TPTT The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice: ACT V
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
SCENE I. Cyprus. A street.
SCENE II. A bedchamber in the castle: DESDEMONA in bed asleep; a light burning.
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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,
5     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:
10    '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,
15    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
20    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,
25    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
30    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!
35    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
40    '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:
45    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
50    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
55    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
60    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
65    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?--
70    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
75    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!
80    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
85    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,
90    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;
95    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
100   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
105   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;
110   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
115   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?
120   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
125   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,
130   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
135   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.
140   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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