The Complete Works of William Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
OTHELLO. O! O! O!
Enter Lodovico, Montano, Cassio carried in a chair, and Officers with Iago prisoner. LODOVICO. Where is this rash and most unfortunate man? OTHELLO. That’s he that was Othello. Here I am. LODOVICO. Where is that viper? Bring the villain forth. OTHELLO. I look down towards his feet; but that’s a fable. If that thou be’st a devil, I cannot kill thee. [_Wounds Iago._] LODOVICO. Wrench his sword from him. IAGO. I bleed, sir, but not kill’d. OTHELLO. I am not sorry neither. I’d have thee live, For in my sense ’tis happiness to die. LODOVICO. O thou Othello, that wert once so good, Fall’n in the practice of a damned slave, What shall be said to thee? OTHELLO. Why, anything; An honourable murderer, if you will. For naught did I in hate, but all in honour. LODOVICO. This wretch hath part confess’d his villany. Did you and he consent in Cassio’s death? OTHELLO. Ay. CASSIO. Dear general, I never gave you cause. OTHELLO. I do believe it, and I ask your pardon. Will you, I pray, demand that demi-devil Why he hath thus ensnar’d my soul and body? IAGO. Demand me nothing. What you know, you know. From this time forth I never will speak word. LODOVICO. What, not to pray? GRATIANO. Torments will ope your lips. OTHELLO. Well, thou dost best.
LODOVICO. Sir, you shall understand what hath befall’n, Which, 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. OTHELLO. O villain! CASSIO. Most heathenish and most gross! LODOVICO. Now here’s another discontented paper, Found in his pocket too; and this, it seems, Roderigo meant to have sent this damned villain, But that, belike, Iago in the interim Came in and satisfied him. OTHELLO. O the pernicious caitiff! How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief That was my wife’s? CASSIO. I found it in my chamber. And he himself confess’d but even now, That there he dropp’d it for a special purpose Which wrought to his desire. OTHELLO. O fool! fool! fool! CASSIO. There is besides in Roderigo’s letter, How he upbraids Iago, that he made him Brave me upon the watch, whereon it came That I was cast. And even but now he spake, After long seeming dead, Iago hurt him, Iago set him on. LODOVICO. 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 away.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.