Oth. And hath in his effect a voice potential Let him do his spite: 15. and] Qq, or Ff. 16. That] Q 1, The the rest. (quoted by Tollet). Ben Jonson uses the term as Venetian in The Fox, equivalent to "clarissimo," 1605. It appears to have been introduced by the Italianated Gabriel Harvey, "What a Magnifico would he be were his purse as heavy as his head were light" (Works, ed. Grosart, ii. 220), An Advertisement for Papp hatchett, 1589. Spenser used it in Mother Hubbard's Tale (line 665), 1591. Harvey used the word in Letters to Spenser (1573-1580), Grosart, i. 84. Lyly has it in Euphues (1580), Arber, p. 260. 13. potential] powerful. Compare Lear, 11. i. 78. This word is limited now to the sense of "possible." Compare Pliny (xxx. 8), Holland's translation: "The flies called cantharides mixed with quicklime, are a good potentiall cauterie." This may, however, be a technical surgical sense. 14. double] A long note is given here by Steevens (ed. 1793). He quotes Malone's extract from Contareno's Venice, which being almost certainly a book in Shakespeare's use, may be deemed best worthy of consideration. The words are: "So great is the prince's authoritie, that he may, in whatever court, adjoine himselfe to the magistrate therein, being president, as his colleague and companion, and have equal power with the other presidents" (p. 41). "Thus we see,' continues Malone, "though he had not a double voice in any one assembly, yet as he had a vote in all the various assemblies, his voice thus added to the voice of each of the presidents of those assemblies, might with strict propriety be called double, and potential" (i.e. 15 powerful). Malone's commentary is 17. cable] or as we say, give him "rope." My services, which I have done the signiory, Shall out-tongue his complaints. 'Tis yet to know- I shall promulgate-I fetch my life and being 20 18. services] service Q 3. 20. Which.. know] omitted Q 1. 21. promulgate] provulgate Q I. 22. siege] F 3, 4; seige F 1, 2; height Q 1, 2; hight Q 3. 23. unbonneted] unbonnetting Pope, Warburton; e'en bonnetted Hanmer; and, bonnetted Theobald, Steevens; (unbonnetted) Ff; to] omitted Q 2, 3. 18. signiory] "To tell you of the Duke of Venice, and of the Seignory: there is one chosen that ever beareth the name of a duke, but in trueth hee is but seruant to the Seignorie, for of himselfe hee can doe litle : Of the Seignory there be about three hundredth, and about fourtie of the priuie Counsell of Venice, who usually are arayed in gownes of crimsen Satten, or crimsen Damaske, when they sit in Counsell," First Voyage of Master Laurence Aldersey, 1581 (Hakluyt, ed. 1811, ii. 268, 269). 21. promulgate] publish. In Palsgrave, 1530. Derivation unknown. The Quarto spelling supports a supposed origin. in v. 22. siege] literally "seat," but the term here has reference to the more dignified, early sense of "throne." See Cotgrave Early writers commonly spelt it "sege," which is probably more correct. 22. demerits] Cotgrave is best here: "Demerite: m. Desert, merit, deserving; also (the contrary), a disservice, demerit, misdeed, ill carriage, il deserving; in which sense it is most commonly used at this day," 1611 (ed. 1673). Shakespeare uses the word in both senses. Othello here refers to the services he has done the State, as in v. ii. 339, not to his inherent excellence. Compare Patten, Expedition into Scotland, 1548 (Arber's English Garner, iii. 57): "What honour and reverence condign, for these his notable demerits ought our Protector to receive ?" 23. unbonneted] A much disputed expression. Without mentioning the various comments, often very distracting, it is enough to say that the word may well mean what it should mean (i.e. with hat on), and therefore, I take it, it must mean that. In a passage in Coriolanus (II. ii. 30), the verb "bonnet" means to "take off the cap"; according to Schmidt and others, who have the support of Cotgrave, "Bonneter, to put off his cap unto (1611). Schmidt says, "The common explanation is, without the addition of patrician or senatorial dignity: the bonnet, as well as the toge, being at Venice a badge of aristocratic honours. But nowhere, not even in those plays the scene of which is Venice, is the word bonnet found in this sense.' This 66 common explanation" is that of Fuseli, and appears to me very forced. Schmidt may be replied to from Lingua (Hazlitt's Dods. ix. 371), where "Communis Sensus, a grave man, in a black velvet cassock like a councillor," speaks of a bonnet (over a velvet cap) as a necessary mark of dignity. But it is too great a strain to import into the sense the ceremonial finesse required by Fuseli. Standing bareheaded while addressing a superior was a much more usual custom in those days than now. This is evidenced often by the appearance of the quaint old phrase " ber thy courtesy," meaning "remember your hat's off, be covered. remem As this that I have reach'd: for know, Iago, But that I love the gentle Desdemona, I would not my unhoused free condition. Put into circumscription and confine 25 For the sea's worth. But, look! what lights come yond? Iago. Those are the raised father and his friends: Oth. You were best go in. Not I; I must be found: 30 My parts, my title and my perfect soul, Shall manifest me rightly. Iago. By Janus, I think no. Is it they? 28. yond] Ff; yonder Qq, Pope, Steevens. 29. Those] Ff, These Qq. 32. me rightly] Q1, Ff; my right by Q 2, 3; Is it they?] It is they Q I. 26. unhoused]"not tied to a household and family" (Schmidt). Whalley says, "It is only by recollecting the way in which the Italians use cassare, that we arrive at its true meaning, which is unmarried." "Unhoused" in its normal sense occurs in Timon. Here it simply means free," a dweller in the "tented field." Compare 1. i. 126. 66 27. sea's worth] Compare Winter's Tale, IV. iv. 500-502; and Henry V. 1. ii. 163-165. Davenant borrows this expression in The Cruel Brother (Maidment, p. 131). A more apposite illustration is that of a chapter (book ix. ch. xxxiiii.) in Holland's Pliny, 1601, on "The riches of the Sea." It is only a few lines, and it is to be regarded as an introduction to the following most interesting and lengthy dissertation "Of Pearles: how and where they are to be found." The "riches of the sea are "varietie of dishes"; "daintie and delicate fishes," but these are "small trifling matters," and "all ryot and superfluitie proceedeth from these shellfishes"-in the form of pearls. Pliny (i.e. Holland) goes on to say "The richest merchandize of all, and the most soveraigne commoditie throughout the whole world are these Pearles." Steevens referred to Pliny, and Furness dismisses the note unjustifiably. So pre-eminent were pearls, both in poetry and practice, that it is not unreasonable to suppose the "sea's worth" much enhanced thereby. Compare: "she is mine own; And I as rich in having such a jewel, As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl (Two Gentlemen, II. iv. 170). And again, "A sea of melting pearl, which some call tears” (ibid. 111. i. 224). Compare also Chester's Love's Martyr (Grosart, p. 108), 1601: "I will here expresse. The salt Seas unseene, unknowne worthinesse." Pliny's dissertation may have suggested the metaphor to Shakespeare. 31. perfect] "fully prepared for what may occur," or "knowing what to do or say," as Schmidt says. Compare Measure for Measure, v. 82. 33. Janus] Warburton rightly says "there is great propriety in making the double Iago swear by Janus, who Enter CASSIO, and certain Officers with torches. Oth. The servants of the duke, and my lieutenant. The goodness of the night upon you, friends! What is the news? Cas. Oth. 35 The duke does greet you, general, And he requires your haste - post - haste appear ance, Even on the instant. What is the matter, think you? 40 Cas. Something from Cyprus, as I may divine: And many of the consuls, raised and met, Are at the duke's already. You have been hotly call'd for; 35. you] your Q I. 38. What is] Ff, quent Q I. 42. at one] one at Q 2, 3. already; you Qq and editors, "He that is a iourney man, and rydeth upon an other mannes horse, yf he ryde an honest pace, no manne wyll dysalowe hym: But yf he make Postehaste bothe he that oweth the horse, and he peradventure also that afterwarde shal bye the horse, may chaunce to curse hym," Ascham, Toxophilus (Arber's reprint, p. 115), 1545. A prominent character in that mouldy old play, Histriomastix (circa 1599), is named Post-haste. Mr. Simpson indeed had the daring to identify him with Shakespeare. See 1. iii. 46. 40. galleys] See note at "Castle," III. i. I. 43. consuls] See I. i. 25. Oth. When, being not at your lodging to be found, 45 'Tis well I am found by you. I will but spend a word here in the house, And go with you. Cas. [Exit. Ancient, what makes he here? Iago. Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carrack: 50 If it prove lawful prize, he's made for ever. Iago. Marry, to-Come, captain, will you go? Have with you. Cas. Here comes another troop to seek for you. (Skeat), Craig. 53. Have with 46. about] Ff; aboue Q 1, 2; above Q 3. 50. carrack] Q I; carract F I; carack Malone, Steevens, Globe; carrack you] Ff, Ha, with who? Q 1. 46. quests] bodies of searchers, or search-parties. Schmidt equates it with "search," 1. i. 159. 49. makes] does. See III. iv. 167. 50. carrack] "A name given by the Spaniards and Portuguese to the vessels they sent to Brazil and the East Indies; large, round built, and fitted for fight as well as burden. Their capacity lay in their depth, which was extraordinary. English vessels of size and value were sometimes so called," Admiral Smyth's Sailor's Word Book (1867). The boarding of carracks, from the voyages of Drake, Cavendish, and others, was a familiar idea. Blount says "of the Italian word carico, or carco, a burthen or charge; you have this word,” Glossographia, 1670. 52.] "How came Cassio such a stranger to this affair when it afterwards (III. iii. 71, 72) appears he went awooing with Othello and took his part in the suit?" (Theobald). Blackstone replies (quoted by Steevens, 1793), "Cassio's seeming ignorance of Othello's courtship or marriage might only be affected, in order to keep his friend's secret till it became publicly known." 53. Have with you] I'm in agreement with you. Come along. Nashe's well-known attack upon Gabriel Harvey is entitled Have with you to Saffron Walden, 1596. Other forms of the forcible imperative are Have at it, Have to it, and Have through (in Shakespeare). |