صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

Bra. But thou must needs be sure,

My spirit and my place have in their power

To make this bitter to thee.

Rod. Patience, good Sir.

[Venice :

Bra. What tellest thou me of robbing; this is My house is not a grange.

Rod. Most grave Brabantio,

In simple and pure soul, I come to you.

Iago. Zounds! Sir, you are one of those that will not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service, you think we are ruffians. You'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse, you'll have your nephews neigh to you; you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans.

Bra. What profane wretch art thou?

Iago. I am one, Sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs.

Bra. Thou art a villain.

lago. You are a senator.

[dorigo.

Bra. This thou shalt answer. I know thee, RoRod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech If't be your pleasure and most wise consent [you, (As partly, I find, it is) that your fair daughter, At this odd-even and dull watch of the night, (12)

(12) Rodorigo's (the same as Hudibras's) hand is in the

Transported with no worse nor better guard,
But with a knave of hire, a Gondolier,

To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor; (13)
If this be known to you, and your allowance,
We then have done you bold and saucy wrongs. (14)
But if you know not this, my manners tell me
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe,
That from the sense of all civility

I thus would play, and trifle with your reverence.

action of a person playing at even or odd, his finger particularly denoting one; but as it is situate just in the middle of the XII. (drawn in fig. 48), the circumstance of its thus marking twelve and one at the same time may explain this very quaiut expression.

(13) Lascivious Moor. Desdemona is the same as the Queen in Hamlet, and as Goneril in King Lear; and from the delineation given of Othello in fig. 98, in which she is introduced, it will be seen that they are kissing each other. As the same light and shadow in the moon form the outline of both Othello's and Desdemona's faces, which could not be accurately expressed in the drawing, it has therein become necessary to set them off a little one from the other, The etymology of her name would seem to have regard to the moon.

(14) A Gondolier. If the part of the moon where Othello and Desdemona are situate, be observed with attention, there will be seen underneath them a curved shadow, resembling a boat, with scattered lights, like waves, beating against it.

Your daughter, if you have not given her leave,
I say again, hath made a gross revolt;

Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes.
To an extravagant and wheeling stranger,

Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself;
If she be in her chamber, or your house,

Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.

Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! (15)

Give me a taper;-call up all my people ;-
This accident is not unlike my dream,
Belief of it oppresses me already.
Light, I say, light!

Iago. Farewel; for I must leave you.
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
To be produc'd (as, if I stay, I shall)

Against the Moor. For I do know, the state, However this may gall him with some check, Cannot with safety cast him. For he's embark'd With such loud reason to the Cyprus' wars, Which even now stand in act, that for their souls, Another of his fadom they have none,

To lead their business. In which regard,

(15) Strike on the tinder. This is referable to the sparks of light scattered over Brabantio's person, as the taper is to the likeness of a candle and candlestick, formed, near his hand, by the streaks of light on the shoulders of Cassio.

Though I do hate him as I do hell's pains,
Yet, for necessity of present life,

I must shew out a flag and sign of love: [find him,
(Which is, indeed, but sign.) That you may surely
Lead to the Sagittary the raised search; (16)
And there will I be with him. So, farewel. [Exit.

(16) The constellation of the Sagittary is well known to be a Centaur; and if the north side of the moon be placed on the left hand, the shadows that compose the person of Othello, (fig. 98,) may be fancied to resemble such an imaginary animal, with its face, (which is the same as Orsin's in Hudibras, fig 15,) to the left, as drawn in

Fig. 99.

Enter BRABANTIO, and Servants with lighted

Torches.

Bra. It is too true an evil.

Gone she is ;

And what's to come of my despised time,
Is nought but bitterness. Now, Rodorigo,
Where didst thou see her? Oh unhappy girl!
With the Moor, saidst thou? who would be a father?
How didst thou know'twas she? oh, she deceives me,
Past thought-What said she to you? get more
tapers.

Raise all my kindred-are they married think you?
Rod. Truly, I think, they are.

Bra. Oh heaven! how gat she out! Oh treason of my blood!

[minds, Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters' By what you see them act. Are there not charms, By which the property of youth and maidhood May be abused? have you not read, Rodrigo, Of some such thing?

Rod. Yes, Sir, I have, indeed.

[had her.

Bra. Call up my brother. Oh, 'would you had Some one way, some another-Do you know Where we may apprehend her and the Moor?

Rod. I think I can discover him, if you please To get good guard, and go along with me.

Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call, I may command at most; get weapons, hoa!

« السابقةمتابعة »