DUKE of Venice. Brabantio, a noble Venetian. Gratiano, Brother to Brabantio. Lodovico, Kinsman to Brabantio and Gratiano. Othello, the Moor. Caffio. Jago, Standard-bearer to Othello. Rodorigo, a Gentleman. Montano, the Moor's Predecessor in the Government of Cyprus. Clown, Servant to the Moor. Desdemona, Wife to Othello. Æmilia, Wife to lago. Bianca, Mistress to Caffio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, and Attendants. SCENE, for the First Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, in Cyprus. Of this Play the Editions are, * 1. Quarto, Preface by Thomas Walkely. 2. 3. 4. 1622. N. O. for Thomas Walkely. 5. Folio, 1623. I have the folio, and the third quarto collated with the second, and the fourth. 'OTHELLO, The Moor of VENICE. ACT I. N SCENE I. A Street in VENICE. Enter Rodorigo and Jago. RODORIGO. EVER tell me. I take it much unkindly, As if the strings were thine, shouldst know of this. lago. But you'll not hear me. If ever I did dream of fuch a matter, abhor me. Rod. Thou toldst me, thou didst hold him in thy hate. lag. Despise me, If I do not. Three Great ones of the city, In personal fuit to make me his lieutenant, • Othello, the Moor of Venice.) The story is taken from Cyna thio's Novels. Off : Off-capp'd to him; and, by the faith of man, Non-suits my mediators. "Certes, says he, Forsooth, a great arithmetician, A fellow almost damn'd 3 in a fair wife; These are the words of Othello, (which lago in this relation repeats,) and signify, that a Florentine was an unfit person for command, as being always a flave to a fair wife; which was the case of lago. The Oxford Editor, fupposing this was faid by lage of Caffio, will have Caffio to be the Florentine; which, he says, is plain from many passages in the Play, rightly understood. But because Caffio was no married man, (tho' I wonder it did not appear he was, from some passages rightly understood) he alters the line thus, That never fet a squadron in the field,.. More than a spinster; but the bookish theorick, T And I, Sir, (bless the mark!) his Moor-ship's An cient. Rod. By heav'n, I rather would have been his hang man. Iago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of fer- Preferment goes by letter and affection, 4 Wherein the tongued Confuls-] So the generality of the impressions read; but the oldest quarto has it toged; the Senators, that assisted the Duke in Council, in their proper Goruns. -But let me explain, why I have ventured to substitute CounSellors in the room of Confuls: The Venetian nobility conftitute the great Council of the Senate, and are a part of the administration; and summon'd to assist and counsel the Doge, who is Prince of the Senate. So that they may very properly be called Counsellors. Tho' the Government of Venice was democratick at first, under Confuls and Tribunes; that form of power has been totally VOL. VIII. Stood Stood heir to th' first. Now, Sir, be judge yourself, * If I in any just term am affin'd To love the Moor. Rod. I would not follow him then. lago. O Sir, content you; I follow him to serve my turn upon him. shier'd; Whip me fuch, honeft knaves. Others there are, coats, Do themselves homage. These folks have some foul, And fuch a one do I profess myself. Were I the Moor, I would not be lago. where each second Stood her to th' first. I read therefore, Not (as of old) gradationi. e. it does not go by gradation, as it did of old. of the third quarto and the first folio. The second quarto and all the modern editions have affign'd. The meaning is, Do I stand within any fuch terms of propinquity or relation to the Moor, as that it is my duty to love bim? WARB. Old gradation, is gradation established by ancient practice. Where is the difficulty ? 8 If 1 in any just term am affin'd] Affined is the reading 9-honeft knaves.-] Knave is here for fervant, but with a mixture of fly contempt. |