I humbly do beseech Oth. I am bound to thee for ever. Iago. I see, this hath a little dash'd your spirits. Oth. Not a jot, not a jot. Iago. Trust me, I fear it has. I hope, you will consider, what is spoke Comes from my love;-But, I do see you are mov'd: 6 I am to pray you, not to strain my speech Oth. I will not. Iago. Should you do so, my lord, My speech should fall into such vile success As my thoughts aim not at. Cassio's my worthy friend: My lord, I see you are mov'd. Oth. No, not much mov'd:— lago. Long live she so! and long live you to think so! Oth. And yet, how nature erring from itself,Iago. Ay, there's the point:-As,—to be bold with you, Not to affect many proposed matches, Of her own clime, complexion, and degree; 7 To grosser issues,] Issues, for conclusions. · a will most rank,] Will, is for wilfulness. It is so used by Ascham. A rank will, is self-will overgrown and exuberant. May fall to match you with her country forms, Oth. Farewell, farewell: If more thou dost perceive, let me know more; [Going. Oth. Why did I marry?—This honest creature, doubtless, Sees and knows more, much more, than he unfolds. Iago. My lord, I would, I might entreat your honour To scan this thing no further; leave it to time: 2 [Exit. Oth. This fellow's of exceeding honesty, You shall by that perceive him and his means:] You shall discover whether he thinks his best means, his most powerful interest, is by the solicitation of your lady. strain his entertainment-] Press hard his re-admission to his pay and office. Entertainment was the military term for admission of soldiers. Fear not my government.] Do not distrust my ability to contain my passion. 2 with a learned spirit,] The construction is, He knows with a learned spirit all qualities of human dealings. 3 If I do prove her haggard,] A haggard hawk, is a wild hawk, a hawk unreclaimed, or irreclaimable. Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings, Enter DESDEMONA and EMILIA. If she be false, O, then heaven mocks itself!— Des. How now, my dear Othello? Your dinner, and the generous islanders By you invited, do attend your presence. Öth. I am to blame. Though that her jesses were my dear heart-strings,] Jesses are short straps of leather tied about the foot of a hawk, by which she is held on the fist. 5 I'd whistle her off, and let her down the wind, To prey at fortune.] The falconers always let fly the hawk against the wind; if she flies with the wind behind her, she seldom returns. If therefore a hawk was for any reason to be dismissed, she was let down the wind, and from that time shifted for herself, and preyed at fortune. 6 7 chamberers- i. e. men of intrigue. —forked plague-] In allusion to a barbed or forked arrow, which, once infixed, cannot be extracted. But perhaps the forked plague is the cuckold's horns. Des. Why is your speech so faint? are you not well? Oth. I have a pain upon my forehead here. Let me but bind it hard, within this hour Oth. Your napkin is too little; [He puts the Handkerchief from him, and it drops. Let it alone. Come, I'll go in with you. [Exeunt ОTH. and DES. Emil. I am glad I have found this napkin; This was her first remembrance from the Moor: My wayward husband hath a hundred times. Woo'd me to steal it: but she so loves the token, (For he conjur'd her, she would ever keep it,) That she reserves it evermore about her, To kiss, and talk to. I'll have the work ta'en out, And give it Iago: What he'll do with it, heaven knows, not I; I nothing, but to please his fantasy. S Enter IAGO. lago. How now! what do you here alone? Iago. To have a foolish wife. 8 I'll have the work ta'en out,] That is, copied. Her first thoughts are, to have a copy made of it for her husband, and restore the original to Desdemona. But the sudden coming in of lago, in a suriy humour, makes her alter her resolution, to please him. Emil. O, is that all? What will you give me now For that same handkerchief? Iago. Emil. What handkerchief? What handkerchief? Why, that the Moor first gave to Desdemona; Emil. No, faith; she let it drop by negligence; And, to the advantage, I, being here, took't up.9 Look, here it is. Iago. A good wench; give it me. Emil. What will you do with it, that you have been so earnest To have me filch it? Iago. Why, what's that to you? [Snatching it. Emil. If it be not for some purpose of import, Give it me again: Poor lady! she'll run mad, When she shall lack it. lago. Be not you known of't;' I have use for it. Go, leave me. Exit EMILIA. I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin, Burn like the mines of sulphur.-I did say so: it up. to the advantage, &c.] I being opportunely here, took Be not you known of't;] i. e. seem as if you knew nothing of the matter. |