Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her; Emil. 'Las, what's the matter; what's the matter, husband? Jago. 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 gentleman! alas, good Cassio! [Emilia, Iago. This is the fruit of whoring.-'Pr'ythee, Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night:What, do you shake at that? Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not. Have mercy on me! 865 Amen, with all my heart! Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill Oth. Humph! [me. Des. And yet I fear you: for you are fatal then, When your eyes roll so: Why I should fear, Í know not, Since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel, I fear, Des. Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me. Oth. sio dress'd: As I? foh! fye upon thee! And tell my lord and lady, what has happ'd.- Oth. Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale.-Take heed of perjury: thou'rt on thy death-bed. Aside. That either makes me, or foredoes me quite. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Bedchamber: DESDEMONA in Bed asleep. A Light burning. Enter OTHELLO. Oth. Oth. By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in Des. 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 her's than snow, And smooth as monumental alabaster. O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart, [Takes off his sword. And maks't me call what I intend to do,-Yet she must die, or else she'll betray more men. (A murder which I thought,)—a sacrifice: Put out the light, and then-Put out the light!I saw the handkerchief. 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 doth almost persuade more. Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee, So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep, Ay, Desdemona. [that? Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by Oth. Des. [soul. He found it then; Oth. Des. What, my lord? He hath confess'd. How? unlawfully? He'll not say so. Des. Oth. Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone. my face? Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not. Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night. Des. Oth. But half an hour. Being done, But while I say one prayer. Oth. It is too late. my lord! my lord! Oth. What noise is this? Not dead! not yet quite dead? I, that am cruel, am yet merciful: I would not have thee linger in thy pain. Then, heaven! So, so. Emil. [Within.] What ho! my lord, my lord!| Oth. Oth Ay, 'twas he that told me first; Who's there? An honest man he is, and hates the slime Emil. [Within.] O, good my lord, I would That sticks on filthy deeds. 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. She shall come in? Were't good? I think she stirs again:-No.- What's the best? Emil. [Within.] I do beseech you I may speak O, good my lord! [with you, Oth. I had forgot thee: O, 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! Emil. No, Cassio is not kill'd. Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of And sweet revenge grows harsh. [tune, Des. O, falsely, falsely murder'd! Emil. Alas! what cry is that? [voice: Oth. That! what? Emil. Out, and alas! that was my lady's Help! help! oh! help!--O lady, speak again!| Sweet Desdemona! O, sweet mistress, speak ! Des. A guiltless death I die. Emil. This deed? O, who hath done Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell: Commend me to my kind lord; O, farewell. [Dies. Och. Why, how should she be murder'd? Emil. Alas, who knows? Oth. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emil. She said so; I must needs report the truth. Oth. She's like a liar, gone to burning hell; "Twas I that kill'd her. Emil. O, the more angel she, And you the blacker devil! Oth. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore. Emil. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a Oth. She was false as water. [devil. Emil. Thou art rash as fire, to say That she was false; O, she was heavenly true; Oth. Cassio did tup her; ask thy husband else. O. I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell, But that I did proceed upon just grounds, To this extremity; Thy husband knew it all. Emil. My husband? Oth. Thy husband. Enil. That she was false to wedlock? Oth. Nay, had she been true, Ay, with Cassio, If heaven would make me such another world Emil. My husband? Emil. My husband? Oth. What needs this iterance, woman? I say, thy husband. [with love!Emil. O mistress, villany hath made mocks My husband say, that she was false? Oth He, woman. I say, thy husband: Dost understand the word? My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago. Emil. If he say so, may his pernicious soul Rot half a grain a day! he lies to the heart; She was too fond of her most filthy bargain. Oth. Ha! Emil. Do thy worst: This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven, As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt! The Moor has kill'd my mistress: Murder 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? [man Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou beest a 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. [more Iago. I told him what I thought; and told no 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? Iago. With Cassio, mistress; Go to, charm Emil. And your reports have set the muriler Villany, villany, villany!I think upon't,-I think, I smell't;-0 illany! I thought so then;-I'll kill myself for grief.O villany, villany! 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. 01 0! O! Emil. [Hanging over his wife, 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, [stopp'd Whose breath indeed, these hands have newly dead; Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet lago knows, Emil. O heaven! O heavenly powers! No, I will speak as liberal as the air; Gra. Your sword upon a woman? I found by fortune, and did give my husband; men: O murd rous 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? [wife. Gra. The woman falls; sure, he has kill'd his Emil, Ay, ay; O, 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 recover'd 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. [Exeunt MONTANO and GRATIANO. Oth. I am not valiant neither, But every puny whipster gets my sword :But why should honour outlive honesty? Let it go all Emil. What did thy song bode, lady? Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan, And pie 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; [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. Gra. What is the matter? ! A better never did itself sustain Who can control his fate? 'tis not so now.- Pale as thy smock! when we shall meet at compt, O cursed, cursed slave!--Whip me, ye devils, Enter LopoviCO, MONTANO, CASSIO, carried in a Oth. That's he, that was Othello; here I am. Did you and he consent in Cassio's death? Cas. Dear general, I never gave you cause. you know: Torments will ope your lips. Oth. Well, thon dost best. [fall'n, Lod. Sir, you shall understand what hath beWhich, as I think, you know not: Here is a letter, Found in the pocket of the slain Roderigo: And here another: the one of them imports The death of Cassio to be undertook By Roderigo. Oth. O villain! Cas. Most heathenish, and most gross! Lod. Now here's another discontented paper, Found in his pocket too: and this, it seems, Roderigo meant to have sent this damned vilBut that belike, Iago, in the interim, [lain; Came in and satisfied him, Oth. O the pernicious caitiff! How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief Behold! I have a weapon; That was my wife's? Cas. I found it in my chamber: Like the base Judean, threw a pearl away, And he himself confess'd, but even now, Richer than all his tribe; of one, whose subdu'd That there he dropp'd it, for a special purpose, Albeit unused to the melting mood, [eyes, Which wrought to his desire. Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees Oth. O fool! fool! fool! Their medicinal gum. Set you down this: Cas. There is, besides, in Roderigo's letter,-And say, besides,-that in Aleppo once, How he upbraids Iago, that he made him Where a malignant and a turban'd Turk Brave me upon the watch; whereon it came Beat a Venetian, and traduc'd the state, That I was cast; And even but now he spake, I took by the throat the circumcised dog, After long seeming dead,-Iago hurt him, And smote him-thus. [Stabs himself. Iago set him on. Lod. O bloody period! Lod. You must forsake this room, and go Your power and your command is taken off, That can torment him much, and hold him long, No more of that;-I pray you, in your letters, Of one, that lov'd not wisely, but too well; Gra. All, that's spoke, is marr'd. Oth. I kiss'd thee, ere 1 kill'd thee;-No way but this, [Falling upon DESDEMONA. Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. [Dies. Cas. This did I fear, but thought he had no weapon; For he was great of heart. Lod. [To IAGO. The Epistle. and Adonis. Vilia miretur vulgus, mihi flavus Apollo TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY Earl of Southampton, and Baron of Tichfield. RIGHT HONOURABLE,-I know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen: only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful expectation. Your Honour's in all duty, WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. EVEN as the sun with purple-coloured face Thrice fairer than myself, (thus she began, The field's chief flower, sweet above compare, Stain to all nymphs, more lovely than a man, More white and red than doves or roses are; Nature that made thee, with herself at strife, Saith, that the world hath ending with thy life. Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight thy steed, And rein his proud head to the saddle-bow; A thousand honey secrets shalt thou know : Earth's sovereign salve to do a goddess good: Under her other was the tender boy, To tie the rider she begins to prove: |