EMILIA It’s the wind.
DESDEMONA (
sings
)
‘I called my love false love, but what said he then?
Sing willow, willow, willow.
If I court more women, you’ll couch with more men.’
So, get thee gone. Good night. Mine eyes do itch. 56
Doth that bode weeping?
EMILIA ’Tis neither here nor there.
DESDEMONA
I have heard it said so. O, these men, these men!
Dost thou in conscience think—ten me, Emilia—
That there be women do abuse their husbands
In such gross kind?
EMILIAThere be some such, no question.
DESDEMONA
Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?
EMILIA
Why, would not you?
DESDEMONA No, by this heavenly light.
EMILIA Nor I neither, by this heavenly light. I might do’t
as well i’th’ dark.
DESDEMONA
Wouldst thou do such a deed for all the world?
EMILIA The world’s a huge thing. It is a great price for
a small vice.
DESDEMONA In truth, I think thou wouldst not.
EMILIA In truth, I think I should, and undo’t when I had done. Marry, I would not do such a thing for a joint ring, nor for measures of lawn, nor for gowns, petticoats, nor caps, nor any petty exhibition; but for all the whole world? Ud’s pity, who would not make her husband a cuckold to make him a monarch? I should venture purgatory for’t.
DESDEMONA
Beshrew me if I would do such a wrong
For the whole world.
EMILIA Why, the wrong is but a wrong i‘th’ world, and having the world for your labour, ’tis a wrong in your own world, and you might quickly make it right.
DESDEMONA
I do not think there is any such woman.
EMILIA
Yes, a dozen, and as many
To th’ vantage as would store the world they played
for.
But I do think it is their husbands’ faults
If wives do fall. Say that they slack their duties,
And pour our treasures into foreign laps,
Or else break out in peevish jealousies,
Throwing restraint upon us; or say they strike us,
Or scant our former having in despite:
Why, we have galls; and though we have some grace,
Yet have we some revenge. Let husbands know
Their wives have sense like them. They see, and smell,
And have their palates both for sweet and sour,
As husbands have. What is it that they do
When they change us for others? Is it sport?
I think it is. And doth affection breed it?
I think it doth. Is’t frailty that thus errs?
It is so, too. And have not we affections,
Desires for sport, and frailty, as men have?
Then let them use us well, else let them know
The ills we do, their ills instruct us so.
DESDEMONA
Good night, good night. God me such uses send
Not to pick bad from bad, but by bad mend!
Exeunt
5.1
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,
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.
RODERIGO (
aside
)
I have no great devotion to the deed,
And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons.
’Tis but a man gone. Forth my sword—he dies!
IAGO (
aside
)
I have rubbed 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,
He calls me to a restitution large
Of gold and jewels that I bobbed from him
As gifts to Desdemona.
It must not be. If Cassio do remain,
He hath a daily beauty in his life
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. (
Attacking Cassio
) Villain, thou
diest.
CASSIO
That thrust had been mine enemy indeed,
But that my coat is better than thou know’st.
I will make proof of thine.
He stabs Roderigo, who falls
RODERIGO O, I am slain!
Iago wounds Cassio in the leg from behind. Exit Iago
CASSIO (
falling
)
I am maimed for ever. Help, ho, murder, murder!
OTHELLO
The voice of Cassio. Iago keeps his word.
RODERIGO 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—
Thou teachest me. Minion, your dear lies dead,
And your unblessed fate hies. Strumpet, I come.
Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted.
Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust’s blood be spotted.
Exit
Enter Lodovico and Graziano
CASSIO
What ho, no watch, no passage? Murder, murder!
GRAZIANO
’Tis some mischance. The voice is very direful.
CASSIO O, help!
LODOVICO Hark.
RODERIGO O wretched villain!
LODOVICO
Two or three groan. ’Tis heavy night.
These may be counterfeits. Let’s think’t unsafe
To come into the cry without more help.
RODERIGO
Nobody come? Then shall I bleed to death.
LODOVICO Hark.
GRAZIANO
Here’s one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons.
IAGO
Who’s there? Whose noise is this that cries on murder?
LODOVICO
We do not know.
IAGO Do not you hear a cry?
CASSIO
Here, here. For heaven’s sake, help me.
IAGO What’s the matter?
GRAZIANO (
to Lodovico
)
This is Othello’s ensign, as I take it.
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.
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.
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?