Witness, that here Iago doth give up 5 The execution of his wit, hands, heart, To wrong'd Othello's service. Let him command, What bloody work soe'er °. Oth. I greet thy love, Not with vain thanks, but with acceptance bounteous, Within these three days let me hear thee say, That Cassio's not alive. Iago. My friend is dead: 'tis done at your request; But let her live. Oth. Damn her, lewd minx! Oh, damn her! Come, go with me apart; I will withdraw, To furnish me with some swift means of death For the fair devil. Now art thou my lieutenant. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The Same. Enter DESDEMONA, EMILIA, and Clown. Des. Do you know, sirrah, where the lieutenant Cassio lies ? Clo. I dare not say he lies any where. Des. Why, man? Clo. He is a soldier'; and for one to say a soldier lies, is stabbing. Des. Go to. Where lodges he? Clo. To tell you where he lodges, is to tell you where I lie. Des. Can any thing be made of this? Clo. I know not where he lodges; and for me to devise a 5 The EXECUTION] The 4to, 1622, alone reads, “The excellency." Iago, of course, means the execution of what his wit, &c. can accomplish. What bloody WORK SOE'ER.] The folio reads, "What bloody business ever,” and lower down it repeats damn her, to the injury of the line, but, perhaps, with greater emphasis. 7 He is a soldier; &c.] In the 4to, 1622, this speech is made part of Desdemona's question. 8 Can any thing be made of this?] This and the preceding speech are not in the 4to, 1622. 9 lodging, and say, he lies here, or he lies there, were to lie in mine own throat. Des. Can you inquire him out, and be edified by report? Clo. I will catechize the world for him; that is, make questions, and by them answer. Des. Seek him; bid him come hither: tell him, I have moved my lord in his behalf, and hope all will be well. Clo. To do this is within the compass of man's wit; and therefore I will attempt the doing it. [Exit. Des. Where should I lose that handkerchief, Emilia ? Des. Believe me, I had rather have lost my purse Is true of mind, and made of no such baseness As jealous creatures are, it were enough To put him to ill thinking. Emil. Is he not jealous? Des. Who? he! I think the sun, where he was born, Drew all such humours from him. Emil. Look, where he comes. Enter OTHELLO. Des. I will not leave him now, till Cassio Be call'd to him.-How is't with you, my lord? Oth. Well, my good lady.-[Aside.] Oh, hardness to dissemble! How do you, Desdemona ? Des. Well, my good lord. Oth. Give me your hand. This hand is moist, my lady. Des. It yet has felt no age', nor known no sorrow. Oth. This argues fruitfulness, and liberal heart. Hot, hot and moist: this hand of your's requires A sequester from liberty, fasting and praying3, Much castigation, exercise devout; 9 - he lies here, or] These words are only in the folio: there are other smaller variations in this part of the scene. 1 — cruzadoes;] A Portuguese gold coin, so called from the cross stamped upon it. Our text of the preceding line is that of the folio: the 4tos. have it, "Believe me, I had rather lose my purse." 2 It YET has felt no age,] The folio omits "yet" to the injury of the line; but it is inserted in MS. in the corr. fo. 1632. 3 fasting and PRAYING,] Our reading is that of the two 4tos: the folio has "fasting and prayer.” VOL. VI. G For here's a young and sweating devil here, Des. You may, indeed, say so; Oth. A liberal hand: the hearts of old gave hands, Des. I cannot speak of this. Oth. What promise, chuck? Come now, your promise. Des. I have sent to bid Cassio come speak with you. Oth. I have a salt and sullen rheum* offends me: Lend me thy handkerchief. Des. Oth. That which I gave you. Here, my lord. Did an Egyptian to my mother give; She was a charmer', and could almost read The thoughts of people: she told her, while she kept it, "Twould make her amiable, and subdue my father Entirely to her love; but if she lost it, Or made a gift of it, my father's eye Should hold her loathed, and his spirits should hunt Des. Is't possible? 4 and SULLEN rheum] "Sullen" is the epithet in both the 4tos: the folio changes it to sorry. Perhaps the poet's word was sudden, to which it is altered in the corr. fo. 1632. The same emendation, and on the same authority, is proposed in "King John," A. i. sc. 1, Vol. iv. p. 126. 3 She was a CHARMER,] i. e. An enchantress, or compounder of charms, a word in frequent use in Shakespeare's age. 6 Entirely to her love; but if she lost it,] In the 4to, 1622, between p. 56, and p. 57 (for both it and the 4to, 1630, are paged, a rather unusual circumstance), this line is accidentally repeated. 7 - would have me wIVE,] The folio, only, has wiv'd for "wive:" lower down it has "to lose 't." Two lines above for "loathed" of the folio, and 4to, 1630, the 4to, 1622, has loathly. Oth. 'Tis true: there's magic in the web of it. A sibyl, that had number'd in the world The sun to course two hundred compasses, The worms were hallow'd that did breed the silk, Des. Indeed! is't true? Oth. Most veritable; therefore look to't well. Des. Then, would to heaven that I had never seen it! Des. Why do you speak so startingly and rash? Oth. Is't lost? is't gone? speak, is it out o' the way? Des. It is not lost; but what an if it were ? Oth. How? Des. I say, it is not lost. Oth. Fetch't, let me see't. Des. Why, so I can, sir; but I will not now. This is a trick, to put me from my suit: I pray, let Cassio be receiv'd again. Oth. Fetch me that handkerchief: my mind misgives. Des. Come, come; A man that, all his time, Hath founded his good fortunes on your love; Shar'd dangers with you ; Oth. The handkerchief, Des. In sooth, you are to blame. 8 The sun to COURSE] reads "The sun to make." [Exit OTHELLO. The word in the folio, and 4to, 1630: the 4to, 1622, * CONSERV'D of maidens' hearts.] The 4to, 1622, alone and corruptly, “with the skilful conserves of maidens' hearts." 1 The handkerchief,] This iteration by Othello, and "I pray, talk me of Cassio," preceding it, are only in the 4to, 1622. 2 AWAY! In the 4to, 1622, Othello makes his exit with "Zounds!" to which probably the Master of the Revels objected, as well as to "In faith" in the preceding line, which is altered in the folio to "In sooth." The 4to, 1630, agrees with the folio in these respects. Emil. Is not this man jealous? Des. I ne'er saw this before. Sure, there's some wonder in this handkerchief: Emil. 'Tis not a year or two shows us a man: Enter IAGO and CASSIO. Look you! Cassio, and my husband. Iago. There is no other way; 'tis she must do't: And, lo, the happiness! go, and importune her. Des. How now, good Cassio! what's the news with you? Cas. Madam, my former suit. I do beseech you, That by your virtuous means I may again Exist, and be a member of his love, Whom I, with all the office of my heart, Can ransom me into his love again, But to know so must be my benefit; Des. Alas! thrice-gentle Cassio, My advocation is not now in tune : My lord is not my lord; nor should I know him, Were he in favour, as in humour, alter'd. So help me every spirit sanctified, 3 with all the OFFICE of my heart,] In the 4to, 1622, only, "with all the duty of my heart." And SHUT myself UP IN some other course, To fortune's alms.] The folio, 1623, and the 4to, 1630, agree in this reading, while the 4to, 1622, has shoot for "shut." The commentators have been at a difficulty about the meaning, which however seems sufficiently clear to induce us not to disturb the text. We formerly suggested that " And set myself upon some other course may have been the true lection; but the corr. fo. 1632 tells us to put it, "And shift myself upon some other course." This is plausible, but we make no change, because it is by no means imperatively called for. |