The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]

Iago. Here, stand behind this bulk; straight will he come:[6612]
Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home:
Quick, quick; fear nothing; I'll be at thy elbow:
It makes us, or it mars us; think on that,[6613]
And fix most firm thy resolution.[6614] 5

Rod. Be near at hand; I may miscarry in 't.

Iago. Here, at thy hand: be bold, and take thy stand.

Rod. I have no great devotion to the deed;[6616]
And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons:[6617]
'Tis but a man gone. Forth, my sword: he dies.[6618] 10

Iago. I have rubb'd this young quat almost to the sense,[6619]
And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,[6620]
Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
Every way makes my gain: live Roderigo,[6621]
He calls me to a restitution large 15
Of gold and jewels that I bobb'd from him,[6622]
As gifts to Desdemona:
It must not be: if Cassio do remain,
He hath a daily beauty in his life [6623]
That makes me ugly; and besides, the Moor 20
May unfold me to him; there stand I in much peril:[6624]
No, he must die. Be't so. I hear him coming.[6625]

Rod. I know his gait; 'tis he. Villain, thou diest!

Cas. That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,[6627]
But that my coat is better than thou know'st:[6628] 25
I will make proof of thine. [Draws, and wounds Roderigo.

Rod. O, I am slain!

Cas. I am maim'd for ever. Help, ho! murder! murder!

Oth. The voice of Cassio: Iago keeps his word.[6632]

Rod. O, villain that I am!

Oth. It is even so.[6633]

Cas. O, help, ho! light! a surgeon! 30

Oth. 'Tis he. O brave Iago, honest and just,
That hast such noble sense of thy friend's wrong!
Thou teachest me. Minion, your dear lies dead,
And your unblest fate hies: strumpet, I come![6634]
Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted;[6635] 35
Thy bed lust-stain'd shall with lust's blood be spotted.

Cas. What, ho! no watch? no passage? murder! murder![6637]

Gra. 'Tis some mischance; the cry is very direful.[6638]

Cas. O, help!

Lod. Hark! 40

Rod. O wretched villain!

Lod. Two or three groan: it is a heavy night:[6639]
These may be counterfeits: let's think't unsafe
To come in to the cry without more help.[6640]

Rod. Nobody come? then shall I bleed to death.[6641] 45

Lod. Hark![6642]

Gra. Here's one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons.[6644]

Iago. Who's there? whose noise is this that cries on murder?[6645]

Lod. We do not know.

Iago. Did not you hear a cry?[6646]

Cas. Here, here! for heaven's sake, help me![6647]

Iago. What's the matter?50

Gra. This is Othello's ancient, as I take it.

Lod. The same indeed; a very valiant fellow.

Iago. What are you here that cry so grievously?

Cas. Iago? O, I am spoil'd, undone by villains![6648]
Give me some help. 55

Iago. O me, lieutenant! what villains have done this?[6649]

Cas. I think that one of them is hereabout,[6650]
And cannot make away.

Iago. O treacherous villains!
What are you there? come in and give some help.

Rod. O, help me here![6652] 60

Cas. That's one of them.

Iago. O murderous slave! O villain!

Rod. O damn'd Iago! O inhuman dog![6654]

Iago. Kill men i' the dark! Where be these bloody thieves?[6655]
How silent is this town! Ho! murder! murder!
What may you be? are you of good or evil? 65

Lod. As you shall prove us, praise us.

Iago. Signior Lodovico?[6656]

Lod. He, sir.

Iago. I cry you mercy. Here's Cassio hurt by villains.

Gra. Cassio![6657] 70

Iago. How is't, brother?[6658]

Cas. My leg is cut in two.

Iago. Marry, heaven forbid!
Light, gentlemen: I'll bind it with my shirt.

Bian. What is the matter, ho? who is't that cried?[6659]

Iago. Who is't that cried![6660] 75

Bian. O my dear Cassio! my sweet Cassio! O Cassio,[6661]
Cassio, Cassio![6661]

Iago. O notable strumpet! Cassio, may you suspect
Who they should be that have thus mangled you?[6662]

Cas. No. 80

Gra. I am sorry to find you thus: I have been to seek you.[6663]

Iago. Lend me a garter. So. O, for a chair,[6664]
To bear him easily hence![6664]

Bian. Alas, he faints! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

Iago. Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash 85
To be a party in this injury.[6665][6666]
Patience awhile, good Cassio. Come, come;[6665][6667]
Lend me a light. Know we this face or no?[6665][6668]
Alas, my friend and my dear countryman
Roderigo? no:—yes, sure: O heaven! Roderigo.[6669] 90

Gra. What, of Venice?[6670]

Iago. Even he, sir: did you know him?

Gra. Know him! ay.[6671]

Iago. Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon;[6672]
These bloody accidents must excuse my manners,
That so neglected you.

Gra. I am glad to see you. 95

Iago. How do you, Cassio? O, a chair, a chair!

Gra. Roderigo![6673]

Iago. He, he, 'tis he. [A chair brought in.] O, that's well said; the chair:[6674]
Some good man bear him carefully from hence;
I'll fetch the general's surgeon. [To Bianca] For you, mistress,[6675]100
Save you your labour. He that lies slain here, Cassio,[6676]
Was my dear friend: what malice was between you?[6677]

Cas. None in the world; nor do I know the man.[6678]

Iago. [To Bian.] What, look you pale? O, bear him out o' the air. [Cassio and Roderigo are borne off.[6679]
Stay you, good gentlemen. Look you pale, mistress?[6680] 105
Do you perceive the gastness of her eye?[6681]
Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon.[6682]
Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her:
Do you see, gentlemen? nay, guiltiness will speak,[6683]
Though tongues were out of use.[6683] 110

Emil. 'Las, what's the matter? what's the matter, husband?[6685]

Iago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark [6686]
By Roderigo, and fellows that are 'scaped:
He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead.[6687]

Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio! 115

Iago. This is the fruit of whoring. Prithee, Emilia,[6688]
Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night.
What, do you shake at that?

Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not.[6689]

Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me. 120

Emil. Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet![6690]

Bian. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest
As you that thus abuse me.

Emil. As I! foh! fie upon thee![6691]

Iago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio dress'd.[6692]
Come, mistress, you must tell's another tale.[6693] 125
Emilia, run you to the citadel,[6694]
And tell my lord and lady what hath happ'd![6695]
Will you go on? I pray. [Aside] This is the night [6696]
That either makes me or fordoes me quite. [Exeunt.[6697]

Oth. It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul:
Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!
It is the cause. Yet I'll not shed her blood,[6699]
Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow
And smooth as monumental alabaster.[6700] 5
Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.[6701]
Put out the light, and then put out the light:[6702]
If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,
I can again thy former light restore,
Should I repent me: but once put out thy light,[6703] 10
Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,[6704]
I know not where is that Promethean heat [6705]
That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd the rose,[6706]
I cannot give it vital growth again,
It must needs wither: I'll smell it on the tree. 15

Ah, balmy breath, that dost almost persuade [6708]
Justice to break her sword! One more, one more:[6709]
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
And love thee after: one more, and this the last:[6710]
So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep, 20
But they are cruel tears: this sorrow's heavenly;[6711]
It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.[6712]

Des. Who's there? Othello?

Oth. Ay, Desdemona.[6713]

Des. Will you come to bed, my lord?

Oth. Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona?[6714]

Des. Ay, my lord. 25

Oth. If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace,
Solicit for it straight.

Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by that?[6715]

Oth. Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by: 30
I would not kill thy unprepared spirit;
No; heaven forfend! I would not kill thy soul.[6716]

Des. Talk you of killing?[6717]

Oth. Ay, I do.[6717]

Des. Then heaven have mercy on me![6717] 35

Oth. Amen, with all my heart![6717]

Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.[6718]

Oth. Hum!

Des. And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then [6719]
When your eyes roll so: why I should fear I know not,[6720] 40
Since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel I fear.[6721]

Oth. Think on thy sins.

Des. They are loves I bear to you.[6722]

Oth. Ay, and for that thou diest.[6723]

Des. That death's unnatural that kills for loving.[6724]
Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?[6725] 45
Some bloody passion shakes your very frame:
These are portents; but yet I hope, I hope,[6726]
They do not point on me.

Oth. Peace, and be still!

Des. I will so. What's the matter?[6727]

Oth. That handkerchief which I so loved and gave thee [6728][6729] 50
Thou gavest to Cassio.[6730]

Des. No, by my life and soul![6728]
Send for the man, and ask him.[6728]

Oth. Sweet soul, take heed,[6731]
Take heed of perjury; thou art on thy death-bed.[6731][6732]

Des. Ay, but not yet to die.

Oth. Yes, presently:[6733]
Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin; 55
For to deny each article with oath
Cannot remove nor choke the strong conception [6734]
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.

Des. Then Lord have mercy on me![6735]

Oth. I say, amen.

Des. And have you mercy too! I never did [6736] 60
Offend you in my life; never loved Cassio[6736]
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love: I never gave him token.

Oth. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in 's hand.[6729][6737]
O perjured woman! thou dost stone my heart,[6738] 65
And makest me call what I intend to do [6739]
A murder, which I thought a sacrifice:
I saw the handkerchief.[6729]

Des. He found it then;
I never gave it him: send for him hither;
Let him confess a truth.

Oth. He hath confess'd.[6740] 70

Des. What, my lord?

Oth. That he hath used thee.[6741]

Des. How? unlawfully?

Oth. Ay.

Des. He will not say so.

Oth. No, his mouth is stopp'd;
Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.[6742] 75

Des. O, my fear interprets! what, is he dead?[6743]

Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge [6744]
Had stomach for them all.[6744][6745]

Des. Alas, he is betray'd, and I undone![6746]

Oth. Out, strumpet! weep'st thou for him to my face?[6747] 80

Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!

Oth. Down, strumpet!

Des. Kill me to-morrow; let me live to-night!

Oth. Nay, if you strive,—[6748]

Des. But half an hour!

Oth. Being done, there is no pause.[6749][6750] 85

Des. But while I say one prayer![6750]

Oth. It is too late. [He stifles her.[6751]

Emil. [Within] My lord, my lord! what, ho! my lord, my lord![6752]

Oth. What noise is this? Not dead? not yet quite dead?[6753]
I that am cruel am yet merciful;
I would not have thee linger in thy pain:[6754] 90
So, so.[6754][6755]

Emil. [Within] What, ho! my lord, my lord!

Oth. Who's there?

Emil. [Within] O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you![6756][6757]

Oth. Yes: 'tis Emilia. By and by. She's dead.
'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death. 95
The noise was here. Ha! no more moving?[6758][6759]
Still as the grave. Shall she come in? were 't good?[6759]
I think she stirs again. No. What's best to do?[6760]
If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife:
My wife! my wife! what wife? I have no wife.[6761] 100
O, insupportable! O heavy hour!
Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.[6762]

Emil. [Within] I do beseech you[6756][6763][6764]
That I may speak with you, O, good my lord![6763][6765] 105

Oth. I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia.[6766]
Soft; by and by. Let me the curtains draw.
Where art thou? [Unlocks the door.[6767]

The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]

About This Book

ACT V.

Scene I. Cyprus. A street.[6611]

Scene II. A bedchamber in the castle: Desdemona in bed asleep; a light burning.[6698]