DUKE of Venice.

Brabantio, a noble Venetian.

Gratiano, Brother to Brabantio.

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 Desdemona. Montano, the Moor's Predeceffor in the Government of Cyprus.

Clown, Servant to the Moor.

Herald.

Desdemona, Daughter to Brabantio, and Wife to Othello. Emilia, Wife to Iago.

Bianca, Curtezan, Miftrefs 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.

ACT I.

SCENE, a Street in VENICE.

Enter Rodorigo and Iago.

RODORIG 0.

EVER tell me, I take it much unkindly,
That thou, Iago, who haft had my purfe
As if the ftrings were thine, fhouldst know
of this.

Iago. But you'll not hear me.

If ever I did dream of fuch a matter, abhor me.

Rod. Thou told'ft me, thou didst hold him in thy

hate.

Iago. Defpife me,

If I do not. Three Great ones of the city,
In perfonal fuit to make me his lieutenant,
Off-cap'd to him: and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I'm worth no worse a Place.
But he, as loving his own pride and purpose,

Evades them with a bombaft circumftance,
Horribly ftuft with epithets of war,
And, in conclufion,

Non-fuits my mediators. "Certes, fays he,

"I have already chose my officer. And what was he?

Forfooth, a great arithmetician,

One Michael Caffio-("the Florentine's (1) "A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;") That never fet a fquadron in the field,

Nor the divifion of a battle knows

More than a spinster; but the bookish theorick,

(1) Forsooth, a great Arithmetician,

One Michael Caffio, a Florentine,

A Fellow almoft damn'd in a fair Wife.] Thus has this Paffage ignorantly been corrupted, (as Mr. Warburton likewise faw with me;) by falfe Pointing, and an Inadvertence to Matter of Fact, thro' the whole Course of the Editions. By the Bye, this Play was not publish'd 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 shall immediately explain; and it gives a Variety, in lago reporting the Behaviour of Othello, to ftart into thefe Breaks; now, to make Othello speak ;- -then, to interrupt what Othello fays with his own private Reflexions;again, to proceed with Othello's Speeches :- -For this not only marks the Inquietude of Iago'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 'twere) perfonates alternately Orbello and himself. Besides, to come to the Neceffity of the Change made; lago, not Caffio, was the Florentine; lago, not Caffie, was the married Man; lage's Wife attends Defdemona to Cyprus; Caffio has a Mistress there, a common Strum pet; and Iago tells him in the fourth A&t,

She gives it out, that you shall marry her :

-then,

Which would be very absurd, if Caffio had been already married s at Venice. Befides, our Poet follows the Authority of his Novel in giving the villanous Enfign a fair Wife.

Wherein

Wherein the toged counf'lors can propose (2)
As masterly as he; meer prattle, without practice,
Is all his foldierfhiphe had th' election;
And I, of whom his eyes had feen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus, and on other grounds
Chriftian and heathen must be belee'd and calm'd
By Debitor and Creditor, this Counter-cafter;
He, in good time, muft his lieutenant be,

And I, (God bless the mark!) his Moor-fhip's Ancient. Rod. By Heav'n, I rather would have been his hang

man.

Lago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curfe of fervice; Preferment goes by letter and affection,

And not by old gradation, where each fecond

Stood heir to th' firft. Now, Sir, be judge your self,
If I in any just term am affign'd

To love the Moor.

Rod. I would not follow him then.
Iago. O Sir, content you;

I follow him to ferve my turn upon him.
We cannot all be mafters, nor all masters

(2) Wherein the tongued Confuls.] So the generality of the Impreffions read; but the oldest Quarto has it toged; (which gave the Hint for my Emendation;) the Senators, that affifted the Duke in Council, in their proper Gowns.- -But let me explain, why I have ventured to fubftitute Counsellors in the Room of Confuls: and then, I hope, the Alteration will not appear arbitrary. The Venetian Nobility, 'tis well known, conftitute the great Council of the Senate, and are a Part of the Adminiftration; and fummon'd to affift and counsel the Doge, who is Prince of the Senate; and, in that Regard, has only Precedency before the other Magiftrates. So that, in this Refpect, they may very properly be call'd Counsellors. Besides, tho' the Government of Venice was Democratick at firft, under Confuls and Tribunes; that Form of Power has been totally abrogated, fince Doges have been elected: And whatever Confuls of other States may be refident there, yet they have no more a Voice, or Place, in the publick Councils, or in what concerns Peace or War; than foreign Ambassadors can have in our Parliament.

Cannot

Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark
Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,
That, doting on his own obfequious bondage,
Wears out his time, much like his master's afs,
For nought but provender; and when he's old, cafheir'd;
Whip me fuch honest knaves-Others there are,
Who, trimm'd in forms and vifages of duty,
Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves;
And, throwing but shows of fervice on their lords,
Well thrive by them; and when they've lin'd their

coats,

Do themselves homage.

Thefe folks have fome foul,

And fuch a one do I profess my self.

It is as fure as you are Rodrigo,

Were I the Moor, I would not be lago:
In following him, I follow but my felf,
Heav'n is my judge, not I, for love and duty:
But, feeming fo, for my peculiar end:
For when my outward action doth demonstrate
The native act and figure of my heart
In compliment extern, 'tis not long after
But I will wear my heart upon my fleeve,
For daws to peck at; I'm not what I feem.

Rod. What a full fortune does the thick-lips owe,
If he can carry her thus?

Iago. Call up her father,

Roufe him, make after him, poifon his delight;
Proclaim him in the streets, incense her kinsmen ;
And tho' he in a fertile climate dwell,

Plague him with flies; tho' that his joy be joy,
Yet throw fuch changes of vexation on't,
As it may lofe fome colour.

Rod. Here is her father's houfe, I'll call aloud.
Jago. Do, with like timorous accent, and dire yell,
As when, by night and negligence, the fire

Is fpied in populous cities.

Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! Signior Brabantio! ho. Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! ho! thieves! thieves!

Look