Othello by William Shakespeare
Act 3 - Scene 1
Before the castle.
Cassio : Masters, play here; I will content your pains;
[p]Something that's
brief; and bid 'Good morrow, general.'
Clown : Why masters, have your instruments been in Naples,
[p]that they speak
i' the nose thus?
First Musician : How, sir, how!
Clown : Are these, I pray you, wind-instruments?
First Musician : Ay, marry, are they, sir.
Clown : O, thereby hangs a tail.
First Musician : Whereby hangs a tale, sir?
Clown : Marry. sir, by many a wind-instrument that I know.
[p]But, masters,
here's money for you: and the general
[p]so likes your music, that he
desires you, for love's
[p]sake, to make no more noise with it.
First Musician : Well, sir, we will not.
Clown : If you have any music that may not be heard, to't
[p]again: but, as
they say to hear music the general
[p]does not greatly care.
First Musician : We have none such, sir.
Clown : Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away:
[p]go; vanish into
air; away!
Cassio : Dost thou hear, my honest friend?
Clown : No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.
Cassio : Prithee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece
[p]of gold for
thee: if the gentlewoman that attends
[p]the general's wife be
stirring, tell her there's
[p]one Cassio entreats her a little favour
of speech:
[p]wilt thou do this?
Clown : She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I
[p]shall seem to
notify unto her.
Cassio : Do, good my friend.
[p][Exit Clown]
[p][Enter IAGO]
[p]In happy time,
Iago.
Iago : You have not been a-bed, then?
Cassio : Why, no; the day had broke
[p]Before we parted. I have made bold,
Iago,
[p]To send in to your wife: my suit to her
[p]Is, that she will
to virtuous Desdemona
[p]Procure me some access.
Iago : I'll send her to you presently;
[p]And I'll devise a mean to draw the
Moor
[p]Out of the way, that your converse and business
[p]May be more
free.
Cassio : I humbly thank you for't.
[p][Exit IAGO]
[p]I never knew
[p]A
Florentine more kind and honest.
Emilia : Good morrow, good Lieutenant: I am sorry
[p]For your displeasure; but
all will sure be well.
[p]The general and his wife are talking of
it;
[p]And she speaks for you stoutly: the Moor replies,
[p]That he
you hurt is of great fame in Cyprus,
[p]And great affinity, and that
in wholesome wisdom
[p]He might not but refuse you; but he protests he
loves you
[p]And needs no other suitor but his likings
[p]To take the
safest occasion by the front
[p]To bring you in again.
Cassio : Yet, I beseech you,
[p]If you think fit, or that it may be
done,
[p]Give me advantage of some brief discourse
[p]With Desdemona
alone.
Emilia : Pray you, come in;
[p]I will bestow you where you shall have
time
[p]To speak your bosom freely.
Cassio : I am much bound to you.
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