Rhodio 3

Des.

Published by I'&. CRirington S!Pailio Church V.July 4:1807.

Ay, I do.

No,-Heaven forefend. I would not kill thy soul.”

Des. Talk you of killing?
Oth.
Des.

Then, heaven
Have mercy on me!
Oth.

Amen, with all

my

heart! Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me. Oth. Humph!

Des. And yet I fear you ; for you are fatal then, When your eyes roll so : Why I should fear, I know

not, Since guiltiness I know not; but yet, I feel, I fear.

Oth. Think on thy sins.
Des.

They are loves I bear to you.
Oth. Ay, and for that thou diest.
Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for

loving: -
Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?
Some bloody passion shakes your very frame:
These are portents; but yet, I hope, I hope,
They do not point on me.
Oth.

Peace, and be still!
Des. I will so: What's the matter?
Oth. That handkerchief, which I so lov’d, and

gave thee,

Thou gav'st to Cassio.
Des.

No, by my life and soul;
Send for the man, and ask him.
Oth.

Sweet soul, take heed, Take heed of perjury; thou’rt on thy death-bed.

Des. Ay, but not yet to die.
Oth.

Yes, presently : Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;

I would not kill thy soul.] Othello appears to have been a favourite of his author; for he has bestowed on him that piety which he had refused to Hamlet.

you in

For to deny each article with oath,
Cannot remove, nor choke, the strong conception,
That I do groan withal.

withal. Thou art to die, Des. Then, Lord have mercy on me! Oth.

I say, amen.
Des. And have you mercy too ! I never did
Offend

my life; never lov’d Cassio,
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love: I never gave him token.
Oth. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his

hand.
O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart,
And mak'st me call, what I intend to do,
A murder, which I thought a sacrifice :3
I saw the handkerchief.
Des.

He found it then ;
I never gave it him :-Send for him hither,
And let him confess a truth.
Oth.

He hath confess'd.
Des. What, my lord ?
Oth. That he hath-us'd thee.
Des.

How! unlawfully?
Oth. Ay,
Des. He'll not say $0.
Oth.

No, his mouth is stopp'd;
Honest Iago hath ta'en order for’t.*

Des. My fear interprets then, What, is he dead?

Oth, Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge Had stomach for them all.

Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone.

3 A murder, which I thought a sacrifice :) This line is difficult, Thou hast hardened my heart, and makest me kill thee with the rage of a murderer, when I thought to have sacrificed thee to justice with the calmness of a priest striking a victim.

I am glad that I have ended my revisal of this dreadful scene, Įt is not to be endured. Johnson. hath ta'en order

for’t.] i. e, has taken measures,

4

Oth. Out, strumpet! Weep’st thou for him to

my face?

Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not.
Oth. Down, strumpet!
Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night.
Oth. Nay, if you strive,
Des.

But half an hour.
Oth.

Being done, There is no pause. Des.

But while I say one prayer. Oth. It is too late.“

[He smothers her. Emil. [1Vithin.] My lord, my lord! what ho!

my lord! my lord ! Oth. What noise is this :-Not dead! not yet

quite dead?
I, that am cruel, am yet merciful;
I would not have thee linger in thy pain.-
So, so.

Emil. [Within.] What ho, my lord! my lord !
Oth.

Who's there? Emil. [Within.] 0, good my lord, I would speak

a word with you. Oth. Yes;-'tis Emilia:--by and by:-She's dead. 'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death; The noise was high.—Ia! no more moving?

5 It is too late.] After this speech of Othello, the elder quarto adds an invocation from Desdemona, consisting only of the sacred name thrice repeated. As this must be supposed to have been uttered while she is yet struggling with death, an editor may be excused from inserting such a circumstance of supererogatory horror, especially as it is found in but one of the ancient copies. This alteration was probably made in consequence of the statute of the 3d of James I. c. 21, which lays a penalty for the profane use of the name of God, &c. in stage-plays, interludes, Maygames, &c. Such a statute was necessary; for not only the an. cient moralities, but the plays (those of Chapman in particular) abound with the most wanton and shocking repetitions of a name which never ought to be mentioned in such an irreverend manner on the stage.

Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were't good?
I think, she stirs again :-No.—What's the best?
If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife :
My wife! my wife! what wife?-I have no wife :
o, insupportable! O heavy hour!
Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon ; and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.
Emil. [Within.] I do beseech you

I

may speak O, good my lord !

Oth. I had forgot thee: 0, come in, Emilia :Soft,-by and by :-Let me the curtains draw.Where art thou? What's the matter with thec

[Unlocks the door.

with you,

now?

Enter EMILIA.

Emil. O, good my lord, yonder's foul murder

done.
Oth. What? now?
Emil.

But now, my lord !
Oth. It is the very error of the moon;
She comes more near the earth than she was wont;
And makes men mad.
Emil. Cassio, my lord, has killd a young Ve-

netian, Call’d-Roderigo. Oth.

Roderigo kill'd!
And Cassio kill'd ?
Emil.

No, Cassio is not kill'd.
Oth. Not Cassio killd? Then murder's, out of

tune,
And sweet revenge grows harsh.

Des. O, falsely, falsely murder'd !
Emil.

Alas! what

cry

is that? Oth. That! what?