Othello's first Sufpicion. Think, my lord! why, by heaven thou echo'ft me Some horrible conceit : if thou doft love me Iago. My lord, you know I love Oth. I think thou doft: you. And for I know thou'rt full of love and honefty, And weigh'ft thy words before thou giv'ft them breath, Are tricks of cuftom; but in a man that's juft, Reputation. Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their fouls; (8) Who steals my purse steals trash, 'tis fomething, nothing; 'Twas Who, &c.] Mr. Theobald observes, "Of riches, and other temporal poffeffions being uncertain, and often changing their masters, we meet with feveral paffages in the claffics, which might have given our author a hint for this fentiment. Nunc ager, &c. HOR. Sat. 2. 1. 2. That which was once Ofellus farm is gone, None 'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been flave to thoufands; But he that filches from me my good name, Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed. SCENE VI. Othello's Soliloquy after having been work'd up to Jealousy by lago. This fellow's of exceeding honefty, And knows all qualities with a learned spirit, None hath the property: it comes and goes, This Lucian feems to have imitated in an epigram: Αγρα Αχαιμενιδας, &c. I once was Achaemenides his land, And now Menippus claims me for his own, Nor this nor that man's; I belong to none, SCENE Creech (9) If, &c.] All the metaphor here is taken from falconry, and moft beautifully kept up. SCENE VII. Jealousy. Trifles light as air, Are to the jealous, confirmations strong, As proofs of holy writ. SCENE VIII. The Tortures of Jealousy. Enter Othello. Iago. Look, where he comes! not poppy, nor mandragora, Nor all the drowfy fyrups of the world, Shall ever medicine thee to that sweet fleep, Oth. Ha! falfe to me! Jago. Why, how now, general, no more of that. Oth. Avant, be gone, thou haft fet me on the wreck ; I fwear 'tis better to be much abused, Than but to know a little. Iago. How, my lord? Oth. What fenfe had I of her ftol'n hours of luft? I faw't not, thought it not, it harm'd not me: I flept the next night well, fed well, was free and merry, I found not Caffio's kiffes on her lips; He that is robb'd, not wanting what is ftol'n, Let him not know't, and he's not robb'd at all. Oth. I had been happy, if the general camp, Pride, pomp and circumftance of glorious war: Iago. Is't poffible, my lord? Oth. Villain, be fure thou prove my love a whore; Be fure of it: give me the ocular proof, [Catching hold on him. Or by the worth of mine eternal foul, Thou hadst better have been born a dog, Iago. Is't come to this? Oih. Make me to fee't, or, at the least, so prove it, That the probation bear no hinge nor loop To hang a doubt on: or woe upon thy life. Iago. My noble lord. Oth. If thou doft flander her, and torture me, Never pray more; abandon all remorse; On horrors head, horrors accumulate, Do deeds to make heav'n weep, all earth amaz'd; Greater than that. Iago. O grace! O heav'n forgive me! O monstrous world! take note, take note, O world, I thank you for this profit, and from hence I'll love no friend, fith love breeds fuch offence. Oth. By the world, I think my wife is honest, and think she is not; Poifon Poifon or fire, or fuffocating ftreams, I'll not endure it. Would I were fatisfied! SCENE X. Othello's Story of the Handkerchief. That handkerchief Did an Egyptian to my mother give; She was a charmer, and cou'd almost read The thoughts of people. She told her while fhe kept it, Or made a gift of it, my father's eye -There's magic in the web of it, The worms were hallow'd that did breed the filk. SCENE XIII. A Lover's Computation of Time. What, keep a week away? feven days and nights? Eight-fcore eight hours? and love's abfent hours, More tedious than the dial eight-fcore times? Oh weary reckoning! Othello, before he falls into a Trance. Lie with her! lie on her! lie with her! that's fulhandkerchief-confeffions-confeffions-hand fome kerchief |