Cas. Bounteous madam, Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio, my lord: He's never any thing but your true servant. Cas. Ay, but, lady, Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here, With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio; 3 Thus the quarto 1622. The folio reads—' I know't, I thank you.' 4 6 He may either of himself think it politick to keep me out of office so long, or he may be satisfied with such slight reasons, or so many accidents may make him think my readmission at that time improper, that I may be quite forgotten.'-Johnson. 5 Hawks and other birds are tamed by keeping them from sleep. To this Shakspeare alludes. So in Cartwright's Lady Errant: We'll keep you As they do hawks, watching until you leave Your wildness.' And in Davenant's Just Italian : :-- 'They've watch'd my hardy violence so tame.' VOL. X. PP Enter OTHELLO, and IAGO, at a distance. And hear me speak. Cas. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease, Unfit for mine own purposes. Des. Iago. Well, well, [Exit CASSIO. Ha! I like not that. Oth. What dost thou say? Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guiltylike, Seeing you coming. Oth. I do believe 'twas he. Des. How now, my lord? I have been talking with a suitor here, A man that languishes in your displeasure. Oth. Who is't, you mean? Des. Why, your lieutenant Cassio. Good my lord, If I have any grace, or power to move you, His present reconciliation take; For, if he be not one that truly loves you, Oth. Went he hence now? 6 i. e. take his present atonement,' or submission. The words were formerly synonymous. 7 Cunning here signifies knowledge, the ancient sense of the word. Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled, That he hath left part of his grief with me; Oth. Des. To-morrow dinner then? Oth. you. No, not to-night. I shall not dine at home; I meet the captains at the citadel. Des. Why then, to-morrow night; or Tuesday morn; Or Tuesday noon, or night; or Wednesday morn;pray thee, name the time; but let it not I Exceed three days: in faith, he's penitent; And yet his trespass, in our common reason (Save that, they say, the wars must make examples Out of their best3), is not almost a fault To incur a private check: When shall he come? What you could ask me, that I should deny, That came a wooing with you 10, and so many a time, Hath ta'en your part; to have so much to do I will deny thee nothing. 8 The severity of military discipline must not spare the best men of the army, when their punishment may afford a wholesome example. 9 So hesitating, in such doubtful suspense. So in Lyly Euphues, 1580:- Neither stand in a mamering whether it be best to depart or not.' The quarto 1622 reads-muttering. 10 See Act i. Sc. 2, note 15. Des. Why, this is not a boon; "Tis as I should entreat you wear your gloves, Or feed on nourishing dishes, or keep you warm; Or sue to you to do peculiar profit Το your own person: Nay, when I have a suit, Wherein I mean to touch your love indeed, It shall be full of poize 11 and difficulty, And fearful to be granted. Oth. I will deny thee nothing: Whereon, I do beseech thee, grant me this, To leave me but a little to myself. Des. Shall I deny you? no: Farewell, my lord. Oth. Farewell, my Desdemona: I will come to thee straight. Des. Emilia, come :-Be it as your fancies teach you; Whate'er you be, I am obedient. [Exit with EMILIA. Oth. Excellent wretch12! Perdition catch my soul, But I do love thee! and when I love thee not, Chaos is come again 13. 11 i. e. of weight. 12 The meaning of the word wretch is not generally understood. It is now in some parts of England a term of the fondest and softest tenderness. It expresses the utmost degree of amiableness, joined with an idea which perhaps all tenderness includes, of feebleness, softness, and want of protection. Othello, considering Desdemona as excelling in beauty and virtue, soft and timorous by her sex, and by her situation absolutely in his power, calls her Excellent wretch! It may be expressed, Dear, harmless, helpless excellence.'-Johnson. Sir W. Davenant, in his Cruel Brother, uses the word twice with the same meaning:Excellent wretch! with a timorous modesty she stifleth up her utterance.' 13 I think with Malone that Othello is meant to say, ' Ere I cease to love thee, the world itself shall be reduced to its primitive chaos. So in Venus and Adonis : For he being dead, with him is beauty slain, And beauty dead, black Chaos comes again.' Shakspeare's meaning is more fully expressed in The Winter's Tale: Iago. My noble lord, Oth. What dost thou say, Iago? Iago. Did Michael Cassio, when you woo'd my lady, Know of your love? Oth. He did, from first to last: Why dost thou ask? Iago. But for a satisfaction of my thought; No further harm. Oth. Why of thy thought, Iago? Iago. I did not think he had been acquainted with her. Oth. O, yes; and went between us very oft. Oth. Indeed! ay, indeed:-Discern'st thou aught in that? Is he not honest? Iago. Oth. Honest, my lord? Iago. My lord, for aught I know. Oth. What dost thou think? Ay, honest. Iago. Think, my lord? Oth. Think, my lord! By heaven, he echoes me, As if there were some monster in his thought Too hideous to be shown.-Thou dost mean some thing: 'It cannot fail but by The violation of my faith,-and then Let nature crush the sides o'the earth together And mar the seeds within!' There is the same thought in Muretus, a Latin poet of the six teenth century:— 'Tune meo elabi possis de pectore, Lacci Aut ego, dum vivam, non meminisse tui? And in Buchanan: 'Cesset amor, pariter cessabunt fœdera rerum; |