I have already chose my officer. Forsooth, a great arithmetician,' A fellow almost damned in a fair wife 2 More than a spinster; unless the bookish theoric,3 4 As masterly as he. Mere prattle, without practice, At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds, 5 And I (God bless the mark!) his Moorship's ancient. Rod. By Heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. Iago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service; 6 Preferment goes by letter, and affection, Not by the old gradation, where each second 1 Iago probably means to represent Cassio as a man who knew no more of a squadron than the number of men it contained. He afterwards calls him "this counter-caster." 2 The folio reads, dambd. This passage has given rise to much discussion. Mr. Tyrwhitt thought that we should read, "almost damned in a fair life;" alluding to the judgment denounced in the Gospel against those "of whom all men speak well." Mr. Singer would be contented to adopt his emendation, but with a different interpretation:-" A fellow almost damned (i. e. lost from luxurious habits) in the serene or equable tenor of his life." The passage, as it stands at present, has been said by Steevens to mean, according to Iago's licentious manner of expressing himself, no more than a man 66 very near being married." This seems to have been the case in respect to Cassio. Mr. Boswell suspects that there may be some corruption in the text. 3 i. e. theory. See All's Well that Ends Well, Act iv. Sc. 3. 4 The rulers of the state, or civil governors. By toged is meant peaceable, in opposition to warlike qualifications. The folio reads "tongued consuls." 5 It was anciently the practice to reckon up sums with counters. 6 i. e by recommendation. Whether I in any just term am affined1 Rod. I would not follow him, then. I follow him to serve my turn upon him. For nought but provender; and, when he's old, cashiered; Whip me such honest knaves. Others there are, Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul; For, sir, It is as sure as you are Roderigo, Were I the Moor, I would not be lago. In following him, I follow but myself: Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, For when my outward action doth demonstrate But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve 4 For daws to peck at. I am not what I am. Rod. What a full fortune 5 does the thick-lips owe, If he can carry't thus! Iago. Call up her father, Rouse him; make after him, poison his delight, 1 "Do I stand within any such terms of propinquity to the Moor, as that I am bound to love him?" The first quarto has assigned. 2 Knave is here used for servant, but with a mixture of contempt. 3 Outward show of civility. 4 This is the reading of the folio. The first quarto reads "doves." 5 Full fortune is complete good fortune: to owe is to possess. VOL. VII. 51 Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen, As it may lose some color. Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. 1 Is spied in populous cities. Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! seignior Brabantio! ho! thieves! thieves! thieves! Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags! BRABANTIO, above, at a window. Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons? Rod. Seignior, is all your family within? Iago. Are your doors locked? Bra. Why? wherefore ask you this? Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you are robbed; for shame, put on your gown; 2 Your heart is burst, you have lost half your soul; Even now, now, very now, an old black ram Is tupping your white ewe. Arise, arise Bra. What, have you lost your wits? voice? Bra. Not I; what are you? Rod. My name is-Roderigo. Bra. The worse welcome; I have charged thee not to haunt about my doors. 1 "By night and negligence" means "in the time of night and neg. ligence." 2 i. e. is broken. In honest plainness thou hast heard me say, My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness, To start my quiet. Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir, Bra. My spirit, and my place, have in them power But thou must needs be sure, Patience, good sir. To make this bitter to thee. Rod. Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? This is Venice; My house is not a grange.1 Rod. Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you are one of those that will Bra. What profane wretch art thou? Iago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. Bra. Thou art a villain. Iago. You are a senator. Bra. This thou shalt answer. I know thee, Ro derigo. Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech you, [If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent, 4 1 Grange is, strictly, the farm of a monastery; but, provincially, any lone house or solitary farm is called a grange. 2 Nephews here mean grandchildren. 3 i. e. horses for relations. A genet is a Spanish or Barbary horse. But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier- I thus would play and trifle with your reverence. Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes, 3 In an extravagant and wheeling stranger, Of here and every where. Straight satisfy yourself ;] Let loose on me the justice of the state For thus deluding you. Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! 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! Lago. [Exit, from above. Farewell; for I must leave you. It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place, Against the Moor. For, I do know, the state- 5 Which even now stand in act,) that, for their souls, To lead their business; in which regard, I must show out a flag and sign of love, 1 i. e. done with your approbation. 2 That is, in opposition to or departing from the sense of all civility. 3 Extravagant is here again used in its Latin sense, for wandering. In is here used for on; a common substitution in ancient phraseology. 5 That is, dismiss him. |