up against his innocent lady,
proved in their nature more deadly than strangers or infidels.

Among all the general's friends no one possessed the confidence of
Othello more entirely than Cassio. Michael Cassio was a young soldier,
a Florentine, gay, amorous, and of pleasing address, favourite
qualities with women; he was handsome, and eloquent, and exactly such
a person as might alarm the jealousy of a man advanced in years (as
Othello in some measure was), who had married a young and beautiful
wife; but Othello was as free from jealousy as he was noble, and as
incapable of suspecting, as of doing, a base action. He had employed
this Cassio in his love-affair with Desdemona, and Cassio had been a
sort of go-between in his suit: for Othello, fearing that himself had
not those soft parts of conversation which please ladies, and finding
these qualities in his friend, would often depute Cassio to go (as he
phrased it) a courting for him: such innocent simplicity being rather
an honour than a blemish to the character of the valiant Moor. So that
no wonder, if next to Othello himself (but at far distance, as beseems
a virtuous wife) the gentle Desdemona loved and trusted Cassio. Nor
had the marriage of this couple made any difference in their behaviour
to Michael Cassio. He frequented their house, and his free and
rattling talk was no unpleasing variety to Othello, who was himself of
a more serious temper: for such tempers are observed often to delight
in their contraries, as a relief from the oppressive excess of their
own: and Desdemona and Cassio would talk and laugh together, as in the
days when he went a courting for his friend.

Othello had lately promoted Cassio to be the lieutenant, a place of
trust, and nearest to the general's person. This promotion gave great
offence to Iago, an older officer, who thought he had a better claim
than Cassio, and would often ridicule Cassio, as a fellow fit only for
the company of ladies, and one that knew no more of the art of war,
or how to set an army in array for battle, than a girl. Iago hated
Cassio, and he hated Othello, as well for favouring Cassio, as for an
unjust suspicion, which he had lightly taken up against Othello, that
the Moor was too fond of Iago's wife Emilia. From these imaginary
provocations, the plotting mind of Iago conceived a horrid scheme of
revenge, which should involve both Cassio, the Moor, and Desdemona in
one common ruin.

Iago was artful, and had