He'll watch the horologe a double set,1

If drink rock not his cradle.

Mon.

It were well The general were put in mind of it. Perhaps he sees it not; or his good nature Prizes the virtue that appears in Cassio, And looks not on his evils.

Is not this true?

Enter RODERIGO.

Iago. How now, Roderigo?

[Aside.

I pray you, after the lieutenant; go. [Exit RODERIGO.
Mon. And 'tis great pity, that the noble Moor
Should hazard such a place, as his own second,
With one of an ingraft infirmity;

It were an honest action to say

So to the Moor.

Iago.

Not I, for this fair island.

I do love Cassio well; and would do much

To cure him of this evil. But hark! what noise?

[Cry within-Help! help!

Re-enter CASSIO, driving in RODERIGO.

Cas. You rogue! you rascal!

Mon.

What's the matter, lieutenant?

Cas. A knave!-teach me my duty!

I'll beat the knave into a twiggen3 bottle.
Rod. Beat me!

1 If he have no drink, he'll keep awake while the clock strikes two rounds, or four-and-twenty hours.-The word horologe is familiar to most of our ancient writers.

2 Rooted, settled. 3 i. e. a wickered bottle; and so the quarto reads.

Mon. Come, come, you're drunk.

Cas. Drunk!

[They fight.

Iago. Away, I say! go out, and cry-A mutiny. [Aside to ROD., who goes out. Nay, good lieutenant,-alas, gentlemen,Help, ho!-Lieutenant,-sir,-Montano,-sir ; Help, masters!-Here's a goodly watch, indeed!

[Bell rings.

Who's that that rings the bell?-Diablo, ho!
The town will rise; God's will, lieutenant! hold;
You will be shamed forever.

Oth.

Enter OTHELLO and Attendants.

What is the matter here?

Mon. I bleed still; I am hurt to the death;-he dies.1 Oth. Hold, for your lives.

Iago. Hold, hold, lieutenant, sir, Montano,-gentlemen,

Have you forgot all sense of place and duty?

Hold, hold! the general speaks to you; hold, for shame!

Oth. Why, how now, ho! from whence ariseth this? Are we turned Turks; and to ourselves do that, Which Heaven hath forbid the Ottomites?

For Christian shame, put by this barbarous brawl.
He that stirs next to carve for his own rage,
Holds his soul light; he dies upon his motion.-
Silence that dreadful bell; it frights the isle
From her propriety.-What is the matter, masters?
Honest lago, that look'st dead with grieving,
Speak, who began this? on thy love, I charge thee.
Iago. I do not know ;-friends all but now, even now,
In quarter, and in terms like bride and groom

1 The first quarto omits the words he dies, and has zounds! at the commencement of the line. Montano may be supposed to say he dies, i. e. he shall die. Othello, in the very next speech, says, He dies upon his motion."

2 i. e. on our station. This seems the leading signification, for the principal camp-guard of a regiment is called the quarter-guard; but a regiment in quarters has no such guard.

VOL. VII.

56

Divesting them for bed; and then, but now,
(As if some planet had unwitted men,)
Swords out, and tilting one at other's breast,
In opposition bloody. I cannot speak
Any beginning to this peevish odds;
And 'would in action glorious I had lost
These legs, that brought me to a part of it!

Oth. How comes it, Michael, you are thus forgot?1
Cas. I pray you, pardon me, I cannot speak.
Oth. Worthy Montano, you were wont be civil;
The gravity and stillness of your youth

The world hath noted, and your name is great
In mouths of wisest censure. What's the matter,
That you unlace your reputation thus,

2

And spend your rich opinion, for the name
Of a night brawler? Give me answer to it.
Mon. Worthy Othello, I am hurt to danger.
Your officer, Iago, can inform you—

While I spare speech, (which something now offends me)

Of all that I do know: nor know I aught
By me that's said or done amiss this night;
Unless self-charity be sometime a vice;

3

And to defend ourselves it be a sin,

When violence assails us.

Oth.

Now, by Heaven,

My blood begins my safer guides to rule;
And passion, having my best judgment collied,*
Assays to lead the way. If I once stir,

Or do but lift this arm, the best of

you

Shall sink in my rebuke. Give me to know
How this foul rout began, who set it on ;
And he that is approved 5 in this offence,
Though he had twinned with me, both at a birth,
Shall lose me.-What! in a town of war,

4 Collied is blackened, as with smut or coal; and, figuratively, means here obscured, darkened.

5 Convicted by proof.

Yet wild, the people's hearts brimful of fear,
To manage private and domestic quarrel,
In night, and on the court of guard and safety!1
'Tis monstrous.-lago, who began it?

Mon. If partially affined, or leagued in office,
Thou dost deliver more or less than truth,
Thou art no soldier.

Iago.

Touch me not so near.

I had rather have this tongue cut from my mouth,
Than it should do offence to Michael Cassio;
Yet, I persuade myself, to speak the truth
Shall nothing wrong him. Thus it is, general.
Montano and myself being in speech,

There comes a fellow, crying out for help;
And Cassio following with determined sword,3
To execute upon him. Sir, this gentleman
Steps in to Cassio, and entreats his pause;
Myself the crying fellow did pursue,
Lest, by his clamor, (as it so fell out,)

The town might fall in fright. He, swift of foot,
Outran my purpose; and I returned the rather
For that I heard the clink and fall of swords,
And Cassio high in oath; which, till to-night,
I ne'er might say before. When I came back
(For this was brief) I found them close together,
At blow, and thrust; even as again they were,
When you yourself did part them.

More of this matter can I not report ;

But men are men; the best sometimes forget.-
Though Cassio did some little wrong to him,—
As men in rage strike those that wish them best,—
Yet, surely, Cassio, I believe, received,

From him that fled, some strange indignity,
Which patience could not pass.

"In night, and on the court and guard of safety."

Malone made the necessary transposition.

2 Affined is "bound by proximity of relationship;" but here it means "related by nearness of office."

3 The old copy reads:

"And Cassio following him with determined sword."

Oth.

I know, Iago,

Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter,

Making it light to Cassio.-Cassio, I love thee;
But never more be officer of mine.—

Enter DESDEMONA, attended.

Look, if my gentle love be not raised up;—

I'll make thee an example.

Des.

What's the matter, dear?

Oth. All's well now, sweeting; come away to bed.

Sir, for your hurts,

Myself will be your surgeon ;-Lead him off.1

[To MONTANO, who is led off.

Iago, look with care about the town;

And silence those whom this vile brawl distracted.

Come, Desdemona; 'tis the soldiers' life,

To have their balmy slumbers waked with strife:

[Exeunt all but IAGO and CASSIO.

Iago. What, are you hurt, lieutenant ?

Cas. Ay, past all surgery.

Iago. Marry, Heaven forbid !

Cas. Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I have lost my reputation! I have lost the immortal part, sir, of myself, and what remains is bestial.-My reputation, lago, my reputation.

Iago. As I am an honest man, I thought you had received some bodily wound; there is more offence in that, than in reputation. Reputation is an idle and most false imposition; oft got without merit, and lost without deserving. You have lost no reputation at all, unless you repute yourself such a loser. What, man! there are ways to recover the general again. You are but now cast in his mood, a punishment more in policy than in malice; even so as one would beat his

1 Malone thinks that the words "Lead him off" were originally a marginal stage direction, as it was common to express them in imperative terms:-"Play music.-Ring the bell.-Lead him off," &c. 2 Thrown off, dismissed in his anger.