Lod. We do not know. Iugo. Did you not hear a cry? Cas. Here, here; for heaven's sake, help me. What's the matter? Iago. Iago. O me, lieutenant! what villains have done this? And cannot make away. Iago. O treacherous villains! What are you there? come in, and give some help. Rod. O, help me here! [To LOD. and GRA. Cas. That 's one of them. O murderous slave! O villain! [IAGO stabs ROD. Iago. Rod. O damn'd Iago! O inhuman dog!— O! O! O! Iago. Kill men i' the dark!-Where be these bloody thieves? How silent is this town!-Ho! murder! murder! What may you be? are you of good, or evil?1 Lod. As you shall prove us, praise us.* Signior Lodovico? I cry you mercy; Here 's Cassio hurt Cassio? Iago. How is it, brother? Cas. My leg is cut in two. lago. Marry, heaven forbid! Light, gentlemen; I 'Il bind it with my shirt. verse required only one of them.-I mention these circumstances, that the enormous guilt of the second folio, and its copiers, may be in some degree extenuated. Steevens. 1 are you of good, or evil?] So, in Hamlet: "Art thou a spirit of health? or goblin damn'd ?” Steevens. * As you shall prove us, praise us.] i. e. as you shall find us value us: The word praise in the sense in which it is here used, is obsolete. Am. Ed. Enter BIANCA. Bian. What is the matter, ho? who is 't that cry'd? Jago. 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 suspect Who they should be, that have thus mangled you? Cas. No. Gra. I am sorry, to find you thus : I have been to seek you. Iago. Lend me a garter:2 So.—O, for a chair, To bear him easily hence! Bian. Alas, he faints:-O Cassio! Cassio! Cassio! Patience a while, good Cassio.-Come, come; 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. Jago. How do you, Cassio? O, a chair, a chair! Gra. Roderigo! Jago. He, he, 'tis he:-O, that 's well said;-the chair: [A Chair brought in. Some good man bear him carefully from hence; I'll fetch the general's surgeon.-For you, mistress, [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. 2 Lend me a garter: &c.] This speech is omitted in the first quarto. Steevens. 3 To be a party in this injury.] Thus the folio. The quarto, 1622, reads to bear a part in this. Malone. 4 Alas! my friend, and my dear countryman,] This passage incontestably proves that Iago was meant for a l'enetian. Steevens. Iago. [to BIAN.] What, look you pale ?-O, bear him Do you see, gentlemen? nay, guiltiness will speak, Enter EMILIA. Emil. 'Las, what's the matter; what 's the matter, husband? Iago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark, Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio! 5 good gentlemen:] Thus the folio. The quarto reads -gentlewoman. Steevens. That the original is the true reading, may be collected from the situation and feelings of the parties on the scene. No reason can be assigned why Lodovico and Gratiano should immediately quit the spot where they now are, before they had heard from Iago further particulars of the attack on Cassio, merely because Cassio was borne off: whereas, on the other hand, his mistress, Bianca, who has been officiously offering him assistance, would naturally endeavour to accompany him to his lodgings. Malone. There seems to me to be a very good reason assignable why these two gentlemen should immediately quit the spot on Cassio's being borne off, viz. to assist him or see him properly taken care of, rather than to stay and gratify their curiosity. Respect for the person appointed Othello's successor, if not personal regar would, I should think, naturally have dictated such a proceeding, had they not been stopped by Iago's desiring them not to go. Reed. 6 the gastness] So, the folio. The quartos readjestures. Steevens. 7 Nay, if you stare,] So, the folio. The quartos read-stirre. 8 9 guiltiness will speak, Though tongues were out of use.] So, in Hamlet: Steevens. "For murder, though it have no tongne, will speak Pr'ythee, Emilia, What, do you shake at that? 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, Emil. As I foh! fy 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. That either makes me, or fordoes me quite.1 [Exeunt. Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night:] In the last scene of the preceding Act Iago informs Roderigo, that Cassio was to sup with Bianca; that he would accompany Cassio to her house, and would take care to bring him away from thence between twelve and one. Cassio too had himself informed Iago, Act IV, sc. i, that he would sup with Bianca, and Iago had promised to meet him at her house. Perhaps, however, here Iago chose to appear ignorant of this fact, conscious that he had way-laid Cassio, and therefore desirous of being thought ignorant of his motions during the evening. Malone. Yet, how happens it, that Bianca, instead of replying-He supp'd &c. did not answer, addressing herself to Iago: He supp'd &c. Why, you well know, The former line being imperfect, some such words might have been omitted. Or perhaps, our author was unwilling that Bianea should say in the presence of Iago's wife, that he too had been of Cassio's supper-party; and hence this seeming inconsistency. Steevens. 1 or fordoes me quite.] To fordo, is to undo, to ruin, to destroy. So, in Hamlet: 65 did, with desperate hand, "Fordo its own life." Again, in the Interlude of Jacob and Esau, 1568; "If God were so pleased, I would that were fordonne." Steevens. SCENE II. A Bedchamber: DESDEMONA in bed asleep. A Liglit burning. Enter OTHELLO. Oth. It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,- [Takes off his Sword. Yet she must die, else she 'll betray more men.1 But out the light, and then put out the light:5 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 chuste stars! it is the cause. Johnson. Othello, full of horror at the cruel action which he is about to perpetrate, seems at this instant to be seeking his justification, from representing to himself the cause, i. e. the greatness of the provocation he had received. He may, however, meanIt is the cause of chastity and virtue, that I maintain. Steevens. you chaste stars,] For the epithet-chaste, applied to the stars, there is perhaps no classical authority. Statius, when Achilles, disguised in a female habit, had proved his manhood on Deidamia, observes that- 3 "Astrorum, et tenere rubuerunt cornua Zune." Hence we may infer that an occurrence offensive to the moon, was anciently supposed to put the less prudish stars (" Diana's waiting-women") in good humour. Steevens. 4 Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.] This is the second attempt of Othello to justify what he has undertaken. First he says, It is the cause, i. e. his own cause; now he is willing to suppose himself the preventer of mischief to others. Steevens. 5 Put out the light, and then put out the light;] It should be thus printed: Put out the light, and then-put out the light! The meaning is, I will put out the light, and then proceed to the execution of my purpose. But the expression of putting out the light, bringing to mind the effects of the extinction of the light |