What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, So bloodily hast struck? First Amb. The sight is dismal; And our affairs from England come too late : The ears are senseless that should give us hearing, 380 To tell him his commandment is fulfill'd, That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead: Where should we have our thanks? Hor. Not from his mouth, Had it the ability of life to thank you : He never gave commandment for their death. Of accidental judgements, casual slaughters, Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I Fort. Let us haste to hear it, And call the noblest to the audience. For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune: Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, Even while men's minds are wild; lest more mischance, On plots and errors, happen. 386. so jump upon, so immediately following. 390 400 Let four captains Fort. To have proved most royally: and, for his passage, Speak loudly for him. Take up the bodies: such a sight as this Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. [A dead march. Exeunt, bearing off the 408. put on, put to the test. 409. for his passage, solemnise his passing away. 410 to DRAMATIS PERSONÆ DUKE OF VENICE. BRABANTIO, a senator. Other Senators. GRATIANO, brother to Brabantio. LODOVICO, kinsman to Brabantio. OTHELLO, a noble Moor in the service of the Venetian state. CASSIO, his lieutenant. IAGO, his ancient. RODERIGO, a Venetian gentleman. MONTANO, Othello's predecessor in the government of Cyprus. Clown, servant to Othello. DESDEMONA, daughter to Brabantio and wife to Othello. BIANCA, mistress to Cassio. Sailor, Messenger, Herald, Officers, Gentlemen, Musicians, and Attendants. SCENE: Venice; a Sea-port in Cyprus. INTRODUCTION THE earliest edition of Othello was a Quarto, pub- Early Liter lished in 1622, with the following title-page : THE Tragoedy of Othello | The Moore of Venice. As it hath beene diverse times acted at the | Globe, and at the Black-Friers, by his Maiesties Seruants. | Written by William Shakespeare. | LONDON, | Printed by N. O. for Thomas Walkley, and are to be sold at his shop, at the Eagle and Child, in Brittans Bursse | 1622. | To this the publisher prefixed a brief commendatory preface of some interest in the history of Shakespeare's fame : 'THE STATIONER TO THE READER. 'To set forth a booke without an Epistle, were like to the old English proverbe, A blew coat without a badge, and the Author being dead I thought good to take that piece of work upon mee: To commend it I will not, for that which is good I hope euery man will commend, without entreaty: and I am the bolder, because the Authors name is sufficient to vent his worke. Thus leauing euery one to the liberty of iudgement: I haue ventered to print this Play, and leaue it to the generall censure. Yours, THOMAS Walkley.' This Quarto was apparently printed from an old ary History |