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

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

Iago. 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!
Iago. This is the fruit of whoring.-Pr'ythee,
Emilia,

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 there-
fore shake not.

Lago. O, did he so? I charge you go with me. Emil. Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet! Bian. I am no strumpet: but of life as honest, As you that thus abuse me.

Emil. As I? foh! fie upon thee!

[dress'd : Iago. Kind gentlemen, let's go see poor Cassio Come, mistress, you must tell us another tale. Emilia, run you to the citadel,

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

[aside.

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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.

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[takes off his sword. 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 thy rose,

I cannot give it vital growth again, It needs must wither: Fll smell it on the tree. [hisses her.

O, balmy breath, that dost 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, Buiicit it for straight.

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Oth. Think on thy sins.

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Des. They are 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 :
These are portents; but yet I hope, I hope,
They do not point on me.

Oth. Peace, and be still!

Des. I will so; what's the matter?

Oth. That handkerchief, which I so lov'd, and gave thee, Thou gav'st to Cassio.

Des. No, by my life and soul:

Send for the man, and ask him.

Oth. Sweet soul, take heed, a

Take heed of perjury; thou'rt on thy deathbed. 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 lov'd 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 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.

Des. He found it then;

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

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Des. A guiltless death I die. Emil. O, who hath done

Oth. Had all his hairs been lives, my great

revenge

Had stomach for them all.

Des. Alas! he is betray'd, and I undone.

This deed?

Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell:

Oth. Out, strumpet! weep'st thou for him to Commend me to my kind lord; 0, farewell. my face?

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L Aod dew [dice Oth. 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!

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Oth. She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore. Emil. Thou dost belié her, and thou art a devil. Oth. She was false as water.ston

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?

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Emil. My husband?

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Oth. What needs this iterance, woman? I say; thy husband?

Emil. O mistress, villainy hath made mocks Westwith love!

My husband say, that she was false? boob

Oth. He, woman; do fastom saw Aunt

I say, thy husband: dost understand the word?
My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Jago. [T
Emil. If he say so, may his pernicious soul Y
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, A Than thou wast worthy her.

[harm,

Oth. Peace, you were best, Emil. Thou hast not half the power to do më As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt ty 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! [der! The Moor has kill'd my mistress; murder! mur Enter Montano, Gratiano, and Iago.

Mon. What is the matter?-how now, general? Emil. O, are you come, lago? you have done

well,

That men must lay their murders on your nook. Gra. What is the matter? Hub muid O. Lund

Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man:
He says, thou told'st him that his wife was false:
I know thou did'st 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? Jago. With Cassio, mistress; go to, charm your tongue.

Emil. I will not charm my tongue; I am
bound to speak;

My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed.
All. O heavens forefend!

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

Emil. Villainy, villainy, villainy !—

I think upon't, I think,—I smell't;-O villainy!
I thought so then;-I'll kill myself for grief.
O villainy, villainy!

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, Iago, I will ne'er go home.

Oth. O! O! O!

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Iago. Filth, thou liest.

Emil. By heaven, I do not; I do not, gentlemen: O murd'rous coxcomb! what should such a fool Do with so good a wife?

[Iago stabs Emil. then runs out. Oth. Are there no stones in heaven, [villain! But what serve for the thunder?-Precious Gra. The woman falls; sure, he has kill'd his wife.

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 Mon. and Gra.
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,
[hanging over his wife. And die in music;- 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 fort

Emil. 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,

Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd:

I know, this act shows horrible and grim.

Gra. 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 reprobation.

Oth. 'Tis pitiful: but yet Iago knows, That she with Cassio hath the act of shame

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. 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

A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it: Than twenty times your stop:-But, O vain boast!

And she did gratify his amorous works
With that recognizance and pledge of love
Which first I 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.
[sir? no;
Emil. 'Twill out, 'twill out:-I hold my peace,
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. [lago offers to stab his wife.
Gra. Fie!

Your sword upon a woman?

[speak'st of, Emil. O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou

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,
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 Lodovico, Montano, Cassio, carried in a
chair, and Officers, with Iago, prisoner.
Led. Where is this rash and most unfortunate
man?

And he himself confess'd, but even now,
That there he dropp'd it, for a special purpose,
Which wrought to his desire.

Oth. O fool! fool! fool!

Cas. There is, besides, in Roderigo's letter,—-
How he upbraids Iago, that he made him
Brave me upon the watch; whereou it came
That I was cast: And even but now he spake,
After long seeming dead,—Iago hurt him,
Iago set him on.

Oth. That's he, that was Othello; here I am.
Lod. Where is that viper? bring the villain
forth.
[that's a fable:
Oth. I look down towards his feet;-but
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; It shall be his.
For, in my sense, 'tis happiness to die.

Lod. O thou Othello, that was once so good,
Fall'n in the practice of a cursed slave,
What shall be said to thee?

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Oth. Ay.

Cas. Dear general, I never gave you cause.
Oth. I do believe it, and I ask your pardon.
Will you, I pray you, 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.
Lod. What? not to pray?

Gra. Torments will ope your lips.
Oth. Well, thou dost best.

Lod. Sir, you shall understand what hath
befall'n,

[letter,

Which, as I think, you know not: Here is a
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 beathenish, 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 villain;
But that, belike, Iago in the interim
Came in and satisfied him.

Oth. O the peruicio is caitiff!—
How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief
That was my wife's?

Cas. I found it in my chamber:

Lod. You must forsake this room, and go with
Your power and your command is taken off, [us;
And Cassio rules in Cyprus. For this slave,—
If there be any cunning cruelty,
That can torment him much, and hold him long,
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
No more of that!-I pray you, in your letters, [it;
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate, [speak
Nor set down aught in malice: then must you
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 haud,
Like the base Júdean, threw a pearl away,
Richer than all his tribe; of one, whose subdu'd
Albeit unused to the melting mood,
Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees
Their medicínal gum: Set you down this:
And say, besides,-that in Aleppo once,
Where a malignant and a turban'd Turk
Beat a Venetian, and traduc'd the state,
I took by the throat the circumcised dog,
And smote him-thus.
[stabs himself.

Lod. O bloody period!

Gra. All, that's spoke, is marr'd.

[eyes,

Oth. I kiss'd thee, ere I kill'd thee:-No way but this, [falls upon Desdemona. Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.

idies.

[weapon;

Cas. This did I fear, but thought he had no
For he was great of heart.
Lod. O Spartan dog,

More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea!
Look on the tragic 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. [creun

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SCENE I. SICILIA, AN ANTECHAMBER IN LEONTES'

PALACE

Enter Camillo and Archidamus. Arch. IF you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion wherein my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia, and your

Sicilia.

Cam. I think, this coming summer, the king of Sicilia means to pay Bohemia the visitation which he justly owes him.

Arch. Wherein our entertainment shall shame us, we will be justified in our loves: for, indeed,Cam. 'Beseech you,

Arch. Verily, I speak it in the freedom of my knowledge: we cannot with such magnificencein so rare-I know not what to say. We will give you sleepy drinks; that your senses, unintelligent of our insufficience, may, though they cannot praise us, as little accuse us.;

Cam. You pay a great deal too dear for what's given freely.

Arch. Believe me, I speak as my understanding instructs me, and as mine honesty puts it to

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winds.

attornied, with interchange of gifts, letters, loving embassies; that they have seemed to be together, though absent; shook hands, as over a vast; and embraced, as it were, from the ends of opposed The heavens continue their loves! Arch. I think, there is not in the world either, You have an unmalice, or matter, to alter it. speakable comfort of your young prince Mamillius; it is a gentleman of the greatest promise, that ever came into my note.

Cam. I very well agree with you in the hopes of him it is a gallant child; one that, indeed, physics the subject, makes old hearts fresh: they, that went on crutches ere he was born, desire yet their life, to see him a man.

Arch. Would they else be content to die?

Cam. Yes; if there were no other excuse why they should desire to live.

Arch. If the king had no son, they would desire to live on crutches, till he had one. [exeunt.

SCENE II. A ROOM OF STATE IN THE PALACE.

Enter Leontes, Polirenes, Hermione, Mamillius, Camillo, and Attendants.

Pol. Nine changes of the wat'ry star hath been The shepherd's note, since we have left our throne Without a burden: time as long again Would be filled up, my brother, with our thanks; And yet we should, for perpetuity Go hence in debt. And therefore, like a cipher, Yet standing in rich place, I multiply, With one we-thank-you, many thousands more, That go before it.

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