“ Jaff. I know the wretch, and scorn him as thou hat'st him. Pier. Curse on the common good that's so protected, Where every slave that heaps up wealth enough To do much wrong becomes a lord of right! I, who believed no ill could e'er come near me, Found in the embraces of my Aquilina A wretched, old, but itching senator; A wealthy fool, that had bought out my title; A rogue, that uses beauty like a lamb-skin, Barely to keep him warm: that filthy cuckoo, too, Was in my absence crept into my nest, And spoiling all my brood of noble pleasure. Jaff. Didst thou not chase him thence? ”
Thomas Otway
Summary
Thomas Otway’s Thomas Otway—a title likely reflecting the author’s own name—presents a dramatic examination of honor, betrayal, and moral conflict, set against a background of political machinations and personal feuds. The play, included in collections such as A Select Collection of Old English Plays, features characters like Jaffier, Pier, and Don Carlos, caught in themes of infidelity, deceit, and the battle for power.
Through passionate dialogues and vivid depictions of scoundrels and simpletons, Otway critiques societal decay while highlighting the struggle between individual integrity and civic responsibility. The text’s keen attention to human weakness and the repercussions of ambition reinforces its lasting significance.
Quotes from Thomas Otway (Thomas Otway)
“ Thou wouldst not use me in a little cause, For I am fit for honour's toughest task, Nor ever yet found fooling was my province; And for a villanous inglorious enterprise, I know thy heart so well, I dare lay mine Before thee: set it to what point thou wilt. Pier. Nay, 'tis a cause thou wilt be fond of, Jaffier: For it is founded on the noblest basis,— Our liberties, our natural inheritance; There's no religion, no hypocrisy in't; We'll do the business, and ne'er fast and pray for it: Openly act a deed the world shall gaze With wonder at, and envy when 'tis done. ”
“ Sir Dav. Yes, a murdered man, sir. Sir Jolly, Sir Jolly, I am sorry to see a person of your character and figure in the parish concerned in a murder, I say.Sir Jol. Here's a dog! here's a rogue for you! here's a villain! here's a cuckoldy son of his mother! I never knew a cuckold in my life that was not a false rogue in his heart; there are no honest fellows living but whore-masters. Hark you, sir, what a pox do you mean? you had best play the fool, and spoil all, you had; what's all this for?Sir Dav. When your worship's come to be hanged, you'll find the meaning on't, sir. ”
