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

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Act V · Scene I

Cyprus. A street.[6611]

Enter Iago and Roderigo.

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.

[Retires.[6615]

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]

Enter Cassio.

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

[Makes a pass at Cassio.[6626]

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!

[Iago from behind wounds Cassio in the leg, and exit.[6629]

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

[Falls.[6630]

Enter Othello.[6631]

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.

[Exit.

Enter Lodovico and Gratiano.[6636]

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]

Re-enter Iago, with a light.[6643]

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.

[To Lodovico and Gratiano.[6651]

Rod. O, help me here![6652] 60
Cas. That's one of them.
Iago. O murderous slave! O villain!

[Stabs Roderigo.[6653]

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.

Enter Bianca.

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

Enter Emilia.[6684]

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]

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