The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 12.0557  Friday, 9 March 2001

From:           Steve Sohmer <
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Date:           Thursday, 8 Mar 2001 11:26:43 EST
Subject:        Othello at Aleppo

Dear Friends,

I'd be grateful if anyone could shed some light on Othello's claim that

                                     in Aleppo once,
              Where a malignant and a turbaned Turk
              Beat a Venetian and traduced the state,
              I took by th' throat the circumcised dog
              And smote him thus. (5.2.361-5)

Do we think this really happened? If so, was it during a private quarrel
or a military action? And if the latter, is anyone well-versed enough in
the history of the eastern Mediterranean to identify an engagement at
Aleppo between Venice and the Turks which fits the time-frame of
"Othello"?

All opinions welcomed with thanks,
Steve