourself a trouble
Out of his scattering and unsure observance.
It were not for your quiet nor your good,

143-145 But some . . . lawful?] But that some unclean thoughts will not hold court and sit in session along with just and good thoughts. "Leets and law-days" both mean sittings of local courts of law, which took place every half-year, to revise and enforce police regulations. Kit Sly threatens to present the alewife of Wincot "at the leet.” (T. of Shrew, Induction, II, 90.)

149-153 Though I perchance ... conceits] Inasmuch as I for my part am apt to put a bad construction upon everything (indeed I confess I have the natural infirmity which leads me to pry into scandals, and often my suspicious temper imagines faults that are non-existent), I therefore beg that a man of your good sense will take no notice of suggestions coming from one that forms such defective conjectures. "Conceits," appears in line 153 in all the early editions save the First Quarto, which reads coniects.

155 scattering] random.

141

150

Nor for my manhood, honesty, or wisdom, know my thoughts.

To let you
Отн.

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; 't is something,

nothing;

"T was mine, 't is 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.

Отн. By heaven, I'll know thy thoughts.

IAGO. You cannot, if my heart were in your hand; Nor shall not, whilst 't is in my custody.

ОTH. 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!

160 immediate] most intimate, peculiar.
170 the green-eyed monster . . . mock] Though yellow is the colour mainly
associated with jealousy, green is also often a conventional epithet;
cf. "green-eyed jealousy" in Merch. of Ven., III, ii, 110. Here
"jealousy" is personified as a sort of tiger or cat, which plays with or
tortures the things which give it sustenance. The jealous man sacri-
fices his peace by toying with all the circumstances which feed his
suspicion. Theobald somewhat imprudently substitutes make for
mock, the reading of all the early editions.

172 his wronger] his faithless wife.

174 strongly] Thus the Quartos. The Folios read soundly.

160

170

Отн. 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!

Отн.

Why, why is this?

Think'st thou I'ld 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 exsufflicate and blown surmises,
Matching thy inference. "T is 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!

177 riches] used as a singular. Cf. II, i, 83, supra.

fineless] endless; a word not known elsewhere. Cf. Hamlet, V, i, 103: "Is this the fine [i. e., the end] of his fines? "

as poor as winter] winter produces no fruits.

184 resolved] freed from uncertainty.

186 exsufflicate] swollen like a bubble, inflated. The word is found nowhere else, though exsufflate, i. e., to blow out, is met with.

190 these are more virtuous] these graces make addition to virtue.

180

190

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