Othello
DESDEMONA.
If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.
OTHELLO.
Hum!
DESDEMONA.
And yet I fear you, for you are fatal then
When your eyes roll so: why I should fear I know not,
Since guiltiness I know not, but yet I feel I fear.
OTHELLO.
Think on thy sins.
DESDEMONA.
They are loves I bear to you.
OTHELLO.
Ay, and for that thou diest.
DESDEMONA.
That death’s unnatural that kills for loving.
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.
OTHELLO.
Peace, and be still!
DESDEMONA.
I will so. What’s the matter?
OTHELLO.
That handkerchief which I so loved and gave thee,
Thou gav’st to Cassio.
DESDEMONA.
No, by my life and soul!
Send for the man and ask him.
OTHELLO.
Sweet soul, take heed, take heed of perjury,
Thou’rt on thy death-bed.
DESDEMONA.
Ay, but not yet to die.
OTHELLO.
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.
DESDEMONA.
Then, Lord have mercy on me!
OTHELLO.
I say, amen.
DESDEMONA.
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.
OTHELLO.
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.
DESDEMONA.
He found it then.
I never gave it him. Send for him hither.
Let him confess a truth.
OTHELLO.
He hath confess’d.
DESDEMONA.
What, my lord?
OTHELLO.
That he hath us’d thee.
DESDEMONA.
How? Unlawfully?
OTHELLO.
Ay.
DESDEMONA.
He will not say so.
OTHELLO.
No, his mouth is stopp’d.
Honest Iago hath ta’en order for ’t.
DESDEMONA.
O, my fear interprets! What, is he dead?
OTHELLO.
Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge
Had stomach for them all.
DESDEMONA.
Alas, he is betray’d, and I undone!
OTHELLO.
Out, strumpet! Weep’st thou for him to my face?
DESDEMONA.
O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!
OTHELLO.
Down, strumpet!
DESDEMONA.
Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight!
OTHELLO.
Nay, if you strive,—
DESDEMONA.
But half an hour!
OTHELLO.
Being done, there is no pause.
DESDEMONA.
But while I say one prayer!
OTHELLO.
It is too late.
[_Smothers her._]
EMILIA.
[_Within._] My lord, my lord! what, ho! my lord, my lord!
OTHELLO.
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.
EMILIA.
[_Within._] What, ho! my lord, my lord!
OTHELLO.
Who’s there?
EMILIA.
[_Within._] O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!
OTHELLO.
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.
EMILIA.
[_Within._] I do beseech you
That I may speak with you, O, good my lord!
OTHELLO.
I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia.
Soft, by and by; let me the curtains draw.
Where art thou?
[_Unlocks the door._]
Enter Emilia.
What’s the matter with thee now?
EMILIA.
O, my good lord, yonder’s foul murders done!
OTHELLO.
What, now?
EMILIA.
But now, my lord.
OTHELLO.
It is the very error of the moon,
She comes more nearer earth than she was wont
And makes men mad.
EMILIA.
Cassio, my lord, hath kill’d a young Venetian
Call’d Roderigo.
OTHELLO.
Roderigo kill’d?
And Cassio kill’d?
EMILIA.
No, Cassio is not kill’d.
OTHELLO.
Not Cassio kill’d! Then murder’s out of tune,
And sweet revenge grows harsh.
DESDEMONA.
O, falsely, falsely murder’d!
EMILIA.
Alas, what cry is that?
OTHELLO.
That? What?
EMILIA.
Out, and alas! That was my lady’s voice.
Help! help, ho! help! O lady, speak again,
Sweet Desdemona! O sweet mistress, speak!
DESDEMONA.
A guiltless death I die.
EMILIA.
O, who hath done this deed?
DESDEMONA.
Nobody; I myself. Farewell.
Commend me to my kind lord. O, farewell!
[_She dies._]
OTHELLO.
Why, how should she be murder’d?
EMILIA.
Alas, who knows?
OTHELLO.
You heard her say herself, it was not I.
EMILIA.
She said so. I must needs report the truth.
OTHELLO.
She’s like a liar, gone to burning hell.
’Twas I that kill’d her.
EMILIA.
O, the more angel she,
And you the blacker devil!
OTHELLO.
She turn’d to folly, and she was a whore.
EMILIA.
Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.
OTHELLO.
She was false as water.
EMILIA.
Thou art rash as fire, to say
That she was false: O, she was heavenly true!
OTHELLO.
Cassio did top her; ask thy husband else.
O, I were damn’d beneath all depth in hell,
But that I did proceed upon just grounds
To this extremity. Thy husband knew it all.
EMILIA.
My husband?
OTHELLO.
Thy husband.
EMILIA.
That she was false to wedlock?
OTHELLO.
Ay, with Cassio. Nay, had she been true,
If heaven would make me such another world
Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,
I’d not have sold her for it.
EMILIA.
My husband?
OTHELLO.
Ay, ’twas he that told me first.
An honest man he is, and hates the slime
That sticks on filthy deeds.
EMILIA.
My husband?
OTHELLO.
What needs this iterance, woman? I say thy husband.
EMILIA.
O mistress, villainy hath made mocks with love!
My husband say that she was false?
OTHELLO.
He, woman;
I say thy husband: dost understand the word?
My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago.
EMILIA.
If he say so, may his pernicious soul
Rot half a grain a day! he lies to the heart.
She was too fond of her most filthy bargain.
OTHELLO.
Ha!
EMILIA.
Do thy worst:
This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven
Than thou wast worthy her.
OTHELLO.
Peace, you were best.
EMILIA.
Thou hast not half that power to do me harm
As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt!
As ignorant as dirt! Thou hast done a deed
(I care not for thy sword) I’ll make thee known,
Though I lost twenty lives. Help! help, ho! help!
The Moor hath kill’d my mistress! Murder, murder!
Enter Montano, Gratiano and Iago.
MONTANO.
What is the matter? How now, general?
EMILIA.
O, are you come, Iago? You have done well,
That men must lay their murders on your neck.
GRATIANO.
What is the matter?
EMILIA.
Disprove this villain, if thou be’st a man.
He says thou told’st him that his wife was false.
I know thou didst not, thou’rt not such a villain.
Speak, for my heart is full.
IAGO.
I told him what I thought, and told no more
Than what he found himself was apt and true.
EMILIA.
But did you ever tell him she was false?
IAGO.
I did.
EMILIA.
You told a lie, an odious, damned lie;
Upon my soul, a lie; a wicked lie.
She false with Cassio? Did you say with Cassio?
IAGO.
With Cassio, mistress. Go to, charm your tongue.
EMILIA.
I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak.
My mistress here lies murder’d in her bed.
ALL.
O heavens forfend!
EMILIA.
And your reports have set the murder on.
OTHELLO.
Nay, stare not, masters, it is true indeed.
GRATIANO.
’Tis a strange truth.
MONTANO.
O monstrous act!
EMILIA.
Villany, villany, villany!
I think upon’t, I think I smell’t; O villany!
I thought so then. I’ll kill myself for grief.
O villany, villany!
IAGO.
What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home.
EMILIA.
Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak.
’Tis proper I obey him, but not now.
Perchance, Iago, I will ne’er go home.
OTHELLO.
O! O! O!
[_Hanging over his wife._]
EMILIA.
Nay, lay thee down and roar;
For thou hast kill’d the sweetest innocent
That e’er did lift up eye.
OTHELLO.
[_Rising._] O, she was foul!
I scarce did know you, uncle, there lies your niece,
Whose breath indeed these hands have newly stopp’d.
I know this act shows horrible and grim.
GRATIANO.
Poor Desdemona! I am glad thy father’s dead.
Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
Shore his old thread in twain: did he live now,
This sight would make him do a desperate turn,
Yea, curse his better angel from his side,
And fall to reprobance.
OTHELLO.
’Tis pitiful. But yet Iago knows
That she with Cassio hath the act of shame
A thousand times committed; Cassio confess’d it,
And she did gratify his amorous works
With that recognizance and pledge of love
Which I first gave her; I saw it in his hand.
It was a handkerchief, an antique token
My father gave my mother.
EMILIA.
O heaven! O heavenly powers!
IAGO.
Come, hold your peace.
EMILIA.
’Twill out, ’twill out. I peace?
No, I will speak as liberal as the north.
Let heaven and men and devils, let them all,
All, all, cry shame against me, yet I’ll speak.
IAGO.
Be wise, and get you home.
EMILIA.
I will not.
[_Iago offers to stab his wife._]
GRATIANO.
Fie!
Your sword upon a woman?
EMILIA.
O thou dull Moor, that handkerchief thou speak’st of
I found by fortune and did give my husband;
For often with a solemn earnestness,
More than indeed belong’d to such a trifle,
He begg’d of me to steal it.
IAGO.
Villanous whore!
EMILIA.
She give it Cassio! no, alas, I found it,
And I did give’t my husband.
IAGO.
Filth, thou liest!
EMILIA.
By heaven, I do not, I do not, gentlemen.
O murderous coxcomb! What should such a fool
Do with so good a wife?
OTHELLO
Are there not stones in heaven
But what serve for thunder? Precious villain!
[_Iago stabs Emilia and then runs out._]
GRATIANO.
The woman falls. Sure, he hath kill’d his wife.
EMILIA.
Ay, ay. O, lay me by my mistress’ side.
GRATIANO.
He’s gone, but his wife’s kill’d.
MONTANO.
’Tis a notorious villain. Take you this weapon,
Which I have here recover’d from the Moor.
Come, guard the door without, let him not pass,
But kill him rather. I’ll after that same villain,
For ’tis a damned slave.
[_Exit Montano and Gratiano._]
OTHELLO.
I am not valiant neither,
But every puny whipster gets my sword.
But why should honour outlive honesty?
Let it go all.
EMILIA.
What did thy song bode, lady?
Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan,
And die in music.
[_Sings._] _Willow, willow, willow._
Moor, she was chaste. She lov’d thee, cruel Moor,
So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true;
So speaking as I think, I die, I die.
[_She dies._]
OTHELLO.
I have another weapon in this chamber,
It is a sword of Spain, the ice-brook’s temper.
O, here it is. Uncle, I must come forth.
GRATIANO.
[_Within._] If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear;
Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer.
OTHELLO.
Look in upon me then, and speak with me,
Or, naked as I am, I will assault thee.
Enter Gratiano.
GRATIANO.
What is the matter?
OTHELLO.
Behold, I have a weapon.
A better never did itself sustain
Upon a soldier’s thigh: I have seen the day
That with this little arm and this good sword
I have made my way through more impediments
Than twenty times your stop. But, O vain boast!
Who can control his fate? ’Tis not so now.
Be not afraid, though you do see me weapon’d.
Here is my journey’s end, here is my butt,
And very sea-mark of my utmost sail.
Do you go back dismay’d? ’Tis a lost fear.
Man but a rush against Othello’s breast,
And he retires. Where should Othello go?
Now, how dost thou look now? O ill-starr’d wench,
Pale as thy smock, when we shall meet at compt,