I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip; Make the Moor thank me, love me, and reward me,. Even to madness. 'Tis here, but yet confus'd; SCENE II. A Street. [Exit. Enter a Herald, with a Proclamation; People following. Her. It is Othello's pleasure, our noble and valiant general, that, upon certain tidings now arrived, importing the mere perdition of the Turkish fleet, every man put himself into triumph; some to dance, some to make I'll have our Michael Cassio on the hip;] A phrase from the art of wrestling. Johnson. 7 · in the rank garb,] Thus the quarto, and I think, rightly. Rank garb, I believe means grossly, i. e. without mincing the matter. So, in Marston's Dutch Courtezan, 1604: "Whither, in the rank name of madness, whither?" The term-garb (employed perhaps in the sense here required) occurs in the eighteenth Book of Homer's Odyssey, as translated by Chapman : "But here you must take confidence to prate "To prove your native garb, your tongue will strike The folio reads-in the right garb. Rank, perhaps means not only gross, but lascivious. So, in The Merchant of Venice: 66 the ewes, being rank, "In end of autumn," &c. Malone. 8 Knavery's plain face is never seen,] An honest man acts upon a plan, and forecasts his designs; but a knave depends upon temporary and local opportunities, and never knows his own purpose, but at the time of execution. Johnson. 9 mere perdition →] Mere in this place signifies entire. So, in Hamlet: 1 •put himself into triumph;] This whimsical phraseology occurs again in Pericles, Prince of Tyre: So puts himself into the shipman's toil." Steevens. bonfires, each man to what sport and revels his addiction' leads him; for, besides these beneficial news, it is the celebration of his nuptials: So much was his pleasure should be proclaimed. All offices are open ;3 and there is full liberty of feasting, from this present hour of five, till the bell hath told eleven. Heaven bless the isle of Cyprus, and our noble general, Othello! [Exeunt. SCENE III. A Hall in the Castle. Enter OTHELLO, DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and Attendants. Oth. Good Michael, look you to the guard to-night: Let's teach ourselves that honourable stop, Not to out-sport discretion. Cas. Iago hath direction what to do; But, notwithstanding, with my personal eye Oth. Iago is most honest. Michael, good night: To-morrow, with our earliest, Good night. [Exeunt OтH. DES. and Attend. Enter IAGO. Cas. Welcome, Iago: We must to the watch. Iago. Not this hour, lieutenant; 'tis not yet ten o'clock: Our general cast us5 thus early, for the love of his Des 2 ·his addiction —] The first quarto reads—his mind. Steevens. 3 All offices are open ;] i. e. all rooms, or places, in the castle, at which refreshments are prepared, or served out. So, in Macbeth: "Sent forth great largess to your offices." See Vol. VI, p. 78, n. 3. Steevens. 4- of feasting,] These words are not in the original quarto 1622. Malone. 5 Our general cast us-] That is, appointed us to our stations. To cast the play, is, in the style of the theatres, to assign to every actor his proper part. Johnson. We have just now been assured by the Herald, that there was "full liberty of feasting &c. till eleven.” Perhaps therefore cast us only means dismissed us, or got rid of our company. So, in one of the following scenes: "You are demona: whom let us not therefore blame; he hath not yet made wanton the night with her: and she is sport for Jove. Cas. She's a most exquisite lady. Jago. And, I'll warrant her, full of game. Cas. Indeed, she is a most fresh and delicate creature. Iago. What an eye she has! methinks it sounds a parley of provocation. Cas. An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest. Iago. And, when she speaks, is it not an alarm to love? Cas. She is, indeed perfection." Iago. Well, happiness to their sheets! Come, lieutenant, I have a stoop of wine; and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants, that would fain have a measure to the health of the black Othello. Cas. Not to-night, good Iago; I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking: I could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment. Iago. O, they are our friends; but one cup: I'll drink for you. Cas. I have drunk but one cup to-night, and that was craftily qualified1 too, and, behold, what innovation it but now cast in his mood;" i. e. turned out of your office in his anger; and in the first scene it means to dismiss. So, in The WITCH, a MS. tragi-comedy, by Middleton: "She cast off "My company betimes to-night, by tricks," &c. Steevens. 6 a parley of provocation.] So the quarto, 1622. Folioto provocation. Malone. 7 an alarm -] The voice may sound an alarm more properly than the eye can sound a parley. Johnson. The eye is often said to speak. Thus we frequently hear of the language of the eye. Surely that which can talk may, without any violent stretch of the figure, be allowed to sound a parley. The folio reads-parley to provocation. Ritson. So, in Troilus and Cressida : "There's language in her eye," &c. See Vol. XII. p. 145, n. 4. Steevens. 8 is it not an alarm to love?] The quartos read-'tis an alarm to love. Steevens. 9 She is, indeed, perfection.] In this and the seven short speeches preceding, the decent character of Cassio is most powerfully contrasted with that of the licentious lago. Steevens. 1 craftily qualified -] Slily mixed with water. Johnson. makes here: I am unfortunate in the infirmity, and dare not task my weakness with any more. Iago. What, man! 'tis a night of revels; the gallants desire it. Cas. Where are they? Iago. Here at the door; I pray you, call them in. [Exit CAS. Iago. If I can fasten but one cup upon him, With that which he hath drunk to-night already, As my young mistress' dog. Now, my sick fool, Rode rigo, Whom love has turn'd almost the wrong side outward, Potations pottle deep; and he 's to watch: And they watch too. Now, 'mongst this flock of drunkards, That may offend the isle:-But here they come: My boat sails freely, both with wind and stream. 2 Three lads of Cyprus,] The folio reads-Three else of Cyprus. Steevens. 3 The very elements - As quarrelsome as the discordia semina rerum; as quick in opposition as fire and water. Johnson. 4 If consequence do but approve my dream,] Every scheme subsisting only in the imagination may be termed a dream. Johnson. 5 ·given me a rouse &c.] A rouse appears to be a quan. tity of liquor rather too large. So, in Hamlet: and in The Christian turn'd Turk, 1612: our friends may tell "We drank a rouse to them." See Hamlet, Act I, sc. iv, Vol. XV. Steevens. 6 As I am a soldier.] If Montano was Othello's predecessor in the government of Cyprus, (as we are told in the Personæ Dramatis) he is not very characteristically employed in the present Iago. Some wine, ho! And let me the canakin clink, clink; And let me the canakin clink: A soldier's a man; A life's but a span;8 Why then, let a soldier drink. Some wine, boys! [Sings. [Wine brought in. Cas. 'Fore heaven, an excellent song. Iago. I learned it in England, where (indeed) they are most potent in potting: your Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied Hollander,-Drink, ho!—are nothing to your English. Cas. Is your Englishman so expert in his drinking?2 Iago. Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead drunk; he sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he gives your Hollander a vomit, ere the next pottle can be filled. Cas. To the health of our general. Mon. I am for it, lieutenant; and I'll do you justice.3 scene, where he is tippling with people already flustered, and encouraging a subaltern officer who commands a midnight guard, to drink to excess. Steevens. 7 the canakin;] So, in Barclay's Ship of Fools, fol. 229: -some quafes ye canakin halfe full" &c. Steevens. 8 9 A life's but a span;] Thus the quarto. The folio reads— in England, where (indeed) they are most potent in potting:] Les meilleurs buveurs en Angleterre, is an ancient French proverb. Steevens. 1 most potent in potting: your Dane, your German, &c.] "Enquire at ordinaries: there must be sallets for the Italian, tooth-picks for the Spaniard, pots for the German!" Prologue to Lyly's Midas, 1592. Malone. your Dane,] See Hamlet, Act I, sc. iv, Vol. XV. Steevens. 2 —so expert in his drinking?] Thus the quarto, 1622. Fclio-so exquisite. This accomplishment in the English is likewise mentioned by Beaumont and Fletcher in The Captain: "Lod. Are the Englishmen 3 "Such stubborn drinkers? "Can suck more liquor; you shall have their children "Christen'd in mull'd sack, and at five years old "Able to knock a Dane down." Steevens. I'll do you justice.] i. e. drink as much as you do See Vol. IX, p. 173, n. 5. Steevens. |