(Othello and Iago remain.)
Othello.
Graceful rascal!—Perdition befall my soul if I
love thee not—and if I love thee no more, the
world is returned to chaos.
Jago.
My commanding lord—
Othello.
What will you say, Iago?
Iago. When you were courting your wife, did Michael Cassio know anything of your love?
Othello.
However, from beginning to end: Why do you ask?
Jago. Just for my own satisfaction; it doesn’t mean anything bad.
Othello.
Why for your own satisfaction?
Jago.
I didn’t think he knew anything about it.
Othello. Oh, yes, he did, and he was often the go-between.
Jago.
In der That!
Othello. Indeed? Yes, indeed! Do you see what here? Is he not an upright man?
Jago.
Righteous, sir?
Othello.
Righteous? Yes, righteous!
Jago.
My lord, as far as I know.
Othello.
What do you think?
Jago.
Think, my lord!
Othello. Thinking, my lord!—Why, by heaven! What do you mean by always echoing me, as if some monster too hideous to be seen lay hidden in your thoughts? You mean something by it; a little while ago I heard you say (it pleased you not)—how Cassio went from my wife. What pleased you not?—And when I told you he had been my confidant during all the course of my suit to Desdemona, you cried (indeed?), knitting your eyebrows in a way, as if you would in that instant bar the issue of some hideous thought in your brain: If you are my friend, tell me what you think.
Iago.
My lord, you know that I am your friend.
Othello. I think it is you: and because I know you are a kind-hearted, honest man, and weigh your words before you give them breath, these pauses in you terrify me; for if in a false, dishonest rogue it is a device, or often merely a habit, which signifies nothing; yet in an honest man it is a sign that he is at pains to keep something in his heart, the discovery of which might have ill consequences.
Iago. As for Michael Cassio, I may swear that I believe him to be an honest man.
Othello.
That’s what I think of him, too.
Jago. People should be what they seem; or those who are not, it would be desirable that they also looked like rogues.
Othello:
It is true, men should be what they seem.
Iago:
Well, I think Cassio is an honest man.
Othello. No, you mean more by it; I pray you, speak to me as to your own soul, and give the worst expression to your worst thought.
Iago. My dearest general, spare me. Although I owe you perfect obedience, I am not bound to that, which all slaves are free to do—to tell you my thoughts. What? Suppose they are false, shameful; where is the palace into which nasty things do not occasionally intrude? Who has such a pure heart that unseemly ideas do not sometimes intrude on their good thoughts?
Othello. You are a traitor to your friend, Iago, if you think he is deceived, and yet you do not reveal to him what you think.
Iago. I think I may be deceiving myself in my conjecture; (as I must then confess that it is an unfortunate defect of my temperament to be inclined to distrust, and sometimes to imagine a thing worse than it is,) I therefore beg you, gracious sir, not to draw any cause for alarm from the vague and uncertain remarks of one who is so easily deceived by his suspicions. It would be neither good for you, nor honest or reasonable in me, if I were to let you know my thoughts.
Othello.
What do you mean by that?
Jago. A good name, my dearest lord, is a treasure among men and women, one that should be as precious to them as their souls. He who steals my money steals nonsense; it is something and nothing; it was mine, now it is his, and has already been a slave to thousands. But he who takes my good name robs me of a treasure that makes him no richer and, in fact, poorer.
Othello.
I want to know what you think—
Iago. You could not do this, even if you had my heart in your hand; and you shall not do it as long as it is in my custody.
Othello.
Ha!
Iago. Oh, my lord, beware of jealousy; it is a green-eyed monster that madly feeds on that which it most detests. Many a betrayed husband is certain of his fate, without being the more unhappy because his unfaithfulness is indifferent to him—but, oh, what miserable minutes does he count who pines for love and yet doubts; who suspects, and only loves all the more fervently!
Othello:
A miserable state, by heaven!
Iago. Poor and content is rich and rich enough; but immense wealth is as poor as winter to him who is always worried that it will fail him. Good heavens! Protect all human hearts from jealousy!
Othello. How? What do you mean? Think you I would ever spend my life in jealousy? To watch the lunar changes with suspicious eyes? Nay, to doubt once is to be resolved with me. Exchange me for a goat, if I am ever able to give my soul to such miscreated spectres of a sick fancy as you imagine. It cannot make me jealous, if any one says my wife is fair, eats well, loves company, is cheerful, talkative, sings, plays, and dances well; in a virtuous person these things become virtues themselves. Nor will I ever take from my own imperfections the least cause of doubt or suspicion of infidelity on her part; for she had eyes, and chose me. Nay, Iago; I will see before I doubt; if I doubt, I will proof; and as soon as I have these, love and jealousy will be gone at once!
Iago. I am very glad to hear that; then I need no longer hesitate to let you see the friendship and devotion I bear you. Therefore, accept what I am about to say as I mean it. I am not yet speaking of proofs; watch your wife, keep an attentive eye on her and Cassio, that is all I can say: not jealously, but not surely either. I would not like so noble a mind as yours to be betrayed by an excess of innate kindness; so beware. I know the Venetian way; in Venice they worry little whether heaven witnesses their tricks, so long as their men are not aware of them; their greatest conscientiousness generally goes no further than letting no one see them sin.
Othello.
Is that what you say?
Iago.
She deceived her father in surrendering herself to you; and at the very
time when she loved you most fiercely, she pretended to
be afraid of you.
Othello.
She really did that.
Iago. So conclude: could she, so young, so innocent as she was, disguise herself so well that her own father could not perceive anything that passed in her heart? He thought that magic must necessarily have been used. But I am very much to be blamed: I most humbly beg your forgiveness for allowing myself to be so far led by my love for you.
Othello.
I am forever indebted to you for this.
Jago. I can see it’s thrown your spirits a little off.
Othello.
Not in the least, not in the least!
Iago. Believe me, I fear it is something like that; I hope at least you will be convinced that what I said to you was spoken out of friendship. But, I see, you are troubled—I beg you most earnestly not to give my words a worse interpretation than my own opinion.
Othello.
I don’t want that either.
Iago. If you did, my lord, you might draw consequences I never thought of. Cassio is my friend and a man of merit—my lord, I see you are uneasy—
Othello:
No, not particularly troubled—I think nothing but
Desdemona’s virtue.
Jago.
Long live she! And long may you live to think so!
Othello.
And yet, when nature has once stepped out of its rut—
Iago. That is precisely the point—that she (if I may be so bold as to say it) has rejected so many parties who should naturally have seemed more suitable to her, in order to give herself to a lover whose country, color, and age were so contrary to hers. Indeed, this seems to indicate something extravagant in her mind, a certain excess and disorder of her imagination and her inclinations. But I beg your pardon, I am not really speaking of her in particular; although I am not without concern lest, with a cool head, I should fall into comparing your figure with that of her countrymen, and perhaps regret her choice.
Othello. Farewell, farewell; if you perceive anything further, let me know. Tell your wife to watch her closely. Leave me, Iago.
Jago.
I take my leave, sir.
(He goes.)
Othello.
O, why did I marry! This honest man
doubtless sees and knows more, far more, than he tells.
Iago (returning.) My lord, I wish I could beg your grace not to dwell on this matter any further; leave it to time. Although it would be very good for Cassio to have his position again (for indeed, he filled it with great skill), if you were pleased to leave him in uncertainty for a while longer, you would still find occasion to get to know him and his behavior better. Watch, too, to see whether your wife will press for his reinstatement with signs of impetuosity and violence; much could be discerned from that. In the meantime, think rather that I am carrying my fears too far and treating her in such a way that she cannot perceive any change; I earnestly beg your grace to do so.
Othello.
Depend on my wisdom on this point.
Jago.
I commend myself again.
(He leaves.)
