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But Brutus makes mine greater than they are. Bru. I do not. Still you practise them on me. Cas. You love me not.

Bru. I do not like

your

faults.

Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults. Bru. A flatt'rer's would not, though they do

appear

As huge as high Olympus.

Cas. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come!
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius,
For Cassius is a-weary of the world;

Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother;
Check'd by a bondman; all his faults observ'd,
Set in a note-book, learn'd and conn'd by rote,
To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep
My spirit from mine eyes!-There is my dagger,
And here my naked breast-within, a heart
Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold!
If that thou need'st a Roman's, take it forth.
I, that deny'd thee gold, will give my heart:
Strike as thou didst at Cæsar; for I know,
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him

better

Than ever thou lov'd'st Cassius.

Bru. Sheathe your dagger;

Be angry when you will, it shall have scope;
Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour.
O Cassius; you are yoked with a lamb,
That carries anger as the flint bears fire,
Which, much enforced, shows a hasty spark,
And straight is cold again.

Cas. Hath Cassius liv'd

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, When grief, and blood ill-temper'd, vexeth him? Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. Cas. Do you confess so much? Give me your hand.

7

Bru. And my heart too.

Cas. O Brutus?

Bru What's the matter?

Cas. Have you not love enough to bear with me

2

When that rash humour which my mother gave me, Makes me forgetful?

Bru. Yes, Cassius, and from henceforth, When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave

you so..

SHAKESPEARE.

CHA P. XX VII.

Othello and Iago.

Iago. My noble lord,

Y

Oth. What dost thou say Iago?

Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady,

Know of your love?

Oth. He did, from first to last: why dost thou ask?

Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought, No farther harm.

Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago?

Iago. I did not think he'd been acquainted with

it.

Oth. Oh, yes, and went between us very oft. lago. Indeed!

Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed. Discern'st thou aught in that?

Is he not honest.

Iago. Honest, my lord?

Oth. Honest? aye,

honest.

Iago. My lord, for aught I know.
Oth. What dost thou think!

Iago. Think, my lord!

Oth. Think, my Lord! Why, by Heav'n, thou echo'st me,

As if there were some monster in thy thought, Too hideous to be shewn. Thou dost mean some

thing:

I heard thee say but now, « thou lik'st 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 cry'dst,

<< 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,
Shew me thy thought.

Tago. 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're cold dilations working from the heart,
That passion cannot rule.

Iago. For Michael Cassio,

I dare be sworn, I think, that he is honest.
Qth. I think so too.

Iago. Men, should be what they seem:

Or those that be not, would they might seem

I

knaves.

Oth. Certain ! men should be what they seem. Iago. Why, then I think Cassio's an honest man. Oth. Nay, yet there's more in this.

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're vile and false;

As where's that palace, whereinto foul things
Sometimes intrude not: Who has a breast so pure,
But some uncleanly apprehensions

Keps leets and law-days, and in sessions 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,

then,

Think I, perchance, am vicious in my guess,
(As I confess, it is my nature's plague
To 'spy into abuse; and oft my jealousy
Shapes faults that are not) I intreat you
From one that so imperfectly conjects,
Your wisdom would not build yourself a trouble
Out of my scatter'd 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.

Oth. What dost thou mean?

Iago. Good name in man or woman, dear my lord,

Is the immediate jewel of their souls.

Who steals my purse, streals trash; 'tis something, nothing;

'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thou

sands:

But he that filches from me my good name
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
And makes me poor indeed.

Oth. I'll know thy thoughts

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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 a green-ey'd monster, which doth mock
The meat it feeds on. The cuckold lives in bliss,
Who, certain of his fate, loves not his

wronger; But oh, what damned minutes tells he o'er, Who doats, yet doubts; suspects, yet strongly loves! Oth. O misery!

Iago. Poor and content, is rich, and rich enough; But riches endless, is as poor as winter,

To him that ever fears he shall be poor.

Good Heav'n! 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?—'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 make 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'm, glad of this; for now I shall have

reason

you

To shew the love and duty that I bear
With franker spirit. Therefore, as I'm 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!
I would not have your free and noble nature
Out of self-bounty be abus'd; look to't.

I know our country disposition well:
In Venice they do let heav'n see the pranks
They dare not shew their husbands.

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 lov'd them most.

Oth. And so she did. Iago. Go to then;

She that so young, could give out such a seeming To seal her father's eyes up, close as oak

He thought 'twas witchcraft-But I'm much to blame;

I humbly do beseech you of your pardon,

For too much loving you.

Oth. I am bound to you for ever.

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

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