Othello, Act 5, Scene 1

Here, stand behind this bulk. Straight will he come. Wear thy good rapier bare, and put it home. Quick, quick, fear nothing; I’ll be at thy elbow. It makes us, or it mars us, think on that, And fix most firm thy resolution.

Here, stand behind this stall. He'll come along right away. Keep your good sword drawn, and drive it home. Quick, quick, don't be afraid; I'll be right at your elbow. This makes us or ruins us — think about that, and hold your resolve completely firm.

Be near at hand, I may miscarry in ’t.

Stay close by; I might fail at it.

Here, at thy hand. Be bold, and take thy stand.

Here, right at your hand. Be bold, and take your position.

I have no great devotion to the deed; And yet he hath given me satisfying reasons. ’Tis but a man gone. Forth, my sword; he dies.

I have no great enthusiasm for this killing; and yet he has given me satisfying reasons. It's only one man gone. Out, my sword; he dies.

I have rubb’d this young quat almost to the sense, And he grows angry. Now, whether he kill Cassio, Or Cassio him, or each do kill the other, Every way makes my gain. Live Roderigo, He calls me to a restitution large Of gold and jewels that I bobb’d from him, As gifts to Desdemona. 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.

I have rubbed this young pimple almost raw, and he's growing angry. Now, whether he kills Cassio, or Cassio kills him, or each kills the other, every outcome profits me. If Roderigo lives, he demands from me a large repayment of the gold and jewels I cheated out of him as gifts for Desdemona. That must not happen. If Cassio survives, there is a daily beauty in his life that makes me look ugly. And besides, the Moor may expose me to him; that puts me in great danger. No, he must die. But quiet — I hear him coming.

I know his gait; ’tis he. Villain, thou diest!

I know his walk; it's him. Villain, you die!

That thrust had been mine enemy indeed, But that my coat is better than thou know’st. I will make proof of thine.

That thrust would truly have been the end of me, except that my coat is better than you know. I'll test yours.

O, I am slain!

Oh, I'm killed!

I am maim’d forever. Help, ho! murder, murder!

I'm crippled forever. Help, there! Murder, murder!

The voice of Cassio. Iago keeps his word.

That's Cassio's voice. Iago is keeping his word.

O, villain that I am!

Oh, what a villain I am!

It is even so.

Yes, that's exactly it.

O, help, ho! light! a surgeon!

Oh, help, there! A light! A surgeon!

’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.

It's him. Oh, fine Iago, honest and just, who has such a noble feeling for the wrong done to your friend! You teach me my duty. — Little darling, your lover lies dead, and your own cursed end is hurrying on. Whore, I'm coming! Those charms of yours, your eyes, are wiped out of my heart. Your bed, stained with lust, shall be spotted with the blood of lust.

What, ho! No watch? No passage? murder, murder!

Hey, there! No watchmen? Nobody passing? Murder, murder!

’Tis some mischance; the cry is very direful.

Some accident has happened; that cry is terrible.

O, help!

Oh, help!

Hark!

Listen!

O wretched villain!

Oh, miserable villain!

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.

Two or three men are groaning. It's a pitch-dark night. These could be tricks. Let's consider it unsafe to go toward the cry without more help.

Nobody come? Then shall I bleed to death.

Is nobody coming? Then I'll bleed to death.

Hark!

Listen!

Here’s one comes in his shirt, with light and weapons.

Here comes someone in his nightshirt, with a light and weapons.

Who’s there? Whose noise is this that cries on murder?

Who's there? Whose noise is this, shouting murder?

We do not know.

We don't know.

Did not you hear a cry?

Didn't you hear a cry?

Here, here! for heaven’s sake, help me!

Here, here! For heaven's sake, help me!

What’s the matter?

What's the matter?

This is Othello’s ancient, as I take it.

This is Othello's ensign, I believe.

The same indeed, a very valiant fellow.

It's him indeed, a very brave fellow.

What are you here that cry so grievously?

Who are you here, crying out so painfully?

Iago? O, I am spoil’d, undone by villains! Give me some help.

Iago? Oh, I'm ruined, destroyed by villains! Give me some help.

O me, lieutenant! What villains have done this?

Oh no, lieutenant! What villains did this?

I think that one of them is hereabout, And cannot make away.

I think one of them is somewhere near here, and can't get away.

O treacherous villains! [To Lodovico and Gratiano.] What are you there? Come in and give some help.

Oh, treacherous villains! [To Lodovico and Gratiano.] Who are you over there? Come here and give some help.

O, help me here!

Oh, help me here!

That’s one of them.

That's one of them.

O murderous slave! O villain!

Oh, murdering slave! Oh, villain!

O damn’d Iago! O inhuman dog!

Oh, damned Iago! Oh, inhuman dog!

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?

Killing men in the dark! Where are these bloody thieves? How silent this town is! Hey! Murder! Murder! Who might you be? Are you good men or evil?

As you shall prove us, praise us.

Test us, and then judge us.

Signior Lodovico?

Signior Lodovico?

He, sir.

Yes, it's me, sir.

I cry you mercy. Here’s Cassio hurt by villains.

I beg your pardon. Here's Cassio, hurt by villains.

Cassio!

Cassio!

How is’t, brother?

How are you, brother?

My leg is cut in two.

My leg is cut in two.

Marry, heaven forbid! Light, gentlemen, I’ll bind it with my shirt.

Heaven forbid it! A light, gentlemen — I'll bandage it with my shirt.

What is the matter, ho? Who is’t that cried?

What's the matter here? Who was it that cried out?

Who is’t that cried?

Who was it that cried out?

O my dear Cassio, my sweet Cassio! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

Oh, my dear Cassio, my sweet Cassio! Oh, Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

O notable strumpet! Cassio, may you suspect Who they should be that have thus mangled you?

Oh, what a notorious whore! Cassio, can you guess who they might be that have mangled you like this?

No.

No.

I am sorry to find you thus; I have been to seek you.

I'm sorry to find you in this state; I've been out looking for you.

Lend me a garter. So.—O, for a chair, To bear him easily hence!

Lend me a garter. There. — Oh, if only there were a chair, to carry him away comfortably!

Alas, he faints! O Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

Oh no, he's fainting! Oh, Cassio, Cassio, Cassio!

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.

Gentlemen, all of you, I suspect this piece of trash of having a part in this attack. Be patient a little longer, good Cassio. Come, come — lend me a light. Do we know this face or not? Oh no, my friend and my dear countryman Roderigo? No. Yes, it's certainly him. Oh heaven! Roderigo.

What, of Venice?

What, the one from Venice?

Even he, sir. Did you know him?

That very man, sir. Did you know him?

Know him? Ay.

Know him? Yes.

Signior Gratiano? I cry you gentle pardon. These bloody accidents must excuse my manners, That so neglected you.

Signior Gratiano? I beg your kind pardon. These bloody events must excuse my bad manners in neglecting you like that.

I am glad to see you.

I am glad to see you.

How do you, Cassio? O, a chair, a chair!

How are you, Cassio? Oh, a chair, a chair!

Roderigo!

Roderigo!

He, he, ’tis he.

Him, him, it's him.

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?

Oh, well done — the chair. Let some good man carry him carefully away from here; I'll go get the general's surgeon. [To Bianca] As for you, mistress, spare yourself the trouble. The man who lies killed here, Cassio, was my dear friend. What bad feeling was there between you?

None in the world. Nor do I know the man.

None at all. And I don't even know the man.

[To Bianca.] What, look you pale?—O, bear him out o’ the air.

[To Bianca.] What, are you looking pale?—Oh, carry him out of the open air.

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.

You stay, good gentlemen.—Are you looking pale, mistress? Do you notice the terror in her eye? No, if you're going to stare like that, we'll hear more soon. Look at her closely. Please, look at her. Do you see, gentlemen? No, guilt will speak out even if tongues were never used at all.

’Las, what’s the matter? What’s the matter, husband?

Oh no, what's the matter? What's the matter, husband?

Cassio hath here been set on in the dark By Roderigo, and fellows that are ’scap’d. He’s almost slain, and Roderigo dead.

Cassio has been attacked here in the dark by Roderigo, and by others who have escaped. He's nearly killed, and Roderigo is dead.

Alas, good gentleman! alas, good Cassio!

Oh, the poor gentleman! Poor Cassio!

This is the fruit of whoring. Prithee, Emilia, Go know of Cassio where he supp’d tonight. What, do you shake at that?

This is what whoring produces. Please, Emilia, go and find out from Cassio where he had supper tonight. What, does that make you tremble?

He supp’d at my house, but I therefore shake not.

He had supper at my house, but that isn't why I'm trembling.

O, did he so? I charge you go with me.

Oh, did he now? I order you to come with me.

Fie, fie upon thee, strumpet!

Shame, shame on you, you whore!

I am no strumpet, but of life as honest As you that thus abuse me.

I am no whore; my life is as respectable as yours, you who abuse me like this.

As I? Foh! fie upon thee!

As mine? Ugh! Shame on you!

Kind gentlemen, let’s go see poor Cassio dress’d. Come, mistress, you must tell’s another tale. Emilia, run you to the citadel, And tell my lord and lady what hath happ’d. Will you go on afore? [Aside.] This is the night That either makes me or fordoes me quite.

Kind gentlemen, let's go and see poor Cassio's wounds dressed. Come along, mistress, you'll have to tell us a different story. Emilia, you run to the citadel and tell my lord and lady what has happened. Will you go on ahead? [Aside.] This is the night that either makes me or destroys me completely.