DES. Nobody; I myself. Farewell: Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell! Отн. Why, how should she be murdered? EMIL.

[Dies.

Alas, who knows?

Oтн. You heard her say herself, it was not I.
EMIL. She said so: I must needs report the truth.
Отн. She's, like a liar, gone to burning hell!
T was 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 devil.
OTH. She was false as water.

EMIL.

Thou art rash as fire, to say

That she was false; O, she was heavenly true!

ОTH. 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!

ОTH. Thy husband.

EMIL. That she was false to wedlock?

ОтH. Ay, with Cassio. Nay,† had she been true, If heaven would make me such another world

Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,

I'd not have sold her for it.

EMIL. My husband!

Отн.

Ay, 't was he that told me‡ first;

An honest man he is, and hates the slime

That sticks on filthy deeds.

EMIL.

My husband!

ОTH. What needs this iterance, woman? I

say thy husband. EMIL. O, mistress, villany hath made mocks with love!

My husband say that § she was false?

He, woman;

Отн.
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.
ОTH. Ha!

Do thy worst;

EMIL.
This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven,
Than thou wast worthy her.

Peace! you were best.

EMIL. Thou hast not half that power to do me harm, As I have to be hurt. O, gull! O, dolt!

First folio, heare.

First folio inserts, on her.

(†) First folio omits, Nay.
(8) First folio omits, that.

·1 to folly,-] That is, to wantonness.

As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed,—
I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known,
Though I lost twenty lives.-Help! help! ho! help!
The Moor hath kill'd my mistress! Murder! 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?

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

IAGO. 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?

IAGO. With Cassio, mistress. Go to, charm your tongue.a EMIL. I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak: My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed,—

ALL. O, heavens forfend!

EMIL. And your reports have set the murder on.
Отн. Nay, stare not, masters; it is true, indeed.
GRA. 'Tis a strange truth.

MON. O, monstrous act!

EMIL.

Villany, villany, villany!

I think upon 't,-I think I smell 't;-O, villany!—

I thought so then ;-I'll kill myself for grief:

O villany, villany!

IAGO. What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home.
EMIL. Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak:

"T is proper I obey him, but not now.

Perchance, Iago, I will ne'er go home.

OTH. O! O! O!
EMIL.

[Falling on the bed.

Nay, lay thee down and roar;

charm your tongue.] A familiar expression in the poet's day, meaning restrain, or put a spell upon your tongue. So in "Henry VI." Part III. Act V. Se 5,-" Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue." See also additional examples of the phrase in the Variorum ad l.

ba strange truth.] "Strange" is one of the many words which have lost weight and emphasis since Shakespeare's time. With us, it imports no more than unusual, not customary, &c.; but when Desdemona spoke of the Moor's adventures as "strange,' she meant they were wonderful, incredible; and it is in this deeper sense of the word that Gratiano employs it here.

I thought so then ;-] "That is, at the instant when she gave Desdemona's handkerchief to Iago; for even then Emilia appears to have suspected it was sought after for no honest purpose, and therefore asks her husband

'What will you do with it?'" &c.-STEEVENS.

For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent,
That e'er did lift up eye.

O, she was foul!

Отн.
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 Desdemon! 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, God! O, heavenly God!*
IAGO.

[Rising.

Zounds,† hold your peace!

EMIL. 'T will out, 't will out!-I hold my peace, sir? no;‡
No, I will speak as liberal as the north!b

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.

GRA.

Your sword upon a woman?

I will not.

[IAGO offers to stab EMILIA. Fie!

EMIL. O, thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou speak'st of

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 't.

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, and then runs out.

(*). First folio, Oh Heaven! oh heavenly powers!
(+) First folio omits, hold my, and sir? no!

(†) First folio, Come.

• And fall to reprobation.] So the quartos: the folio has,-"And fail to reprobance." b No, I will speak as liberal as the north;] Thus the folio; the quarto of 1622 reads,

And that of 1630 has,

"I'le be in speaking, liberall as the ayre."

"I'le be in speaking liberall as the north."

Отн.

Are there no stones in heaven,

But what serve for the thunder?-Precious villain!

GRA. The woman falls! sure, he hath 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. "T is 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 't is a damned slave.

[Exeunt MONTANO and GRATIANO.
Отн.
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 die in music;-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,f-I die!

OTн. 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.

[Singing.

GRA. [Without.] If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear;

Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer.

Отн. Look in upon me, then, and speak with me,

Or, naked as I am, I will assault thee.

Re-enter GRATIANO.

Behold! I have a weapon;

GRA. What is the matter?
Отн.

A better never did itself sustain

Upon a soldier's thigh: I have seen the day,
That, with this little arm and this good sword,
I have made my way through more impediments
Than twenty times your stop:-but, O, vain boast!
Who can control his fate? 't is not so now.-
Be not afraid, though you do see me weapon'd;-
Here is my journey's end, here is my butt,
And very sea-mark of my utmost sail.
Do you go back dismay'd? 't is a lost fear;
Man but a rush against Othello's breast,

And he retires:-where should Othello go?

Now, how dost thou look now? O, ill-starr'd wench!
Pale as thy smock! when we shall meet at compt,
This look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven,

[Dres.

(*) First folio omits, here.

(†) First folio, alas.

(+) First folio, was.

Man but a rush against Othello's breast,-] This is an allusion to the mock tournaments in which the combatants were armed with rushes in place of spears.

And fiends will snatch at it!-Cold, cold, my girl!
Even like thy chastity.-

O, cursed, cursed slave!-Whip me, ye devils,
From the possession of this heavenly sight!
Blow me about in winds! roast me in sulphur!
Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!-
O, Desdemon! dead, Desdemon! dead! 0, 0!

Enter LODOVICO, MONTANO, CASSIO carried in a chair, and Officers, with IAGO, prisoner.

LOD. Where is this rash and most unfortunate man?

ОTH. That's he that was Othello;-here I am.
LOD. Where is that viper? bring the villain forth.

OTH. I look down towards his feet;a-but that's a fable.

If that thou be 'st a devil I cannot kill thee.

LOD. Wrench his sword from him.
IAGO.

[OTHELLO wounds 1AGO.

I bleed, sir; but not kill'd.

Отн. I am not sorry neither; I'd have thee live; For, in my sense, 't is happiness to die.

LOD. O, thou Othello, that wert* once so good, Fall'n in the practice of a damned† slave,

What shall be said to thee?

Отн.

Why, any thing:

An honourable murderer, if you will;

For nought did I‡ in hate, but all in honour.

LOD. This wretch hath part confess'd his villany: Did you and he consent in Cassio's death?

CAS. Dear general, I never gave you cause.
OTH. I do believe it, and I ask your pardon.

Will you, I pray, demand that demi-devil,

Why he hath thus ensnar'd my soul and body?

IAGO. Demand me nothing: what you know, you know: From this time forth I never will speak word.

LOD. What, not to pray?

GRA.

OTH. Well, thou dost best.

Torments will ope your lips.

LOD. Sir, you shall understand what hath befall'n,

Which, 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.

Отн. O, villain!

(*) First folio, was.

(+) First folio, cursed.

(+) First folio, I did.

towards his feet;-] "To see if, according to the common cpinion, his feet be cloven."-JOHNSON.

- practice-] Machination, stratagem.