Officers, Gentlemen, Meffengers, Muficians, Sailors, and Attendants. SCENE, for the firft Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, in Cyprus. Enter Roderigo, and lago. EVER tell me :--I take it much That thou, Iago,-who haft had my purse, Evades them, with a bombaft circumstance, Non-fuits my mediators; for, certes2, fays 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. Nor the divifion of a battle knows 3 On 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. And I, fir, (blefs the mark!) his Moor-fhip's Is fpy'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; Rod. What ho! Brabantio! fignior Brabantio, Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves! Brabantin, above, at a windra. Bra. What is the reafon of this terrible fummops? Red. Signior, is all your family within? Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this? your gown; Your heart is burit, you have loft half your foul; Bra. What, have you loft your wits? Bra. Not I; What are you? 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 : [owe, Iago. Call up her father, In honeft plainness thou haft heard me fay, Rod. Sir, fir, fir, Bra. But thou must needs be fure, My fpirit, and my place, have in them power [Venice: Rod. Patience, good fir. Red. Moft grave Brabantio, 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: 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. 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 Bra. Thou art a villain. Lago. You are-a fenator. feech you, [How did't thou know 'twas the ?-O, thou de- [Roderigo. If 't be your pleasure, and most wife confent, 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 Fathers, from hence truft not your daughters' minds 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, 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 Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! Give me a taper ;-call up all my people:- Iago. Farewell; for I must leave you : Enter Othello, Iago, and Attendants. 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,- I must shew out a flag and fign of love, Sometimes to do me fervice: Nine or ten times 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; Oth. Let him do his fpite : My fervices, which I have done the figniory, 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 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, Iago. By Janus, I think no. If the in chains of magic were not bound, Orb. The fervants of the duke, and my lieutenant.Run from her guardage to the footy bolom Caf. The duke does greet you, general; 1 i. c. men who have fat upon royal thrones. OF fuch a thing as thou; to fear 11, not to delight. Oth. Hold your hands, Both you of my inclining, and the rest: Bra. To prifon; 'till fit time Oth. What if I do obey? How may the duke be therewith fatisfied; Of. 'Tis true, moft worthy fignior, Bra. How! the duke in council ! Or any of my brothers of the state, Cannot but feel this wrong, as 'twere their own! [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 Duke and Senators, fitting. Duke. There is no compofition in these news, That gives them credit. 1 Sen. Indeed, they are difproportion'd ; But though they jump not on a just account, Sailor within.] What ho! what ho! what ho! Offi. A messenger from the gallies. Sail. The Turkish preparation makes for Rhodes; Duke. How fay you by this change? By no affay of reafon; 'tis a pageant, To keep us in falfe gaze : When we confider That Rhodes is dreffed in:-if we make thought of this, We must not think the Turk is fo unfkilful, 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, Duke. 'Tis certain then for Cyprus.- 1 Sen. He's now in Florence. Duke. Whoe'er he be, that, in this foul proceeding, Hath thus beguil'd your daughter of herself, Bra. Humbly I thank your grace. 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 |