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. [Goes to his stand. Iago. I have rubbed this young quat almost to the 1 sense, And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio, Every way makes my gain." Live Roderigo, Of gold and jewels that I bobbed 3 from him, 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 much peril : No, he must die.-But so, I hear him coming. Enter CASSIO. Rod. I know his gait; 'tis he ;-villain, thou diest. [Rushes from his post, and makes a pass at CASSIO. 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. [Draws, and wounds RODERIGO. O, I am slain ! [IAGO rushes from his post, cuts CASSIO behind in the leg, and exit. 4 Cas. I am maimed forever:-Help, ho! murder! murder! [Falls. 1 A quat, in the midland counties, is still used for a pimple, which by rubbing is made to smart, or rubbed to sense. To rub to the sense is to rub to the quick. 2 The quartos read "my game." 3 "That I fooled him out of" To bob is to cheat or deceive with a false tale. 4 Iago maims Cassio in the leg, in consequence of what he had just heard him say; from which he supposed that his body was defended by some secret armor. Enter OTHELLO, at a distance. Oth. The voice of Cassio.-Iago keeps his word. Rod. O, villain that I am! Oth. Hark! 'Tis even so. Cas. O, help! ho! light! a surgeon! Oth. '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 fate hies1apace.-Strumpet, I come. Forth 2 of my heart those charms, thine eyes, are blotted; Thy bed, lust-stained, shall with lust's blood be spotted. [Exit OTHELLO. Enter LODOVICO and GRATIANO, at a distance. Cas. What, ho! no watch! no passage?3 murder! 4 Lod. Two or three groans ;-it is a heavy night. These may be counterfeits; let's think't unsafe To come into the cry without more help. Rod. Nobody come? then shall I bleed to death. Lod. Hark! Enter IAGO, with a light. Gra. Here's one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons. Iago. Who's there? whose noise is this, that cries on murder ? 5 1 Thus the first quarto. The second quarto and the folio read “ And your unblest fate hies." 2 The folio reads "for of;" the quarto reads forth of, i. e. out of. 3 No passengers? nobody going by? 4 i. e. a thick, cloudy night. 5 This phrase, to cry on, for cry out on, has already occurred in Hamle: Act v. Sc. 2. Lod. We do not know. Iago. Did you not hear a cry? Cas. Here, here; for Heaven's sake, help me. Iago. What's the matter? Gra. This is Othello's ancient, as I take it. Lod. The same, indeed; a very valiant fellow. Iago. What are you here that cry so grievously? Cas. Iago! O, I am spoiled, 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. Iago. O treacherous villains! What are you there? come in, and give some help. Rod. O, help me here! [To LODOVICO and GRATIANO. Cas. That's one of them. O murderous slave! O villain! [IAGO stabs RODERIGO. Iago. Rod. O damned 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! What may you be? are you of good, or evil? Lod. As you shall prove us, praise us. Iago. Seignior Lodovico! Iago. Marry, Heaven forbid ! Cas. My leg is cut in two. Light, gentlemen; I'll bind it with my shirt. Enter BIANCA. Bian. What is the matter, ho? who is't that cried? Iago. Who is't that cried? Bian. 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? Cas. No. Gra. I am sorry to find you thus. I have been to seek you. Iago. Lend me a garter.1 So.-O, for a chair, To bear him easily hence! Bian. Alas, he faints :-O Cassio! Cassio! Iago. Gentlemen all, I do suspect this trash To be a party in this injury." Cassio! Patience awhile, good Čassio.-Come, come; Iago. Even he, sir; did you know him? Know him? ay. Gra. Iago. Seignior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon; These bloody accidents must excuse my manners, That so neglected you. Gra. I am glad to see you. Iago. How do you, Cassio?-O, a chair, a chair! Gra. Roderigo! Iago. He, he, 'tis he.-O, that's well said chair. said;-the [A chair brought in. Some good man bear him carefully from hence; [To BIANCA. you your labor. He that lies slain here, Cassio, What malice was between Save you your you? Cas. None in the world; nor do I know the man. 1 This speech is not in the first quarto. 2 Thus the folio. The quarto 1622 reads, to bear a part in this. 3 This passage incontestably proves that Iago was meant for a Venetian. Iago. [To BIAN.] What, look you pale ?-O, bear him out o'the air. 2 [CASSIO and ROD. are borne off. Stay you, good gentlemen.'-Look you pale, mistress? Do you perceive the gastness of her eye? Nay, if you stare, we shall hear more anon. 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, Emil. Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio! Bian. He supped at my house; but I therefore shake not. Iago. O, did he so? I charge you, go with me. Bian. I am no strumpet; but of life as honest, As I? foh! fie upon thee! 1 Thus the folio. The quarto reads, Stay you, good gentlewoman. It seems probable that Jago addresses Lodovico and Gratiano, who are going away to assist Cassio, and to see him properly taken care of. The subsequent appeal and address of Iago to them appears to confirm this supposition. Malone follows the quarto. 2 The quarto, instead of gastness, reads jestures; and instead of stare, in the next line, has stirre. 3 In the second scene of the preceding act, Iago informs Roderigo that Cassio was to sup with Bianca; that he would go to him there, and bring him away between twelve and one. Indeed, Cassio had himself told Iago that he would sup with Bianca, and Iago had promised to meet him at her house. We must suppose, therefore, that this consummate villain thought it more secure to waylay him, as we find he does, without actually joining him at supper-time. |