Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Jessica Slights
Peer Reviewed

Othello (Modern)

30805.1
Enter Iago and Roderigo.
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.
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!
[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.
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.
What are you here that cry so grievously?
Cassio
Iago? Oh, I am spoiled, undone by villains.
3150Give me some help.
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.
O murd'rous slave! O villain!
[Iago stabs Roderigo.]
3160Roderigo
O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!
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.
Signor Lodovico?
Lodovico
He, sir.
I cry you mercy--here's Cassio hurt by villains.
Gratiano
Cassio?
How is't brother?
Cassio
My leg is cut in two.
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?
Who is't that cried?
Bianca
O my dear Cassio,
My sweet Cassio--O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!
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!
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?
Even he, sir. Did you know him?
3195Gratiano
Know him? Ay.
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.
How do you, Cassio?--Oh, a chair, a chair!
Gratiano
Roderigo?
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?
None in the world; nor do I know the man.
[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.]
Alas, what is the matter? What is the matter, husband?
Cassio hath here been set on in the dark
By Roderigo and fellows that are scaped;
3220He's almost slain, and Roderigo quite dead.
Alas, good gentleman! Alas, good Cassio!
This is the fruits of whoring. Prithee, Emilia,
Go know of Cassio where he supped tonight.
What, do you shake at that?
He supped at my house, but I therefore shake not.
Oh, did he so? I charge you go with me.
O fie upon thee, strumpet!
I am no strumpet, but of life as honest
As you that thus abuse me.
3230Emilia
As I? Fie upon thee!
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.