The Dramatic Works and Poems of William Shakespeare

Behold her well; I pray you, look upon her;
Do you see, gentlemen? nay, guiltiness will
Though tongues were ont of use. [speak,
Enter EMILIA.

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

matter, husband?

Jago. 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! [Emilia, Iago. This is the fruit of whoring.-'Pr'ythee, Go know of Cassio where he supp'd to-night:What, do you shake at that?

Bian. He supp'd at my house; but I therefore shake not.

Have mercy on me!
Oth.

865

Amen, with all my heart! Des. If you say so, I hope you will not kill Oth. Humph!

[me.

Des. And yet I fear you: for you are fatal then, When your eyes roll so: Why I should fear, Í know not,

Since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel, I fear,
Oth. Think on thy sins.

Des.
They are loves I bear to you.
Oth. Ay, and for that thou diest. [loving.-
Des. That death's unnatural, that kills for
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.

Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me.
Emil. Fye, fye upon thee, strumpet!
Bian.. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest,
As you that thus abuse me.
Emil.
Iago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cas-Send for the man, and ask him.

Oth.
Peace, and be still!
Des. I will so: What's the matter?
Oth. That handkerchief, which I so lov'd, and
Thou gav'st to Cassio.
[gave thee,
Des.
No, by my life and soul;

sio dress'd:

As I? foh! fye upon thee!

And tell my lord and lady, what has happ'd.-
Will you go on, I pray;-This is the night,

Oth.

Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale.-Take heed of perjury: thou'rt on thy death-bed.
Sweet soul, take heed,
Emilia, run you to the citadel,
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 concep-
[tion,
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.
Des. Then, Lord have mercy on me!

Aside. That either makes me, or foredoes me quite. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A Bedchamber: DESDEMONA in Bed asleep. A Light burning.

Enter OTHELLO.

Oth.
I say, amen.
Des. And have you mercy too! I never did
Offend you in my life; never lov'd Cassio,
But with such general warrantry of heaven,
As I might love: I never gave him token.

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

Des.

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. O perjur'd woman! thou dost stone my heart, [Takes off his sword. And maks't me call what I intend to do,-Yet she must die, or else she'll betray more men. (A murder which I thought,)—a sacrifice: Put out the light, and then-Put out the light!I saw the handkerchief. 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 I cannot give it vital growth again, [thy rose, It needs must wither:-I'll smell it on the tree.[Kissing her.

O balmy breath, that doth 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 this 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.-She wakes-
Des. Who's there? Othello?
Oth.

Ay, Desdemona.
Des. Will you come to bed, my lord?
Oth. Have you pray'd to-night, Desdemona?
Des.
Ay, my lord.
Oth. If you bethink yourself of any crime,
Unreconcil'd as yet, to heaven and grace,
Solicit for it straight.

[that?

Des. Alas, my lord, what may you mean by
Oth. 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
Des. Talk you of killing?
Ay, I do.

Oth.

Des.

[soul.

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

Oth.

Des. What, my lord?
Oth. That he hath-us'd thee,

He hath confess'd.

How? unlawfully?

He'll not say so.

Des.
Oth. Ay.
Des.

Oth.
Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.
No, his mouth is stopp'd;
Des. My fear interprets then,-What, is he
[dead?
Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great
Had stomach for them all.
[revenge

Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone.
Oth. Out, strumpet! Weep'st thou for him to

my face?

Des. O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not.
Oth. Down, strumpet!

Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night.
Oth. Nay, if you strive,-

Des.

Oth.

But half an hour.

Being done,

But while I say one prayer.
[He smothers her.

Oth. It is too late.
Emil. [Within.] My lord, my lord! what ho!

my lord! my lord!

Oth. 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.

Then, heaven! So, so.

Emil. [Within.] What ho! my lord, my lord!| Oth.

Oth

Ay, 'twas he that told me first; Who's there? An honest man he is, and hates the slime Emil. [Within.] O, good my lord, I would That sticks on filthy deeds.

speak a word with you.

[dead.

Oth. Yes-'tis Emilia-by and by.-She's "Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death: The noise was high.-Ha! no more moving? Still as the grave. She shall come in? Were't good?

I think she stirs again:-No.- What's the best?
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 I may speak O, good my lord! [with you, Oth. I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia:Soft, by and by-Let me the curtains draw.Where art thou? What's the matter with thee now? [Unlocks the door. Enter EMILIA. Emil. O, good my lord, yonder's foul murder Oth. What? now? [done. Emil.

But now, my lord!

Emil. No, Cassio is not kill'd. Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of And sweet revenge grows harsh. [tune, Des. O, falsely, falsely murder'd! Emil. Alas! what cry is that? [voice:

Oth. That! what? Emil. Out, and alas! that was my lady's Help! help! oh! help!--O lady, speak again!| Sweet Desdemona! O, sweet mistress, speak ! Des. A guiltless death I die. Emil.

This deed?

O, who hath done

Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell: Commend me to my kind lord; O, farewell.

[Dies. Och. Why, how should she be murder'd? Emil. Alas, who knows? Oth. You heard her say herself, it was not I. Emil. She said so; I must needs report the truth.

Oth. 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!

Oth. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore. Emil. Thou dost belie her, and thou art a Oth. She was false as water. [devil. Emil. Thou art rash as fire, to say That she was false; O, she was heavenly true; Oth. Cassio did tup 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. Emil. My husband?

Oth. Thy husband.

Enil. That she was false to wedlock? Oth.

Nay, had she been true,

Ay, with Cassio,

If heaven would make me such another world
Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,
I'd not have sold her for it.

Emil. My husband?

Emil.

My husband? Oth. What needs this iterance, woman? I say, thy husband. [with love!Emil. O mistress, villany hath made mocks My husband say, that she was false? Oth He, woman. I say, thy husband: Dost understand the word? My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago.

Emil. 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. Oth. Ha!

Emil.

Do thy worst:

This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven,
Than thou wast worthy her.
Oth.
Peace, you were best.
Emil. Thou hast not half the 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!
[murder!

The Moor has kill'd my mistress: Murder Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO, and IAGO. Mon. What is the matter?-How now,general? Emil. O, are you come, Iago? you have done well,

That men must lay their murders on your neck. Gra. What is the matter? [man

Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou beest a 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. [more

Iago. I told him what I thought; and told no Than what he found himself was apt and true. Emil. But did you ever tell him, she was false? Iago. I did.

Emil. 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

Emil. And your reports have set the muriler
Oth. Nay, stare not, masters; it is true, indeed.
Gra. 'Tis a strange truth
Mon. O monstrous act!
Emil.

Villany, villany, villany!I think upon't,-I think, I smell't;-0 illany! I thought so then;-I'll kill myself for grief.O villany, villany!

Iago. What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home. [speak; Emil. Good gentlemen, let me have leave to 'Tis proper I obey him, but not now:Perchance, lago, I will ne'er go home. Oth. 01 0! O! Emil.

[Hanging over his wife, Nay, lay thee down and roar; For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent, That e'er did lift up eye. Oth.

O, she was foul![Rising.

I scarce did know you, uncle: There lies your niece,

[stopp'd

Whose breath indeed, these hands have newly
I know, this act shows horrible and grim.
Gra. Poor Desdemons! 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 reprobation.

Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet lago knows,
That she with Cassio hath the act of shame
A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd
And she did gratify his amorous works [it:
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.

Emil. O heaven! O heavenly powers!
Iago.
Come, hold your peace.
Emil. Twill out, 'twill out;-I hold my
peace, sir? no;

No, I will speak as liberal as the air;
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.
Emil.
I will not.
[IAGO offers to stab his wife.
Fye!

Gra.

Your sword upon a woman?
Emil. 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!
Emil. She give it Cassio! no, alas; I found it,
And I did give't my husband.
Iago.
Filth, thou liest.
Emil. By heaven, I do not; I do not, gentle-

men:

O murd rous coxcomb! what should such a fool Do with so good a wife?

[IAGO stabs EMILIA, then runs out, Oth. Are there no stones in heaven, But what serve for the thunder?- Precious villain? [wife. Gra. The woman falls; sure, he has kill'd his Emil, Ay, ay; O, lay me by my mistress' side! Gra. He's gone, but his wife's kill'd. Mon. '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.

[Exeunt MONTANO and GRATIANO. Oth. I am not valiant neither, But every puny whipster gets my sword :But why should honour outlive honesty? Let it go all Emil.

What did thy song bode, lady? Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan, And pie in musick;-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.

[Dies.

Oth. 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.

Gra. [Within.] If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear;

Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer.
Oth. Look in upon me then, and speak with me,
Or, naked as I am, I will assault thee.
Re-enter GRATIANO.

Gra. What is the matter?
Oth.

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 seamark 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,
This look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven,
And fiends will snatch at it. Cold, cold, my girl?
Even like thy chastity.

O cursed, cursed slave!--Whip me, ye devils,
From the possession of this heavenly sight!
Blow me about in winds! roast me in sulphur!
Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!
O Desdemona! Desdemona! dead?
Dead? O! O! O!

Enter LopoviCO, MONTANO, CASSIO, carried in a
Chair, and Officers, with IAGO, prisoner.
Lod. Where is this rash and most unfortunate
man?

Oth. That's he, that was Othello; here I am.
Lod. Where is that viper? bring the villain
forth.
[a table,
Oth. I look down towards his feet-but that's
If that thou be'st a devil, I cannot kill thee.
[OTHELLO wounds IAGO.
Lod. Wrench his sword from him.
Iago.
I bleed, sir; but not kill'd.
Oth. I am not sorry neither; I'd have thee live;
For, in my sense, 'tis happiness to die.
Lod. O thou Othello, that wast once so good,
Fall'n in the practice of a cursed slave.
What shall be said to thee?
Oth.
Why, any thing:
An honourable murderer, if you will;
For nought I did in hate, but all in honour.
Lod. This wretch hath part confess'd his vil-
lany:

Did you and he consent in Cassio's death?
Oth. Ay.

Cas. Dear general, I never gave you cause.
Oth. I do believe it, and I ask your pardon.
Will you, I pray yon, demand that demi-devil,
Why he hath thus ensnar'd my soul and body?
Iago, Demand me nothing: What you know,
From this time forth I never will speak word.
Lod. What! not to pray?
Gra.

you know:

Torments will ope your lips. Oth. Well, thon dost best. [fall'n, Lod. Sir, you shall understand what hath beWhich, as I think, you know not: Here is a letter, Found in the pocket of the slain Roderigo: And here another: the one of them imports The death of Cassio to be undertook By Roderigo.

Oth. O villain! Cas. Most heathenish, and most gross! Lod. Now here's another discontented paper, Found in his pocket too: and this, it seems, Roderigo meant to have sent this damned vilBut that belike, Iago, in the interim, [lain; Came in and satisfied him, Oth. O the pernicious caitiff! How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief

Behold! I have a weapon; That was my wife's?

Cas. I found it in my chamber: Like the base Judean, threw a pearl away, And he himself confess'd, but even now, Richer than all his tribe; of one, whose subdu'd That there he dropp'd it, for a special purpose, Albeit unused to the melting mood, [eyes, Which wrought to his desire. Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees Oth. O fool! fool! fool! Their medicinal gum. Set you down this: Cas. There is, besides, in Roderigo's letter,-And say, besides,-that in Aleppo once, How he upbraids Iago, that he made him Where a malignant and a turban'd Turk Brave me upon the watch; whereon it came Beat a Venetian, and traduc'd the state, That I was cast; And even but now he spake, I took by the throat the circumcised dog, After long seeming dead,-Iago hurt him, And smote him-thus. [Stabs himself. Iago set him on. Lod. O bloody period!

Lod. You must forsake this room, and go
with us;

Your power and your command is taken off,
And Cassio rules in Cyprus. For this slave,
If there be any cunning cruelty,

That can torment him much, and hold him long,
It shall be his: You shall close prisoner rest,
Till that the nature of your fault be known
To the Venetian state :-Come, bring him away.
Oth. Soft you; a word or two, before you go.
I have done the state some service, and they
know it;

No more of that;-I pray you, in your letters,
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,
Nor set down aught in malice: then must you
speak

Of one, that lov'd not wisely, but too well;
Of one not easily jealous, but, being wrought,
Perplex'd in the extreme; of one, whose hand,

Gra.

All, that's spoke, is marr'd. Oth. I kiss'd thee, ere 1 kill'd thee;-No way but this, [Falling upon DESDEMONA. Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. [Dies. Cas. This did I fear, but thought he had no weapon;

For he was great of heart.

Lod.
O Spartan dog,
More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea!
Look on the tragick loading of this bed;

[To IAGO.
This is thy work: the object poisons sight;
Let it be hid. Gratiano, keep the house,
And seize upon the fortunes of the Moor,
For they succeed to you.-To you,lord governor
Remains the censure of this hellish villain;
The time, the place, the torture,-O enforce it!
Myself will straight aboard! and, to the state,
This heavy act with heavy heart relate.
[Exeunt.

The Epistle.

and Adonis.

Vilia miretur vulgus, mihi flavus Apollo
Pocula Castalia plena ministret aqua.-OVID.

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY
WRIOTHESLY,

Earl of Southampton, and Baron of Tichfield. RIGHT HONOURABLE,-I know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen: only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful

expectation.

Your Honour's in all duty,

WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE.

EVEN as the sun with purple-coloured face
Had ta'en his last leave of the weeping morn,
Rose-cheek'd Adonis hied him to the chase;
Hunting he lov'd, but love he laugh'd to scorn:
Sick-thoughted Venus makes amain unto him,
And like a bold-fac'd suitor 'gins to woo him.

Thrice fairer than myself, (thus she began,

The field's chief flower, sweet above compare, Stain to all nymphs, more lovely than a man,

More white and red than doves or roses are; Nature that made thee, with herself at strife, Saith, that the world hath ending with thy life. Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight thy steed,

And rein his proud head to the saddle-bow;
If thou wilt deign this favour, for thy meed

A thousand honey secrets shalt thou know :
Here come and sit, where never serpent hisses,
And being set, I'll smother thee with kisses:
And yet not cloy thy lips with loath'd satiety,
But rather famish them amid their plenty,
Making them red and pale with fresh variety;
A summer's day will seem an hour but short,
Ten kisses short as one, one long as twenty:
Being wasted in such time-beguiling sport.
With this she seizeth on his sweating palm,
The precedent of pith and livelihood,
And, trembling in her passion, calls it balm,

Earth's sovereign salve to do a goddess good:
Being so enrag'd, desire doth lend her force
Courageously to pluck him from his horse.
Over one arm the lusty courser's rein,

Under her other was the tender boy,
Who blush'd and pouted in a dull disdain,
With leaden appetite, unapt to toy;
She red and hot, as coals of glowing fire,
He red for shame, but frosty in desire.
The studded bridle on a ragged bough
Nimbly she fastens; (0, how quick is love!)
The steed is stalled up, and even now

To tie the rider she begins to prove:
Backward she push'd him, as shewould be thrust,
And govern'd him in strength, though not in lust,

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