Mon. Come, come, you're drunk. Cas. Drunk! [They fight. Iago. Away, I say! go out, and cry-A mutiny. [Aside to ROD., who goes out. Nay, good lieutenant,-alas, gentlemen,Help, ho!-Lieutenant,-sir,-Montano,-sir ;Help, masters!—Here's a goodly watch, indeed! [Bell rings. Who's that that rings the bell?-Diablo, ho! The town will rise; God's will, lieutenant! hold; You will be shamed forever. Oth. Enter OTHELLO and Attendants. What is the matter here? Mon. I bleed still; I am hurt to the death;-he dies.1 Oth. Hold, for your lives. Iago. Hold, hold, lieutenant, sir, Montano,-gentlemen, Have you forgot all sense of place and duty? Hold, hold! the general speaks to you; hold, for shame! Oth. Why, how now, ho! from whence ariseth this? Are we turned Turks; and to ourselves do that, Which Heaven hath forbid the Ottomites? For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl. He that stirs next to carve for his own rage, Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.Silence that dreadful bell; it frights the isle From her propriety.-What is the matter, masters? Honest lago, that look'st dead with grieving, Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee. Iago. I do not know ;-friends all but now, even now, In quarter, and in terms like bride and groom 1 The first quarto omits the words he dies, and has zounds! at the commencement of the line. Montano may be supposed to say he dies, i. e. he shall die. Othello, in the very next speech, says, He dies upon his motion." 2 i. e. on our station. This seems the leading signification, for the principal camp-guard of a regiment is called the quarter-guard; but a regiment in quarters has no such guard. Divesting them for bed; and then, but now, Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot?1 The world hath noted, and your name is great And spend your rich opinion, for the name Your officer, lago, can inform you While I spare speech, (which something now offends me) Of all that I do know: nor know I aught 3 And to defend ourselves it be a sin, When violence assails us. Oth. Now, by Heaven, My blood begins my safer guides to rule; And passion, having my best judgment collied,* And he that is approved 5 in this offence, 1 i. e. you have thus forgot yourself. 2 Character. 3 Care of one's self. 4 Collied is blackened, as with smut or coal; and, figuratively, means here obscured, darkened. 5 Convicted by proof. Yet wild, the people's hearts brimful of fear, Mon. If partially affined, or leagued in office, Thou art no soldier. Iago. Touch me not so near. I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth, More of this matter can I not report ; But men are men; the best sometimes forget.- From him that fled, some strange indignity, 1 The old copies read: "In night, and on the court and guard of safety." Malone made the necessary transposition. 2 Affined is "bound by proximity of relationship;" but here it means "related by nearness of office." 3 The old copy reads: "And Cassio following him with determined sword." Oth. I know, Iago, Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, Making it light to Cassio.-Cassio, I love thee; Enter DESDEMONA, attended. Look, if my gentle love be not raised up ; I'll make thee an example. Des. What's the matter, dear? Oth. All's well now, sweeting; come away to bed. Sir, for your hurts, Myself will be your surgeon ;-Lead him off.1 [TO MONTANO, who is led off. Iago, look with care about the town; And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted. Come, Desdemona; 'tis the soldiers' life, To have their balmy slumbers waked with strife. [Exeunt all but IAGO and CASSIO. Iago. What, are you hurt, lieutenant ? Cas. Ay, past all surgery. Iago. Marry, Heaven forbid ! Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial.—My reputation, lago, my reputation. Tago. As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more offence in that, than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again. You are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his 1 Malone thinks that the words "Lead him off" were originally a marginal stage direction, as it was common to express them in imperative terms:-"Play music.-Ring the bell.-Lead him off," &c. 2 Thrown off, dismissed in his anger. offenceless dog, to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again, and he's yours. Cas. I will rather sue to be despised, than to deceive so good a commander, with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet an officer. Drunk? and speak parrot?1 and squabble? swagger? swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow?-O thou invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let us call. thee-devil! Iago. What was he that you followed with your sword? What had he done to you? Cas. I know not. Cas. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly; a quarrel, but nothing wherefore.-O that men should put an enemy in their mouths, to steal away their brains! that we should, with joy, revel, pleasure, and applause, transform ourselves into beasts! Iago. Why, but you are now well enough. How came you thus recovered? Cas. It hath pleased the devil, drunkenness, to give place to the devil, wrath; one unperfectness shows me another, to make me frankly despise myself. Iago. Come, you are too severe a moraler. As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily wish this had not befallen; but, since it is as it is, mend it for your own good. Cas. I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a fool, and presently a beast! O, strange!-Every inordinate cup is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil. Iago. Come, come, good wine is a familiar good creature, if it be well used; exclaim no more against it And, good lieutenant, I think, you think I love you. Cas. I have well approved it, sir.—I drunk! 1 i. e. talk idly, utter all you know. From Drunk, &c. to shadow, inclusively, is wanting in the quarto 1622. |