LODOVICO

The same indeed, a very valiant fellow.

IAGO (to Cassio)

What are you here that cry so grievously?

CASSIO

Iago—O, I am spoiled, 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!

(To Lodovico and Graziano)

What are you there? Come in and give some help.

RODERIGO O, help me there!

CASSIO That’s one of ’em.

IAGO (stabbing Roderigo) O murderous slave! O villain!

RODERIGO

O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!

IAGO

Kill men i’th’ dark? Where be these bloody thieves?

How silent is this town! Ho, murder, murder!

(To Lodovico and Graziano)

What may you be? Are you of good or evil?

LODOVICO

As you shall prove us, praise us.

IAGO Signor Lodovico.

LODOVICO He, sir.

IAGO

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

GRAZIANO 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!

IAGO

O notable strumpet! Cassio, may you suspect

Who they should be that have thus mangled you? 80

CASSIO No.

GRAZIANO

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 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 a while, good Cassio. Come, come,

Lend me a light. (Going to Roderigo) Know we this face

or no?

Alas, my friend, and my dear countryman.

Roderigo? No—yes, sure—O heaven, Roderigo!

GRAZIANO What, of Venice?

IAGO Even he, sir. Did you know him?

GRAZIANO Know him? Ay.

IAGO

Signor Graziano, I cry your gentle pardon.

These bloody accidents must excuse my manners

That so neglected you.

GRAZIANO I am glad to see you.

IAGO

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

GRAZIANO Roderigo.

IAGO

He, he, ’tis he.

Enter attendants with a chair

O, that’s well said, the chair!

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? (To attendants) O, bear him out

o’th’ air.

(To Lodovico and Graziano)

Stay you, good gentlemen.

Exeunt attendants with Cassio in the chair [and with Roderigo’s body]

(To Bianca) Look you pale, mistress?

(To Lodovico and Graziano)

Do you perceive the ghastness of her eye?

(To Bianca) Nay, an you stare we shall hear more

anon.

(To Lodovico and Graziano)

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

Alas, what is the matter? What is 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 fruits of whoring. Prithee, Emilia,

Go know of Cassio where he supped tonight.

(To Bianca) What, do you shake at that?

BIANCA

He supped at my house, but I therefore shake not.

IAGO

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

EMILIA (to Bianca) O, fie upon thee, strumpet!

BIANCA

I am no strumpet, but of life as honest

As you that thus abuse me.

EMILIA As I? Fough, fie upon thee!

IAGO

Kind gentlemen, let’s go see poor Cassio dressed.

(To Bianca) Come, mistress, you must tell’s another tale.

Emilia, run you to the citadel

And tell my lord and lady what hath happed.

Will you go on afore?

Exit Emilia

(Aside) This is the night

That either makes me or fordoes me quite. Exeunt

5.2 Enter Othello with a light. ⌈He draws back a curtain, revealing⌉ Desdemona asleep in her bed

OTHELLO

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 hers than snow,

And smooth as monumental alabaster.

Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men.

Put out the light, and then put out the light.

If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,

I can again thy former light restore

Should I repent me; but once put out thy light,

Thou cunning‘st pattern of excelling nature,

I know not where is that Promethean heat

That can thy light relume. When I have plucked thy

rose

I cannot give it vital growth again.

It needs must wither. I’ll smell thee on the tree.

[He kisses her]

O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade

Justice to break her sword! One more, one more.

Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee

And love thee after. One more, and that’s the last.