Iago. Kill men i'the dark ! - Where be these bloody thieves? How silent is this town! Ho! murder! murder! Lod. As you shall prove us, praise us. Signior Lodovico ? I cry you mercy; Here's Cassio hurt Iago. Lod. He, sir. Iago. By villains. Gra. Cassio? Iago. How is it, brother? Cas. My leg is cut in two. Marry, heaven forbid ! Light, gentlemen; I'll bind it with my shirt. Enter BIANCA. Bian. What is the matter, ho? who is't that cry'd? Iago. Who is't that cry'd? Bian. O my dear Cassio! my sweet Cassio ! O Cassio! Cassio! Cassio ! Iago. O notable strumpet! - Cassio, may you sus pect Who they should be, that have thus mangled you? Gra. I am sorry to find you thus: I have been to seek you. Iago. Lend me a garter: So. - O, for a chair, To bear him easily hence ! Bian. Alas, he faints : O Cassio! Cassio ! Cassio! Iago. Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash To be a party in this injury. - Iago. Even he, sir; did you know him? Gra. Know him? ay. Iago. Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon ; These bloody accidents must excuse my manners, That so neglected you. Gra. I am glad to see you. Iago. How do you, Cassio ? - O, a chair, a chair! Gra. Roderigo! Iago. He, he, 'tis he:-O, that's well said; - the [A Chair brought in. chair: Some good man bear him carefully from hence; [TO BIANCA. Save you your labour. - He that lies slain here, Cassio, Was my dear friend: What malice was between you? Cas. None in the world; nor do I know the man. Iago. [to BIAN.] What, look you pale? - O bear [CASSIO and ROD. are borne off. Stay you, good gentlemen. † - Look you pale, mistress? Enter EMILIA. Emil. 'Las, what's the matter; what's the matter, husband? Iago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark, By Roderigo, and fellows that are scap'd; Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio ! Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night: - † "good gentlewoman." - MALONE. Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not. Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me. Bian. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest, As you that thus abuse me. Emil. As I? foh! fye upon thee! Iago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio dress'd: Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale. — And tell my lord and lady what has happ'd. - [Aside. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Bedchamber: DESDEMONA in bed, asleep. A Light burning. Enter OTHELLO. Oth. It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul, — 8 destroy. [Takes off his Sword. or fordoes me quite.] To fordo, is to undo, to ruin, to 9 It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul, Let me not name it-] The abruptness of this soliloquy makes it obscure. The meaning, I think, is this: - I am here (says Othello in his mind) overwhelmed with horror. What is the reason of this perturbation? Is it want of resolution to do justice? Is it the dread of shedding blood? No; it is not the action that shocks me, but it is the cause, it is the cause, my soul; let me not name it to you, ye chaste stars! it is the cause. JOHNSON. Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men. That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd thy rose, I cannot give it vital growth again, It needs must wither : - I'll smell it on the tree. [Kissing her. O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade Des. Who's there? Othello? Oth. Ay, Desdemona. Des. Will you come to bed, my lord? Des. Ay, my lord. Oth. If you bethink yourself of any crime 1 Put out the light, and then put out the light:] This is one of the passages in which, by a modern regulation, our poet's words have obtained a meaning, which in my opinion was not in his thoughts. Mr. Upton was the first person who introduced the conceit in this line, which has been adopted since his book appeared, by pointing it thus: Put out the light, and then - Put out the light! &c. I entirely agree with Dr. Farmer, that this regulation gives a spirit to this passage that was not intended. The poet, I think, meant merely to say, "I will now put out the lighted taper which I hold, and then put out the light of life;" and this introduces his subsequent reflection and comparison, just as aptly, as supposing the latter words of the line to be used in the same sense as in the beginning of it, which cannot be done without destroying that equivoque and play of words of which Shakspeare was so fond. MALONE. |