Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Donald Bailey
Peer Reviewed

Othello (Quarto 1, 1622)

3080Actus. 5.
Enter Iago and Roderigo,
Iag. Here stand behind this Bulke, straite will he come,
Weare thy good Rapier bare, and put it home,
3085Quicke, quicke, feare nothing, I'le be at thy elboe;
It makes vs or it marres vs, thinke of that,
And fixe most firme thy resolution.
Rod. Be neere at hand, I may miscarry in't.
Iag. Here at thy hand, be bold, and take thy sword.
3090Rod. I haue no great deuotion to the dead;
And yet he has giuen me satisfying reasons,
Tis but a man gone: forth my sword, he dies.
Iag. I haue rubd this young gnat almost to the sense,
And he growes angry now: whether he kill Cassio,
3095Or Cassio him, or each doe kill the other,
Euery way makes my game; liue Roderigo,
He calls me to a restitution large,
For Gold and Iewells, that I bobd from him,
As gifts to Desdemona:
3100It must not be, if Cassio doe remaine,
He has a daily beauty in his life,
That makes me vgly: and besides, the Moore
May vnfould me to him; there stand I in perrill:
No, he must die, be't so, I heare him comming. Ent. Cas.
Rod. I know his gate, tis he, villaine thou diest.
Cas. That thrust had bin my enemy indeed,
But that my coate is better then thou think'st,
I will make proofe of thine.
3110Rod. O I am slaine.
Cas. I am maind for euer, light ho, murder, murder.
Enter Othello.
Oth. The voice of Cassio, Iago keepes his word.
3115Rod. O villaine that I am.
Oth. Harke tis euen so.
Cas. O helpe ho, light, a Surgeon.
Oth. Tis he, O braue Iago, honest and Iust,
That hast such noble sence of thy friends wrong,
3120Thou teachest me; -- minion, your deare lies dead,
And your fate hies apace; strumpet I come;
Forth of my heart, those charmes thine eyes are blotted,
Thy bed lust-staind, shall with lusts blood be spotted. Ex.
3125Enter Lodouico and Gratiano.
Cas. What ho, no watch, no passage, murder, murder
Grat. Tis some mischance, the cry is very direfull.
Cas. O helpe. Lod. Harke.
Rod. O wretched villaine.
Lod. Two or three grones, it is a heauy night,
These may be counterfeits, let's think't vnsafe
To come into the cry without more helpe.
3135Rod. No body come, then shall I bleed to death.
Enter Iago with a light.
Lod. Harke.
Grat. Here's one comes in his shirt, with lights and weapons,
3140Iag. Who's there? whose noise is this, that cries on murder.
Lod. I doe not know.
Iag. Did not you heare a cry?
Cas. Here, here, for heauens sake helpe me.
3145Iag. What's the matter.
Grat. This is Othello's Ancient, as I take it.
Lod. The same indeed, a very valiant fellow.
Iag. What are you here, that cry so greeuously?
Cas. Iago, O I am spoil'd, vndone by villaines,
3150Giue me some helpe.
Iag. O my Leiutenant: what villaines haue done this?
Cas I thinke the one of them is heere about,
And cannot make away.
3155Iag. O treacherous villaines:
What are you there? come in and giue some helpe.
Rod. O, helpe me here.
Cas. That's one of em.
Iag. O murderous slaue, O villaine.
3160Rod. O dambd Iago, O inhumaine dog, --o, o, o.
Ia. Kill him i'the dark? where be those bloody theeues?
How silent is this Towne? Ho, murder, murder:
What may you be, are you of good or euill?
3165Lod. As you shall proue vs, praise vs.
Iag. Seignior Lodouico.
Lod. He sir.
Iag. I cry you mercy: here's Cassio hurt by villaines.
Grat. Cassio.
3170Iag. How is it brother?
Cas. My leg is cut in two.
Iag. Mary heauen forbid:
Light Gentlemen, I'le bind it with my shirt.
Enter Bianca.
3175Bian. What is the matter ho, who ist that cried?
Iag. Who ist that cried.
Bian. O my deare Cassio, O my sweete Cassio, Cassio, Cassio.
Iag. O notable strumpet: Cassio may you suspect
3180Who they should be, that thus haue mangled you?
Cas. No.
Gra. I am sorry to find you thus, I haue bin to seeke you.
Bian. Alas he faints, O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio.
Iag. Gentlemen all, I doe suspect this trash
To beare a part in this: patience a while good Cassio:
3190Lend me a light; know we this face, or no?
Alas my friend, and my deare countrey man:
Roderigo? no, yes sure: O heauen Roderigo.
Gra. What of Venice?
Iag. Euen he sir, did you know him?
3195Gra. Know him? I.
Iag. Seignior Gratiano, I cry you gentle pardon:
These bloody accidents must excuse my manners,
That so neglected you.
Gra. I am glad to see you.
3200Iag. How doe you Cassio? O a chaire, a chaire.
Gra. Roderigo.
Iag. He, tis he: O that's well said, a chaire:
Some good man beare him carefully from hence,
3205I'le fetch the Generalls Surgeon: for you mistrisse,
Saue you your labour, he that lies slaine here Cassio,
Was my deare friend, what malice was betwixt you?
Cas. None in the world, nor doe I know the man.
Iag. What, looke you pale? O beare him out o'th aire.
3210Stay you good Gentlewoman, looke you pale mistrisse?
Doe you perceiue the ieastures of her eye,
Nay, an you stirre, we shall haue more anon:
Behold her well I pray you, looke vpon her,
Doe you see Gentlemen? Nay guiltinesse
Will speake, though tongues were out of vse. Enter Em.
Em. 'Las what's the matter? what's the matter husband?
Iag. Cassio has here bin set on in the darke,
By Roderigo, and fellowes that are scap't,
3220Hee's almost slaine, and Roderigo dead.
Em. Alas good gentleman, alas good Cassio.
Iag. This is the fruite of whoring, pray Emillia,
Goe know of Cassio, where he supt to night:
What, doe you shake at that?
3225Bian. He supt at my house, but I therefore shake not.
Iag. O did he so, I charge you goe with me.
Em. Fie, fie vpon thee strumpet.
Bian. I am no strumpet, but of life as honest,
As you, that thus abuse me.
3230Em. As I: fough, fie vpon thee.
Iag. Kind Gentlemen, let's goe see poore Cassio drest,
Come mistresse, you must tell's another tale.
Emillia, runne you to the Cittadell,
3235And tell my Lord and Lady what has hapt:
Will you goe on, I pray, this is the night,
That either markes me, or foredoes me quite.
Exeunt.