Othello

Act 5, Scene 1

Modern spelling. Stage directions omitted.

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IAGO

Here, stand behind this bulk. Straight will he come.
Wear good rapier bare, and put it home.
Quick, quick, fear nothing; I’ll be at elbow.
It makes us, or it mars us, think on that,
And fix most firm resolution.

RODERIGO

Be near at hand, I may miscarry in ’t.

IAGO

Here, at hand. Be bold, and take stand.

RODERIGO

I have no great devotion to the deed;
And yet he given me satisfying reasons.
but a man gone. Forth, my sword; he dies.

IAGO

I have rubb’d this young quat almost to the sense,
And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,
Or 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 bobb’d from him,
As gifts to Desdemona.
It must not be. If Cassio do remain,
He 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.

RODERIGO

I know his gait; he. Villain, diest!

CASSIO

That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,
But that my coat is better than know’st.
I will make proof of .

RODERIGO

O, I am slain!

CASSIO

I am maim’d forever. Help, ho! murder, murder!

OTHELLO

The voice of Cassio. Iago keeps his word.

RODERIGO

O, villain that I am!

OTHELLO

It is even so.

CASSIO

O, help, ho! light! a surgeon!

OTHELLO

he. O brave Iago, honest and just,
That such noble sense of friend’s wrong!
teachest me,—minion, your dear lies dead,
And your unbless’d fate hies. Strumpet, I come!
Forth of my heart those charms, eyes, are blotted;
bed, lust-stain’d, shall with lust’s blood be spotted.

CASSIO

What, ho! No watch? No passage? murder, murder!

GRATIANO

some mischance; the cry is very direful.

CASSIO

O, help!

LODOVICO

Hark!

RODERIGO

O wretched villain!

LODOVICO

Two or three groan. It is a heavy night.
These may be counterfeits. Let’s think’t unsafe
To come in to the cry without more help.

RODERIGO

Nobody come? Then shall I bleed to death.

LODOVICO

Hark!

GRATIANO

Here’s one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons.

IAGO

Who’s there? Whose noise is this that cries on murder?

LODOVICO

We do not know.

IAGO

Did not you hear a cry?

CASSIO

Here, here! for heaven’s sake, help me!

IAGO

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? O, I am spoil’d, undone by villains!
Give me some help.

IAGO

O me, lieutenant! What villains have done this?

CASSIO

I think that one of them is hereabout,
And cannot make away.

IAGO

O treacherous villains!
What are you there?
Come in and give some help.

RODERIGO

O, help me here!

CASSIO

That’s one of them.

IAGO

O murderous slave! O villain!

RODERIGO

O damn’d Iago! O inhuman dog!

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?

LODOVICO

As you shall prove us, praise us.

IAGO

Signior Lodovico?

LODOVICO

He, sir.

IAGO

I cry you mercy. Here’s Cassio hurt by villains.

GRATIANO

Cassio!

IAGO

How is’t, brother?

CASSIO

My leg is cut in two.

IAGO

Marry, heaven forbid!
Light, gentlemen, I’ll bind it with my shirt.

BIANCA

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
Who 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.—O, for a chair,
To bear him easily !

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;
Lend 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?

GRATIANO

Know him? Ay.

IAGO

Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon.
These bloody accidents must excuse my manners,
That so neglected you.

GRATIANO

I am glad to see you.

IAGO

How do you, Cassio? O, a chair, a chair!

GRATIANO

Roderigo!

IAGO

He, he, he.

IAGO

O, that’s well said; the chair.
Some good man bear him carefully from ,
I’ll fetch the general’s surgeon. For you, mistress,
Save you your labour. 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

What, look you pale?—O, bear him out o’ the air.

IAGO

Stay you, good gentlemen.—Look you pale, mistress?
Do you perceive the gastness of her eye?
Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more .
Behold her well. I pray you, look upon her.
Do you see, gentlemen? Nay, guiltiness will speak
Though tongues were out of use.

EMILIA

’Las, what’s the matter? What’s the matter, husband?

IAGO

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

EMILIA

Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio!

IAGO

This is the fruit of whoring. , Emilia,
Go know of Cassio where he supp’d tonight.
What, do you shake at that?

BIANCA

He supp’d at my house, but I therefore shake not.

IAGO

O, did he so? I charge you go with me.

EMILIA

Fie, fie upon , strumpet!

BIANCA

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

EMILIA

As I? Foh! fie upon !

IAGO

Kind gentlemen, let’s go see poor Cassio dress’d.
Come, mistress, you must tell’s another tale.
Emilia, run you to the citadel,
And tell my lord and lady what happ’d.
Will you go on afore? This is the night
That either makes me or fordoes me quite.

All of Othello

Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1Act 1, Scene 2Act 1, Scene 3,

Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 3,

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1Act 3, Scene 2Act 3, Scene 3Act 3, Scene 4,

Act 4

Act 4, Scene 1Act 4, Scene 2Act 4, Scene 3,

Act 5

Act 5, Scene 1Act 5, Scene 2

Open Othello in the 1623 First Folio. See its words in the cloud.

Modern spelling for reading. The edition is public domain in the United States. Edition source.