The Complete Works of William Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
SCENE I. Cyprus. A Street.
CASSIO. That thrust had been mine enemy indeed, But that my coat is better than thou know’st. I will make proof of thine. [_Draws, and wounds Roderigo._] RODERIGO. O, I am slain! [_Iago rushes from his post, cuts Cassio behind in the leg, and exit._] CASSIO. I am maim’d forever. Help, ho! murder, murder! [_Falls._] Enter Othello. 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 unbless’d fate hies. Strumpet, I come! Forth of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted; Thy bed, lust-stain’d, shall with lust’s blood be spotted. [_Exit._] Enter Lodovico and Gratiano. CASSIO. What, ho! No watch? No passage? murder, murder! GRATIANO. ’Tis some mischance; the cry is very direful. CASSIO. O, help! LODOVICO. Hark! RODERIGO. O wretched villain! LODOVICO. Two or three groan. It is a heavy night. These may be counterfeits. Let’s think’t unsafe To come in to the cry without more help. RODERIGO. Nobody come? Then shall I bleed to death. Enter Iago with a light. LODOVICO. Hark! GRATIANO. 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. Did not you hear a cry? CASSIO. Here, here! for heaven’s sake, help me! IAGO. What’s the matter? GRATIANO. This is Othello’s ancient, as I take it. LODOVICO. The same indeed, a very valiant fellow. IAGO. What are you here that cry so grievously? CASSIO. Iago? O, I am spoil’d, 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 Gratiano._] What are you there? Come in and give some help. RODERIGO. O, help me here! CASSIO. That’s one of them. IAGO. O murderous slave! O villain! [_Stabs Roderigo._] RODERIGO. O damn’d Iago! O inhuman dog! IAGO. Kill men i’ the dark! Where be these bloody thieves? How silent is this town! Ho! murder! murder! What may you be? Are you of good or evil? LODOVICO. As you shall prove us, praise us. IAGO. Signior Lodovico? LODOVICO. He, sir. IAGO. I cry you mercy. Here’s Cassio hurt by villains. GRATIANO. 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. Enter Bianca. 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, Cassio! IAGO. O notable strumpet! Cassio, may you suspect Who they should be that have thus mangled you? CASSIO. No. GRATIANO. 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 awhile, good Cassio. Come, come; Lend me a light. Know we this face or no? Alas, my friend and my dear countryman Roderigo? No. Yes, sure; O heaven! Roderigo. GRATIANO. What, of Venice? IAGO. Even he, sir. Did you know him? GRATIANO. Know him? Ay. IAGO. Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon. These bloody accidents must excuse my manners, That so neglected you. GRATIANO. I am glad to see you. IAGO. How do you, Cassio? O, a chair, a chair! GRATIANO. Roderigo! IAGO. He, he, ’tis he. [_A chair brought in._] 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?
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