صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[blocks in formation]

Officers, Gentlemen, Meffengers, Muficians, Sailors, and Attendants.

SCENE, for the firft Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, in Cyprus.

[blocks in formation]

Enter Roderigo, and lago.

EVER tell me :--I take it much
kindly,

That thou, Iago,-who haft had my purse,

Evades them, with a bombaft circumstance,
Horribly ftuff'd with epithets of war;
And, in conclufion,

Non-fuits my mediators; for, certes2, fays he,
I have ali tady chofen my officer.
And what was he?

un-Forfooth, a great arithmetician,

One Michael Caffio, a Florentine,

A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife 3;

As if the ftrings were thine,-fhouldft know of That never fet a fquadron in the field,

this.

[blocks in formation]

Nor the divifion of a battle knows
More than a fpinfter; unless the bookish theoric4,
Wherein the toged confuls 5 can propofe
As matterly as he: mere prattle, without practice,
Is all his foldiership. But he, fir, had the election:
And I,-of whom his eyes had feen the proof,
At Rhodes, at Cyprus; and on other grounds
Chrittian and heathen, must be be-lee'd and calm'd
By debtor and creditor, this counter-cafter ;
He, in good time, muft his lieutenant be,

3 On

[ocr errors]

The ftory is taken from Cynthio's Novels. 2 i. e. certainly, in truth. Obsolete. thefe lines Dr. Johnson obferves, "This is one of the pailages which muft for the prefent be refigned to corruption and obfcurity. I have nothing that I can, with any approach to confidence, propofe.' Mr. Tyrwhitt ingenioufly propoles to read, "damn'd in a fair life;" and is of opinion, that Shakspeare alludes to the judgment denounced in the gospel against thofe of whom all men speak well." He adds, that "the character of Callio 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 Shakipcare has thought it proper to make Tago, in feveral other paffages, bear his testimony to the amiable qualities of his rival." 4 Theoric, for theory. 5 Confuls, for counfeilors. • It was anciently the practice to reck up fums with counters.

[ocr errors][merged small]

And I, fir, (blefs the mark!) his Moor-fhip's Is fpy'd in populous cities.

[blocks in formation]

To love the Moor 3.

Rod. I would not follow him then.
Iago. O, fir, content you;

I follow him to ferve my turn upon him:
We cannot all be mafters, nor all masters
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,
That, doting on his own obfequious bondage,
Wears out his time, much like his master's aís,
For nought but provender, and, when he's old,
cafhier'd;

Whip me fuch honeft knaves 4: Others there are,
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves;
And, throwing but shows of fervice on their lords,
Do well thrive by them, and, when they have lin'd
their coats,

[foul;

Rod. What ho! Brabantio! fignior Brabantio,
ho!
[thieves!

Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves!
Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags!
Thieves thieves!

Brabantin, above, at a windra.

Bra. What is the reafon of this terrible fummops?
What is the matter there?

Red. Signior, is all your family within?
Jago. Are your doors lock'd?

Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this?
Iago. Sir, you are robb'd; for fhame, put on

your gown;

Your heart is burit, you have loft half your foul;
Even now, very now, an old black ram
Is tupping your white ewe. Arife, arife;
Awake the inorting citizens with the bell,
Or elfe the devil will make a grandfire of you;
Arife, I fay,

Bra. What, have you loft your wits?
Rod. Most reverend fignior, do you know my
voice?

Bra. Not I; What are you?
Red. My name is-Roderigo.
Bra. The worfe welcome :

Do themselves homage: these fellows have fome I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my doors And fuch a one do 1 profefs myfelf.

For, fir,

It is as fure as you are Foderigo,

Were I the Moor, I would not be Iago :
In following him, I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But feeming fo, for my peculiar end:
For when my outward action doth demonftrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my fleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
Rod. What a full fortune does the thick lips
If he can carry 't thus !

[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,

In honeft plainness thou haft heard me fay,
My daughter is not for thee: and now, in madness,
Being full of fupper, and distempering dranghts,
Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come
To start my quiet.

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.

[Venice:

Rod. Patience, good fir.
Bra. What telift thou me of robbing? this is
My houfe is not a grange 7,

Red. Moft grave Brabantio,
In fimple and pure foul I come to you.

lage. Sir, you are one of thofe, that will not ferve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service, you think we are ruffians: You'll have your daughter cover'd with a Barbary

Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy, horfe; you'll have your nephews neigh to you:
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. lugo. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell,

As when, by night and negligence, the fire

you'll have courfers for coufins, and gennets 9 for

germans.

[blocks in formation]

It has been obferved, that the Scots, when they compare person to person, use this exclamation. 2 i. e. by recommendation from powerful friends. 3 The meaning is, Do I ftand within any fuch terms of propinquity or relation to the Moor, as that it is my duty to love him? 4 Knate is here ufed for fervant, but with a mixture of fly contempt. 5 Full fortune may meansa complete piece of good fortune. To owe is in ancient language, to own, to policis. 6 i. e. broken. 7 That is, "You are in a populous city, not in a lone houfe, where a robbery might easily be committed," Grange is ftrictly and properly the farm of a monaftery, where the religious repofited their corn. But in Lincolnshire, and in other northern counties, they call every lone houfe, or farm which stands folitary, a grange. 8 Nephew, in this inftance, has the power of the Latin word nepos, and fignifies a grandfon, or any lineal defcendant, however remote. 9 A jennet is a Spanish horfe. 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.

Bra

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors]

Bra. Thou art a villain.

Lago. You are-a fenator.
Bra. This thou fhalt anfwer; I
Rod. Sir, I will aufwer any thing.

feech you,

[How did't thou know 'twas the ?-O, thou de-
ceiv'it me

[Roderigo.
know thee, Paft thought!-What faid the to you?-Get more
But I be-
tapers;

If 't be your pleasure, and most wife confent,
(As partly, I find, it is) that your fair daughter,
At this odd even and dull watch o' the night,
Tranfported-with no worfe nor better guard,
But with a knave of common hire, a gondalier,
To the grofs clafps of a lafcivious Moor :---
If this be known to you, and your allowance,
We then have done you bold and faucy wrongs;
But, if you know not this, my manners tell me,
We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe,

That from the fenfe of all civility,

I thus would play and trifle with your reverence:

Raife all my kindred.-Are they marry'd, think you?

Rod. Truly, I think, they are.

Bra. O heaven!-how got the out?—O treafon
of the blood!-

Fathers, from hence truft 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!

Your daughter, if you have not given her leave, Some one way, fome another.-Do you know

I fay again, hath made a grofs revolt;

Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes,
To an extravagant 2 and wheeling ftranger,

Of here and every where: Straight fatisfy yourself :|

If the be in her chamber, or your houfe,

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

Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho!

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

[ocr errors]

Iago. Farewell; for I must leave you :
It seems not meet, nor wholefome to my place,
To be produc'd (as, if I ftay, 1 fhall)

[blocks in formation]

Enter Othello, Iago, and Attendants.
Iago. Though in the trade of war I have flain men,
Yet do I hold it very ftuff" o' the confcience

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,-
Cannot with fafety caft 3 him; for he's embark'd
With fuch loud reafon to the Cyprus' war,
(Which even now stands in act)that, for their fouls,
Another of his fathom they have not,
To lead their bufinefs: in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell pains,
Yet, for neceffity of prefent life,

I must shew out a flag and fign of love,

Sometimes to do me fervice: Nine or ten times
I had thought to have jerk'd him here under the
ribs.

Oth. 'Tis better as it is.

lago. Nay, but he prated,

And spoke fuch scurvy and provoking terms
Against your honour,

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,

[blocks in formation]

That the magnifico 7 is much belov'd;
And hath, in his effect, a voice potential

As double as the duke's: he will divorce you;
Or put upon you what restraint and grievance
The law (with all his might to enforce it on)
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 boafting 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 ftrange, uncouth, or unwonted; and as it is oppofed to even, but acknowledges that the expreflion is very harth. travagant is here ufed in the fignification of wandering. 3 That is, difmifs him; reject him. 4 Defpifed time, is time of no value. 5 i. e. by which the faculties of a young virgin may be infatu ated, 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 ailembly has a double voice. For example: the lord mayor in the court of aldermen has a double voice.

Xxx 3

From

From men of royal fiege; and my demerits 2
May peak, unbonnetted 3, to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: For know, Lago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoufed
Put into circumfcription and confine
For the fea's worth.

come yonder?

free condition

Ba. Down with him, thief!

[They draw on both fides. Jaga. You, Roderigo! come, fir, I am for you. Oth. Keep up your bright words, for the dew

will ruft them.

Good fignior, you fhali more command with years,

But, look! what lights Than with your weapons.

Enter Cafio, with others.

Bra. O thou foul thief! where haft thou ftow'd my daughter?

Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her:

Ingo. Thefe are the raised father, and his friends; For I'll refer me to all things of fenfe,

You were best go in.

Oth. Not I: I must be found;

My parts, my title, and my perfect foul,
Shall manifeft me rightly. Is it they?

Iago. By Janus, I think no.

If the in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid-fo tender, fair, and happy,
So oppofite to marriage, that the thunn'd
The wealthy curled 10 darlings of our nation,➡
Would ever have, to incur a general mock,

Orb. The fervants of the duke, and my lieutenant.Run from her guardage to the footy bolom
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-hatte appearance,

[blocks in formation]

1 i. c. men who have fat upon royal thrones.

OF fuch a thing as thou; to fear 11, not to delight.
Judge me the world, if 'tis not grofs in fenfe,
That thou haft practis'd on her with foul charms;
Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs, or minerals,
That weaken motion12 :--I'll have it disputed on;
Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.
I therefore apprehend and do attach thee,
For an abufer of the world, a practifer
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant ;—
Lay hold upon him; if he do refit,
Subdue Lim at his peril.

Oth. Hold your hands,

Both you of my inclining, and the rest:
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it
Without a prompter.-Where will you that I g●
To answer this your charge?

Bra. To prifon; 'till fit time
Of law, and course of direct feifion,
Call thee to answer.

Oth. What if I do obey?

How may the duke be therewith fatisfied;
Whofe mefiengers are here about my fide,
Upon fome prefent butinefs of the state,
To bring me to him?

Of. 'Tis true, moft worthy fignior,
The duke's in council; and your noble self,
I am fure, is fent for.

Bra. How! the duke in council !
In this time of the night Bring him away;
Mine's not an idle caufe: the duke himself,

Or any of my brothers of the state,

Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own!
For if fuch actions may have paflage free,
Bond-flaves, and Pagans, fhall our statesmen be.

[Exeunt

2 Demerits here has the fame meaning as merits. 3 i. e. without taking the cap off. 4 i. e. free from domestic cares: a thought natural to an ad-venturer. 5 Confuls feems to have been commonly used tor counsellors, as before in this play. Quests are fearches. 7 A carrack is a fhip of great bulk, and commonly of great value; perhaps what we now call a galleon. 8 This expreffion denotes readiness. 9 i. e. be cautious; be dif 12 Theobald pro10 Curled is elegantly and oftentatiously dreffed. 11 i. c. to terrify.

creet.

pofes, and we think juftly, to read, "That weaken notion, inftead of motion. i. e. that weaken her 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 obferved, that Motion in a fubfequent fcene of this play is used in the very fenfe in which Hanmer would employ it : we have reafon to cool our raging motions, our carnal ftings, our unbitted lufts.”

64 But

SCENE

1

[blocks in formation]

Duke and Senators, fitting.

Duke. There is no compofition in these news, That gives them credit.

1 Sen. Indeed, they are difproportion'd ;
My letters fay, a hundred and seven gallies.
Duke. And mine, a hundred and forty.
2 Sen. And mine, two hundred :

But though they jump not on a just account,
(As in these cafes where they aim 2 reports
'Tis oft with difference) yet do they all confirm
A Turkish fleet, and bearing up to Cyprus.
Duke. Nay, it is poffible enough to judgment;
I do not fo fecure me in the error,
But the main article I do approve
In fearful fenfe.

Sailor within.] What ho! what ho! what ho!
Enter an Officer, with a Sailor.

Offi. A messenger from the gallies.
Duke. Now? the bufinefs?

Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes;
So was I bid report here to the state,
By fignior Angelo.

Duke. How fay you by this change?
1 Sen. This cannot be,

By no affay of reafon; 'tis a pageant,

To keep us in falfe gaze : When we confider
The importancy of Cyprus to the Turk;
And let ourselves again but understand,
That, as it more concerns the Turk than Rhodes,
So may he with more facile question 3 bear it,
For that it ftands not in fuch warlike brace 4,
But altogether lacks the abilities

That Rhodes is dreffed in:-if we make thought of this,

We must not think the Turk is fo unfkilful,
To leave that lateft, which concerns him first;
Neglecting an attempt of ease, and gain,
To wake, and wage 5, a danger profitless.
Duke. Nay, in all confidence, he's not for Rhodes.
Offi. Here is more news.

Enter a Messenger.

Mef. The Ottomites, reverend and gracious, Steering with due course toward the ifle of Rhodes, Have there injointed them with an after-fleet.

I Sen. Ay, fo I thought :-How many, as you guefs?

Mef. Of thirty fail: and now they do re-stem Their backward courfe, bearing with frank appearance

Their purposes toward Cyprus. Signior Montano,
Your trufty and most valiant fervitor,
With his free duty, recommends you thas,
And prays you to believe him.

Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus.-
Marcus Lucchefe, is not he in town?

1 Sen. He's now in Florence.

[blocks in formation]

Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul proceeding,

Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself,
And you of her, the bloody book of law
You fhall yourself read in the bitter letter,
After your own fenfe; yea, though our proper fon
Stood in your action 6.

Bra. Humbly I thank your grace.
Here is the man, this Moor; whom now, it seems,
Your fpecial mandate, for the state affairs,
Hath hither brought.

All. We are very forry for it.

Duke. What, in your own part, can you fay to this? [To Othello.

Bra. Nothing, but this is fo.

Oth. Moft potent, grave, and reverend figniors, My very noble and approv'd good masters,— That I have ta'en away this old man's daughter, It is moft true; true, I have married her; The very head and front of my offending Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech, And little bleft with the set phrase of peace; For fince these arms of mine had seven years pith, 'Till now, fome nine moons wafted, they have us'd Their dearest 7 action in the tented field; And little of this great world can I speak, More than pertains to feats of broil and battle; And therefore little fhall I grace my cause, In fpeaking for myself: Yet, by your gracious patience,

I will a round unvarnish'd tale deliver

Compofition, for confiftency, concordancy. 2 To atm is to conjecture. deavour. 4 i. e. State of defence. To arm was called to brace on the armour. in many other places in Shakspeare, fignifies to fight, to combat.

3 i. e. more cafy en

5 To wage here, as 6 i. e. were the man expofed

to your charge or accufation. 7 That is, dear for which much is paid, whether money or labours Dear action, is action performed at great expence, either of ease or fafety.

XXX 4

Of

« السابقةمتابعة »