Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Muficians, Sailors, and Attendants. SCENE, for the fift A&t, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, in Cyprus. Rod. Ν' And what was he? EVER tell me :---I take it much un- Forfooth, a great arithmetician, kindly, That thou, Iago,-who haft had my purse, One Michael Caffio, a Florentine, A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair wife 3; As if the ftrings were thine,-fhouldst know of That never fet a fquadron in the field, this. Iago. But you'll not hear me : If ever I did dream of fuch a matter, abhor me. Nor the divifion of a battle knows 6 3 On The ftory is taken from Cynthio's Novels. 2 i. e. certainly, in truth. Obfolete. thefe lines Dr. Johnfon obferves, "This is one of the paffages which must for the prefent be refigned to corruption and obfcurity. I have nothing that I can, with any approach to confidence, propole." Mr. Tyrwhitt ingenioufly propofes to read, "damn'd in a fair life;" and is of opinion, that "Shakfpeare alludes to the judgment denounced in the gospel against those of whom all men speak well." He adds, that the character of Caffio is certainly fuch, as would be very likely to draw upon him all the peril of this denunciation, literally understood. Well-bred, eafy, fociable, good-natured; with abilities enough to make him agreeable and ufeful, but not fufficient to excite the envy of his equals, or to alarm the jealoufy of his fuperiors. It may be obferved too, that Shakspeare has thought it proper to make lago, in feveral other paffages, bear his teftimony to the amiable qualities of his rival." 4 Theoric, tor theory. s Confuls, for counsellors. It was anciently the practice to reckon up fums with counters. And I, fir, (bless the mark !) his Moor-fhip's Is spy'd in populous cities. To love the Moor 3. Rod. I would not follow him then. I follow him to ferve my turn upon him : Whip me fuch honeft knaves 4: Others there are, [foul; Do themselves homage: these fellows have fome I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my doors: And fuch a one do I profefs myfeif, For, fir, It is as fure as you are Roderigo, Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago: [owe, Iago. Call up her father, Roufe him make after him, poifon his delight, Proclaim him in the streets; incenfe her kinfmen, And, though he in a fertile climate dwell, Plaque him with flies: though that his joy be joy, Yet throw fuch changes of vexation on 't, As it may lofe fome colour. Rod. Here is her father's houfe; I'll call aloud. Iago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell, As when, by night and negligence, the fire In honest plainness thou haft heard me fas, Rod. Sir, fir, fir, Bra. But thou must needs be fure, My fpirit, and my place, have in them power To make this bitter to thee. Rad. Patience, good fir. Rod. Moft grave Brabantio, lago. Sir, you are one of thole, that will not ferve God, if the devil bid you. Because we ce to do you fervice, you think we are rufians: You'll have your daughter cover'd with a Barbary borfe; you'll have your nephews neigh to you: you'll have courfers for coulins, and gennets ier germans. Bra. What profane 10 wretch art thou? Iago. I am one, fir, that comes to tell you, veur daughter and the Moor are now making the beat with two backs. It has been obferved, that the Scots, when they compare perfon to perfon, use this exclamation. 2 i. c. by recommendation from powerful friends. 3 The meaning is, De I fand within any fut terms of propinquity or relation to the Micer, as that it is my duty to love him? 4 Knate is here ufed ter fervant, but with a mixture of fly contempt. 5 Full fortune may mean a complete piece of good fortune. To owe is in ancient language, to own, to poflefs. 6 i. e. broken. 7 That is," You are in a populous city, not in a lone houfe, where a robbery might eafily be committed." Groge's ftrictly and properly the farm of a monaftery, where the religious repofited their corn. But in Lincolnthire, and in other northern counties, they call every lone houfe, or farm which ftands folutary, a grange. 8 Nephew, in this inftance, has the power of the Latin word nepos, and fignifies a grandfon, or any lincal defcendant, however remote. 9 A jennet is a Spanish horle. 10 That is, what wretch of grofs and licentious language? 11 This is an ancient proverbial expreffion in the French language, whence Shakspeare probably borrowed it. Br Bra. Thou art a villain. lago. You are-a senator. [Roderigo. How did't thou know 'twas the 2-0, thou de ceiv'ft me Bra. This thou fhalt anfwer; I know thee, Paft thought !-What faid fhe to you?-Get more Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. feech you, But I be If 't be your pleasure, and most wife confent, Of here and every where: Straight fatisfy yourself: Let loofe on me the juftice of the state Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! Give me a taper ;-call up all my people:- Light, I fay! light! Lago. Farewell; for I must leave you : It feems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, To be produc'd (as, if I ftay, I fhall) :) tapers; Raife all my kindred.-Are they marry'd, think you? Rod. Truly, I think, they are. Bra. O heaven!-how got the out?—O treason of the blood! Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' minds By what you fee them act.-Are there not charms; By which the property of youth and maidhood May be abus'd 5? Have you not read, Roderigo, Of fome fuch thing? Rod. Yes, fir; I have, indeed. Bra. Call up my brother.-O, 'would you had had her! Some one way, fome another.-Do you know Rod. think, I can difcover him; if you please call; Against the Moor: For, I do know, the ftate,-To do no contriv'd murder; I lack iniquity However this may gall him with fome check,-, Sometimes to do me fervice: Nine or ten times Cannot with fafety caft 3 him; for he's embark'd I had thought to have jerk'd him here under the With fuch loud reafon to the Cyprus' war, (Which even now stands in act)that, for their souls, Another of his fathom they have not, I muft fhew out a flag and fign of love, ribs. Oth. 'Tis better as it is. lago. Nay, but he prated, And spoke fuch scurvy and provoking terms That, with the little godlinefs I have, I did full hard forbear him. But, I pray you, fir, Which is indeed but fign. That you fhall furely Are you faft marry'd? for, be fure of this, find him, That the magnifico 7 is much belov'd; As double as the duke's: he will divorce you; Will give him cable. Oth. Let him do his fpite: My fervices, which I have done the figniory, Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know, (Which, when I know that boasting is an honour, I fhall promulgate) I fetch my life and being 2 Ex 1 Dr. Johnson obferves, that the even of night is midnight, the time when night is divided into even parts. Mr. Steevens thinks that odd is here ambiguously ufed, as it fignifies range, uncouth, or un-' ented; and as it is oppofed to even, but acknowledges that the expreflion is very harsh. travagant is here used in the fignification of wandering. 3 That is, difm fs him; reject him. 4 Defpifed time, is time of no value. 5 i. e. by which the faculties of a young virgin may be infatuated, and made fubject to illufions and to falfe imagination. 6 Stuff of the confcience is, fubftance, or effence, of the confcience. 7 The chief men of Venice are by a peculiar name called Magnifici, i. e. magnificoes. 8 Double has here its natural fenfe. The prefident of every deliberative allembly has a double voice. For example: the lord mayor in the court of aldermen has a double voice. From men of royal fiege ; and my demerits 2 come yonder? Bra. Down with him, thief! [They draw on both fidı.. Iago. You, Roderigo! come, fir, I am for you. Oth. Keep up your bright fwords, for the dew will ruft them. Good fignior, you fhall more command with years, But, look! what lights Than with your weapons. Enter Caffio, with others. Bra. O thou foul thief! where haft thou ftow'd my daughter? Damn'd as thou art, thou haft enchanted her : Iago. These are the raised father, and his friends; For I'll refer me to all things of fenfe, You were beft go in. Oth. Not I: I must be found; My parts, my title, and my perfect soul, Oth. The fervants of the duke, and my lieutenant. The goodness of the night upon you, friends! What is the news? Caf. The duke does greet you, general; And he requires your hafte, post-hafte appearance, Even on the inftant. Oth. What is the matter, think you? Caf. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine; It is a business of fome heat: the gallies Have fent a dozen fequent messengers This very night at one another's heels; And many of the confuls 5, rais'd, and met, Are at the duke's already: You have been hotly call'd for; When, being not at your lodging to be found, The fenate hath fent about three feveral quests, To fearch you out. Oth. 'Tis well I am found by you. I will but fpend a word here in the house, [Exit. Caf. Ancient, what makes he here? If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever. lago. He's married. Caf. To who? Re-enter Othello. Iago. Marry, to-Come, captain, will you go? Caf. Here comes another troop to feek for you. Oth. Hola! ftand there! Rod. Signior, it is the Moor. creet. If the in chains of magic were not bound, Oth. Hold your hands, Both you of my inclining, and the reft: Bra. To prifon; 'till fit time Oth. What if I do obey? How may the duke be therewith fatisfied; Off. 'Tis true, most worthy fignior, Bra. How! the duke in council ! Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own: 2 Demerits here has the fame meaning as merits. I i. c. men who have fat upon royal thrones. 3 i. e. without taking the cap off. 4 i. e. free from domestic cares: a thought natural to an adventurer. 5 Confuls feems to have been commonly used for counsellors, as before in this play. • Quests are fearches. 7 A carrack is a ship of great bulk, and commonly of great value; perbas 9 i. e. be cautious; be 4what we now call a galleon. 8 This expreffion denotes readiness. 11 i. c. to terrify. 12 Theobald pro10 Curled is elegantly and oftentatiously dressed. pofes, and we think justly, to read, "That weaken notion, instead of motion. i. e. that weaken be apprehenfion, right conception and idea of things, understanding, judgment, &c." Hanmer would read, perhaps with equal probability, "That waken motion;" and it is to be observed, that Morien is a fubfequent fcene of this play is ufed in the very fenfe in which Hanmer would employ it: " we have reason to cool our raging motions, our carnal stings, our unbitted lufts.” SCENT |