Shakespeare Portal

Act 5, Scene 1

Cyprus. A Street.

  1. [Enter Iago and Roderigo.]
  2. Iago
  3. 2901 Here, stand behind this bulk; straight will he come:
  4. 2902 Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home:
  5. 2903 Quick, quick; fear nothing; I'll be at thy elbow:
  6. 2904 It makes us, or it mars us; think on that,
  7. 2905 And fix most firm thy resolution.
  8. Roderigo
  9. 2906 Be near at hand; I may miscarry in't.
  10. Iago
  11. 2907 Here, at thy hand: be bold, and take thy stand.
  12. [Retires to a little distance.]
  13. Roderigo
  14. 2908 I have no great devotion to the deed;
  15. 2909 And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons:—
  16. 2910 'Tis but a man gone.—Forth, my sword; he dies.
  17. [Goes to his stand.]
  18. Iago
  19. 2911 I have rubb'd this young quat almost to the sense,
  20. 2912 And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,
  21. 2913 Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
  22. 2914 Every way makes my gain: live Roderigo,
  23. 2915 He calls me to a restitution large
  24. 2916 Of gold and jewels that I bobb'd from him,
  25. 2917 As gifts to Desdemona;
  26. 2918 It must not be: if Cassio do remain,
  27. 2919 He hath a daily beauty in his life
  28. 2920 That makes me ugly; and besides, the Moor
  29. 2921 May unfold me to him; there stand I in much peril;
  30. 2922 No, he must die.—But, so, I hear him coming.
  31. [Enter Cassio.]
  32. Roderigo
  33. 2923 I know his gait; 'tis he.—Villain, thou diest!
  34. [Rushes out, and makes a pass at Cassio.]
  35. Cassio
  36. 2924 That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,
  37. 2925 But that my coat is better than thou know'st:
  38. 2926 I will make proof of thine.
  39. [Draws, and wounds Roderigo.]
  40. Roderigo
  41. 2927 O, I am slain!
  42. [Iago rushes from his post, cuts Cassio behind in the leg, and exit.]
  43. Cassio
  44. 2928 I am maim'd forever.—Help, ho! murder! murder!
  45. [Falls.]
  46. [Enter Othello at a distance.]
  47. Othello
  48. 2929 The voice of Cassio: Iago keeps his word.
  49. Roderigo
  50. 2930 O, villain that I am!
  51. Othello
  52. 2931 It is even so.
  53. Cassio
  54. 2932 O, help, ho! light! a surgeon!
  55. Othello
  56. 2933 'Tis he:—O brave Iago, honest and just,
  57. 2934 That hast such noble sense of thy friend's wrong!
  58. 2935 Thou teachest me,—minion, your dear lies dead,
  59. 2936 And your unbless'd fate hies. Strumpet, I come!
  60. 2937 Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted;
  61. 2938 Thy bed, lust-stain'd, shall with lust's blood be spotted.
  62. [Exit.]
  63. [Enter Lodovico and Gratiano at a distance.]
  64. Cassio
  65. 2939 What, ho! no watch? no passage? murder! murder!
  66. Gratiano
  67. 2940 'Tis some mischance; the cry is very direful.
  68. Cassio
  69. 2941 O, help!
  70. Lodovico
  71. 2942 Hark!
  72. Roderigo
  73. 2943 O wretched villain!
  74. Lodovico
  75. 2944 Two or three groan:—it is a heavy night:
  76. 2945 These may be counterfeits: let's think't unsafe
  77. 2946 To come in to the cry without more help.
  78. Roderigo
  79. 2947 Nobody come? then shall I bleed to death.
  80. Lodovico
  81. 2948 Hark!
  82. [Re-enter Iago, with a light.]
  83. Gratiano
  84. 2949 Here's one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons.
  85. Iago
  86. 2950 Who's there? whose noise is this that cries on murder?
  87. Lodovico
  88. 2951 We do not know.
  89. Iago
  90. 2952 Did not you hear a cry?
  91. Cassio
  92. 2953 Here, here! for heaven's sake, help me!
  93. Iago
  94. 2954 What's the matter?
  95. Gratiano
  96. 2955 This is Othello's ancient, as I take it.
  97. Lodovico
  98. 2956 The same indeed; a very valiant fellow.
  99. Iago
  100. 2957 What are you here that cry so grievously?
  101. Cassio
  102. 2958 Iago? O, I am spoil'd, undone by villains!
  103. 2959 Give me some help.
  104. Iago
  105. 2960 O me, lieutenant! what villains have done this?
  106. Cassio
  107. 2961 I think that one of them is hereabout,
  108. 2962 And cannot make away.
  109. Iago
  110. 2963 O treacherous villains!—
  111. [To Lodovico and Gratiano.]
  112. Iago
  113. 2964 What are you there?
  114. 2965 Come in and give some help.
  115. Roderigo
  116. 2966 O, help me here!
  117. Cassio
  118. 2967 That's one of them.
  119. Iago
  120. 2968 O murderous slave! O villain!
  121. [Stabs Roderigo.]
  122. Roderigo
  123. 2969 O damn'd Iago! O inhuman dog!
  124. Iago
  125. 2970 Kill men i' the dark!—Where be these bloody thieves?—
  126. 2971 How silent is this town!—Ho! murder! murder!—
  127. 2972 What may you be? are you of good or evil?
  128. Lodovico
  129. 2973 As you shall prove us, praise us.
  130. Iago
  131. 2974 Signior Lodovico?
  132. Lodovico
  133. 2975 He, sir.
  134. Iago
  135. 2976 I cry you mercy. Here's Cassio hurt by villains.
  136. Gratiano
  137. 2977 Cassio!
  138. Iago
  139. 2978 How is't, brother?
  140. Cassio
  141. 2979 My leg is cut in two.
  142. Iago
  143. 2980 Marry, heaven forbid!—
  144. 2981 Light, gentlemen:—I'll bind it with my shirt.
  145. [Enter Bianca.]
  146. Bianca
  147. 2982 What is the matter, ho? who is't that cried?
  148. Iago
  149. 2983 Who is't that cried!
  150. Bianca
  151. 2984 O my dear Cassio, my sweet Cassio! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!
  152. Iago
  153. 2985 O notable strumpet!—Cassio, may you suspect
  154. 2986 Who they should be that have thus mangled you?
  155. Cassio
  156. 2987 No.
  157. Gratiano
  158. 2988 I am sorry to find you thus: I have been to seek you.
  159. Iago
  160. 2989 Lend me a garter:—so.—O, for a chair,
  161. 2990 To bear him easily hence!
  162. Bianca
  163. 2991 Alas, he faints!—O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!
  164. Iago
  165. 2992 Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash
  166. 2993 To be a party in this injury.—
  167. 2994 Patience awhile, good Cassio.—Come, come;
  168. 2995 Lend me a light.—Know we this face or no?
  169. 2996 Alas, my friend and my dear countryman
  170. 2997 Roderigo? no:—yes, sure; O heaven! Roderigo.
  171. Gratiano
  172. 2998 What, of Venice?
  173. Iago
  174. 2999 Even he, sir: did you know him?
  175. Gratiano
  176. 3000 Know him! ay.
  177. Iago
  178. 3001 Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon;
  179. 3002 These bloody accidents must excuse my manners,
  180. 3003 That so neglected you.
  181. Gratiano
  182. 3004 I am glad to see you.
  183. Iago
  184. 3005 How do you, Cassio?—O, a chair, a chair!
  185. Gratiano
  186. 3006 Roderigo!
  187. Iago
  188. 3007 He, he, 'tis he.—
  189. [A chair brought in.]
  190. Iago
  191. 3008 O, that's well said;
  192. 3009 —the chair:—
  193. 3010 Some good man bear him carefully from hence;
  194. 3011 I'll fetch the general's surgeon.
  195. [To Bianca.]
  196. Iago
  197. 3012 For you, mistress,
  198. 3013 Save you your labour.—He that lies slain here, Cassio,
  199. 3014 Was my dear friend: what malice was between you?
  200. Cassio
  201. 3015 None in the world; nor do I know the man.
  202. [To Bianca.]
  203. Iago
  204. 3016 What, look you pale?—O, bear him out o' the air.
  205. [Cassio and Roderigo are borne off.]
  206. Iago
  207. 3017 Stay you, good gentlemen.—Look you pale, mistress?—
  208. 3018 Do you perceive the gastness of her eye?—
  209. 3019 Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon.—
  210. 3020 Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her:
  211. 3021 Do you see, gentlemen? nay, guiltiness will speak
  212. 3022 Though tongues were out of use.
  213. [Enter Emilia.]
  214. Emilia
  215. 3023 'Las, what's the matter? what's the matter, husband?
  216. Iago
  217. 3024 Cassio hath here been set on in the dark
  218. 3025 By Roderigo, and fellows that are 'scap'd:
  219. 3026 He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead.
  220. Emilia
  221. 3027 Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio!
  222. Iago
  223. 3028 This is the fruit of whoring.—Pr'ythee, Emilia,
  224. 3029 Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night.—
  225. 3030 What, do you shake at that?
  226. Bianca
  227. 3031 He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not.
  228. Iago
  229. 3032 O, did he so? I charge you, go with me.
  230. Emilia
  231. 3033 Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet!
  232. Bianca
  233. 3034 I am no strumpet, but of life as honest
  234. 3035 As you that thus abuse me.
  235. Emilia
  236. 3036 As I! foh! fie upon thee!
  237. Iago
  238. 3037 Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio dress'd.—
  239. 3038 Come, mistress, you must tell's another tale.—
  240. 3039 Emilia, run you to the citadel,
  241. 3040 And tell my lord and lady what hath happ'd.—
  242. 3041 Will you go on afore?
  243. [Aside.]
  244. Iago
  245. 3042 This is the night
  246. 3043 That either makes me or fordoes me quite.
  247. [Exeunt.]