Des. Kill me to-morrow, let me live to-night.

Emil. [within.] My lord, my lord! what ho! my lord!

my lord!

Oth. What noise is this?—Not dead! not yet quite dead?

I, that am cruel, am yet merciful;

I would not have thee linger in thy pain.

So, so.

Emil. [within.] What ho, my lord! my lord!

Oth.

Who's there?

Emil. [within.] O, good my lord, I would speak a word

with you.

Oth. Yes;-'tis Emilia:-by and by.-She's dead. 'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death; The noise was high.-Ha! no more moving?

Still as the grave. Shall she come in? Were't good?

I think, she stirs again :-No.-What's the best?

If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife:
My wife! my wife! what wife?--I have no wife:
O, insupportable! O heavy hour!

Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse

Of sun and moon; and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

Emil. [within.] I do beseech you I may speak with you, O, good my lord!

Oth. I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia :—

Soft, by and by :-Let me the curtains draw.

Where art thou? What's the matter with thee now?

Enter EMILIA.

[Unlocks the door.

Emil. O, good my lord, yonder's foul murder done.

So, so.] I am of opinion that some theatrical direction has been omitted, and that Othello here stabs her, repeating the two last words as he repeats the blow. Thus Virgil, "Sic, sic juvat ire sub umbras."-STEEVENS.

But now, my

lord!

Oth. What? now?

Emil.

Oth. It is the very error of the moon ;

She comes more near the earth than she was wont;
And makes men mad.

Emil. Cassio, my lord, has kill'd a young Venetian,
Call'd-Roderigo.

Oth.

And Cassio kill'd?

Emil.

Roderigo, kill'd!

No, Cassio is not kill'd.

Oth. Not Cassio kill'd? Then murder's out of tune, And sweet revenge grows harsh.

Des. O, falsely, falsely murder'd!

Emil.

Oth. That! what?

Alas! what cry is that?

Emil. Out, and alas! that was my lady's voice :-
Help! help, ho! help!—O lady, speak again!
Sweet Desdemona! O, sweet mistress, speak!

Des. A guiltless death I die.

Emil.

'This deed?

Des.

O, who hath done

[Dies.

Nobody; I myself; farewell:

Commend me to my kind lord; O, farewell.
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!

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

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.

-folly,] i. e. Depravity of mind.

false as water.] As water that will support no weight, nor keep any impression.-JOHNSON.

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?

Oth. Thy husband.

Emil. That she was false to wedlock?
Oth.

Nay, had she been true,

Ay, with Cassio.

If heaven would make me such another world

Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,

I'd not have sold her for it.

Emil. My husband?

Oth.

Ay, 'twas he that told me first;

An honest man he is, and hates the slime

That sticks on filthy deeds.

Emil.

My husband?

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

husband.

Emil. O mistress, villainy hath made mocks with love!"— My husband say, that she was false?

Oth.
He, woman;
I say, thy husband; Dost understand the word?
My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago.

Emil. If he say so, may his pernicious soul
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,

Than thou wast worthy her.

Oth.

Peace, you were best.

Emil. Thou hast not half the power to do me harm,

As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt!

As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed,

I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known,

P

villainy hath made mocks with love!] Villainy hath taken advantage to

play upon the weakness of a violent passion.-JOHNSON.

Thou hast not half the power to do me harm,

As I have to be hurt.] She means to say,-I have in this cause power to endure more than thou hast power to inflict.-JOHNSON.

Though I lost twenty lives :-Help! help! ho! help!
The Moor has kill'd my mistress; Murder! murder!

Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO, and IAGO.

Mon. What is the matter!-How now, general? Emil. O, you are come, Iago? you have done well, That men must lay their murders on your neck.

Gra. What is the matter?

Emil. Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man:
He says, thou told'st him that his wife was false:
I know, thou didst not, thou'rt not such a villain;
Speak, for my heart is full.

Iago. I told him what I thought; and told no more 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?

Iago. 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. Emil. Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak;

'Tis proper I obey him, but not now:

Perchance, Iago, I will ne'er go home.
Oth. O! O! O!

r

[Hanging over his Wife.

charm your tongue.] i. e. "Apply some power strong as a charm would be, to your tongue; for nothing less can stop its volubility."-STEEvens.

I thought so then :] i. e. At the instant when she gave Desdemona's handkerchief to Iago; for even then Emilia appears to have suspected it was sought after for no honest purpose, and therefore asks her husband-" What will you do with it?" &C.-STEEVENS.

Emil.

Nay, lay thee down and roar :

For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent,

That e'er did lift up eye.

O, she was foul!

[Rising.

Oth. 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
A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it:
And she did gratify his amorous works

With that recognizance and pledge of love
Which I first 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.

Emil. "Twill out, 'twill out;-I hold my peace, sir? no;

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. O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou

speak'st of,

I found by fortune, and did give my husband;

For often with a solemn earnestness,

(More than, indeed, belong'd to such a trifle,) He begg'd of me to steal it.