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Three lads of Cyprus,-noble-swelling spirits,
That hold their honours in wary distance,
The very elements of this warlike isle,-
Have I to-night fluster'd with flowing cups,

And they watch too. Now, 'mongst this flock of drunkards,
Am I to put our Cassio in some action

That may offend the isle :-but here they come:

If consequence do but approve my dream,

My boat sails freely, both with wind and stream.

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Re-enter CASSIO, followed by MONTANO, Gentlemen, and
Servants with wine.

CAS. 'Fore God,† they have given me a rouse already.

MON. Good faith, a little one; not past a pint, as I am a soldier.
IAGO. Some wine, ho!

[Sings.]

Some wine, boys!

And let me the canakin clink, clink;

And let me the canakin clink:

A soldier's a man ;

O, man's life's but a span;
Why, then, let a soldier drink.

CAS. 'Fore God,† an excellent song.

IAGO. I learned it in England, where indeed they are most potent in potting: your Dane, your German, and your swag-bellied Hollander, -Drink, ho!-are nothing to your English.

CAS. Is your Englishman so expert in his drinking?

IAGO. Why, he drinks you, with facility, your Dane dead drunk : he sweats not to overthrow your Almain; he gives your Hollander a vomit, ere the next pottle can be filled. (1)

CAS. To the health of our general!

MON. I am for it, lieutenant; and I'll do you justice.
IAGO. O, sweet England!

King Stephen was§ a worthy peer,

His breeches cost him but a crown;
He held them sixpence all too dear,
With that he call'd the tailor lown.

He was a wight of high renown,
And thou art but of low degree:

'Tis pride that pulls the country down,

Then take thine¶ auld cloak about thee.(2)

Some wine, ho!

CAS. Why this is a more exquisite song than the other.

IAGO. Will you hear 't again?

CAS. No; for I hold him to be unworthy of his place that does

First folio, else.

First folio, exquisite.

() First folio, and.

(+) First folio, heaven.
($) First folio inserts, and.

() First folio, thy.

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those things.-Well,-God's* above all; and there be souls must be saved, and there be souls must not be saved.a

IAGO. It's true, good lieutenant.

CAS. For mine own part,-no offence to the general, nor any man of quality,-I hope to be saved.

LAGO. And so do I too, lieutenant.

CAS. Ay, but, by your leave, not before me; the lieutenant is to be saved before the ancient. Let's have no more of this; let's to our affairs.-Forgive us our sins!-Gentlemen, let's look to our business. Do not think, gentlemen, I am drunk: this is my ancient;-this is my right hand, and this is my left:-I am not drunk now; I can stand well enough, and I speak well enough.

ALL. Excellent well.

CAS. Why, very well, then: you must not think, then, that I am drunk.

MON. To the platform, masters; come, let's set the watch.
IAGO. You see this fellow that is gone before ;-

He is a soldier fit to stand by Cæsar

And give direction: and do but see his vice;

"T is to his virtue a just equinox,

The one as long as the other: 't is pity of him.
I fear, the trust Othello puts him in,

On some odd time of his infirmity,

Will shake this island.

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IAGO. "T is evermore the† prologue to his sleep: He'll watch the horologe a double set,b

If drink rock not his cradle.

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IAGO. [Aside to him.] How now, Roderigo?

I pray you, after the lieutenant; go.

MON. And 't is great pity that the noble Moor Should hazard such a place as his own second With one of an ingraft infirmity:

It were an honest action to say so

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[Exit.

[Exit RODERIGO.

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and there be souls must not be saved.] This clause is omitted in the 1622 quarto.

He'll watch the horologe a double set,

If drink rock not his cradle.]

He'll not sleep while the hands course twice round the clock, in other words, for twenty-four hours, unless he have drink.

To cure him of this evil.-But, hark! what noise?

[Cry without,-Help! help!*

Re-enter CASSIO, pursuing RODERIGO.

CAS. You rogue! you rascal!
MON.

What's the matter, lieutenant?

CAS. A knave teach me my duty!
I'll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle.

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Come, come, you're drunk.

[They fight.b

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CAS.

Or I'll knock you o'er the mazzard.
MON.

CAS. Drunk!
IAGO. Away, I say! go out, and cry-a mutiny!

[Aside to ROD. who goes out.

Nay, good lieutenant,-alas, gentlemen ;-
Help, ho!-Lieutenant,-sir,-Montano,-sir,-*
Help, masters!-Here's a goodly watch, indeed!
Who's that which rings the bell?—Diablo, ho!
The town will rise: God's will,† lieutenant, hold!
You will be sham'd‡ for ever.

Отн.

Re-enter OTHELLO, and Attendants.

What is the matter here?

MON. Zounds,§ I bleed still! I am hurt to the death.—

[Bell rings.

IAGO. Hold, ho! Lieutenant,-sir,-Montano,-gentlemen,

[He faints.

ОTH. Hold, for your lives!

Have you forgot all sense of place and duty?a

Hold! the general speaks to you; hold, for shame!

OTH. Why, how now, ho! from whence ariseth this?
Are we turn'd Turks, and to ourselves do that
Which heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?

For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl:
He that stirs next to carve for his own rage,
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.-
Silence that dreadful bell! it frights the isle

From her propriety.-What is the matter, masters ?—
Honest Iago, that look'st dead with grieving,
Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee.

First folio omits, sir.
First folio, asham'd.

(t) First folio, Fie, fie.
(§) First folio omits, Zounds.

Cry without,-Help! help!] This stage direction is found only in the quartos. b They fight.] The folio omits this direction.

He faints.] This direction is only given in the quarto of 1630. The folio instead of it adds to Montano's speech, not as a stage direction, the words, "He dies."

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all sense of place and duty?] The old copies by mistake transpose the words, "sense of place," and read, "place of sense," &c.

IAGO. I do not know:-friends all but now, even now,
In quarter, and in terms like bride and groom
Devesting them for bed; and then, but now
(As if some planet had unwitted men)
Swords out, and tilting one at other's breast,
In opposition bloody. I cannot speak
Any beginning to this peevisha odds;
And would in action glorious I had lost
Those legs that brought me to a part of it!
Oтн. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot?
CAS. I pray you, pardon me; I cannot speak.
OTH. Worthy Montano, you were wont be civil;
The gravity and stillness of your youth
The world hath noted, and your name is great
In mouths of wisest censure: what's the matter,
That you unlace your reputation thus,

*

And spend your rich opinion for the name
Of a night-brawler? give me answer to 't.

MON. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger;

Your officer, Iago, can inform you,—

While I spare speech, which something now offends me,-
Of all that I do know: nor know I aught

By me that 's said or done amiss this night;
Unless self-charity be sometimes a vice,

And to defend ourselves it be a sin

When violence assails us.

OTH.

Now, by heaven,

My blood begins my safer guides to rule;
And passion, having my best judgment collied,
Assays to lead the way! If I once stir,
Or do but lift this arm, the best of you
Shall sink 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,

Though he had twinn'd with me, both at a birth,
Shall lose me.- -What! in a town of war,
Yet wild, the people's hearts brimful of fear,
To manage private and domestic quarrel,

In night, and on the court and guard of safety!
"Tis monstrous.-Iago, who began 't?

MON. If, partially affin'd, or leagu'd† in office,
Thou dost deliver more or less than truth,
Thou art no soldier.

b

(*) First folio inserts, to.

(†) Old copies, league.

peevish odds;] Headstrong, or perverse quarrel.

spend your rich opinion-] Squander your valued estimation.

collied,-] To colly means, literally, to blacken, to smut, and figuratively, to darken or obscure. The expression in the text occurs in Ben Jonson's "Poetaster," Act IV. Sc. 3,-"Nor thou hast not collied thy face enough, stinkard."

don the court and guard of safety !] Such is the lection of the old copies; the usual reading, however, is that proposed by Theobald," the court of guard and safety." • If, partially affin'd,-] If, being bound by partiality.

e

IAGO.

Touch me not so near:

I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth,
Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio;
Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him.-This it is, general:
Montano and myself being in speech,

There comes a fellow crying out for help;
And Cassio following him with determin'd sword,
To execute upon him. Sir, this gentleman
Steps in to Cassio, and entreats his pause;
Myself the crying fellow did pursue,
Lest by his clamour (as it so fell out)

The town might fall in fright: he, swift of foot,
Outran my purpose; and I return'd the rather
For that I heard the clink and fall of swords,
And Cassio high in oath; which, till to-night,
I ne'er might say 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:-
Though Cassio did some little wrong to him,-

As men in rage strike those that wish them best,-
Yet, surely, Cassio, I believe, receiv'd

From him that fled some strange indignity,
Which patience could not pass.

OTH.

I know, Iago,

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

Re-enter DESDEMONA attended.

Look, if my gentle love be not rais'd up!—

I'll make thee an example.

DES. What's the matter?
Отн.
Come away to bed.-Sir, for your hurts,
Myself will be your surgeon: lead him off.

All's well now, sweeting;"

[To MONTANO, who is led off.

Iago, look with care about the town,

And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.-
Come, Desdemona: 't is the soldiers' life

To have their balmy slumbers wak'd with strife.

[Exeunt all except IAGO and CASSIO.

LAGO. What, are you hurt, lieutenant?
CAS. Ay, past all surgery.

All's well now, sweeting;] In the folio, Desdemona's question and the response run thus:

"Des. What is the matter (Deere ?)

Othe. All's well Sweeting."

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