ACT V

Sc. I

Do you see, Gentlemen? nay, guiltiness will speak,
Though tongues were out of use.

Enter EMILIA.

ΣΤΟ

EMIL. '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 'scap'd:
He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead.

EMIL. Alas, good Gentleman! alas, good Cassio!
IAGO. This is the fruit of whoring. Pr'ythee, Emilia,
Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night.
[to BIANCA.] What, do you shake at that?

BIAN. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not.
IAGO. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me.

EMIL. Fie, fie upon thee, Strumpet!

BIAN. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest

As you that thus abuse me.

EMIL.

120

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 afore? [aside.] This is the night
That either makes me or fordoes me quite.

[exeunt.

SCENE II. The Same. A Bedchamber in the Castle:
DESDEMONA in bed asleep; a light burning.

Enter OTHELLO.

OTH. 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 her's 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

ΤΟ

That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd thy

rose,

I cannot give it vital growth again,

It needs must wither: I'll smell it on the tree.

[kissing 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 :
So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,

But they are cruel tears: this sorrow 's heavenly;

It strikes where it doth love. DES. Who's there? Othello?

Отн.

She wakes.

Ay, Desdemona.

OTH. If you bethink yourself of any crime

Unreconcil'd as yet to Heaven and Grace,
Solicit for it straight.

DES. Alack, my Lord, what may you mean by that?

OTн. Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by:

I would not kill thy unprepared spirit;

No-Heaven forfend!--I would not kill thy soul.

DES. Talk you of killing?

ОTн. Ay, I do.

DES. Then Heaven have mercy on me!

Отн. Amen, with all my heart!

20

30

ACT V
Sc. II

DES. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.
Отн. Hum!

DES. And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then

40

When your eyes roll so: why I should fear I know not,
Since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel I fear.
Отн. Think on thy sins.

DES.

They are loves I bear to you.

ОTH. Ay, and for that thou diest.

DES. That death 's unnatural that kills for loving.

L

ACT V

Sc. II

Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?

Some bloody passion shakes

your very frame: These are portents; but yet I hope, I hope,

They do not point on me.

Peace, and be still!

What's the matter?

Отн.

DES. I will so.

Отн. That handkerchief which I so lov'd and gave thee

50

Take heed of perjury; thou art on thy death-bed.
DES. Ay, but not yet to die.

Отн.

Yes, presently:

Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;

For to deny each article with oath

Cannot remove nor choke the strong conception

That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.

DES. Then Lord have mercy on me!

I say, Amen.

60

Отн.
DES. And have you mercy too! I never did
Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio
But with such general warranty of Heaven
As I might love; I never gave him token.
Отн. By Heaven, I saw my handkerchief in 's hand.
O perjur'd Woman! thou dost stone my heart,
And mak'st me call what I intend to do

A murder, which I thought a sacrifice :

I saw the handkerchief.

DES. O! my fear interprets: what, is he dead?
Отн. Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge

Had stomach for them all.

DES. Alas, he is betray'd, and I undone !

Oтн. Out, Strumpet! weep'st thou for him to my face?
DES. O, banish me, my Lord, but kill me not!

Oтн. Down, Strumpet!

DES. Kill me to-morrow; let me live to-night!

OTH. Nay, if you strive—

DES. But half an hour!
Отн.

DES. But while I say one prayer!
Отн.

80

Being done, there is no pause.

It is too late.

[He stifles her.

EMIL. [within.] My Lord, my Lord! what, ho! my Lord,
my Lord!

OTн. What noise is this? Not dead? not yet quite dead?
I that am cruel am yet merciful;

I would not have thee linger in thy pain:

So, so.

EMIL. [within.] What, ho! my Lord, my Lord!
Отн.

90

Who's there?

EMIL. [within.] O, good my Lord, I would speak a word

with you!

Oтн. Yes; 'tis Emilia ;-by-and-by. She's dead.

'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death;
The noise was high. Ha! no more moving?
Still as the grave. Shall she come in? were 't good?
I think she stirs again: no. What's best to do?
If she come in, she 'll sure speak to my wife:
My wife! my wife! what wife? I have no wife.
O, insupportable! O heavy hour!

Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse

Of Sun and Moon, and that the affrighted Globe
Should yawn at alteration.

EMIL. [within.]

I do beseech you

That I may speak with you, O, good my Lord!
Отн. I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia.
Soft! by-and-by. Let me the curtains draw.
Where art thou?

[unlocks the door.

ACT V

Sc. II

ACT V

Sc. II

Enter EMILIA.

What's the matter with thee now?

EMIL. O, my good Lord, yonder's foul murder's done!

Отн. What, now?

EMIL. But now, my Lord.

OTн. It is the very error of the Moon;

She comes more nearer Earth than she was wont,
And makes men mad.

EMIL. Cassio, my Lord, hath kill'd a young Venetian
Call'd Roderigo.

Отн.

And Cassio kill'd?

EMIL.

Roderigo kill'd!

No, Cassio is not kill'd.

OTн. Not Cassio kill'd? then murder's out of tune,

And sweet revenge grows harsh.

DES. O, falsely, falsely murder'd!
EMIL.

Отн. That! what?

ΙΙΟ

Alas, what cry is that?

EMIL. Out, and alas! that was my lady's voice.
Help! help, ho! help! O Lady, speak again!
Sweet Desdemona! O sweet Mistress, speak!
DES. A guiltless death I die.
EMIL.

121

This deed?

DES.

O, who hath done

Nobody; I myself. Farewell:

Commend me to my kind Lord: O, farewell!
Отн. Why, how should she be murder'd?
EMIL.

[dies.

Alas, who knows?

OTн. You heard her say herself, it was not I.
EMIL. She said so: I must needs report the truth.
Oтн. She's, like a liar, gone to burning Hell:
"Twas I that kill'd her.

EMIL.

O, the more Angel she,

And you the blacker Devil!

Oтн. She turn❜d to folly, and she was a whore.

EMIL. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a Devil.

Отн. She was false as water.

EMIL.

130

Thou art rash as fire, to say

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