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  • Title: Othello (Modern)
  • Editor: Jessica Slights

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-466-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Jessica Slights
    Peer Reviewed

    Othello (Modern)

    30805.1
    Enter Iago and Roderigo.
    Iago
    Here, stand behind this bulk; straight will he come.
    Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home.
    3085Quick, quick, fear nothing; I'll be at thy elbow.
    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.
    [Iago withdraws.]
    3090Roderigo
    I have no great devotion to the deed,
    And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons.
    'Tis but a man gone. [Drawing his sword] Forth my sword: he dies!
    Iago
    [Aside] I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense,
    And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,
    3095Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
    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.
    3100It must not be! If Cassio do remain,
    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. But so--I hear him coming.
    3105Enter Cassio.
    Roderigo
    I know his gate, 'tis he. Villain, thou diest!
    [Roderigo attacks Cassio.]
    Cassio
    That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,
    But that my coat is better than thou know'st.
    [Drawing his sword] I will make proof of thine.
    [Cassio wounds Roderigo.]
    3110Roderigo
    Oh, I am slain!
    [Iago wounds Cassio in the leg from behind and exits.]
    Cassio
    I am maimed forever! Help, ho! Murder, murder!
    [Enter Othello above.]
    Othello
    [Aside] The voice of Cassio. Iago keeps his word.
    3115Roderigo
    Oh, villain that I am!
    Othello
    [Aside] It is even so.
    Cassio
    Oh, help ho! Light! A surgeon!
    Othello
    [Aside] 'Tis he. O brave Iago, honest and just,
    That hast such noble sense of thy friend's wrong,
    3120Thou 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.
    Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust's blood be spotted.
    Exit Othello.
    3125Enter Lodovico and Gratiano.
    Cassio
    What ho! No watch? No passage? Murder, murder!
    Gratiano
    'Tis some mischance; the voice is very direful.
    Cassio
    Oh, help!
    3130Lodovico
    Hark!
    Roderigo
    O wretched villain!
    Lodovico
    Two or three groan. 'Tis heavy night.
    These may be counterfeits; let's think't unsafe
    To come into the cry without more help.
    3135Roderigo
    Nobody come? Then shall I bleed to death.
    Enter Iago [with a light and sword.]
    Lodovico
    Hark!
    Gratiano
    Here's one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons.
    3140Iago
    Who's there? Whose noise is this that cries on murder?
    Lodovico
    We do not know.
    Iago
    Do not you hear a cry?
    Cassio
    Here, here! For heaven sake, help me!
    3145Iago
    What's the matter?
    Gratiano
    This is Othello's ancient, as I take it.
    Lodovico
    The same indeed, a very valiant fellow.
    Iago
    What are you here that cry so grievously?
    Cassio
    Iago? Oh, I am spoiled, undone by villains.
    3150Give me some help.
    Iago
    Oh, me, lieutenant! What villains have done this?
    Cassio
    I think that one of them is hereabout
    And cannot make away.
    3155Iago
    O treacherous villains!
    [To Lodovico and Gratiano] What are you there? Come in and give some help.
    Roderigo
    Oh, help me there!
    Cassio
    That's one of them.
    Iago
    O murd'rous slave! O villain!
    [Iago stabs Roderigo.]
    3160Roderigo
    O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!
    Iago
    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?
    3165Lodovico
    As you shall prove us, praise us.
    Iago
    Signor Lodovico?
    Lodovico
    He, sir.
    Iago
    I cry you mercy--here's Cassio hurt by villains.
    Gratiano
    Cassio?
    3170Iago
    How is't brother?
    Cassio
    My leg is cut in two.
    Iago
    Marry, heaven forbid--Light, gentlemen!
    I'll bind it with my shirt.
    Enter Bianca.
    3175Bianca
    What is the matter, ho? Who is't that cried?
    Iago
    Who is't that cried?
    Bianca
    O my dear Cassio,
    My sweet Cassio--O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!
    Iago
    O notable strumpet. Cassio, may you suspect
    3180Who they should be that have thus mangled you?
    Cassio
    No.
    Gratiano
    I am sorry to find you thus;
    I have been to seek you.
    Iago
    Lend me a garter. So--
    [Iago binds Cassio's leg.]
    O for a chair 3185to bear him easily hence!
    Bianca
    Alas, he faints. O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!
    Iago
    Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash
    To be a party in this injury.
    Patience awhile, good Cassio. Come, come,
    3190Lend me a light. Know we this face or no?
    Alas, my friend and my dear countryman
    Roderigo? No--Yes, sure! O heaven, Roderigo!
    Gratiano
    What, of Venice?
    Iago
    Even he, sir. Did you know him?
    3195Gratiano
    Know him? Ay.
    Iago
    Signor Gratiano? I cry your gentle pardon.
    These bloody accidents must excuse my manners
    That so neglected you.
    Gratiano
    I am glad to see you.
    3200Iago
    How do you, Cassio?--Oh, a chair, a chair!
    Gratiano
    Roderigo?
    Iago
    He, he, 'tis he.
    [Enter attendants with a chair.]
    Oh, that's well said, the chair.
    Some good man bear him carefully from hence;
    3205I'll fetch the general's surgeon. For you, mistress,
    Save you your labor. He that lies slain here, 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? [To attendants] Oh, bear him out o'th'air.
    [Exeunt attendants carrying off Cassio in the chair, and Roderigo's body.]
    3210[To Lodovico and Gratiano] Stay you, good gentlemen. [To Bianca] Look you pale, mistress?
    [To Lodovico and Gratiano] 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 speak
    3215Though 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;
    3220He's almost slain, and Roderigo quite 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.
    What, do you shake at that?
    3225Bianca
    He supped at my house, but I therefore shake not.
    Iago
    Oh, 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.
    3230Emilia
    As I? 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
    3235And tell my lord and lady what hath happed.
    Will you go on afore? [Aside] This is the night
    That either makes me or fordoes me quite.
    Exeunt.
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