Othello - Act 5 - Scene 1

SCENE I. Cyprus. A street.

    Enter IAGO and RODERIGO

IAGO

    Here, stand behind this bulk; straight will he come:
    Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home:
    Quick, 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.

IAGO

    Here, at thy hand: be bold, and take thy stand.

    Retires

RODERIGO

    I have no great devotion to the deed;
    And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons:
    'Tis 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 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.

    Enter CASSIO

RODERIGO

    I know his gait, 'tis he.--Villain, thou diest!

    Makes a pass at CASSIO

CASSIO

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

    Draws, and wounds RODERIGO

RODERIGO

    O, I am slain!

    IAGO from behind wounds CASSIO in the leg, and exit

CASSIO

    I am maim'd for ever. Help, ho! murder! murder!

    Falls

    Enter OTHELLO

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

    '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 unblest fate hies: 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

    Enter LODOVICO and GRATIANO

CASSIO

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

GRATIANO

    'Tis 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!

    Re-enter IAGO, with a light

GRATIANO

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

IAGO

    Who's there? whose noise is this that ones 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.

    To LODOVICO and GRATIANO

RODERIGO

    O, help me here!

CASSIO

    That's one of them.

IAGO

    O murderous slave! O villain!

    Stabs RODERIGO

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.

    Enter BIANCA

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 many led you?

CASSIO

    No.

GRATIANO

    I am 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!

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 'tis he.

    A chair brought in
    O, that's well said; the chair!

GRATIANO

    Some good man bear him carefully from hence;
    I'll fetch the general's surgeon.

    To BIANCA
    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

    [To BIANCA] What, look you pale? O, bear him out
    o' the air.

    CASSIO and RODERIGO are borne off
    Stay you, good gentlemen. Look you pale, mistress?
    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,
    Though tongues were out of use.

    Enter EMILIA

EMILIA

    'Las, what's the matter? what's the matter, husband?

IAGO

    Cassio hath here been set on in the dark
    By Roderigo and fellows that are scaped:
    He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead.

EMILIA

    Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio!

IAGO

    This is the fruit of whoring. Prithee, Emilia,
    Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night.

    To BIANCA
    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 thee, strumpet!

BIANCA

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

EMILIA

    As I! foh! fie upon thee!

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 hath happ'd.
    Will you go on? I pray.

    Aside
    This is the night
    That either makes me or fordoes me quite.

    Exeunt

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