Enter Rodorigo.

Iago. How now, Rodrigo!

I pray you, after the lieutenant, go.

[Exit Rod.

Mont. And 'tis great pity, that the noble Moor
Should hazard fuch a Place as his own Second,
With one of an ingraft infirmity;

It were an honeft action to say fo
Unto the Moor.

Iago. Not I, for this fair island;

I do love Caffio well, and would do much
To cure him of this evil. Hark, what noise ?

[Witkin, help! help!

Re-enter Caffio, pursuing Rodorigo.

Cof. You rogue! you rafcal!

Mont. What's the matter, lieutenant?

Cof. A knave teach me my duty, I'll beat the knave

into a twiggen bottle.

Rod. Beat me

Cof. Doft thou prate, rogue?
Mont. Nay, good lieutenant;

I pray you, Sir, hold your hand.
Cof. Let me go, Sir, or I'll knock
Mon'. ome, come, you're drunk,
Caf. Drunk?

you

[Staying him. [zard.

o'er the maz

[They filt.

logo. Away, I fay, go out and cry a mutiny.

[Exit Rodorigo.

Nay, good lieutenant-Alas, gentlemen

-Lieutenant

Sir- -Montano

Help, ho!-
Help, matters! here's a goodly watch, indeed:
Who's that, who rings the bell-diablo, ho!

[Bell rings.

The town will rife.. Fy, fy, lieutenant! hold:
You will be fham'd for ever.

Enter Othello, and Attendants.

Oth. What is the matter here?

Mont. I bleed ftill, I am hurt, but not to th' death.

Ok. Hold, for your lives.

lago.

Tago. Hold, ho lieutenant

Gentlemen

Have you forgot all place of fenfe and duty

The General fpeaks to you-hold, hold, for fhame
Oth. Why, how now, ho? from whence arifeth this?
Are we turn'd Turks? and to ourfelves do that,
Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?

For chriftian fhame, put by this barbarous brawl;
He, that ftirs next to carve for his own rage,
Holds his foul light: he dies upon his motion.
Silence that dreadful bell; it frights the ifle
From her propriety.. What is the matter?
Honeft Iago, that looks dead with grieving,
Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee.
lage. I do not know; friends all, but now, ev'n now
In quarter and in terms like bride and groom
Diveting them for bed; and then, but now
(As if fome planet had unwitted men,)

Swords out, and tilting one at other's breasts,
In oppofition bloody. I can't fpeak
Any beginning to this peevish odds,
And, 'would, in action glorious I had loft
Thofe legs that brought me to a part of it!!
Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot?
Ces. I pray you, pardon me, I cannot speak.
Oth. Worthy Montano, you were wont be civil: .
The gravity and ftillness of your youth

The world hath noted; And your name is great
In mouths of wifeft cenfure: What's the matter,
That you unlace your reputation thus,

And fpend your rich opinion, for the name
Of a night-brawler? give me anfwer to it.

Mont. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger;

Your officer, lago, can inform you,

While I fpare fpeech, which fomething now offends me,
Of all that I do know; nor know I aught

By me that's faid or done amifs this night,
Unless felf-charity be fometimes a vice,
And to defend ourselves it be a fin,
When violence affails us.

Oth. Now, by heav'n,

My blood begins my fafer guides to rule;
And paffion, having my best judgment choler'd,
Affays to lead the way. If I once ftir,
Or do but lift this arm, the best of you
Shall fink in my rebuke. Give me to know
How this foul rout began; who set it on ;
And he, that is approv'd in this offence,
Tho' he had twinn'd with me both at a birth,
Shall lofe me.- What, in a town of war,
Yet wild, the people's hearts brim-full of fear,
To manage private and domeftic quarrel?
In night, and on the Court of Guard and Safety; (28)
'Tis monftrous. Say, Iago, who began't?

Mont. If partially affin'd, or leagu'd in office,
Thou doft deliver more or less than truth
Thou art no foldier.

Iago. Touch me not so near:

I'd rather have this tongue cut from my mouth,
Than it should do offence to Michael Caffio:
Yet I perfuade myself, to fpeak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him. Thus 'tis, General:
Montano and myfelf being in fpeech,

There comes a fellow crying out for help,
And Caffio following with determin'd fword,
To execute upon him. Sir, this gentleman
Steps in to Caffio, and intreats his paufe;
Myfelf the crying fellow did purfue,
Left by his clamour (as it fo fell out)

(28) In night, and on the court and guard of fafety ?] This is fpoken by Othello; but guard of fafety, tho' coupled with a word of fyncnymous conftruction, was never a foldier's language. I have ventur'd to make the conjunction, and fign of the genitive cafe change places: and fo the phrafe in ufe is reftor'd, tho' against the authority of the printed copies.

In night, and on the court of guard and safety ? .

So, before;

The lieutenant to-night watches on the court of guard. And, again;

Good Michael, look you to the guard to-night. And fo in Antony and Cleopatra;

Let's bear him to the court of guard; he is of note,

The

The town might fall in fright. He, fwift cf foot,
Out-ran my purpose: I return'd, the rather
For that I heard the clink and fall of swords,
And Caffis high in oath; which till to-night
I ne'er might fay before. When I came back,
(For this was brief) I found them close together
At blow and thrust; even as again they were,
When you yourself did part them.

More of this matter cannot I report.

But men are men; the best sometimes forget;
Tho' Caffio did fome little wrong to him,

As men in rage ftrike thofe that wish them beft,,
Yet, furely, Caffio, I believe, receiv'd

From him, that fled, fome ftrange indignity,
Which patience could not pafs...

Oth. I know, lago,

Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,
Making it light to Caffio. Caffio, I love thee,,
But never more be officer of mine.-

Enter Defdemona attended.

Look, if my gentle love be not rais'd up:
I'll make thee an example.

Def. What's the matter?

Oth. All is well, Sweeting, come away to-bed.. Sir, for your hurts, myself will be your furgeon. Lead him off:

Iago, look with care about the town,

And filence thofe whom this vile brawl distracted.
Come, Desdemona, 'tis the foldier's life,

To have their balmy flumbers wak'd with ftrife.

[Exeunt..

Manent Iago and Caffio. ·

Iago, What, are you hurt, lieutenant ?

Cof. Paft all Surgery.

Iago. Marry, heav'n forbid!

Caf. Reputation, reputation, reputation! oh I have loft my reputation! I have loft the immortal part of

myfelf, and what remains is bestial. My reputation! Lago, my reputation

lago. As I am an honeft man, I had thought, you had receiv'd fome bodily wound; there is more fenfe in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle, and most falfe impofition; oft got without merit, and loft without deferving. You have loft no reputation at all,. unless you repute yourself fuch a lofer. What, man,there are ways to recover the General again. You are but now caft in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even fo as one would beat his offenceless dog, to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again, and he's yours.

Caf. I will rather fue to be defpis'd, than to deceive fo good a commander, with fo flight, fo drunken, and fo indifcreet an officer. Drunk, and fpeak? Parrot, and fquabble? fwagger? fwear? and difcourfe fuftianwith one's own fhadow? oh thou invincible fpirit of wine; if thou haft no name to be known by, let us call thee devil.

lago. What was he that you follow'd with your sword ? what had he done to you?.

Caf. I know not..

Jago. Is't poffible?

Caf. I remember a mass of things, but nothing diftinctly a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. Oh, that men fhould put an enemy in their mouths, to fteal away, their brains that we fhould with joy, pleafance, revel, and applaufe, transform ourselves into beafts.

Iago. Why, but you are now well enough: how came you thus recovered?

Caf. It has pleas'd the devil, drunkenness, to give place to the devil, wrath; one unperfectnefs fhews me another, to make me frankly defpife myself.

lago. Come, you are too fevere a moraler. As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily with this had not befallen: but fince it is as it is, mend it for your own good.

Caf. I will ask him for my place again; he fhall tell, me, I am a drunkard!- had I as many mouths as

Hydra