Dramatis Perfonæ, DUKE of Venice. Brabantio, a noble Venetian. Gratiano, Brother to Brabantio. HTC Lodovico, Kinfman to Brabantio and Gratiano. Othello, the Moor, General for the Venetians in Cyprus, Caffio, his Lieutenant-General. Iago, Standard-bearer to Othello. Rodorigo, a foolish Gentleman, in love with Defdemona. Montano, the Moor's Predeceffor in the Government of Cyprus. Clown, Servant to the Moor. Herald. Defdemona, Daughter to Brabantio, and Wife to Othello. Emilia, Wife to Iago.' Bianca, Courtezan, Mistress to Caffio. # Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Muficians, Sailors, and Attendants. SCENE, for the First Act, in Venice; during the rest of the Play, in Cyprus. OTHELLO, The Moor of VENICE. A C T I. SCENE, a Street in VENICE. N # Enter Rodorigo and Iago. RODORIGO. EVER tell me, I take it much unkindly, of this. Iago. But you'll not hear me. If ever I did dream of such a matter, abhor me., If I do not. Three great ones of the city, Evades them with a bombaft circumstance, Non-fuits my mediators. Certes, fays he, I have already chofe my Officer." And what was he? Forsooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Caffio;-(" the Florentine's (1) More than a pinfter; but the bookish theorick, (1) Forfooth, a great Arithmetician, One Michael Caffio, a Florentine, A Fellow, almost damn'd in a fair Wife] Thus has this Paffage ignorantly been corrupted, (as Mr. Warburton likewife faw with me;) by falfe Pointing, and an Inadvertence to Matter of Fact, through the whole Course of the Editions. By the Bye, this Play was not published even fingly, that I can find, till fix Years after the Author's Death and by that Interval became more liable to Errors, I'll fubjoin the Reasons in proof of the Correction. The new Pointing fets Circumstances right, as I fhall immediately explain; and it gives a Variety, in lag, reporting the Behaviour of Othello, to start into thefe Breaks; now, to make Othello speak; then, to interrupt what Othello fays with his own private Reflexions; then, again, to proceed with Orbello's Speeches :: For this not only marks the Inquietude of Lago's Mind upon the Subject in hand; but likewife fhews the Actor in the Variation of Tone and Gesture, whilft he (in a breath, as it were) perfonates alternately Othello and himself. Befides, to come to the Neceflity of the Change made; Lago, not Caffio, was the Florentine: Iago, not. Caffio, was the married Man; Iago's Wife attends Dejdemona to Cyprus; Caffio has a Miftrefs there, a common Strumpet; and Iago tells him in the fourth Act, She gives it out, that you shall marry her: Which would be very abfurd, if Caffio had been already married at Venice. Befides, our Poet follows the Authority of his Novel in giving the villainous Enfign a fair Wife. Wherein |