Othello Contents
-
Author(s)
- Shakespeare, William
- 1564 - 1582: William Shakespeare's Stratford Beginnings
- 1582 - 1592: William Shakespeare's Marriage, Parenthood and Early Occupation
- 1592 - 1594: William Shakespeare's Life In London, part 1
- 1594 - 1611: William Shakespeare's Life In London, part 2
- 1594 - 1611: William Shakespeare's Life In London, part 3
- 1611 - 1616: William Shakespeare - Back to Stratford
- Act 1, scene 1
- Act 1, scene 2
- Act 1, scene 3
- Act 2, scene 1
- Act 2, scene 2
- Act 2, scene 3
- Act 3, scene 1
- Act 3, scene 2
- Act 3, scene 3
- Act 3, scene 4
- Act 4, scene 1
- Act 4, scene 2
- Act 4, scene 3
- Act 5, scene 1
- Act 5, scene 2
Act 3, scene 1
Cyprus. Before the Castle.
Enter CASSIO, and some Musicians.
CAS: Masters, play here, I will content your pains;
Something that’s brief; and bid ‘Good morrow, general.’ [Music.]
Enter Clown.
CLO: Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i’ the nose thus?
FIRST MUS: How, sir, how?
CLO: Are these, I pray you, wind-instruments?
FIRST MUS: Ay, marry, are they, sir.
CLO: O! thereby hangs a tail.
FIRST MUS: Whereby hangs a tale, sir?
CLO: Marry, sir, by many a wind-instrument that I know. But, masters, here’s money for you; and the general so likes your music, that he desires you, for love’s sake, to make no more noise with it.
FIRST MUS: Well, sir, we will not.
CLO: If you have any music that may not be heard, to ’t again; but, as they say, to hear music the general does not greatly care.
FIRST MUS: We have none such, sir.
CLO: Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I’ll away. Go; vanish into air; away! [Exeunt Musicians.]
CAS: Dost thou hear, mine honest friend?
CLO: No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.
CAS: Prithee, keep up thy quillets. There’s a poor piece of gold for thee. If the gentlewoman that attends the general’s wife be stirring, tell her there’s one Cassio entreats her a little favour of speech: wilt thou do this?
CLO: She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.
CAS: Do, good my friend. [Exit Clown.]
Enter IAGO.
In happy time, Iago.
IAGO: You have not been a-bed, then?
CAS: Why, no; the day had broke
Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
To send in to your wife; my suit to her
Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona
Procure me some access.
IAGO: I’ll send her to you presently;
And I’ll devise a mean to draw the Moor
Out of the way, that your converse and business
May be more free.
CAS: I humbly thank you for ’t. [Exit IAGO.]
I never knew
A Florentine more kind and honest.
Enter EMILIA.
EMIL: Good morrow, good lieutenant: I am sorry
For your displeasure; but all will soon be well.
The general and his wife are talking of it,
And she speaks for you stoutly: the Moor replies
That he you hurt is of great fame in Cyprus
And great affinity, and that in wholesome wisdom
He might not but refuse you; but he protests he loves you,
And needs no other suitor but his likings
To take the saf’st occasion by the front
To bring you in again.
CAS: Yet, I beseech you,
If you think fit, or that it may be done,
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.
EMIL: Pray you, come in:
I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.
CAS: I am much bound to you. [Exeunt.]
Recently Viewed
Related material
Scan and go
Scan on your mobile for direct link.