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Othello - Act 5, scene 1
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Othello - Act 5, scene 1Act 5, scene 1
Scene 1
Synopsis:
In the dark streets of Cyprus, Roderigo attacks Cassio, who, uninjured, stabs Roderigo. Iago then wounds Cassio in the leg. Othello, hearing Cassio cry out, thinks that Iago has killed him, and departs to murder Desdemona. Iago then kills the wounded Roderigo. While Iago, Lodovico, and Gratiano tend to Cassio, Bianca arrives. Iago accuses her of being a whore and of engineering the plot against Cassio that led to his injury.
Enter Iago and Roderigo.IAGO
3096 Here, stand behind this ⟨bulk.⟩ Straight will he
3097 come.
3098 Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home.
3099 Quick, quick! Fear nothing. I’ll be at thy elbow.
3100 5 It makes us or it mars us—think on that,
3101 And fix most firm thy resolution.
RODERIGO
3102 Be near at hand. I may miscarry in ’t.
IAGO
3103 Here, at thy hand. Be bold and take thy stand.
⌜He moves aside.⌝
RODERIGO
3104 I have no great devotion to the deed,
3105 10 And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons.
3106 ’Tis but a man gone. Forth, my sword! He dies.
⌜He draws his sword.⌝
IAGO, ⌜aside⌝
3107 I have rubbed this young quat almost to the sense,
3108 And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio,
3109 Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other,
3110 15 Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo,
3111 He calls me to a restitution large
3112 Of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him
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225
3113
As gifts to Desdemona.3114 It must not be. If Cassio do remain,
3115 20 He hath a daily beauty in his life
3116 That makes me ugly. And besides, the Moor
3117 May unfold me to him. There stand I in much peril.
3118 No, he must die. ⟨Be ’t⟩ so. I ⟨hear⟩ him coming.
Enter Cassio.
RODERIGO
3119 I know his gait. ’Tis he!—Villain, thou diest!
⌜He thrusts at Cassio.⌝
CASSIO
3120 25 That thrust had been mine enemy indeed
3121 But that my coat is better than thou know’st.
3122 I will make proof of thine.
⌜He draws, and stabs Roderigo.⌝
RODERIGO 3123 O, I am slain!
⌜Roderigo falls.
Iago stabs Cassio in the leg, and exits.⌝
CASSIO
3124 I am maimed forever! Help, ho! Murder, murder!
Enter Othello.
OTHELLO
3125 30 The voice of Cassio! Iago keeps his word.
RODERIGO 3126 O, villain that I am!
OTHELLO, ⌜aside⌝ 3127 It is even so.
CASSIO 3128 O, help ho! Light! A surgeon!
OTHELLO, ⌜aside⌝
3129 ’Tis he! O brave Iago, honest and just,
3130 35 That hast such noble sense of thy friend’s wrong!
3131 Thou teachest me.—Minion, your dear lies dead,
3132 And your unblest fate hies. Strumpet, I come.
3133 ⟨Forth⟩ of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are
3134 blotted.
p.
227
3135
40 Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust’s blood be3136 spotted.Othello exits.
Enter Lodovico and Gratiano.
CASSIO
3137 What ho! No watch? No passage? Murder, murder!
GRATIANO
3138 ’Tis some mischance. The voice is very direful.
CASSIO 3139 O, help!
LODOVICO 3140 45Hark!
RODERIGO 3141 O wretched villain!
LODOVICO
3142 Two or three groan. ’Tis heavy night.
3143 These may be counterfeits. Let’s think ’t unsafe
3144 To come in to the cry without more help.
RODERIGO
3145 50 Nobody come? Then shall I bleed to death.
Enter Iago ⟨with a light.⟩
LODOVICO 3146 Hark!
GRATIANO
3147 Here’s one comes in his shirt, with light and
3148 weapons.
IAGO
3149 Who’s there? Whose noise is this that cries on
3150 55 murder?
LODOVICO
3151 We do not know.
IAGO 3152 ⟨Did⟩ not you hear a cry?
CASSIO
3153 Here, here! For ⟨heaven’s⟩ sake, help me!
IAGO 3154 What’s the matter?
GRATIANO, ⌜to Lodovico⌝
3155 60 This is Othello’s ancient, as I take it.
LODOVICO
3156 The same indeed, a very valiant fellow.
IAGO, ⌜to Cassio⌝
3157 What are you here that cry so grievously?
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229
CASSIO 3158 Iago? O, I am spoiled, undone by villains.
3159 Give me some help!
IAGO
3160 65 O me, lieutenant! What villains have done this?
CASSIO
3161 I think that one of them is hereabout
3162 And cannot make away.
IAGO 3163 O treacherous villains!
3164 ⌜To Lodovico and Gratiano.⌝ What are you there?
3165 70 Come in, and give some help.
RODERIGO 3166 O, help me ⟨here!⟩
CASSIO
3167 That’s one of them.
IAGO, ⌜to Roderigo⌝ 3168 O murd’rous slave! O villain!
⌜He stabs Roderigo.⌝
RODERIGO
3169 O damned Iago! O inhuman dog!
IAGO
3170 75 Kill men i’ th’ dark?—Where be these bloody
3171 thieves?
3172 How silent is this town! Ho, murder, murder!—
3173 What may you be? Are you of good or evil?
LODOVICO
3174 As you shall prove us, praise us.
IAGO 3175 80 Signior Lodovico?
LODOVICO 3176 He, sir.
IAGO
3177 I cry you mercy. Here’s Cassio hurt by villains.
GRATIANO 3178 Cassio?
IAGO
3179 How is ’t, brother?
CASSIO 3180 85 My leg is cut in two.
IAGO 3181 Marry, heaven forbid!
3182 Light, gentlemen. I’ll bind it with my shirt.
p.
231
Enter Bianca.BIANCA
3183 What is the matter, ho? Who is ’t that cried?
IAGO
3184 Who is ’t that cried?
BIANCA 3185 90 O, my dear Cassio,
3186 My sweet Cassio! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!
IAGO
3187 O notable strumpet! Cassio, may you suspect
3188 Who they should be that have thus mangled you?
CASSIO 3189 No.
GRATIANO
3190 95 I am sorry to find you thus; I have been to seek you.
[IAGO
3191 Lend me a garter. So.—O for a chair
3192 To bear him easily hence!]
BIANCA
3193 Alas, he faints. O, Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!
IAGO
3194 Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash
3195 100 To be a party in this injury.—
3196 Patience awhile, good Cassio.—Come, come;
3197 Lend me a light. ⌜Peering at Roderigo.⌝ Know we this
3198 face or no?
3199 Alas, my friend and my dear countryman
3200 105 Roderigo? No! Yes, sure. ⟨O heaven,⟩ Roderigo!
GRATIANO 3201 What, of Venice?
IAGO 3202 Even he, sir. Did you know him?
GRATIANO 3203 Know him? Ay.
IAGO
3204 Signior Gratiano? I cry your gentle pardon.
3205 110 These bloody accidents must excuse my manners
3206 That so neglected you.
GRATIANO 3207 I am glad to see you.
IAGO
3208 How do you, Cassio?—O, a chair, a chair!
p.
233
GRATIANO
3209
Roderigo?IAGO
3210 115 He, he, ’tis he! ⌜A chair is brought in.⌝ O, that’s well
3211 said; the chair.—
3212 Some good man bear him carefully from hence.
3213 I’ll fetch the General’s surgeon.— For you, mistress,
3214 Save you your labor.—He that lies slain here,
3215 120 Cassio,
3216 Was my dear friend. What malice was between you?
CASSIO
3217 None in the world. Nor do I know the man.
IAGO, ⌜to Bianca⌝
3218 What, look you pale?—O, bear him ⟨out⟩ o’ th’ air.
⌜Cassio, in the chair, and Roderigo are carried off.⌝
3219 ⌜To Gratiano and Lodovico.⌝ Stay you, good
3220 125 gentlemen.—Look you pale, mistress?—
3221 Do you perceive the gastness of her eye?—
3222 Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon.—
3223 Behold her well. I pray you, look upon her.
3224 Do you see, gentlemen? Nay, guiltiness will speak
3225 130 Though tongues were out of use.
⟨Enter Emilia.⟩
EMILIA
3226 Alas, what is the matter? What is the matter,
3227 husband?
IAGO
3228 Cassio hath here been set on in the dark
3229 By Roderigo and fellows that are scaped.
3230 135 He’s almost slain, and Roderigo dead.
EMILIA
3231 Alas, good gentleman! Alas, good Cassio!
IAGO
3232 This is the fruits of whoring. Prithee, Emilia,
3233 Go know of Cassio where he supped tonight.
3234 ⌜To Bianca.⌝ What, do you shake at that?
p.
235
BIANCA 3235 140 He supped at my house, but I therefore shake not.
IAGO
3236 O, did he so? I charge you go with me.
EMILIA 3237 O fie upon thee, strumpet!
BIANCA
3238 I am no strumpet, but of life as honest
3239 As you that thus abuse me.
EMILIA 3240 145As I? ⟨Faugh!⟩ Fie upon thee!
IAGO
3241 Kind gentlemen, let’s go see poor Cassio dressed.—
3242 Come, mistress, you must tell ’s another tale.—
3243 Emilia, run you to the citadel
3244 And tell my lord and lady what hath happed.—
3245 150 Will you go on afore? ⌜Aside.⌝ This is the night
3246 That either makes me or fordoes me quite.
They exit ⌜in different directions.⌝