Rod. Be near at hand; I may miscarry in't. Iago. Here, at thy hand; be bold, and take thy sword. [Retires a little. Rod. I have no great devotion to the deed; And yet he has given me satisfying reasons: 'Tis but a man gone: forth, my sword; he dies. [Stands aside

Jago. [Advancing.] 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 bobb'd 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 peril;
No, he must die :-But so, I hear him coming.
[Stands aside.

Enter CASSIO.

Rod. I know his gait, 'tis he :-Villain, thou diest! (He runs, and thrusts at CASSIO, who draws. Cas. That thrust had been mine enemy indeed, But that my coat is better than thou think'st; I will make proof of thine.

Rod. O,

I

[CASSIO wounds RODERIGO, who falls. am slain !

[LAGO advances, cuts CASSIO behind in the leg, and exit.

Cas. I am maim'd for ever.

Help, ho!-murder! murder!

Rod. O, villain that I am!

[CASSIO falls.

Cas. What, ho! no watch? no passage? murder! murder!

Rod. Nobody come? then shall I bleed to death.

Enter IAGO, in his Night-Gown, with a naked Sword and a Light.

Iago. What are you here, that cry so grievously? Cas. Iago! O, I am spoil'd, undone by villains! Give me some help.

Iago. O me, lieutenant!-what villains have done this?

Cas. I think that one of them is hereabout,

And cannot make away.

Rod. O, help me here!

Cas. That's one of them.

Iago. O murderous slave! O villain!

[IAGO stabs Roderigo. Rod. O damn'd Iago! O inhuman dog!—O!

O! O!

Iago. Kill men i' the dark!-Where be these bloody thieves?

How silent is this town!-Ho! murder! murder!

Enter LODOVICO and GRATIANO.

What may you be? are you of good or evil?
Lod. As you shall prove us, praise us.

Iago. Signior Lodovico ?

Lod. He, sir.

Iago. I cry you mercy: Here's Cassio hurt by

villains.

Gra. Cassio?

Iago. How is it, brother?

Cas. My leg is cut in two.

Iago. Marry, Heaven forbid !

-Know we this face, or no?

Alas! my friend, and my dear countryman, Roderigo? no-Yes, sure;-O Heaven!-Rode

rigo.

Enter EMILIA, with a Light.

Emil. 'Las, what's the matter? what's the matter,

husband?

Tago. Cassio hath here been set on in the dark By Roderigo, and fellows that are 'scaped; He's almost slain, and Roderigo dead.

Emil Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio! Iago. Emilia, run you to the citadel, And tell my lord and lady what hath happ'd.[Exit EMILIA. Will you go on, I pray ?-This is the night That either makes me, or fordoes me quite.

[Exeunt GRATIANO, CASSIO, LODOVICO, and IAGO.

SCENE II.

Cyprus.

A Bedchamber in the Castle.

DESDEMONA in Bed, asleep.

Enter OTHELLO, with a Light.

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 hers 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 thine,
Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,

I know not where is that Promethean heat, That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd the rose,

I cannot give it vital growth again,

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

[Kisses DESDEMONA.
O balmy breath, that dost almost persuade
Justice herself to break her sword!-Once more.-
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
And love thee after.-Once more, and this the last :-
She wakes-

Des. Who's there? Othello?
Oth. Ay, Desdemona.-

Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona ?
Des. Ay, my lord.

Oth. If you bethink yourself of any crime,
Unreconciled as yet to Heaven and grace,
Solicit for it straight.

Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by that? Oth. Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by: I would not kill thy unprepared spirit;

No,-Heaven forefend !—I would not kill thy soul. Des. Talk you of killing?

Oth. Ay, I do.

Des. Then, Heaven

Have mercy on me!

Oth. Amen, with all my heart!

Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill me. Oth. Hum!

Des. And yet I fear you; for you're 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. Oth. Think on thy sins.

Des. They're loves I bear to you.

Oth. Ay, and for that thou diest.

Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for loving.Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?

Some bloody passion shakes your very frame,-
Oth. Peace, and be still!

Des. I will so :- -What's the matter?

Oth. That handkerchief, which I so loved, and gave thee,

Thou gavest to Cassio.

Des. No, by my life and soul; Send for the man, and ask him.

Oth. Sweet soul, take heed,

Take heed of perjury; thou'rt on thy death-bed.
Des. Ay, but not yet to die.
Oth. 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!

Oth. I say, amen.

Des. And have you mercy too!-I never did
Offend you in my life; never loved Cassio
But with such general warranty of Heaven
As I might love: I never gave him token.

Oth. By Heaven, I saw my handkerchief in his
hand.

O perjured woman! thou dost stone my heart,
And makest me call, what I intend to do,-
A murder,-which I thought a sacrifice :-
I saw the handkerchief.

Des. He found it then;

I never gave it him :-Send for him hither,
And let him confess a truth.

Oth. He has confess'd.

Des. What, my lord?

Oth. That he hath-used thee.

Des. How? unlawfully?