Enter Othello, at a distance.

Oth. The voice of Cassio:-Iago keeps his word. Rod. O, villain that I am! Oth. Hark! 'tis even so. Cas. O, help! ho! light! a surgeon ! 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 fate hies apace-Strumpet, I come : Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted; Thy bed, lust-stain'd, shall with lust's blood be spotted. [Exit Othello. Enter Lodovico and Gratiano, at a distance.

Iago. Kill men i'the dark!-Where be these bloody thieves?_

How silent is this town! Ho! murder! murder!
What may you be? are you of good, or evil?

Lod. As you shall prove us, praise us.
Iago.
Signior Lodovico ?

Lod. He, sir.
Iago.
By villains.
Gra.

'I cry you mercy; Here's Cassio hurt

Cassio?

Iago.

How is it, brother?

Cas. My leg is cut in two. Iago. Marry, heaven forbid !Light, gentlemen; I'll bind it with my shirt.

ཀ

Gra. 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 ! [Cassio! Bian. Alas, he faints :-O Cassio! Cassio Iago. Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash To be a party in this injury.Patience awhile, good Cassio.-Come, come; Lend me a light.-Know we this face, or no? Alas! my friend, and my dear countryman, Roderigo? no :-Yes, sure; O heaven! Roderigo. Gra. What, of Venice?

Iago. Even he, sir; did you know him? Gra. Know him? ay, Iago. Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle par don ; These bloody accidents must excuse my manners, That so neglected you.

Enter Bianca.

Bian. What is the matter, ho? who is't that Iago. Who is't that cry'd? [cry'd? Bian. 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? Cat. No.

Gra.

I am glad to see you. lago. How do you, Cassio ?-O, a chair, a chair! Gra. Roderigo!

lago. He, he, 'tis he :-0, that's well said;-the chair:(A chair brought in. Some good man bear him carefully from hence; I'll fetch the general's surgeon.- For you, mistress, [To Bianca Save you your labour. He that lies slain here, Cassio, (you? Was my dear friend: What malice was between Cas. None in the world; nor do I know the man. Iago. [To Bian.] What, look you pale? O bear him out o'the air.

tress ?

[Cassio and Rod. are borne aff. Stay you, good gentlemen.-Look you pale, misDo 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, Though tongues were out of use.

Enter Emilia.

Emil. 'Las, what's the matter; what's the mat. ter, husband?

Iago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark, By Roderigo, and fellows that are scap'd; He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead.

Emil. Alas, good gentlemen! alas, good Cassio! Iago. This is the fruit of whoring.-Pr'ythee, Emilia,

Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-nightWhat, do you shake at that?

Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not.

Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me. Emil. Fye, fye upon thee, strumpet!

Bian. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest, As you that thus abuse me.

Emil. As I foh! fye upon thee! Iago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio dress'd :Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale... Emilia, run you to the citadel,

And tell my lord and lady what has happ'd.-Will you go on, I pray? This is the night, [Aside. That either makes me, or fordoes me quite.[Exeunt. SCENE ILA Bedchamber: Desdemona in bed asleep. A Light burning.

Enter Othello.

Oth. It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars! It is the cause.-Yet I'll not shed her blood; Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. [Takes off his sword, Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men. Put out the light, and then put out the light If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,

I can again thy former light restore,
Should I repent me-but once put out thine,
Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,
I know not where is that Promethean heat,
That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd
I cannot give it vital growth again, [thy rose,
It needs must wither:-I'll smell it on the tree.-
[Kissing her.

O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade
Justice to break her sword!-One more, one more.
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
And love thee after :- One more, and this the last :
So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,
But they are cruel tears: This sorrow's heavenly;
It strikes, where it doth love. She wakes-
Des. Who's there? Othello?
Oth.

Ay, Desdemona.

Des. Will you come to bed, my lord?
Oth. Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona?
Ay, my lord.

Des.

Oth. If you bethink yourself of any crime Unreconcil'd as yet to heaven and grace, Solicit for it straight.

Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by that? Oth. Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by: I would not kill thy unprepared spirit; No, Heaven forefend.-I would not kill thy soul. Des. Talk you of killing? Ay, I do.

Oth.

Des.

Have mercy on me!

Oth.

Then, heaven

Amen, with all my heart! Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me. Oth. Humph!

Des. And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then, When your eyes roll so: Why I should fear, I know not,

Since guiltiness I know not; but yet, I feel, I fear.
Oth. Think on thy sins.
Des.
They are loves I bear to you.
Oth. Ay, and for that thou diest. [loving.
Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for
Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?
Some bloody passion shakes your very frame :
These are portents; but yet, I hope, I hope,
They do not point on me.

Yes, presently:

Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin:
For to deny each article with oath,

Cannot remove, nor choke, the strong conception,
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.
Des. Then, Lord have mercy on me!
Oth.
I say, amen.
Des. And have you mercy too!-I never did
Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio,
But with such general warranty of heaven
As I might love: I never gave him token. [hand.
Oth. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his
O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart,
And mak'st me call, what I intend to do,-
A murder, which I thought a sacrifice :
I saw the handkerchief.

Des.

He found it then; I never gave it him :-Send for him hither, And let him confess a truth. Oth.

Des. What, my lord?

He hath confess'd.

How? unlawfully?

Oth. That he hath-us'd thee. Des.

Oth. As.

Des. He'll not say 30. Oth.

Des. My fear interprets then,-What, is be dead? Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge Had stomach for them all.

Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone.
Oth. Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to
my face?

Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not.
Oth. Down, strumpet!

Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night.
Oth. Nay, if you strive.
Des.

Emil. [Within.] O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you. [dead. Oth. Yes;-'tis Emilia by and by She's 'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death; The noise was high.-Ha! no more moving? Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were't good? I think, she stirs again :- No.- What's the best? If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife: My wife! my wife! what wife ?-I have no wife : O insupportable! O heavy hour!

Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon; and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

Emil. [Within.] I do beseech you I may speak O, good my lord! [with you,

Oth. I had forgot thee: 0, come in, Emilia :Soft,-by and by :-Let me the curtains draw. Where art thou? What's the matter with thee now? [Unlocks the door.

Enter Emilia.

Emil. O, good my lord, yonder's foul murder
Oth. What? now?
[done.
Emil.

But now, my lord!
Oth. It is the very error of the moon;
She comes more near the earth than she was wont;
And makes men mad.

Emil. Cassio, my lord, has kill'd a young VeCall'd-Roderigo.

Oth.

And Cassio kill'd? Emil.

[netian,

Roderigo kill'a!

No, Cassio is not kill'd.

Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of And sweet revenge grows harsh. Des. 0, falsely, falsely murder'd! Emil.

Oth. That! what?

[tune,

Alas; what cry is that?

Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.

Enter Montano, Gratiano, and Iago.

Mon. What is the matter! How now, general ? Emil. O, are you come, Iago? you have done well, That men must lay their murders on your neck. Gra. What is the matter?

Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man: He says, thou told'st him that his wife was false: I know, thou didst not, thou'rt not such a villain: Speak, for my heart is full.

Jago, I told him what I thought; and told no

more

Than what he found himself was apt and true. Emil. But did you ever tell him she was false? Iago. I did.

Emil. You told a lie; an odious damned lie; Upon my soul, a lie; a wicked lie :She false with Cassio! Did you say with Cassio? lago. With Cassio, mistress; Go to, charm your tongue. [to speak; Emil. I will not charm my tongue; I am bound My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed. All. O heavens forefend !

Emil. And your reports have set the murder on.
Oth. Nay, stare not, masters; it is true, indeed.
Gra. 'Tis a strange truth.
Mon. O monstrous act!
Emil.

Villainy, villainy, villainy!

I think upon't,-I think,-I smell't;-O villainy!-
I thought so then;-I'll kill myself for grief.-
O villainy, villainy!

Iago. What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home. [speak; Emil. Good gentlemen, let me have leave to 'Tis proper I obey him, but not now: Perchance, lago, I will ne'er go home. Oth. O! O! O! [Hanging over his wife. Emil. Nay, lay thee down, and roar ; For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent, That e'er did lift up eye.

Oth.

O, she was foul!

[Rising.

I scarce did know you, uncle: There lies your niece,

Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd:

I know this act shows horrible and grim.

Gra, Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father's dead;

Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
Shore his old thread in twain: did he live now,
This sight would make him do a desperate turn,
Yea, curse his better angel from his side,
And fall to reprobation.

Oth. 'Tis pitiful; but yet Iago knows, That she with Cassio hath the act of shame A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it: And she did gratify his amorous works With that recognizance and pledge of love Which I first gave her; I saw it in his hand; It was a handkerchief, an antique token My father gave my mother.

Emil. O heaven! O heavenly powers! Iago. Come, hold your peace. Emil. Twill out, 'twill out-I hold my peace, No, I will speak as liberal as the air; Sir? Let heaven, and men, and devils, let them all, All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak. Iago. Be wise, and get you home. Emil. I will not. [lago offers to stab his wife. Fye: Your sword upon a woman? Emil. O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou speak'st of,

Gra.

I found by fortune, and did give my husband; For often with a solemn earnestness,

(More than, indeed, belong'd to such a trifle,) He begg'd of me to steal it.

Iago.

Villainous whore!

Emil. She give it Cassio! no, alas; I found it, And I did give't my husband.

Iago.

Filth, thou liest. Emil. By heaven, I do not; I do not, gentlemen: O murderous coxcomb! what should such a fool Do with so good a wife?

[Iago stabs Emilia, then runs out. Oth. Are there no stones in heaven, But what serve for the thunder ?-Precious villain! Gra. The woman falls; sure he has kill'd his wife,

Emil. Ay, ay: 0, lay me by my mistress' side! Gra. He's gone, but his wife's kill'd.

Mon. 'Tis a notorious villain. Take you this weapon,

Which I have here recovered from the Moor: Come, guard the door without; let him not pass, But kill him rather; I'll after that same villain, For 'tis a damned slave.

Oth.

[Exeunt Montane and Gratiano. I am not valiant neither, But ever puny whipster gets my sword:But why should honour outlive honesty? Let it go all. Emil. What did thy song bode, lady? Hark, can'st thou hear me? I will play the swan, And die in musick ;-Willow, willow, willow. Moor, she was chaste; she lov'd thee, cruel Moor; So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true; So speaking as I think, I die,—Î die.

[Dies.

Oth. I have another weapon in this chamber, It is a sword of Spain, the ice-brook's temper ;O, here it is:-Uncle, I must come forth.

Gra. [Within.] If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear; Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer. Oth. Look in upon me then, and speak with me, Or, naked as I am, I will assault thee.

Re-enter Gratiano.