Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot? Caf. I pray you, pardon me, I cannot speak. Otb. 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,

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And spend your rich opinion, for the name
Of a night-brawler? Give me answer to it.
Mon. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger.
Your officer, Tago, can inform you,

Ifpare fpeech, which fomething now offends me, 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 heaven,

My blood begins my fafer guides to rule;
And paffion, having my beft judgment choler'd,
Affays to lead the way. If I once stir,
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 domeftick quarrel

In night, and on the Court of Guard and Safety?

felf charity] Care of one's felf.

5-he, that is approv'd in this offence.] He that is convicted by proof, of having been engaged in this offence.

Tis monftrous. Say, Iago, who began't?

Mon. 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 fo 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 myself 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 pause;
Myfelf the crying fellow did purfue,
Left by his clamour (as it fo fell out)

:

The town might fall in fright. He, swift of foot,
Out ran my purpose. I return'd, the rather
For that I heard the clink and fall of fwords,
And Caffio high in oath; which 'till to-night
I ne'er might fay before. When I came back,
For this was brief, I found them clofe 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 fometimes forget;
Tho' Caffio did fome little wrong to him,

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

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

Oth. I know, Iago,

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

Enter

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. Here, Sweeting, come away to bed. Sir, for your hurts, myself will be your furgeon.

Lead him off.

Tago, look with care about the town,

[To Montano,

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

To have their balmy flumbers wak'd with ftrife.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

XIV.

Manent Iago and Caffio.

Tago, What, are you hurt, lieutenant?

Caf. Paft all Surgery.

Tago. Marry, heav'n forbid !

Caf. Reputation, reputation, reputation! oh, I have loft my reputation! I have loft the immortal part of myself, and what remains is beftial. My reputation! Tago, my reputation.

Iago. 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 false 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

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caft in his mood,] Eje&ed in his anger.

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 Speak Parrot, and Squabble? Swagger? fwear? and difcourfe fuftian inviable,

with one's own fhadow? oh thou Justian

wine; if thou haft no name to be known by, let us call thee Devil.

Iago. What was he that you follow'd with your fword? what had he done to you? Caf. I know not. lago. Is't poffible?

Caf. I remember a mafs of things, but nothing dif tinctly a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. Oh, that men fhould put an enemy in their mouths, to fteal away their brains! that we should with joy, pleafance, revel, and applaufe, transform ourselves into beafts. Iago. Why, but you are now well enough. How came you thus recover'd?

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.

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

Caf. I will afk him for my place again; he fhall tell me, I am a drunkard! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, fuch an anfwer would ftop them all. To

And Speak Parrot,] A phrafe fignifying to act foolishly and childishly. So Skelton,

Thefe maidens full mékely with many a divers font,,
Frefbly they drefs and make fweete my boure,

With fpake parro: I pray you full courteously thei Faye.

WARBURTON.

be

be now a fenfible man, by and by a fool, and prefently a beast! Every inordinate cup is unblefs'd, and the ingredient is a devil.

Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well us'd: exclaim no more against it. And good lieutenant, I think, you think, I love

you.

8

10

Caf. I have well approv'd it, Sir. I drunk! Fo Fligh Tago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at fome time, man. You or I tell you what you fhall do our General's wife is now the General. I may fay fo, in this refpect, for that he hath devoted and giv'n up himfelf to the contemplation, mark, and denotement of her parts and graces. Confefs yourself freely to her importune her help, to put you in your Place again. She is of fo free, fo kind, fo apt, fo bleffed a difpofition, the holds it a vice in her goodness not to do more than fhe is requested. This broken joint between you and her husband, intreat her to splinter. And, my fortunes against any lay worth naming, this crack of your love fhall grow ftronger than it was before.

Caf. You advife me well.

Lago. I proteft, in the fincerity of love, and honeft kindness,

Caf. I think it freely; and betimes in the morning

Upon a ftrumpet's front. This is finely exprefs'd; but I cannot perfuade myself that our

ed For that he hath devoted, and given up bimfelf to the contemplation, mark, and devotement of her parts and graces.] I remem-poet would ever have faid, any ber, it is faid of Antony, in the one devoted himself to the devote beginning of his tragedy, that ment of any thing. All the cohe, who used to fix his eyes al- pies agree; but the mistake cer together on the dreadful ranges tainly arofe from a fingle letter being turn'd upfide down at prefs. THEOBALD.

of war,

now bends, now turns, The office and devotion of their

wierw

4

I will