Enter Iago and Roderigo.IAGO Here, stand behind this ⟨bulk.⟩ Straight will he come. Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home. Quick, quick! Fear nothing. I’ll be at thy elbow.5 It makes us or it mars us—think on that, And fix most firm thy resolution.RODERIGO Be near at hand. I may miscarry in ’t.IAGO Here, at thy hand. Be bold and take thy stand.⌜He moves aside.⌝RODERIGO I have no great devotion to the deed,10 And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons. ’Tis but a man gone. Forth, my sword! He dies.⌜He draws his sword.⌝IAGO, ⌜aside⌝ I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense, And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio, Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,15 Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo, He calls me to a restitution large Of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him
As gifts to Desdemona. It must not be. If Cassio do remain,20 He hath a daily beauty in his life That makes me ugly. And besides, the Moor May unfold me to him. There stand I in much peril. No, he must die. ⟨Be ’t⟩ so. I ⟨hear⟩ him coming.Enter Cassio.RODERIGO I know his gait. ’Tis he!—Villain, thou diest!⌜He thrusts at Cassio.⌝CASSIO 25 That thrust had been mine enemy indeed But that my coat is better than thou know’st. I will make proof of thine.⌜He draws, and stabs Roderigo.⌝RODERIGO O, I am slain!⌜Roderigo falls.Iago stabs Cassio in the leg, and exits.⌝CASSIO I am maimed forever! Help, ho! Murder, murder!Enter Othello.OTHELLO 30 The voice of Cassio! Iago keeps his word.RODERIGO O, villain that I am!OTHELLO, ⌜aside⌝ It is even so.CASSIO O, help ho! Light! A surgeon!OTHELLO, ⌜aside⌝ ’Tis he! O brave Iago, honest and just,35 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. ⟨Forth⟩ of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted.
40 Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust’s blood be spotted.Othello exits.Enter Lodovico and Gratiano.CASSIO What ho! No watch? No passage? Murder, murder!GRATIANO ’Tis some mischance. The voice is very direful.CASSIO O, help!LODOVICO 45Hark!RODERIGO O wretched villain!LODOVICO Two or three groan. ’Tis heavy night. These may be counterfeits. Let’s think ’t unsafe To come in to the cry without more help.RODERIGO 50 Nobody come? Then shall I bleed to death.Enter Iago ⟨with a light.⟩LODOVICO Hark!GRATIANO Here’s one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons.IAGO Who’s there? Whose noise is this that cries on55 murder?LODOVICO We do not know.IAGO ⟨Did⟩ not you hear a cry?CASSIO Here, here! For ⟨heaven’s⟩ sake, help me!IAGO What’s the matter?GRATIANO, ⌜to Lodovico⌝ 60 This is Othello’s ancient, as I take it.LODOVICO The same indeed, a very valiant fellow.IAGO, ⌜to Cassio⌝ What are you here that cry so grievously?
CASSIO Iago? O, I am spoiled, undone by villains. Give me some help!IAGO 65 O me, lieutenant! What villains have done this?CASSIO I think that one of them is hereabout And cannot make away.IAGO O treacherous villains! ⌜To Lodovico and Gratiano.⌝ What are you there?70 Come in, and give some help.RODERIGO O, help me ⟨here!⟩CASSIO That’s one of them.IAGO, ⌜to Roderigo⌝ O murd’rous slave! O villain!⌜He stabs Roderigo.⌝RODERIGO O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!IAGO 75 Kill men i’ th’ dark?—Where be these bloody thieves? How silent is this town! Ho, murder, murder!— What may you be? Are you of good or evil?LODOVICO As you shall prove us, praise us.IAGO 80 Signior Lodovico?LODOVICO He, sir.IAGO I cry you mercy. Here’s Cassio hurt by villains.GRATIANO Cassio?IAGO How is ’t, brother?CASSIO 85 My leg is cut in two.IAGO Marry, heaven forbid! Light, gentlemen. I’ll bind it with my shirt.
Enter Bianca.BIANCA What is the matter, ho? Who is ’t that cried?IAGO Who is ’t that cried?BIANCA 90 O, my dear Cassio, My sweet Cassio! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!IAGO O notable strumpet! Cassio, may you suspect Who they should be that have thus mangled you?CASSIO No.GRATIANO 95 I am sorry to find you thus; I have been to seek you.[IAGO Lend me a garter. So.—O for a chair To bear him easily hence!]BIANCA Alas, he faints. O, Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!IAGO Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash100 To be a party in this injury.— Patience awhile, good Cassio.—Come, come; Lend me a light. ⌜Peering at Roderigo.⌝ Know we this face or no? Alas, my friend and my dear countryman105 Roderigo? No! Yes, sure. ⟨O heaven,⟩ Roderigo!GRATIANO What, of Venice?IAGO Even he, sir. Did you know him?GRATIANO Know him? Ay.IAGO Signior Gratiano? I cry your gentle pardon.110 These bloody accidents must excuse my manners That so neglected you.GRATIANO I am glad to see you.IAGO How do you, Cassio?—O, a chair, a chair!
GRATIANO Roderigo?IAGO 115 He, he, ’tis he! ⌜A chair is brought in.⌝ O, that’s well said; the chair.— Some good man bear him carefully from hence. I’ll fetch the General’s surgeon.— For you, mistress, Save you your labor.—He that lies slain here,120 Cassio, Was my dear friend. What malice was between you?CASSIO None in the world. Nor do I know the man.IAGO, ⌜to Bianca⌝ What, look you pale?—O, bear him ⟨out⟩ o’ th’ air.⌜Cassio, in the chair, and Roderigo are carried off.⌝ ⌜To Gratiano and Lodovico.⌝ Stay you, good125 gentlemen.—Look you pale, mistress?— Do you perceive the gastness of her eye?— Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon.— Behold her well. I pray you, look upon her. Do you see, gentlemen? Nay, guiltiness will speak130 Though tongues were out of use.⟨Enter Emilia.⟩EMILIA Alas, what is the matter? What is the matter, husband?IAGO Cassio hath here been set on in the dark By Roderigo and fellows that are scaped.135 He’s almost slain, and Roderigo dead.EMILIA Alas, good gentleman! Alas, good Cassio!IAGO This is the fruits of whoring. Prithee, Emilia, Go know of Cassio where he supped tonight. ⌜To Bianca.⌝ What, do you shake at that?
BIANCA 140 He supped at my house, but I therefore shake not.IAGO O, did he so? I charge you go with me.EMILIA O fie upon thee, strumpet!BIANCA I am no strumpet, but of life as honest As you that thus abuse me.EMILIA 145As I? ⟨Faugh!⟩ Fie upon thee!IAGO Kind gentlemen, let’s go see poor Cassio dressed.— Come, mistress, you must tell ’s another tale.— Emilia, run you to the citadel And tell my lord and lady what hath happed.—150 Will you go on afore? ⌜Aside.⌝ This is the night That either makes me or fordoes me quite.They exit ⌜in different directions.⌝
Othello
