Emil. This deed?

O, who hath done

[Dies.

Alas, who knows?

Des. Nobody; I myself; farewell:
Commend me to my kind lord; O, farewell.
Oth. Why, how should she be murder'd?
Emil.
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 the blacker devil!

you

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.7

Thou art rash as fire, to say
Emil.
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?

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.

6 She turn'd to folly, and she was a whore.] Folly signifies here depravity of mind.

7-

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

Emil.

My husband?

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

husband.

Emil. O mistress, villainy hath made mocks with

love! -8

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!

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. 9 O gull! O dolt!

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! The Moor has kill'd my mistress; Murder! murder!

Enter MONTANO, GRATIANO, and IAGO.

Mon. What is the matter! - How now, general? Emil. O, are you 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:

8

villainy hath made mocks with love!] Villainy hath taken advantage to play upon the weakness of a violent passion.

9 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.

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 forfend!

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;1-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 eave to speak; 'Tis proper I obey him, but not now:

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

go

home.

[Hanging over his Wife. Nay, lay thee down, and roar: For thou hast kill'd the sweetest innocent,

That e'er did lift up eye.

1 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.

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
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 liberal2 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 handherchief thou

speak'st of,

I found by fortune, and did give my husband;

For often, with a solemn earnestness,

* No, I will speak as liberal —] Liberal is free, under no control.

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

· Iago.

Villainous whore !

Emil. She give it Cassio! no, alas; I found it, And I did give't my husband.

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?

Oth.

[IAGO stabs EMILIA, then runs out. Are there no stones in heaven,

But what serve for the thunder3?- Precious villain ! 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.

Oth.

[Exeunt MONTANO and GRATIANO,
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, can'st thou hear me? I will play the swan,
And die in musick; - 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.

Oth. I have another weapon in this chamber,

3 Are there no stones in heaven,

[Dies.

But what serve for the thunder?] Shakspeare might mean, does heaven reserve its thunder only to make a noise? has it no implements of mischief to punish as well as terrify?