From the hard hand of peasants their vile trash To you for gold to pay my legions, Which you denied me: was that done like Caffius? To lock fuch rafcal counters from his friends, Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts! Dash him to pieces! CAS. I denied you not. BRU. You did. CAS. I did not-he was but a fool That brought my answer back.-Brutus hath riv'd my heart. A friend fhould bear a friend's infirmities, 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 fee fuch 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 Caffius, For Caffius is a-weary of the world; Hated by one he loves; brav'd by his brother; When When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dft him better That ever thou lov'dft Caffius. BRU. Sheathe your dagger; Be angry when you will, it fhall have fcope; CAS. Hath Caffius liv'd To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, CAS. BRU. CAS. O Brutus! BRU. What's the matter? CAS. Have you not love enough to bear with me, When that rafh humour which my. mother gave ine Makes me forgetful? BRU. Yes, Caffius, and from henceforth, When you are overearnest with your Brutus, He'll think your mother chides, and leave you fo. SHAKSPEARE. CHAP. XXVII. OTHELLO AND IAGO. IAGO. MY noble Lord OTH. What doit thou fay, Iago IAGO. Did Michael Caffio, when you wou'd my Lady, Know of your love? Отн. He did, from firft to laft: why doft thou ask? 1AGO. But for a fatisfaction of my thought, No farther harm. Отн. Why of thy thought, Iago? IAGO. I did not think he'd been acquainted with it. Отн. Отн. О yes, and went between us very oft. OTн. Indeed! ay, indeed. Discern't thou aught in that ? Is he not honest ? Отн. Think, my Lord! Why, by Heav'n! thou echo'ft me, As if there were fome monster in thy thought 1 Too hideous to be shown. Thou doft mean fomething: In my whole courfe of wooing, thou criedft, " Indeed!” As if thou then hadft fhut up in thy brain Show me thy thought. IAGO. My Lord, you know I love you. ОTH. I think thou doft: And, for I know thou art full of love and honesty, And weigh'ft thy words before thou giv'ft them breath, Therefore thefe ftops of thine fright me the more : For fuch things in a false disloyal knave Are tricks of cuftom; but in a man that's juft, IAGO. For Michael Caffio, I dare be fworn, I think, that he is honeft. Отн. I think so too. IAGO. Men thould be what they feem; Or, thofe that be not, would they might feem knaves. OTH. Certain! men fhould be what they feem. 5 IAGO, IAGO. Why, then I think Caffio's an honeft man. OTн. Nay, yet there's more in this; I pray thee speak to me as to thy thinkings; As thou doft ruminate; and give thy worft 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; Keep leets and law-days, and in feffions fit With meditation lawful? OTH. Thou dott confpire against thy friend, Iago. If thou but think'st him wrong'd, and mak’st his ear. A ftranger to thy thoughts. IAGO. I do beseech you, Think I, perchance, am vicious in my guefs, Your wisdom would not build yourself a trouble QTн. What doft thou mean?: IAGO. Good name in man or woman, my dear Lord; I's the immediate jewel of their fouls. Who fteals my purfe, fteals trash; 'tis fomething, nothing; 'Twas mine, 'tis 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 And makes me poor indeed. Oтн. I'll know thy thoughts. IAGO. You cannot, if my heart were in Nor fhall not, whilft 'tis in my custody. Отн. На! IAGO. O beware, my Lord, of jealousy! Who doats, yet doubts; fufpects, yet ftrongly loves! IAGO. Poor and content, is rich, and rich enough: To him that ever fears he fhall be poor. Good Heav'n! the fouls of all my tribe defend OтH. Why, why is this? Think'st thou I'd make a life of jealoufy? 'To follow ftill the changes of the moon With fresh fufpicions?-'Tis not to make me jealous ́ The fmalleft fear, or doubt of her revolt, For fhe had eyes, and chofe me. No, Iago, I'll fee, before I doubt; when I doubt, prove; And, on the proof, there is no more but this, IAGO. I'm glad of this:, for now I shall have reason To show the love and duty that I bear you With franker fpirit. Therefore, as I'm bound, I fpeak not yet of proof. Receive it from me. Look to your wife; obferve her well with Caffio; Wear |