Rod. Beat me Caf. Doft thou prate, rogue? Mont. Nay, good lieutenant; I pray you, Sir, hold your hand. [Staying him. Caf. Let me go, Sir, or I'll knock you o'er the mazzard. Mont. Come, come, you're drunk. Caf. Drunk?. [They fight. Iago. Away, I fay, go out and cry a mutiny. [Exit Rodorigo. Nay, good lieutenant-Alas, gentlemenHelp, ho!Lieutenant- -Sir-Montano. Help, mafters! here's a goodly watch, indeedWho's that, who rings the bell-diablo, ho! [Bell rings. The town will rife. Fy, fy, lieutenant! hold: Enter Othello, and Attendants. Oth. What is the matter here? Mont. I bleed ftill, I am hurt, but not to th' death. Oth. Hold, for your lives. Iago. Hold, ho! lieutenant Gentlemen -Sir-Montano Have you forgot all place of fenfe and duty? In oppofition bloody. I can't speak Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot? The world hath noted; And your name is great And fpend your rich opinion, for the name Mon. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger; While I fpare ipeech, which fomething now offends me, When violence aflails us. Oth. Now, by heav'n, My blood begins my fafer guides to rule; Or do but lift this arm, the best of you Shall fink in my rebuke. Give me to know In night, and on the Court of Guard and Safety; (19) (19) In night, and on the Court and Guard of Safety ?] This is fpoken by Othello; but Guard of Safety, though coupled with a Word of Synonymous Conftruction, was never Soldier's Language. I have ventured to make the Conjunction, and Sign of the Genitive Cofe change Places: and fo the Phrafe in Ule is refiored, though against the Authority of the printed Copies. 'Tis 'Tis monftrous. Say, Iago, who began't? Iago. Touch me not so near : I'd rather have this tongue cut from my mouth, There comes a fellow crying out for help, The town might fall in fright. He, fwift of foot, More of this matter cannot I report. But men are men; the best fometimes forget; From him, that fled, fome ftrange indignity, Oth. I know, Iago, Thy honefty and love doth mince this matter, Enter Defdemona attended. Look, if my gentle love be not rais'd up: Def. Def. What's the matter? Oth. All is well, Sweeting, come to-bed. Iago, look with care about the town, And filence thofe whom this vile brawl distracted. To have their balmy flumbers wak'd with ftrife. Manent Iago and Caffio. Jago. What, are you hurt, lieutenant ? Iago. Marry, heav'n forbid! [Exeunt. Caf. Reputation, reputation, reputation! oh I have loft my reputation! I have loft the immortal part of myfelf, and what remains is beftial. My reputation! lago, my reputation- Iago. As I am an honeft man, I had thought, you had receiv'd fome bodily wound; there is more fenfe in that than in reputation. Reputation is an idle, and moft falfe impofition; oft got without merit, and loft without deferving. You have loft no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself fuch a lofer. What, man, there are ways to recover the General again. You are but now caft in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even fo as one would beat his offencelefs dog, to affright an imperious lion. Sue to him again, and he's yours. Caf. I will rather fue to be defpis'd, than to deceive fo good a commander, with fo flight, fo drunken, and fo indifcreet an officer. Drunk, and fpeak? Parrot, and fquabble? fwagger? fwear? and difcourfe fuftian with one's own fhadow? oh thou invincible spirit of wine; if thou haft no name to be known by, let us call thee devil. Iago. What was he that you follow'd with your fword? what had he done to you? Caf. I know not. Iago. Is't poffible? Caf. I remember a mafs of things, but nothing diftin&ly: a quarrel, but nothing wherefore. Oh, that men fhould put an enemy in their mouths, to steal away. their brains that we should with joy, pleafance, revel, and applaufe, transform ourselves into beafts. Iago. Why, but you are now well enough: how came you thus recovered? Caf. It has pleas'd the devil, drunkenness, to give place to the devil, wrath; one unperfectnefs fhews me another, to make me frankly despise myself. Iago. Come, you are too fevere a moraler. As the time, the place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily with this had not befallen: but fince it is as it is, mend it for your own good. Caf. I will ask him for my place again; he shall tell me, I am a drunkard!, had I as many mouths as Hydra, fuch an answer would ftop them all. To be now a fenfible man, by and by a fool, and prefently a beaft! Every inordinate cup is unblefs'd, and the ingredient is a devil. Iago. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well us'd: exclaim no more against it. And, good lieutenant, I think, you think, I love you. Caf. I have well approv'd it, Sir. I drunk! Iago. You, or any man living, may be drunk at some time, man. I tell you what you fhall do: our General's wife is now the General. I may say so, in this respect, for that he hath devoted and giv'n up himself to the contemplation, mark and denotement of her parts and graces, (20). Confess yourself freely to her: importune her (20) For that be bath devoted, and given up bimself to the Contemplation, Mark, and Devotement of her Parts and Graces.] I remember, it is faid of Antony, in the Beginning of his Tragedy, that He, who used to fix his Eyes altogether on the dreadful Ranges of War, norv bends, now turns, The Office and Devotion of their View This is finely exprefs'd; but I cannot perfuade myself that our Poet would |