Rod. Thou told'st me thou didst hold him in thy hate.[4886]
Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,[4887][4888][4889]
In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,[4888]
Off-capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,[4888][4890] 10
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:[4888][4891]
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,[4888][4892]
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance[4888][4893]
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;[4888][4894]
And, in conclusion,[4888][4895][4896] 15
Nonsuits my mediators; for, 'Certes,' says he,[4896][4897]
'I have already chose my officer.'[4896][4898][4899]
And what was he?[4896][4898]
Forsooth, a great arithmetician,[4896]
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,[4900] 20
A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;[4900][4901]
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,[4902]
Wherein the toged consuls can propose[4903] 25
As masterly as he: mere prattle without practice[4904]
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election:[4905]
And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus and on other grounds[4906]
Christian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd[4907] 30
By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,[4908]
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,
And I—God bless the mark!—his Moorship's ancient.[4909]
Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.
Iago. Why, there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service,[4910] 35
Preferment goes by letter and affection,[4911]
And not by old gradation, where each second[4912]
Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself[4913]
Whether I in any just term am affined[4914]
To love the Moor.
Rod. I would not follow him then. 40
Iago. O, sir, content you;
I follow him to serve my turn upon him:
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark[4915]
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave, 45
That doting on his own obsequious bondage
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,
For nought but provender, and when he's old, cashier'd:[4916]
Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are[4917]
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,[4917][4918] 50
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,[4917]
And throwing but shows of service on their lords[4917]
Do well thrive by them, and when they have lined their coats[4919][4920]
Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul,[4919][4921]
And such a one do I profess myself.[4922] 55
For, sir,[4923]
It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago:
In following him, I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,[4924] 60
But seeming so, for my peculiar end:[4924]
For when my outward action doth demonstrate[4925]
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after[4926]
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve 65
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.[4927]
Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,[4928]
If he can carry't thus![4929]
Iago. Call up her father,[4930]
Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight,[4930]
Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen,[4931] 70
And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,[4932]
Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy,
Yet throw such changes of vexation on't[4933]
As it may lose some colour.
Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. 75
Iago. Do; with like timorous accent and dire yell[4934]
As when, by night and negligence, the fire[4935]
Is spied in populous cities.[4936]