Who having, by their own importunate suit Oth. Hath he said any thing? Iago. He hath, my lord; but be you well assur'd, No more than he'll unswear. Oth. What hath he said? Iago. 'Faith, that he did,-I know not what he lago. With her, on her; what you will. Oth. Lie with her! lie on her!-We say, lie on her, when they belie her: Lie with her! that's fulsome.- Handkerchief,-confessions,-handkerchief. To confess, and be hanged' for his labour. -First, to be hanged, and then to confess:-I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion, without some instruction. It is not words, that shake me thus:-Pish! Convinced or supplied them,] Dr. Farmer is of opinion that supplied has here the same meaning as supplicated. But Mr. Steevens says that Supplied is the old spelling of suppled, i. e. softened. 7 8 To confess, and be hanged-] This is a proverbial saying. without some instruction.] Othello alludes to Cassio's dream, which had been invented and told him by Iago. When many confused and very interesting ideas pour in upon the mind all at once, and with such rapidity that it has not time to shape or digest them, if it does not relieve itself by tears (which we know it often does, whether for joy or grief) it produces stupefaction and fainting. Othello, in broken sentences and single words, all of which have a reference to the cause of his jealousy, shows, that all the proofs are present at once to his mind, which so over-powers it, that he falls into a trance, the natural consequence. SIR J. REYNOLDS. Noses, ears, and lips :-Is it possible?-Confess!Handkerchief!-O devil!— [Falls in a Trance. Iago. Work on, My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught; And many worthy and chaste dames, even thus, Enter CASSIO. My lord, I say! Othello!-How now, Cassio? Iago. My lord is fallen into an epilepsy; Iago. No, forbear: The lethargy must have his quiet course: If not, he foams at mouth; and, by and by, Breaks out to savage madness. Look, he stirs : Do you withdraw yourself a little while, He will recover straight; when he is gone, I would on great occasion speak with you. [Exit CASSIO. How is it, general? have you not hurt Oth. Dost thou mock me? your head? Iago. I mock you! no, by heaven: 'Would, you would bear your fortunes like a man. Oth. A horned man's a monster, and a beast. Iago. There's many a beast then in a populous city, And many a civil monster. Oth. Did he confess it? Good sir, be a man: Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yok'd, 9 in those unproper beds,] Unproper, for common. Which they dare swear peculiar; your case is better. And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know; Iago. Stand you awhile apart; Confine yourself but in a patient list.2 Whilst you were here, ere while mad with your grief, (A passion most unsuiting such a man,) Bade him anon return, and here speak with me; I say, but mark his gesture. Marry, patience; Oth. Dost thou hear, Iago? I will be found most cunning in my patience; Iago. That's not amiss; [OTHELLO withdraws. Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, A housewife, that, by selling her desires, Buys herself bread and clothes: it is a creature, 1 in a secure couch,] In a couch in which he is lulled into a false security and confidence in his wife's virtue. 2 Keep your tem list.] List, or lists, is barriers, bounds. per, says Iago, within the bounds of patience. encave yourself,] Hide yourself in a private place. 3 That dotes on Cassio,-as 'tis the strumpet's plague, Re-enter CASSIO. As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad; Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure of't. Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power, How quickly should you speed? Cas. [Speaking lower. Alas, poor caitiff! Oth. Look, how he laughs already! [Aside. Iago. I never knew a woman love man so. me. Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs it out. Iago. Do you hear, Cassio? [Aside. Oth. Now he importunes him To tell it o'er: Go to; well said, well said. [Aside. Iago. She gives it out, that you shall marry her: Do you intend it? Cas. Ha, ha, ha! Oth. Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph?5 [Aside. And his unbookish jealousy-] Unbookish, for ignorant. Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph?] Othello calls him Roman ironically. Triumph, which was a Roman ceremony, brought Roman into his thoughts. What (says he) you are now triumphing as great as a Roman? JOHNSON. Cas. I marry her!-what? a customer!" I pr'ythee, bear some charity to my wit; do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha! Oth. So, so, so, so: They laugh that win. [Aside. Iago. 'Faith, the cry goes, that you shall marry her. Cas. Pr'ythee, say true. Iago. I am a very villain else. Oth. Have you scored me?" Well. [Aside. Cas. This is the monkey's own giving out: she is persuaded I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise. Oth. Iago beckons me; now he begins the story. [Aside. Cas. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was, the other day, talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes this bauble; by this hand, she falls thus about my neck; Oth. Crying, O dear Cassio! as it were: his gesture imports it. [Aside. Cas. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; so hales, and pulls me: ha, ha, ha! Oth. Now he tells, how she plucked him to my chamber: O, I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall throw it to. Cas. Well, I must leave her company. Enter BIANCA. [Aside. Cas. "Tis such another fitchew! marry, a per custom. a customer!] A common woman, one that invites 7 Have you scored me?] Have you made my reckoning? have you settled the term of my life? The old quarto reads-stored me? Have you disposed of me? have you laid me up? |