DUKE of Venice. Brabantio, a noble Venetian. Gratiano, Brother to Brabantio. Lodovico, Kinfman to Brabantio and Gratiano. Caffio. Iago, Standard-bearer to Othello. Montano, the Moor's Predeceffor in the Government Clown, Servant to the Moor. Herald. Desdemona, Wife to Othello. Emilia, Wife to Iago. Bianca, Miftrefs to Caffio. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Muficians, Sailors, and Attendants. SCENE, for the First Act, in Venice; during the reft of the Play, in Cyprus. I have the folio, and the third Quarto collated with the second, and the fourth. OTHELLO, The Moor of VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I. N A Street in VENICE. Enter Rodorigo and Iago. RODORIG O. EVER tell me. I take it much unkindly, this. Tago. But you'll not hear me. If ever I did dream of such a matter, abhor me. Rod. Thou toldst me, thou didst hold him in thy hate. Iago. Defpife me, If I do not. Three Great ones of the city, In perfonal fuit to make me his lieutenant, * Othello, the Moor of Venice.] The ftory is taken from Cyrthio's Novels. POPE. Off-capp'd to him; and, by the faith of man, "Certes, fays he, "I have already chofe my officer." Forfooth, a great arithmetician, A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair wife; 2 -a Florentine,] It appears from many paffages of this plav, (rightly underflood) that Caffio was a Florentine, and Iago a Venetian. HANMER. 3-in a fair wife;] In the former editions this hath been printed, a fair wife; but furely it muft from the beginning have been a mistake, because it appears from a following part of the play, that Caffio was an unmarried man: On the other hand, his beauty is often hinted at, which it is natural enough for rough foldiers to treat with fcorn and ridicule. I read therefore, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair phyz. HANMER. a Florentine, A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair wife;] But it was lago, and not Caffio, who was the Florentine, as appears from Act 3. Scene 1. The paffage therefore should be read thus, (a Florentine's A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair wife ;-) Thefe are the words of Othello, (which lago in this relation repeats) and fignify, that a Florentine was an unfit perfon for command, as being always a flave to, a fair wife; which was the cafe of Iago. The Oxford Editor, fuppofing this was faid by Iago of Caffio, will have Caffio to be the Florentine; which, he says, is plain from many paffages in the Play, rightly understood. But becaufe Caffio was no married man, (tho' I wonder it did not appear he was, from fome paffages rightly underflood) he alters the line thus, A fellow almost damn'd in a fair Phyz. A White-friers phrafe. WARE. This is one of the paffages which must for the present be refigned to corruption and obfcurity. I have nothing that I can, with any approach to confidence, propofe. I cannot think it very plain from Act III. Scene 1. that Caffio was or was not a Florentine. That That never fet a squadron in the field, More than a spinfter; but the bookish theorick, As masterly as he. Meer prattle, without practice, Is all his foldierfhip. He had th' election; eyes had feen the proof And I, of whom his At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds Chriftian and heathen, muft be belee'd and calm'd And I, Sir, (blefs the mark!) his Moor-fhip's An cient. Rod. By heav'n, I rather would have been his hang man. Iago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curfe of fer vice! 6 Preferment goes by letter and affection, 4 Wherein the tongued Confuls] So the generality of the impreffions read; but the oldest quarto has it toged; the Senators, that affifted the Duke in Council, in their proper Gowns. But let me explain, why I have ventured to fubftitute CounJellors in the room of Confuls: The Venetian nobility conftitute the great Council of the Senate, and are a part of the adminiftra tion; and fummon'd to affist and counsel the Doge, who is Prince of the Senate. So that they may very properly be called Counfel lors. Tho the Government of Venice was democratick at firft, under Confuls and Tribunes; that form of power has been totally VOL. VIII. Stood |