Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Off-capp'd to him: and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place :
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them; with a bombast circumstance,
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war,
Nonsuits my mediators. For, certes, says he,
I have already chose my
officer.b

And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,

a Off-capp'd. So the folio; the quarto, oft capp'd. The reading of the quarto was adopted by the variorum editors, and was used as an example of the antiquity of the academical phrase to-cap, meaning to take off the cap. We admit that the word cap is used in this sense by other early English authors; we have it in Drant's Horace,' 1567. But, we would ask, is oft capp'd supported by the context? As we read the whole passage, three great ones of the city wait upon Othello; they off-capp'd-they took cap-in-hand-in personal suit that he should make Iago his lieutenant; but he evades them, &c. He has already chosen his officer. Here is a scene painted in a manner well befitting both the dignity of the great ones of the city and of Othello himself. The audience was given, the solicitation was humbly made, the reasons for refusing it courteously assigned. But take the other reading, oft capp'd; and then we have Othello perpetually haunted by the three great ones of the city, capping to him and repeating to him the same prayer, and he perpetually denying them with the same bombast circumstance. Surely this is not what Shakspere meant to represent.

b These lines, following the quarto, are ordinarily printed thus:

"But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance,
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;

And in conclusion, nonsuits

My mediators; for, certes, says he,

I have already chose my officer."

Circumstance is circumlocution.

The passage, as it appears to us, has been entirely mistaken. Iago does not mean to say that Othello made a long rigmarole speech to the three great ones, and then in conclusion nonsuited the mediators by telling them he had already chosen his officer. But, in the spirit of calumny, he imputes to Othello that, having chosen his officer before the personal suit was made to him for Iago, he suppressed the fact; evaded the mediators; and nonsuited them with a bombast circumstance. We follow the punctuation of the folio which distinctly separates, for, certes, says he, from nonsuits my mediators. Othello, according to Iago's calumnious assertion, says the truth only to himself. CA Florentine. "It appears," says Hanmer, "from many passages of this play, rightly understood, that Cassio was a Florentine, and Iago a Venetian." We may as well dispose of this question at once, to avoid the repetition in subsequent notes. Iago here calls Cassio a Florentine. But there are some who maintain that Cassio was not therefore a Florentine. It is not to be forgotten that Iago, throughout the whole course of his extraordinary character, is represented as utterly regardless of the differences between truth and falsehood. The most absolute lie, -the half lie,-the truth in the way of telling it distorted into a lie, are the instruments with which Iago constantly works. This ought to be borne in mind with reference to his assertion that Cassio was a Florentine. But in the second act we find, in the modern editions, the following lines spoken by a gentleman of Cyprus :

A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife,
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster; unless the bookish
theorick,

Wherein the tongued consuls can propose
As masterly as he mere prattle without practice,
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the
election:

And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds
Christen'd and heathen,-must be be-lee'd and
calm'd°

By debitor and creditor: this counter-caster,
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,
And I,-bless the mark! his Moor-ship's an-
cient.

Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman.

Iago. Why, there's no remedy, 't is the curse of service;

Preferment goes by letter and affection,
And not by old gradation, where each second
Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge
yourself,

Here Cassio is the Veronesé. But we retain the word Veronessa, because we apprehend that it must be taken as a feminine, and as such applicable to the ship, and we alter the punctuation accordingly. The city of Verona, subject to Venice, might furnish ships to the Republic. In the third act Cassio, when Iago is proffering his services to him, says, "I humbly thank you for 't. I never knew A Florentine more kind and honest." One meaning of his words is, that Iago being a Florentine, Cassio never knew one of that country more kind and honest. The other meaning is, that Cassio never knew even a Florentine, even one of his own countrymen, more kind and honest. This is Malone's interpretation; and “Iago," he adds, "is a Venetian," because he says, speaking of Desdemona,

"I know our country disposition well;"

and again, calls Roderigo, of Venice, his countryman. These assertions, be it again observed, rest upon the authority of Iago, the liar. We do not, however, think that it is proved, as Tieck maintains, that Iago is the Florentine, and Cassio the Veronese; but we distinctly agree with him that lago meant to speak disparagingly of Cassio when he called him a Florentine. He was an arithmetician," a "countercaster," a native of a state whose inhabitants, pursuing the peaceful and gainful occupations of commerce, had armies of mercenaries. Cassio, for this reason, upon the showing of lago, was one "that never set a squadron in the field." According to Tieck, this imputation of being a Florentine must solve the enigma of the next line

"A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife." But we are of opinion that it is not necessary to find any mystical meaning in these words; and that lago distinctly

refers to Bianca.

a Tongued. So the folio. The quarto gives us toged. b Christen'd. In the quarto Christian.

c Be-lee'd and calm'd. Iago uses terms of navigation to express that Cassio had out-sail'd him.

Whether I in any just term am affin'd

To love the Moor.

Rod.

I would not follow him then. Iago. O sir, content you;

I follow him to serve my turn upon him :
We cannot all be masters, nor all masters
Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,
That, doting on his own obsequious bondage,
Wears out his time, much like his master's ass,
For nought but provender; and when he's old,
cashier'd;

Whip me such honest knaves: Others there are
Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves;
And, throwing but shows of service on their lords,
Do well thrive by them, and, when they have
lin'd their coats,

Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul;

And such a one do I profess myself. For, sir,
It is as sure as you are Roderigo,
Were I the Moor I would not be Iago.
In following him I follow but myself;
Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty,
But seeming so, for my peculiar end :
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In complement extern, 't is not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve
For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.
Rod. What a fall Fortune does the Thick-
lips1 owe,

If he can carry 't thus ! b

In complement extern. Johnson interprets this-" In that which I do only for an outward show of civility." Surely this interpretation, by adopting the secondary meaning of complement (compliment), destroys Iago's bold avowal, which is, that when his actions exhibit the real intentions and motives of his heart, in outward completeness, be might as well wear it upon his sleeve.

This is ordinarily printed, following the quarto,"What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe." This is simply, how fortunate he is. The reading of the folio, which we adopt, conveys a much more Shaksperian idea. If the Moor can carry it thus-appoint his own officer, in spite of the great ones of the city who capp'd to him, and, moreover, can secure Desdemona as his prize, he is so puff'd up with his own pride and purposes, and is so successful, that fortune owes him a heavy fall. To owe is used by Shakspere not only in the ancient sense of to own, to possess, but in the modern sense of to be indebted to, to hold or possess for another. Fortune here owes the thicklips a fail, in the same way that we say, "He owes him a good or an evil turn." The reading which we adopt is very much in Shakspere's manner of throwing out a hint of coming calamities. The commentators do not even notice this reading.

voice ?

Bra. Not I; what are you?

Rod. My name is Roderigo.

Bra.

The worser welcome : I have charg'd thee not to haunt about my doors :

In honest plainness thou hast heard me say
My daughter is not for thee; and now, in mad-

Chances. The quarto reads changes, which most have adopted. When Roderigo suggests that fortune owes Othello a fall, Iago eagerly jumps at the chances of veration, which the alarm of Desdemona's father may bring upon him.

b We adopt the parenthetical punctuation of the folio, which, if it had been followed, might have saved the discussion as to Shakspere's carelessness in making the fire spied "by night and negligence."

c For shame. This is not used as a reproach, but meansfor decency put on your gown.

d Knavery. The quarto bravery.

My spirit and my place have in their power To make this bitter to thee.

Rod.

Patience, good sir. Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice;

My house is not a grange."

Rod. Most grave Brabantio, In simple and pure soul I come to you. Iago. Sir, you are one of those that will not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service, and you think we are ruffians, you'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse: you'll have your nephewsb neigh to you: you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans.

Bra. What profane wretch art thou?

Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are making the beast with two backs.

a Grange. Strictly speaking, the farm-house of a monastery. But it is used by the old writers as a separate dwelling, as in Spenser:

"Ne have the watery fowls a certain grange
Wherein to rest."

Shakspere, in Measure for Measure, gives the feeling of loneliness (which Brabantio here expresses) in a few words :"At the moated grange resides this dejected Mariana." Mr. Tennyson, in his exquisite poem upon that theme, gives us the idea of desolation more fully:

"With blackest moss the flower-pots

Were thickly crusted, one and all,
The rusted nails fell from the knots
That held the peach to the garden-wall.
The broken sheds look'd sad and strange,
Unlifted was the clinking latch,
Weeded and worn the ancient thatch
Upon the lonely moated grange."

b Nephews. The word was formerly used to signify a grandson, or any lineal descendant. In Richard III. (Act IV., Scene 1) the Duchess of York calls her grand-daughter, niece. Nephew here is the Latin nepos.

e The seventeen lines beginning, "If 't be your pleasure," are not found in the quarto of 1622. We cannot, therefore, consult that quarto here, as in other instances, when a doubtful reading occurs. We have two difficulties here. First, what is the odd-even of the night? It is explained to be the interval between twelve at night and one in the morning. But then, secondly, an auxiliary verb is wanting to the proper construction of the sentence; and Capell would read, "be transported." We can only give the passage as we find it.

Do not believe

We have your wrong rebuke.
That, from the sense of all civility,

I thus would play and trifle with your reverence: Your daughter,-if you have not given her leave,

I say again, hath made a gross revolt;
Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes,
In an extravagant and wheeling stranger,
Of here and every where: Straight satisfy your-
self:

If she be in her chamber, or your house,
Let loose on me the justice of the state
For thus deluding you.

Strike on the tinder, hoa!

Bra.
Give me a taper; call up all
my people:
This accident is not unlike my dream;
Belief of it oppresses me already :
Light, I say! light!
[Exit from above.
Iago. Farewell; for I must leave you :
It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place,
To be produc'd (as, if I stay, I shall)
Against the Moor: For, I do know, the state,
(However this may gall him with some check,)
Cannot with safety cast him. For he 's embark'd
With such loud reason to the Cyprus' wars,
(Which even now stand in act,) that for their souls,
Another of his fathom they have none

To lead their business: in which regard,
Though I do hate him as I do hell pains,
Yet, for necessity of present life,

I must show out a flag and sign of love,
Which is indeed but sign. That you shall surely
find him,

b

Lead to the Sagittary the raised search ;
And there will I be with him. So, farewell. [Exit.

Enter, below, BRABANTIO, and Servants, with torches.

Bra. It is too true an evil: gone she is ; And what's to come of my despised time Is nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo, Where did'st thou see her?-O, unhappy girl!With the Moor say'st thou?-Who would be a father ?

How did'st thou know 't was she?-O, she deceives me c

a In this passage conjecture has been busy. Some of the commentators propose to change tying to laying, and In to On. Mr. Collier, after the Corrector of his folio of 1632, alters wheeling to wheedling. We say wrapped in him; why not, then, tied in him? As to wheedling, it is wholly inappropriate as applied to Othello. Roderigo says she is gone off with a stranger-an erratic and shifting man, that will have no fit home for her.

b The Sagittary. This is generally taken to be an inn. It was the residence at the arsenal of the commanding officers of the navy and army of the republic. The figure of an archer, with his drawn bow, over the gates, still indicates the place. Probably Shakspere had looked upon that sculpture. The quarto reads, "Thou deceiv'st me."

Past thought!-What said she to you?-Get more tapers;

Raise all my kindred.-Are they married, think you?

Rod. Truly, I think they are.

Bra. O heaven!-How got she out ?-O treason of the blood!—

Fathers, from hence trust not your daughters'

minds

By what you see them act.-Are there not charms

By which the property of youth and maidhood May be abus'd? Have you not read, Roderigo, Of some such thing?

Rod.

Yes, sir; I have indeed. Bra. Call up my brother.-O, would you had had her!

Some one way, some another.-Do you know Where we may apprehend her and the Moor? Rod. I think I can discover him, if you please To get good guard, and go along with me.

Bra. Pray you, lead on. At every house I'll call;

I may command at most ;-Get weapons, hoa!
And raise some special officers of night.”-
On, good Roderigo. I will deserve your pains.
[Exeunt.

Officers of night. So the quarto. The folio reads officers of might. Malone has given a quotation from the Commonwealth of Venice, a translation from the Italian, printed in 1599, from which it appears that, the city being divided into six tribes, each tribe furnished an officer of the night, "To make rounds about his quarter, till the dawning of the day, being always guarded and attended on with weaponed officers and serjeants."

Stuf. Matter-material. The stuff of the conscience is the very substance of the conscience.

elago is preparing Othello for the appearance of Roderigo with Brabantio, which he does by representing that Roderigo has communicated to him his intention to apprise Desdemona's father of her flight, and that he resented his expressions towards Othello.

I shall promulgate,) I fetch my life and being
From men of royal siege; and my demerits
May speak, unbonneted, to as proud a fortune
As this that I have reach'd: For know, Iago,
But that I love the gentle Desdemona,
I would not my unhoused free condition
Put into circumscription and confine
For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights
come yond?

Enter CASSIO, at a distance, and certain Officers
with torches.
Iago. Those are the raised father and his
friends:
You were best
go
Oth.

in.

Not I: I must be found;

a The quarto reads-for be sure of this.

b As double as the duke's. Most of the editors give this a literal construction, supposing that Shak spere adopted the popular though incorrect notion, that the doge had two voices in the senate. Capell calls as double a Greecism, signifying as large, as extensive. It is clear that Shakspere did not take the phrase in a literal sense; for, if he had supposed that the duke had a double voice as duke, he would not have assigned the same privilege to the senator Brabantio.

c Siege. The quarto reads height. A siege royal was a throne, an elevated seat. We have in Spenser,

"A stately siege of sovereign majesty."

d Unbonneted. Theobald says, to speak unbonneted is to speak with the cap off, which is directly opposed to the poet's meaning. Mr. Fuseli suggested an ingenious explanation, that as at Venice the cap or bonnet constituted an important distinction, so the demerits of Othello might speak for themselves without any extrinsic honours. Demerits is used in the sense of merits; mereo and demereo being synonymous in Latin. We have the same words in Coriolanus :"Opinion, that so sticks on Martius, may Of his demerits rob Cominius."

e Johnson explains unhoused-free from domestic cares. Whalley says that Othello, talking as a soldier, means that he has no settled habitation. Mr. Hunter (Disquisition on the Tempest) points out that Shakspere "Italianates" in the use of the word unhoused, which, he adds, "to an English ear suggests nothing that a man would not willingly resign; but it would be different with an Italian." It appears to us that Othello had expressed no satisfaction at having been houseless, but that he simply uses unhoused for unmarried. The husband is the head or band of the house-the unmarried is the unhouse-banded-the unhoused.

f So in Henry V., Act 1., Scene II.,

"As rich with praise

As is the ooze and bottom of the sea
With sunken wreck and sumless treasuries."

Bra. O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd my daughter?

b

Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her:
For I'll refer me to all things of sense,
(If she in chains of magic were not bound,*)
Whether a maid so tender, fair, and happy,
So opposite to marriage, that she shunn'd
The wealthy curled dearling of our nation,
Would ever have, to incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou,-to fear, not to delight.
Judge me the world, if 't is not gross in sense,
That thou hast practis'd on her with foul charms;
Abus'd her delicate youth with drugs, or
minerals,

That weaken motion: d-I'll have it disputed

on;

'Tis probable, and palpable to thinking.
I therefore apprehend and do attach thee,
For an abuser of the world, a practiser
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant :
Lay hold upon him; if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

Oth.

Hold your hands, Both you of my inclining, and the rest: Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it Without a prompter.-Where will you that I go To answer this your charge?

Bra.

To prison: till fit time
Of law, and course of direct session,
Call thee to answer.

Oth.
What if I do obey?
How may the duke be therewith satisfied;
Whose messengers are here about my side,
Upon some present business of the state,
To bring me to him?

Off.
'Tis true, most worthy signior,
The duke's in council; and your noble self,
I am sure is sent for.

Bra. How! the duke in council? In this time of the night ?-Bring him away: Mine's not an idle cause: the duke himself, Or any of my brothers of the state, Cannot but feel this wrong as 't were their own: For if such actions may have passage free, Bond-slaves and pagans shall our statesmen be.

a This line is wanting in the quarto.

[Exeunt.

b Dearling. So in the folio, using the old Saxon word dearling in a plural sense. The quarto has darlings. To fear. Brabantio calls Othello, a thing to terrify, not to delight.

d So the folio. The passage in which the word weaken occurs, beginning at "Judge me the world," and ending at "palpable to thinking," is not found in the quarto. The commentators, therefore, change weaken to waken, which they elucidate by three pages of notes, which are neither satisfactory in a critical point of view, nor edifying in a moral

one.