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told thee often, and I re-tell thee again and again, I hate the Moor: my cause is hearted; thine hath no less reason. us be conjunctive in our revenge against him: if thou canst cuckold him, thou dost thyself a pleasure, me a sport. There are many events in the womb of time, which will be delivered. Traverse; go; provide thy money. We will have more of this to-morrow. Adieu.

Rod. Where shall we meet i' the morning?

Iago. At my lodging.

Rod. I'll be with thee betimes.

Iago. Go to; farewell. Do you hear, Roderigo '?
Rod. What say you?

Iago. No more of drowning, do you hear.

Rod. I am changed. I'll sell all my land.

Iago. Go to; farewell: put money enough in your purse.

[Exit RODERIGO.

Thus do I ever make my fool my purse;
For I mine own gain'd knowledge should profane,
If I would time expend with such a snipe,
But for my sport and profit.-I hate the Moor;
And it is thought abroad, that 'twixt my sheets
He has done my office: I know not if't be true;
Yet I, for mere suspicion in that kind,
Will do as if for surety. He holds me well;
The better shall my purpose work on him.
Cassio's a proper man: let me see now;
To get his place, and to plume up my will
In double knavery,-How, how?-Let's see.-
After some time, to abuse Othello's ear,
That he is too familiar with his wife:
He hath a person, and a smooth dispose,
To be suspected; fram'd to make women false.
The Moor is of a free and open nature,
That thinks men honest, that but seem to be so,
And will as tenderly be led by the nose,

As asses are.

I have't;-it is engender'd:-hell and night

Must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light. [Exit.

Do you hear, Roderigo?] With the words, "I'll sell all my land," according to the folio, Roderigo makes his exit, and Iago begins his soliloquy, "Thus do I ever," &c. The 4to, 1622, prolongs the dialogue a little, as in our text; but that of 1630 omits Iago's observation, "Go to; farewell: put money enough in your purse."

ACT II. SCENE I.

A Sea-port Town in Cyprus. A Platform.

Enter MONTANO' and two Gentlemen.

Mon. What from the cape can you

discern at sea ?

1 Gent. Nothing at all: it is a high-wrought flood; I cannot, 'twixt the heaven and the main", Descry a sail.

Mon. Methinks, the wind hath spoke aloud at land; A fuller blast ne'er shook our battlements:

If it hath ruffian'd so upon the sea,

What ribs of oak, when mountains melt on them",
Can hold the mortise? what shall we hear of this?
2 Gent. A segregation of the Turkish fleet:

For do but stand upon the foaming shore',
The chidden billow seems to pelt the clouds;

The wind-shak'd surge, with high and monstrous mane,
Seems to cast water on the burning bear,

And quench the guards of th' ever-fixed pole.

I never did like molestation view

On the enchafed flood.

Mon.

If that the Turkish fleet

Be not inshelter'd and embay'd, they are drown'd;
It is impossible to bear it out'.

7 Enter Montano] Steevens makes a doubt what rank Montano held in Cyprus. Here, in the stage-direction of both the 4tos, he is called "Governor of Cyprus," as well as in the list of characters at the end of the tragedy in the folio.

8 I cannot, 'twixt the HEAVEN and the main,] This reading is supported, not only by the folio, but (as none of the commentators remarked) by the 4to, 1630, in the preparation and printing of which considerable pains seem to have been taken. Malone, merely on the authority of the 4to, 1622, would persuade us to read haven for "heaven."

9

when mountains melt on them.] This is the reading of the folio, and of the 4to, 1630: the 4to, 1622, has "when the huge mountain melt."

1

the FOAMING shore,] So the folio, and the 4to, 1630: the 4to, 1622, has banning for " foaming;" probably a mere misprint. In the next line the folio has "chidden billow" for "chiding billow" of the 4tos. Southern, in his folio, 1685, corrected main to "mane" in the next line.

2 It is impossible To bear it out.] Perhaps the lection of the 4to, 1622, may be preferable," they bear it out," for "they should bear it out;" but that of the folio is seconded by the 4to, 1630.

Enter a third Gentleman.

3 Gent. News, lads! our wars are done.

The desperate tempest hath so bang'd the Turks,
That their designment halts: a noble ship of Venice
Hath seen a grievous wreck and sufferance

On most part of their fleet.

Mon. How! is this true? 3 Gent.

A Veronesé, Michael Cassio',

The ship is here put in:

Lieutenant to the warlike Moor, Othello,
Is come on shore: the Moor himself's at sea,
And is in full commission here for Cyprus.

Mon. I am glad on't; 'tis a worthy governor.

3 Gent. But this same Cassio, though he speak of comfort, Touching the Turkish loss, yet he looks sadly,

And prays the Moor be safe; for they were parted
With foul and violent tempest.

Mon.

Pray heaven he be;

For I have serv'd him, and the man commands
Like a full soldier. Let's to the sea-side, ho!
As well to see the vessel that's come in,

As to throw out our eyes for brave Othello,
Even till we make the main, and th' aerial blue,
An indistinct regard'.

3 Gent.

Come, let's do so;

For every minute is expectancy

Of more arrivance.

Enter CASSIO.

Cas. Thanks you, the valiant of the warlike isle,

3A VERONESE, Michael Cassio.] In the two 4tos, it is printed, "A Veronessa," and in the folio, "A Verenessa." Our punctuation is that of all the old copies, which make the third Gentleman call Cassio a "Veronesé," when in fact he was a Florentine. Malone would have "A Veronesé" apply to the ship, as if it belonged to, and had been fitted out by, Verona, an inland town, the property of the state of Venice. The third Gentleman has already said that the ship was "of Venice," and it is not likely that he would assert just afterwards that she was "a Veronesé :" it seems much more probable that he would by mistake call Cassio, whom he did not know, "a Veronesé."

• An indistinct regard.] This hemistich and the preceding line are in the folio, and in the 4to, 1630, but not in that of 1622.

Thanks you, the valiant of THE WARLIKE isle,] Here we adopt the text of the folio, because both the 4tos. appear to be wrong: that of 1622 has it, “Thanks to the valiant of this worthy isle;” and that of 1630 omits worthy.

That so approve the Moor.-Oh! let the heavens
Give him defence against the elements,

For I have lost him on a dangerous sea.

Mon. Is he well shipp'd?

Cas. His bark is stoutly timber'd, and his pilot
Of very expert and approv'd allowance;
Therefore my hopes, not surfeited to death,
Stand in bold cure.

[Within.]

A sail, a sail, a sail!

Cas. What noise?

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. The town is empty; on the brow o' the sea
Stand ranks of people, and they cry, "a sail."
Cas. My hopes do shape him for the governor.

[Guns heard.

2 Gent. They do discharge their shot of courtesy: Our friends, at least.

Cas.

I pray you, sir, go forth, And give us truth who 'tis that is arriv'd.

2 Gent. I shall.

Mon. But, good lieutenant, is your general wiv'd? Cas. Most fortunately: he hath achiev'd a maid, That paragons description, and wild fame;

One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens',

And in th' essential vesture of creation,

Does bear all excellency'.-How now? who has put in?

Re-enter Second Gentleman.

2 Gent. 'Tis one Iago, ancient to the general.
Cas. He has had most favourable and happy speed:
Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,
The gutter'd rocks, and congregated sands,
Traitors ensteep'd to clog the guiltless keel,

[Exit.

6 - not surfeited to death,] The meaning seems to be, that Cassio's hopes are not destroyed by constant repetition and disappointment. The passage has occasioned much dispute.

7 One that excels the QUIRKS OF blazoning pens,] The 4to, 1622, omits the words "quirks of."

8 Does bear all EXCELLENCY.]

The folio reads, "Does tire the ingeniuer,"

which has been taken for inginer. Our text is that, not only of the 4to, 1622, but of the 4to, 1630, which often agrees with the folio, sometimes with the 4to, 1622, and now and then with neither.

9 Traitors ENSTEEP'D to CLOG] The 4to, 1622, by a mere misprint, no doubt,

As having sense of beauty, do omit

Their mortal natures, letting go safely by

The divine Desdemona.

[blocks in formation]

Cas. She that I spake of, our great captain's captain, Left in the conduct of the bold Iago;

Whose footing here anticipates our thoughts,

A se'nnight's speed.-Great Jove! Othello guard,
And swell his sail with thine own powerful breath,
That he may bless this bay with his tall ship,
Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms',
Give renew'd fire to our extincted spirits,
And bring all Cyprus comfort.-Oh, behold!

Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, IAGO, RODERIGO, and Attendants.

The riches of the ship is come on shore.

Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.-
Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,
Before, behind thee, and on every hand,

Enwheel thee round!

Des.
I thank you, valiant Cassio.
What tidings can you tell me of my lord?
Cas. He is not yet arriv'd: nor know I aught
But that he's well, and will be shortly here.

Des. Oh! but I fear.-How lost you company?
Cas. The great contention of the sea and skies
Parted our fellowship.

[Within.]

Cas. But, hark! a sail.

A sail, a sail!

[Guns heard.

2 Gent. They give their greeting to the citadel: This likewise is a friend.

Cas.

See for the news:

[Exit Gentleman.

has enscerp'd for "ensteep'd:" both 4tos. have "clog" for enclog of the folio. Two lines lower, the 4to, 1622, has "common natures " for "mortal natures." 1 Make love's quick pants in Desdemona's arms,] So the folio: the 4tos, "And swiftly come to Desdemona's arms." In the next line but one, "And bring all Cyprus comfort" is only in the 4tos, but evidently necessary for the verse ending with "Oh, behold!"

2 What tidings can you tell ME of my lord?] The folio, 1623, omits "me," necessary to the measure, and found in every older copy. It was added in the folio, 1632.

3 See for the news:] Thus the folio, and the 4to, 1630: the earlier 4to, "So speaks this voice," with reference, probably, to the guns heard.

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