This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1891 edition. Excerpt: ...time it happened that the state of Venice had immediate need of the services of Othello, news having arrived that the Turks with mighty prepa-85 rations had fitted out a fleet, which was bending its course to the island of Cyprus, with intent to regain that strong post from the Venetians, who then held it. In this emergency the state turned its eyes upon Othello, who alone was deemed adequate to conduct the de-90 fence of Cyprus against the Turks. So that Othello, now summoned before the senate, stood in their presence at once as a candidate for a great state employment and as a culprit, charged with offences which by the laws of Venice were made capital. 95 The age and senatorial character of old Brabantio commanded a most patient hearing from that grave assembly; but the incensed father conducted his accusation with so much intemperance, producing1 likelihoods and allegations' for proofs, that when Othello100 was called upon for his defence he had only to relate a plain tale of the course of his love, which he did with such an artless eloquence, recounting the whole story of his wooing, as we have related it above, and 1 Bringing forward. 'Mere assertions. delivered his speech with so noble a plainness, the evidence of truth, that the duke, who sat as chief judge, could not help confessing that a tale so told would have won his daughter too; and the spells and conjurations which Othello had used in his courtship plainly appeared to have been no more than the honest arts of men in love; and the only witchcraft which he had used, the faculty1 of telling a soft tale to win a lady's ear. This statement of Othello was confirmed by the testimony of the lady Desdemona herself, who appeared in court, and, professing a duty to her father for life 105...
Le informazioni nella sezione "Riassunto" possono far riferimento a edizioni diverse di questo titolo.