Othello: Act 5, Scene 2
Enter OTHELLO [with a candle] and
Desdemona in her bed [asleep].
OTHELLO
1
It is the cause, it is the cause, my soul,
1. cause: proper ground of legal action, as in the phrase "show cause." Othello is trying to convince himself that he is serving justice by punishing Desdemona's crime.
2
Let me not name it to you, you chaste stars!
3
It is the cause. Yet I'll not shed her blood;
4
Nor scar that whiter skin of hers than snow,
5
And smooth as monumental alabaster.
5. monumental alabaster: the kind of alabaster used for monuments. . . . more.
6
Yet she must die, else she'll betray more men.
7
Put out the light, and then put out the light:
8
If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,
8. minister: aid, assistant.
9
I can again thy former light restore,
10
Should I repent me; but once put out thy light,
10. repent me: change my mind.
11
Thou cunning'st pattern of excelling nature,
11. cunning'st . . . nature: i.e., most perfectly formed creature ever made by nature at her most excellent.
12
I know not where is that Promethean heat
12. Promethean heat: divine fire. . . . more
13
That can thy light relume. When I have pluck'd the rose,
13. relume: rekindle.
14
I cannot give it vital growth again.
15
It must needs wither: I'll smell it on the tree.
Irène Jacob as Desdemona; Laurence Fishburne as Othello
1995 film
[Kisses her.]
16
Ah balmy breath, that dost almost persuade
17
Justice to break her sword! One more, one more.
[Kisses her.]
18
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
19
And love thee after. One more, and this the last:
[Kisses her.]
20
So sweet was ne'er so fatal. I must weep,
21
But they are cruel tears: this sorrow's heavenly;
22
It strikes where it doth love. She wakes.
21-22. cruel: strict, rigorous. this sorrow's heavenly; / It strikes where it doth love: See Hebrews 12:6 (KJV): "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth."
DESDEMONA
23
Who's there? Othello?
OTHELLO
"Have you pray'd tonight, Desdemon?"
Illustrator: H.C. Selous
Ay, Desdemona.
DESDEMONA
24
Will you come to bed, my lord?
OTHELLO
25
Have you pray'd tonight, Desdemon?
DESDEMONA
Ay, my lord.
OTHELLO
26
If you bethink yourself of any crime
26. crime: sin.
27
Unreconciled as yet to heaven and grace,
28
Solicit for it straight.
28. Solicit for it straight: immediately pray to God to forgive that sin.
DESDEMONA
29
Alas, my lord, what do you mean by that?
OTHELLO
30
Well, do it, and be brief; I will walk by:
30. walk by: stand aside (to give you privacy).
31
I would not kill thy unprepared spirit;
32
No; heaven forfend! I would not kill thy soul.
32. forfend: forbid.
DESDEMONA
33
Talk you of killing?
OTHELLO
Ay, I do.
DESDEMONA
Then heaven
34
Have mercy on me!
OTHELLO
Amen, with all my heart!
DESDEMONA
35
If you say so, I hope you will not kill me.
OTHELLO
36
Humh!
DESDEMONA
37
And yet I fear you; for you are fatal then
38
When your eyes roll so: why I should fear I know not,
39
Since guiltiness I know not; but yet I feel I fear.
OTHELLO
40
Think on thy sins.
DESDEMONA
They are loves I bear to you.
OTHELLO
41
Ay, and for that thou diest.
DESDEMONA
42
That death's unnatural that kills for loving.
43
Alas, why gnaw you so your nether lip?
44
Some bloody passion shakes your very frame:
45
These are portents; but yet I hope, I hope,
46
They do not point on me.
46. point on: point to.
OTHELLO
Peace, and be still!
DESDEMONA
47
I will so. What's the matter?
OTHELLO
48
That handkerchief which I so loved and gave thee
49
Thou gavest to Cassio.
DESDEMONA
No, by my life and soul!
50
Send for the man, and ask him.
OTHELLO
Sweet soul, take heed,
51
Take heed of perjury; thou art on thy deathbed.
DESDEMONA
52
Ay, but not yet to die.
52. Ay, but not yet to die: According to the religious thought of the time, all humans are on their deathbed, and should always be prepared to pass on to the next life. So Desdemona agrees that she is on her deathbed, but does not agree that she is about to die. presently: immediately.
OTHELLO
Yes, presently:
53
Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin;
54
For to deny each article with oath
55
Cannot remove nor choke the strong conception
55. conception: i.e., belief that you are guilty.
56
That I do groan withal. Thou art to die.
DESDEMONA
57
Then Lord have mercy on me!
OTHELLO
I say, amen.
DESDEMONA
58
And have you mercy too! I never did
59
Offend you in my life; never loved Cassio
59. Offend you: wrong you.
60
But with such general warranty of heaven
60. warranty of heaven: approval from heaven.
61
As I might love: I never gave him token.
61. token: love token; i.e., the handkerchief.
OTHELLO
62
By heaven, I saw my handkerchief in's hand.
63
O perjured woman! thou dost stone my heart,
63. stone: turn to stone.
64
And makest me call what I intend to do
65
A murder, which I thought a sacrifice:
65. sacrifice: i.e., offering to justice.
66
I saw the handkerchief!
DESDEMONA
He found it then;
67
I never gave it him: send for him hither;
68
Let him confess a truth.
68. confess: declare, disclose.
OTHELLO
He hath confess'd.
DESDEMONA
69
What, my lord?
OTHELLO
70
That he hath used thee.
DESDEMONA
How? unlawfully?
OTHELLO
Ay.
DESDEMONA
71
He will not say so.
OTHELLO
No, his mouth is stopp'd;
72
Honest Iago hath ta'en order for't.
72. ta'en order for't: taken steps to effect it.
DESDEMONA
Kalean Ung as Desdemona; Evan Lewis Smith as Othello
Independent Shakespeare Company, 2016
73
O! my fear interprets: what, is he dead?
OTHELLO
74
Had all his hairs been lives, my great revenge
75
Had stomach for them all.
DESDEMONA
76
Alas! he is betray'd and I undone.
OTHELLO
77
Out, strumpet! weep'st thou for him to my face?
DESDEMONA
78
O, banish me, my lord, but kill me not!
OTHELLO
79
Down, strumpet!
DESDEMONA
80
Kill me tomorrow, let me live tonight!
OTHELLO
81
Nay, if you strive
81. strive: struggle.
DESDEMONA
82
But half an hour!
OTHELLO
Being done, there is no pause.
82. Being done, there is no pause: i.e., since justice is being done right now it will not stop for anything.
DESDEMONA
83
But while I say one prayer!
"It is too late"
Imogen Stubbs as Desdemona
1990 TV film
OTHELLO
It is too late.
Smothers her.
EMILIA (At the door.)
84
My lord, my lord! what, ho! my lord, my lord!
OTHELLO
85
What noise is this? Not dead? not yet quite dead?
86
I that am cruel am yet merciful;
87
I would not have thee linger in thy pain:
88
So, so.
[Dispatches her.]
Dispatches her: finishes her off. This traditional stage direction does not appear in the original text, but it is justified by Othello saying, "I would not have thee linger in thy pain." However, just what Othello does to finish her off is a puzzle.
EMILIA (Within.)
89
What, ho! my lord, my lord!
OTHELLO
 
Who's there?
EMILIA [At the door.]
90
O, good my lord, I would speak a word with you!
OTHELLO
91
Yes: 'tis Emilia. By and by. She's dead.
91. By and by: before long. Othello calls this out to Emilia.
92
'Tis like she comes to speak of Cassio's death.
93
The noise was high. Ha! no more moving?
93. The noise was high: In the previous scene Othello appeared just in time to hear Cassio cry out after being wounded. He soon left the street and came home to kill his wife. Now he's thinking that because the noise in the street was so loud, Cassio must be dead.
94
Still as the grave. Shall she come in? were't good?
95
I think she stirs again:no. What's best to do?
96
If she come in, she'll sure speak to my wife.
97
My wife! my wife! what wife? I have no wife.
98
O insupportable! O heavy hour!
99
Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
100
Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe
101
Should yawn at alteration.
101. yawn at alteration: gape (split open) in amazement at the great changes on earth.
EMILIA [At the door.]
I do beseech you
102
That I may speak with you, O, good my lord!
OTHELLO
103
I had forgot thee: O, come in, Emilia.
104
Soft; by and by. Let me the curtains draw.
104. Soft: wait a moment. by and by: pretty soon. Othello's "Soft" is probably said to himself, and "by and by" to Emilia. He has just called to Emilia to come in, but it seems the door is locked, and he has second thoughts. Desdemona's body is in plain sight, and so he calls out to Emilia, "by and by," then closes the bed curtains.
105
Where art thou?
[Unlocks the door.]
Enter EMILIA.
What's the matter with thee now?
EMILIA
106
O, my good lord, yonder's foul murders done!
OTHELLO
107
What, now?
EMILIA
108
But now, my lord.
OTHELLO
109
It is the very error of the moon;
109. error: aberration, deviation from the normal course.
110
She comes more nearer earth than she was wont,
111
And makes men mad.
EMILIA
112
Cassio, my lord, hath kill'd a young Venetian
113
Call'd Roderigo.
OTHELLO
Roderigo kill'd?
114
And Cassio kill'd?
EMILIA
No, Cassio is not kill'd.
OTHELLO
115
Not Cassio kill'd! then murder's out of tune,
116
And sweet revenge grows harsh.
DESDEMONA
117
O, falsely, falsely murder'd!
EMILIA
Alas, what cry is that?
OTHELLO
118
That? what?
EMILIA
119
Out, and alas! that was my lady's voice.
119. Out: exclamation of grief.
120
Help! help, ho! help! O lady, speak again!
121
Sweet Desdemona! O sweet mistress, speak!
DESDEMONA
122
A guiltless death I die.
EMILIA
123
O, who hath done this deed?
DESDEMONA
124
Nobody; I myself. Farewell
125
Commend me to my kind lord: O, farewell!
[Dies.]
OTHELLO
126
Why, how should she be murder'd?
EMILIA
Alas, who knows?
OTHELLO
127
You heard her say herself, it was not I.
EMILIA
128
She said so; I must needs report the truth.
OTHELLO
129
She's like a liar, gone to burning hell:
130
'Twas I that kill'd her.
EMILIA
O, the more angel she,
131
And you the blacker devil!
OTHELLO
132
She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore.
EMILIA
133
Thou dost belie her, and thou art a devil.
OTHELLO
134
She was false as water.
EMILIA
Thou art rash as fire, to say
135
That she was false: O, she was heavenly true!
OTHELLO
136
Cassio did top her; ask thy husband else.
137
O, I were damn'd beneath all depth in hell,
138
But that I did proceed upon just grounds
139
To this extremity. Thy husband knew it all.
EMILIA
140
My husband!
OTHELLO
141
Thy husband.
EMILIA
142
That she was false to wedlock?
OTHELLO
143
Ay, with Cassio. Nay, had she been true,
144
If heaven would make me such another world
145
Of one entire and perfect chrysolite,
145. chrysolite: precious topaz.
146
I'ld not have sold her for it.
EMILIA
My husband!
OTHELLO
147
Ay, 'twas he that told me first:
148
An honest man he is, and hates the slime
149
That sticks on filthy deeds.
EMILIA
My husband!
OTHELLO
150
What needs this iteration, woman? I say thy husband.
150. iteration: repetition.
EMILIA
151
O mistress, villany hath made mocks with love!
151. made mocks with: derided, made sport of.
152
My husband say that she was false!
OTHELLO
He, woman;
153
I say thy husband: dost understand the word?
154
My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago.
EMILIA
155
If he say so, may his pernicious soul
156
Rot half a grain a day! he lies to the heart:
157
She was too fond of her most filthy bargain.
OTHELLO
158
Ha!
[Othello makes a threatening gesture.]
EMILIA
159
Do thy worst!
160
This deed of thine is no more worthy heaven
161
Than thou wast worthy her.
OTHELLO
Peace, you were best.
161. Peace, you were best: you better shut up.
EMILIA
162
Thou hast not half that power to do me harm
163
As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt!
163. be hurt: i.e., endure hurt. gull: dupe.
164
As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed
165
I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known,
166
Though I lost twenty lives.Help! help, ho! help!
"I care not for thy sword; I'll make thee known"
Illustrator: H.C. Selous
167
The Moor hath kill'd my mistress! Murder! murder!
Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO,
IAGO, [with others].
MONTANO
168
What is the matter? How now, general!
EMILIA
169
O, are you come, Iago? you have done well,
170
That men must lay their murders on your neck.
GRATIANO
171
What is the matter?
EMILIA
172
Disprove this villain, if thou be'st a man:
173
He says thou told'st him that his wife was false:
174
I know thou didst not, thou'rt not such a villain:
175
Speak, for my heart is full.
IAGO
176
I told him what I thought, and told no more
177
Than what he found himself was apt and true.
177. apt: credible.
EMILIA
"You told a lie, an odious, damned lie"
Kenneth Branagh as Iago; Anna Patrick as Emilia
1995 film
178
But did you ever tell him she was false?
IAGO
179
I did.
EMILIA
180
You told a lie, an odious, damned lie;
181
Upon my soul, a lie, a wicked lie.
182
She false with Cassio!did you say with Cassio?
IAGO
183
With Cassio, mistress. Go to, charm your tongue.
183. charm: i.e., keep silent as though by a magic spell.
EMILIA
184
I will not charm my tongue; I am bound to speak:
185
My mistress here lies murder'd in her bed
All
186
O heavens forfend!
EMILIA
187
And your reports have set the murder on.
OTHELLO
188
Nay, stare not, masters: it is true, indeed.
GRATIANO
189
'Tis a strange truth.
MONTANO
190
O monstrous act!
EMILIA
Villany, villany, villany!
191
I think upon't, I think: I smell't: O villany!
192
I thought so then:I'll kill myself for grief:
192. I thought so then: Before Desdemona's death, Emilia had thought an unknown villain responsible for Desdemona's slander. See 4.2.130-133
193
O villany, villany!
IAGO
194
What, are you mad? I charge you, get you home.
EMILIA
195
Good gentlemen, let me have leave to speak:
196
'Tis proper I obey him, but not now.
197
Perchance, Iago, I will ne'er go home.
OTHELLO
198
O! O! O!
[He falls on the bed.]
EMILIA
Nay, lay thee down and roar;
199
For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent
200
That e'er did lift up eye.
OTHELLO
O, she was foul!
201
I scarce did know you, uncle: there lies your niece,
202
Whose breath, indeed, these hands have newly stopp'd:
203
I know this act shows horrible and grim.
203. shows: looks.
GRATIANO
204
Poor Desdemon! I am glad thy father's dead:
205
Thy match was mortal to him, and pure grief
206
Shore his old thread in twain: did he live now,
206. Shore: sheared, cut. thread: thread of life.
207
This sight would make him do a desperate turn,
207. do a desperate turn: commit suicide.
208
Yea, curse his better angel from his side,
209
And fall to reprobation.
209. to reprobation: into damnation.
OTHELLO
210
'Tis pitiful; but yet Iago knows
211
That she with Cassio hath the act of shame
212
A thousand times committed; Cassio confess'd it:
213
And she did gratify his amorous works
214
With that recognizance and pledge of love
214. recognizance: token.
215
Which I first gave her; I saw it in his hand:
216
It was a handkerchief, an antique token
217
My father gave my mother.
EMILIA
218
O God! O heavenly God!
IAGO
219
Come, hold your peace.
EMILIA
'Twill out, 'twill out: I peace!
220
No, I will speak as liberal as the north:
220. as liberal as the north: as freely as the north wind blows.
221
Let heaven and men and devils, let them all,
222
All, all, cry shame against me, yet I'll speak.
IAGO
223
Be wise, and get you home.
EMILIA
I will not.
[Iago tries to stab Emilia.]
GRATIANO
Fie!
224
Your sword upon a woman?
EMILIA
225
O thou dull Moor! that handkerchief thou speak'st of
225. dull: ignorant.
226
I found by fortune and did give my husband;
227
For often, with a solemn earnestness,
228
More than indeed belong'd to such a trifle,
228. belong'd to: was appropriate for.
229
He begg'd of me to steal it.
IAGO
Villainous whore!
EMILIA
230
She give it Cassio! no, alas! I found it,
231
And I did give't my husband.
IAGO
Filth, thou liest!
EMILIA
232
By heaven, I do not, I do not, gentlemen.
233
O murderous coxcomb! what should such a fool
233. coxcomb: fool (addressed to Othello).
234
Do with so good a woman?
OTHELLO
Are there no stones in heaven
234. stones: bolts, such as those used for thunderbolts.
235
But what serve for the thunder?Precious villain!
235. Precious villain: out-and-out villain.
[Othello attacks Iago; Montano and others
disarm Othello. Iago stabs Emilia, and runs
away.]
GRATIANO
236
The woman falls; sure, he hath kill'd his wife.
EMILIA
237
Ay, ay: O, lay me by my mistress' side.
GRATIANO
238
He's gone, but his wife's kill'd.
MONTANO
239
'Tis a notorious villain. Take you this weapon,
239. notorious: exceptional, egregious.
240
Which I have here recover'd from the Moor:
240. recover'd: taken away.
241
Come, guard the door without; let him not pass,
241. without: from outside.
242
But kill him rather. I'll after that same villain,
243
For 'tis a damned slave.
Exit [with all but Othello and Emilia].
OTHELLO
I am not valiant neither,
244
But every puny whipster gets my sword:
244. whipster: insignificant or contemptible person.
245
But why should honor outlive honesty?
245. honor: i.e., personal prowess and courage, and one's reputation for them. honesty: true, inward integrity.
246
Let it go all.
EMILIA
What did thy song bode, lady?
247
Hark, canst thou hear me? I will play the swan.
248
And die in music.
247-248. I will . . . music: The belief that at death the mute swan would sing beautifully began in Greek mythology.
[Singing.]
Jennie Israel as Emilia; Josephine Elwood as Desdemona
Actors' Shakespeare Project, 2015
"Willow, willow, willow,"
249
Moor, she was chaste; she loved thee, cruel Moor;
250
So come my soul to bliss, as I speak true;
251
So speaking as I think, alas, I die.
[Dies.]
OTHELLO
252
I have another weapon in this chamber;
253
It is a sword of Spain, the ice-brook's temper:
253. the ice-brook's temper: i.e., its steel tempered in icy water.
254
O, here it is. Uncle, I must come forth.
GRATIANO [Out of sight behind the door.]
255
If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear:
256
Thou hast no weapon, and perforce must suffer.
OTHELLO
257
Look in upon me then and speak with me,
258
Or, naked as I am, I will assault thee.
258. naked: unarmed.
[Enter Gratiano.]
GRATIANO
259
What is the matter?
OTHELLO
Behold, I have a weapon;
260
A better never did itself sustain
261
Upon a soldier's thigh: I have seen the day,
262
That, with this little arm and this good sword,
263
I have made my way through more impediments
264
Than twenty times your stop. But (O vain boast!)
264. stop: power to stop.
265
Who can control his fate? 'tis not so now.
266
Be not afraid, though you do see me weapon'd;
267
Here is my journey's end, here is my butt,
267. butt: goal, limit (an archery term).
268
And very sea-mark of my utmost sail.
268. sea-mark: beacon or other object marking the entrance to a harbor; hence, destination, end.
269
Do you go back dismay'd? 'tis a lost fear;
269. lost: wasted, idle, unnecessary.
270
Man but a rush against Othello's breast,
270. Man but a rush: wield no more than a mere reed.
271
And he retires. Where should Othello go?
271. retires: retreats.
272
Now how dost thou look now? O ill-starr'd wench!
273
Pale as thy smock! when we shall meet at compt,
273. compt: accounting; i.e., Judgment Day.
274
This look of thine will hurl my soul from heaven,
275
And fiends will snatch at it. Cold, cold, my girl!
276
Even like thy chastity. O cursed, cursed slave!
277
Whip me, ye devils,
278
From the possession of this heavenly sight!
279
Blow me about in winds! roast me in sulphur!
280
Wash me in steep-down gulfs of liquid fire!
281
O Desdemon! Desdemon! dead!
282
O, O!
Enter LODOVICO, CASSIO [in a chair],
MONTANO, and IAGO [guarded], with
OFFICERS.
LODOVICO
283
Where is this rash and most unfortunate man?
OTHELLO
284
That's he that was Othello: here I am.
LODOVICO
285
Where is that viper? bring the villain forth.
[Iago is brought forward to face
Othello.]
OTHELLO
286
I look down towards his feet; but that's a fable.
286. I look down towards his feet: Othello looks to see if Iago's feet are cloven, as the devil's were thought to be. that's a fable: i.e., the fact that your feet aren't cloven doesn't prove that you aren't a devil.
287
If that thou be'st a devil, I cannot kill thee.
[Wounds Iago.]
LODOVICO
288
Wrench his sword from him.
IAGO
I bleed, sir; but not kill'd.
OTHELLO
289
I am not sorry neither: I'ld have thee live;
290
For, in my sense, 'tis happiness to die.
290. in my sense: i.e., to one who feels as I do.
LODOVICO
291
O thou Othello, thou wert once so good,
292
Fall'n in the practise of a damned slave,
292. practise: plotting.
293
What shall be said to thee?
OTHELLO
Why, any thing:
294
An honorable murderer, if you will;
295
For nought I did in hate, but all in honor.
LODOVICO
296
This wretch hath part confess'd his villany:
297
Did you and he consent in Cassio's death?
OTHELLO
298
Ay.
CASSIO
299
Dear general, I never gave you cause.
OTHELLO
300
I do believe it, and I ask your pardon.
301
Will you, I pray, demand that demi-devil
302
Why he hath thus ensnared my soul and body?
IAGO
303
Demand me nothing: what you know, you know:
304
From this time forth I never will speak word.
LODOVICO
305
What, not to pray?
GRATIANO
Torments will ope your lips.
305. Torments: torture, which was commonly used to extract confessions. ope: open.
OTHELLO
306
Well, thou dost best.
LODOVICO
307
Sir, you shall understand what hath befall'n,
308
Which, as I think, you know not. Here is a letter
309
Found in the pocket of the slain Roderigo;
310
And here another: the one of them imports
311
The death of Cassio to be undertook
312
By Roderigo.
OTHELLO
313
O villain!
CASSIO
Most heathenish and most gross!
313. gross: monstrous.
LODOVICO
314
Now here's another discontented paper,
314. discontented paper: i.e., a letter in which Roderigo states his grievances to Iago.
315
Found in his pocket too; and this, it seems,
316
Roderigo meant to have sent this damned villain;
317
But that belike Iago in the interim
318
Came in and satisfied him.
OTHELLO
O the pernicious caitiff!
318. caitiff: despicable villain.
319
How came you, Cassio, by that handkerchief
320
That was my wife's?
CASSIO
I found it in my chamber:
321
And he himself confess'd but even now
322
That there he dropp'd it for a special purpose
323. wrought to: worked toward, fitted in with.
323
Which wrought to his desire.
OTHELLO
O fool! fool! fool!
CASSIO
324
There is besides in Roderigo's letter,
325
How he upbraids Iago, that he made him
326
Brave me upon the watch; whereon it came
326. Brave: defy, behave insolently toward.
327
That I was cast: and even but now he spake,
327. cast: dismissed from office.
328
After long seeming dead, Iago hurt him,
329
Iago set him on.
LODOVICO
330
You must forsake this room, and go with us:
331
Your power and your command is taken off,
332
And Cassio rules in Cyprus. For this slave,
333
If there be any cunning cruelty
334
That can torment him much and hold him long,
335
It shall be his. You shall close prisoner rest,
336
Till that the nature of your fault be known
337
To the Venetian state. Come, bring away.
OTHELLO
338
Soft you; a word or two before you go.
339
I have done the state some service, and they know't
340
No more of that. I pray you, in your letters,
341
When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
342
Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,
342. extenuate: tone down.
343
Nor set down aught in malice: then must you speak
344
Of one that loved not wisely but too well;
345
Of one not easily jealous, but being wrought
345. wrought: worked upon.
346
Perplex'd in the extreme; of one whose hand,
346. Perplex'd: bewildered, distraught.
347
Like the base Indian, threw a pearl away
347. base Indian: uncivilized Indian ignorant of the value of some precious object he finds 348. subdu'd: i.e., by grief.
348
Richer than all his tribe; of one whose subdu'd eyes,
348. subdu'd: overcome by grief.
349
Albeit unused to the melting mood,
350
Drop tears as fast as the Arabian trees
351
Their medicinable gum. Set you down this;
351. medicinable: medicinal.
352
And say besides, that in Aleppo once,
352. Aleppo: Aleppo, situated in present-day Syria, was the easternmost outpost of the Venetian empire.
353
Where a malignant and a turban'd Turk
354
Beat a Venetian and traduced the state,
355
I took by the throat the circumcised dog,
356
And smote him, thus.
[Stabs himself.]
LODOVICO
357
O bloody period!
357. period: climatic end of a statement.
"to die upon a kiss"
Laurence Fishburne as Othello; Irène Jacob as Desdemona
1995 film
GRATIANO
All that's spoke is marr'd.
OTHELLO
358
I kiss'd thee ere I kill'd thee: no way but this;
359
Killing myself, to die upon a kiss.
[Kisses Desdemona and] dies.
CASSIO
360
This did I fear, but thought he had no weapon;
361
For he was great of heart.
LODOVICO [To Iago.]
O Spartan dog,
361. Spartan dog: a kind of bloodhound noted for its silence as well as its skill and savagery.
362
More fell than anguish, hunger, or the sea!
362. fell: cruel and deadly.
363
Look on the tragic loading of this bed;
364
This is thy work: the object poisons sight;
364. object: sight, spectacle.
365
Let it be hid. Gratiano, keep the house,
365. Let it be hid: i.e., draw the bed-curtains. keep: remain in.
366
And seize upon the fortunes of the Moor,
366. seize upon: take legal possession of.
367
For they succeed on you. To you, lord governor,
367. succeed on you: become your property upon Othello's death. lord governor: i.e., Cassio.
368
Remains the censure of this hellish villain;
368. censure: judgment, sentence.
369
The time, the place, the torture: O, enforce it!
370
Myself will straight aboard: and to the state
371
This heavy act with heavy heart relate.
Exeunt.