Oth. With her? Iago. With her, on her; what you will. Oth. Lie with her! lie on her! - We say, lie on her, when they belie her: Lie with her! that's fulsome. — Handkerchief,-confessions,-handkerchief.-To confess, and be hanged for his labour. First, to be hanged, and then to confess :- I tremble at it. Nature would not invest herself in such shadowing passion, without some instruction. 8 It is not words that shake me thus: Pish!-Noses, ears, and lips: — - Is it possible? Confess! - Handkerchief! - O devil! [Falls in a Trance. Iago. Work on, My medicine, work! Thus credulous fools are caught; And many worthy and chaste dames, even thus, All guiltless meet reproach. What, ho! my lord! Enter CASSIO. My lord, I say! Othello! - How, now, Cassio? Iago. My lord is fallen into an epilepsy; Iago. If not, he foams at mouth; and, by and by, 7 To confess and be hanged —] This is a proverbial saying. without some instruction.] Othello alludes to Cassio's dream, which had been invented and told him by Iago. When many confused and very interesting ideas pour in upon the mind all at once, and with such rapidity that it has not time to shape or digest them, if it does not relieve itself by tears, (which we know it often does, whether for joy or grief,) it produces stupefaction and fainting. Othello, in broken sentences and single words, all of which have a reference to the cause of his jealousy, shows, that all the proofs are present at once to his mind, which so overpowers it, that he fall into a trance, the natural consequence. SIR J. Reynolds. He will recover straight; when he is gone, [Exit CASSIO. How is it, general? have you not hurt your head? Oth. Dost thou mock me? Iago. I mock you! no, by heaven: 'Would, you would bear your fortunes like a man. Oth. A horned man's a monster, and a beast. Iago. There's many a beast then in a populous city, And many a civil monster. Oth. Did he confess it? Iago. Good sir, be a man; Think, every bearded fellow, that's but yok'd, Which they dare swear peculiar; your case is better. To lip a wanton in a secure couch, 1 1 And to suppose her chaste! No, let me know; Stand you awhile apart; Confine yourself but in a patient list.2 Whilst you were here, ere while mad with your grief, Bade him anon return, and here speak with me; 9 in those unproper beds,] Unproper, for common. in a secure couch,] In a couch in which he is lulled into a false security and confidence in his wife's virtue. 2— list.] List, or lists, is barriers, bounds. Keep your temper, says Iago, within the bounds of patience. 3 — encave yourself,] Hide yourself in a private place. For I will make him tell the tale anew, Where, how, how oft, how long ago, and when Oth. Dost thou hear, Iago? I will be found most cunning in my patience; Iago. But yet keep time in all. Will you withdraw? That's not amiss; [OTHELLO withdraws. Now will I question Cassio of Bianca, A housewife, that, by selling her desires, Buys herself bread and clothes: it is a creature, He, when he hears of her, cannot refrain Re-enter CASSIO. As he shall smile, Othello shall go mad; Cas. The worser, that you give me the addition, Whose want even kills me. Iago. Ply Desdemona well, and you are sure of't. Now, if this suit lay in Bianca's power, [Speaking lower. How quickly should you speed? Cas. Alas, poor caitiff! Oth. Look, how he laughs already! Iago. I never knew a woman love man so. [Aside. Cas. Alas, poor rogue! I think i'faith, she loves me. ↑ And his unbookish jealousy―] Unbookish, for ignorant. Oth. Now he denies it faintly, and laughs it out. Iago. Do you hear, Cassio? [Aside. Now he importunes him To tell it o'er: Go to; well said, well said. [Aside. Iago. She gives it out, that you shall marry her: you intend it? Do Oth. Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph? 5 [Aside. Cas. I marry her! - what? a customer! I pr'ythee, bear some charity to my wit; do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha! Oth So, so, so, so: They laugh that win. [Aside. Iago. 'Faith, the cry goes, that shall you Cas. Pr'ythee, say true. Iago. I am a very villain else. Oth. Have you scored me?" Well. marry her. [Aside. Cas. This is the monkey's own giving out: she is persuaded I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise. Oth. Iago beckons me; now he begins the story. [Aside. Cas. She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was, the other day, talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes this bauble; by this hand, she falls thus about my neck; Oth. Crying, O dear Cassio! as it were: his gesture imports it. [Aside. 5 Do you triumph, Roman? do you triumph ?] Othello calls him Roman ironically. Triumph, which was a Roman ceremony, brought Roman into his thoughts. What, (says he,) you are now triumphing as great as a Roman? JOHNSON. 6 a customer!] A common woman, one that invites custom. 7 Have you scored me?] Have you made my reckoning? have you settled the term of my life? The old quarto reads-stored me? Have you disposed of me? have you laid me up? Cas. So hangs, and lolls, and weeps upon me; so hales, and pulls me: ha, ha, ha! — Oth. Now he tells, how she plucked him to my chamber: O, I see that nose of yours, but not that dog I shall throw it to. Cas. Well, I must leave her company. Iago. Before me! look, where she comes. Enter BIANCA. 8 [Aside. Cas. 'Tis such another fitchew! marry, a perfumed one. What do you mean by this haunting of me? Bian. Let the devil and his dam haunt you! What did you mean by that same handkerchief, you gave me even now? I was a fine fool to take it. I must take out the whole work? - A likely piece of work, that you should find it in your chamber, and not know who left it there! This is some minx's token, and I must take out the work? There, give it your hobby horse: wheresoever you had it, I'll take out no work on't. Cas. How now, my sweet Bianca? how now? how now? Oth. By heaven, that should be my handkerchief! [Aside. Bian. An you'll come to supper to-night, you may: an you will not, come when you are next prepared for. Iago. After her, after her. Cas. 'Faith, I must, she'll rail in the street else. Iago. Will you sup there? Cas. 'Faith, I intend so. [Exit. Iago. Well, I may chance to see you; for I would very fain speak with you. Cas. Pr'ythee, come; Will you? Iago. Go to; say no more. Oth. How shall I murder him, Iago? [Exit CASSIO. Iago. Did you perceive how he laughed at his vice? |