Iago. What say'st thou, noble heart?
Rod. What will I do, thinkest thou?[5259]
Iago. Why, go to bed and sleep.
Rod. I will incontinently drown myself.
Iago. If thou dost, I shall never love thee after. Why,[5260] 305
thou silly gentleman![5261]
Rod. It is silliness to live when to live is torment; and[5262]
then have we a prescription to die when death is our physician.[5263]
Iago. O villanous! I have looked upon the world for[5264] 310
four times seven years; and since I could distinguish betwixt[5265]
a benefit and an injury, I never found man that knew[5266]
how to love himself. Ere I would say I would drown myself
for the love of a guinea-hen, I would change my humanity[5267]
with a baboon. 315
Rod. What should I do? I confess it is my shame to
be so fond; but it is not in my virtue to amend it.
Iago. Virtue! a fig! 'tis in ourselves that we are thus
or thus. Our bodies are gardens; to the which our wills[5268]
are gardeners: so that if we will plant nettles or sow lettuce, 320
set hyssop and weed up thyme, supply it with one[5269]
gender of herbs or distract it with many, either to have[5270]
it sterile with idleness or manured with industry, why, the
power and corrigible authority of this lies in our wills. If[5271]
the balance of our lives had not one scale of reason to poise[5272] 325
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,[5273]
our unbitted lusts; whereof I take this, that you call love,[5274]
to be a sect or scion.[5275] 330
Rod. It cannot be.
Iago. It is merely a lust of the blood and a permission[5276]
of the will. Come, be a man: drown thyself! drown cats
and blind puppies. I have professed me thy friend, and I[5277]
confess me knit to thy deserving with cables of perdurable 335
toughness: I could never better stead thee than now. Put[5278]
money in thy purse; follow thou the wars; defeat thy favour[5279]
with an usurped beard; I say, put money in thy purse.
It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love[5280]
to the Moor—put money in thy purse—nor he his to her: it[5281] 340
was a violent commencement, and thou shalt see an answerable[5282][5283]
sequestration; put but money in thy purse. These[5283][5284]
Moors are changeable in their wills:—fill thy purse with
money. The food that to him now is as luscious as locusts,[5285]
shall be to him shortly as bitter as coloquintida. She[5286][5287] 345
must change for youth: when she is sated with his body,[5287]
she will find the error of her choice: she must have change,[5288][5289]
she must: therefore put money in thy purse. If thou wilt[5289]
needs damn thyself, do it a more delicate way than drowning.
Make all the money thou canst: if sanctimony and a 350
frail vow betwixt an erring barbarian and a supersubtle[5290]
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[5291]
rather to be hanged in compassing thy joy than to be 355
drowned and go without her.
Rod. Wilt thou be fast to my hopes, if I depend on[5292]
the issue?[5292]
Iago. Thou art sure of me: go, make money: I have
told thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate[5293] 360
the Moor: my cause is hearted; thine hath no less reason.[5294]
Let us be conjunctive in our revenge against him: if thou[5295]
canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, me a sport.[5296]
There are many events in the womb of time, which will be
delivered. Traverse; go; provide thy money. We will 365
have more of this to-morrow. Adieu.
Rod. Where shall we meet i' the morning?
Rod. I'll be with thee betimes.
Iago. Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo?[5297][5298] 370
Iago. No more of drowning, do you hear?[5297]
Rod. I am changed: I'll go sell all my land. [Exit.[5297][5299]
Iago. Thus do I ever make my fool my purse;[5297][5300]
For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane, 375
If I would time expend with such a snipe[5301]
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;[5302]
But I for mere suspicion in that kind[5303] 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[5304]
In double knavery—How, how?—Let's see:—[5305] 385
After some time, to abuse Othello's ear[5306]
That he is too familiar with his wife.[5307]
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,[5308] 390
That thinks men honest that but seem to be so;[5309]
And will as tenderly be led by the nose[5310][5311]
As asses are.[5310]
I have 't. It is engender'd. Hell and night[5312]
Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light. [Exit.[5313]395