Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Donald Bailey
Peer Reviewed

Othello (Quarto 1, 1622)

19
The Moore of Venice.

defeate thy fauour with an vsurp'd beard; I say, put money in thy
purse. It cannot be, that Desdemona should long continue her loue
695vnto the Moore, --- put money in thy purse, -- nor he to her; it was
a violent commencement, and thou shalt see an answerable seque-
stration: put but money in thy purse. ---These Moores are change-
able in their wills: --- fill thy purse with money. The food that to
700him now, is as lushious as Locusts, shall be to him shortly as acerbe
as the Colloquintida. When shee is sated with his body, shee will
finde the error of her choyce; shee must haue change, shee must.
Therefore put money in thy purse: if thou wilt needes damme
thy selfe, doe it a more delicate way then drowning; make all
705the money thou canst. If sanctimony, and a fraile vow, betwixt an
erring Barbarian, and a super subtle Venetian, be not too hard for my
wits, and all the tribe of hell, thou shalt enioy her; therefore make
money, --- a pox a drowning, tis cleane out of the way: seeke thou
710rather to be hang'd in compassing thy ioy, then to bee drowned, and
goe without her.
Rod. Wilt thou be fast to my hopes?
715Iag. Thou art sure of me ---goe, make money --- I haue told
thee often, and I tell thee againe, and againe, I hate the Moore, my
cause is harted, thine has no lesse reason, let vs be communicatiue in
our reuenge against him: If thou canst cuckold him, thou doest thy
selfe a pleasure, and me a sport. There are many euents in the womb
of Time, which will be deliuered. Trauerce, go, prouide thy money,
we will haue more of this to morrow, Adiue.
Rod. Where shall we meete i'th morning.
725Iag. At my lodging.
Rod. I'le be with thee betimes.
Iag. Go to, farewell: ---doe you heare Roderigo?
727.1Rod. what say you?
Iag. No more of drowning, doe you heare?
Rod. I am chang'd. Exit Roderigo.
Iag. Goe to, farewell, put money enough in your purse:
Thus doe I euer make my foole my purse:
730For I mine owne gain'd knowledge should prophane,
If I would time expend with such a snipe,
But for my sport and profit: I hate the Moore,
And
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