Three lads of Cyprus,-noble-swelling spirits, And they watch too. Now, 'mongst this flock of drunkards, 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. Re-enter CASSIO, followed by MONTANO, Gentlemen, and 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. [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; 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. King Stephen was§ a worthy peer, His breeches cost him but a crown; He was a wight of high renown, '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, thy. 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. 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. On some odd time of his infirmity, Will shake this island. IAGO. "T is evermore the† prologue to his sleep: He'll watch the horologe a double set,b If drink rock not his cradle. 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 [Exit. [Exit RODERIGO. 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! What's the matter, lieutenant? CAS. A knave teach me my duty! Come, come, you're drunk. [They fight.b CAS. Or I'll knock you o'er the mazzard. CAS. Drunk! [Aside to ROD. who goes out. Nay, good lieutenant,-alas, gentlemen ;- 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? For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl: From her propriety.-What is the matter, masters ?— First folio omits, sir. (t) First folio, Fie, fie. 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." 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, * And spend your rich opinion for the name MON. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger; Your officer, Iago, can inform you,— While I spare speech, which something now offends me,- By me that 's said or done amiss this night; And to defend ourselves it be a sin When violence assails us. OTH. Now, by heaven, My blood begins my safer guides to rule; Though he had twinn'd with me, both at a birth, In night, and on the court and guard of safety! MON. If, partially affin'd, or leagu'd† in office, 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, There comes a fellow crying out for help; The town might fall in fright: he, swift of foot, More of this matter cannot I report: But men are men; the best sometimes forget:- As men in rage strike those that wish them best,- From him that fled some strange indignity, OTH. I know, Iago, Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter, 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? 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.- To have their balmy slumbers wak'd with strife. [Exeunt all except IAGO and CASSIO. LAGO. What, are you hurt, lieutenant? 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." |