DUKE of Venice. Brabantió, a noble Venetian. Gratiano, Brother to Brabantio. Lodovico, Kinsman to Brabantio and Gratiano. Caffio. Iago, Standard-bearer to Othello. Montano, the Moor's Predeceffor in the Government of Clown, Servant to the Moor. Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Muficians, Sailors, and SCENE, for the First Alt, in Venice; during the reft of the Play, in Cyprus. 1. Quarto, 2. 3. 4. 5. Folio, Of this Play the Editions are, Preface by Thomas Walkely. 1622. N. O. for Thomas Walkely. 1623. I have the folio, and the third Quarto collated with the fecond, and the fourth. OTHELLO, OTHELLO, The Moor of VENICE. ACT I. SCENE I. N A Street in VENICE. Enter Rodorigo and Iago. RODORI GO. EVER tell me. I take it much unkindly, Iago. But you'll not hear me. If ever I did dream of such a matter, abhor me. Rod. Thou toldft 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, 1 Otbello, the Moor of Venice.] The ftory is taken from Cynthio's Novels. POPE. Off-capp'd to him; and, by the faith of man, Non-fuits my mediators." Certes, fays he, Forfooth, a great arithmetician, One Michael Caffio, a Florentine, 2a Florentine,] It appears from many paffages of this play. (rightly underflood) that Caffio was a Florentine, and Iago a Venetian. HANMER. 3-in a fair wife;] In the former editions this hath been printed, a fair wife; but furely it muft from the beginning have been a mistake, because it appears from a following part of the play, that Caffio was an unmarried man: On the other hand, his beauty is often hinted at, which it is natural enough for rough foldiers to treat with fcorn and ridicule. I read therefore, A fellow almost demn'd in a fair phyz. HANMER. -a Florentine, A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair wife; But it was lago, and not Cafo, who was the Florentine, as appears from Act 3. Scene 1. The paffage therefore fhould be read thus, (a Florentine's dfellow almost damn'd in a fair wife ;-) Thefe are the words of Othello, (which Iago in this relation repeats), and fignify, that a Florentine was an unfit perfon for command, as being always a slave to a fair wife; which was the cafe of Lago. The Oxford Editor, fuppofing this was faid by Iago of Caffio, will have Caffio to be the Florentine; which, he fays, is plain from many paffages in the Play, rightly underfood. But becaufe Caffio was no married man, (tho' I wonder it did not appear he was, from fome paffages rightly underflood) he alters the line thus, A fellow almoft damn'd in a fair Phyz. A White-friers' phrafe. WARE. This is one of the paffages which must for the present be refigned to corruption and obfcurity. I have nothing that I can, with any approach to confidence, propofe. I cannot think it very plain from Act III. Scene 1. that Caffio was or was not a Florentine. That That never fet a fquadron in the field, More than a spinster; but the bookish theorick, + Wherein the toged confuls can propose As masterly as he. Meer prattle, without practice, And I, of whom his eyes had feen the proof And I, Sir, (blefs the mark!) his Moor-fhip's An- Rod. By heav'n, I rather would have been his hang man. Iago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curfe of fer vice! Preferment goes by letter and affection, And not by old gradation, where each fecond 4 Wherein the tongued Confuls-] So the generality of the impreffions read; but the oldest quarto has it toged; the Se. nators, that affifted the Duke in Council, in their proper Gowns. But let me explain, why I have ventured to fubftitute CounJellors in the room of Confuls : The Venetian nobility constitute the great Council of the Senate, and are a part of the adminiftration; and fummon'd to affift and counfel the Doge, who is Prince of the Senate. So that they may very properly be called Counfellors. Tho' the Government of Venice was democratick at firft, under Confuls and Tribunes; that form of power has been totally VOL. VIII. Stood |