Othello the Legatus Act 3 Part 1.32

Act Three Scene 3 Part 3

Iago hesitated in his move. He looked to Othello.

"I think not now, Othello. You are in anger and pain. You may do worse than last night." Iago told him. He then probed on the friendship of Cassio and Desdemona.

"One voyage, and he had charmed her? I salute the other for his ways. It took me ages to charm my love." Iago spoke out in a cynical manner.

"Who? You meant Cassio. No, he knew Desdemona, even before myself." Othello replied.

"I meant no ill intent, Othello." Iago defended himself.

"None taken. Why do you asked? Is Cassio not trustworthy?" Othello asked back. "Have I mistaken him all this time?"

"Trust is the word he is." Iago replied.

"I want a honest reply, Iago. I am still your friend." Othello shouted at the other.

"Deny not me the privilege to keep myself of the thoughts of another man. We are akin to brothers; we had shared many journeys, fought many battles, and even bathe in the same stream." Iago told Othello. "You and him included. Do you think we .."

"Could read the other? No! I can't. You tell me of him as from your view." Othello glared to the departing figure of his love. He ache in his heart if she had hurt him.

"Tell me. Iago. He may had something not whispered to me but you may know. Too hideous to be revealed, but meant a lot to him. He may had to tell to let it off his chest. You told me he is trustworthy, but you spoke in pain to say the word. So tell me what you would not say, or be damned to eternity that I had mis-trusted you."

"Please, my Legatus. Don't let this be our moment of disbelieving in the trust we all had. You know I love you. " Iago fell to his knees and bowed to his Legatus.

"I think you do, And I know of your trust and love. But the last words of yours weighed against them. For I see in you now, a mis-trusted legionnaire that may stabbed me in the back. One admission I would not deny now, that its been spoken to you." Othello looked to the man before me. "Iago, I love you but make me do it once again. And for Micheal Cassio sake please."

"Mentioned not Cassio in the same tone. He is trustworthy I can assured you, my Legatus." Iago defended the other.

"Then speak your mind as one of mine. Hold nothing back for the open words would reveal the truth or ...it false messages." Othello told him.

"Messages I am to utter, are bound by the duty of friendship. But if the vile ones are spoken by me on others, would it not be the same as the thieves who forego their oath. If that was to be, then the whole friendship of ours should not had been forged."

"True words, but in conspiring against your own friend for his good, make haste his recovery to become closer friends. Don't betray him but denying him the truth of his actions." Othello told Iago. "Speak my, my friend."

"Aye, my Legatus. I would speak as if I am reporting to you on the Legions. I am a Centurion and my faith is in my leader while my command are my men. If they failed me, my faith with the leader would be shaken. For that, searched them out in the strength and weakness, weed out the bad ones, and nurtured the better ones. I spied on them to learn their ways and sometimes, it may be of weak excuses to the hard ones of jealousy among the ranks...."

"Iago, speak to me not in riddles, but in words. I command thee." Othello grew impatience.

"You hold in you the purse of hard earned coins. You held it there in trust. Its yours and yet not yours for some had taken it from you. Supposedly someone had slipped into your coins from below, and removed its content from it. You may end up holding only an empty purse. It would make you angry, but you may not know how it was to be then."

"Riddles, riddles, I heard them many times. I know not what you mean, Iago." Othello beamed up his eyes to the skies. "My Gods bear witness to this. This friend of mine shall tell me the truth today."

"Othello, don't invoke the Gods on your jealousy." Iago spilled it out.

"Jealousy? Of what I am to be jealous?" Othello replied. "What is that you feared of me being jealous? Who am I to be one? I am holding the position of Legatus and I desire not the Emperor's role."

Then he smiled. "You meant of Cassio and my love seen together? Why should I? Since they knew each other, he may still harbor some affection for her, but she love not him. She loved only me."

"My God, Othello. Do not think so of that on Cassio? Woes to the man who thinks he is loved when his love only dispensed empty meaning to him. If it that was the dream of Cassio, he would have a long sleep to look forward to. Desdemona belongs to only to you. " Iago added on the venom to the riddles.

"Misery to Cassio if that was true. But I doubt so. " Othello defended on the faith in his love. "Desdemona is a fine lady. She knew her duties and loved me for the care I shown her. She may be outspoken, flirty, but never would she betrayed my love. If you think its me who may be betraying her trust, then looked not at me as being one like that."

"Jealousy? Aha! Unnatural of myself to be one. If she had shown any signs of betrayal, I would not be jealous but I would get even on my misery. It won't be jealousy then, but pure anger." Othello told Iago.

"Alas, I am free of concern, but as your friend, I believe in caution. Like how I spied on my men, I would advise you do on her. Never let your guard down, or you would be killed." Iago mentioned their fighting motto, while he smiled. "I seen couples who can do wonders with themselves. They are not caught by it for they had all the plans not to be caught."

"Do you think that is so?" Othello looked to Iago on his claims.

"I been with one for so long. I knew more than you. Women are the same like Man. They can charm and at times withheld you from them." Iago smiled. "Your love appear like no others but she had the trait of them in her. She had charmed you and not the other way around as mentioned by her Father. She claimed to listened to your tales, or was it you listening to her then. She asked you to speak, and you told her everything. A trick of the women I have seen many times." 

"I think you are right, Iago. I could been the one charmed." Othello fingered his mask over his face. He felt then to be silly that it was she who told him to speak.

"I am sorry, Othello, but words of such advice are resounding to be heard from true friends." Iago told him. Othello thanked the other.

"But don't take it to heart. I could had misjudged her. And also Cassio." Iago switched his alliance then. He was trying to confused the Legatus of which he had succeeded very well.

"Not a concern to me. Desdemona won't betray my love." Othello reinforced his own belief.

"And I know she won't, like you would not do the same to her." Iago replied to the empty beliefs.

"Aye, a fresh apple would be nice to sink the teeth in, but it may decayed left alone for weeks." Othello reflected on his long absence during the wars. "She did choose me among the many."

Othello felt his inadequacy over his face mask. Iago saw him reaching for the face mask and reinstate more damages.

"Oh, she may had many admirers. She of beauty and influence held by her father, would had besotted by many admirers. Did she find you...appealing or mysterious with your mask? Or Cassio had ran out of ideas to intrigue her?" Iago looked away, and then smiled. "I am sorry, Othello. My idle mind had wandered to evil antics of the ladies."

"Don't feel bad, Iago. Your intentions are well received." Othello turned to walked away. Then he stopped.

"Its just I am so new to the union. And with this war, there was no time for us to ...manage it." Othello sighed to himself. He looked to Iago.

"Leave me here. I have much to think." Othello told the other. Iago made his exit alone to the tavern.