Shakespeare Portal

Act 3, Scene 1

Cyprus. Before the Castle.

  1. [Enter Cassio and some Musicians.]
  2. Cassio
  3. 1414 Masters, play here,—I will content your pains,
  4. 1415 Something that's brief; and bid "Good-morrow, general."
  5. [Music.]
  6. [Enter Clown.]
  7. Clown
  8. 1416 Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that they
  9. 1417 speak i' the nose thus?
  10. First Musician
  11. 1418 How, sir, how!
  12. Clown
  13. 1419 Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?
  14. First Musician
  15. 1420 Ay, marry, are they, sir.
  16. Clown
  17. 1421 O, thereby hangs a tale.
  18. First Musician
  19. 1422 Whereby hangs a tale, sir?
  20. Clown
  21. 1423 Marry, sir, by many a wind instrument that I know. But, masters,
  22. 1424 here's money for you: and the general so likes your music, that
  23. 1425 he desires you, for love's sake, to make no more noise with it.
  24. First Musician
  25. 1426 Well, sir, we will not.
  26. Clown
  27. 1427 If you have any music that may not be heard, to't again: but,
  28. 1428 as they say, to hear music the general does not greatly care.
  29. First Musician
  30. 1429 We have none such, sir.
  31. Clown
  32. 1430 Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: go, vanish
  33. 1431 into air, away!
  34. [Exeunt Musicians.]
  35. Cassio
  36. 1432 Dost thou hear, mine honest friend?
  37. Clown
  38. 1433 No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.
  39. Cassio
  40. 1434 Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor piece of gold
  41. 1435 for thee: if the gentlewoman that attends the general's wife
  42. 1436 be stirring, tell her there's one Cassio entreats her a little
  43. 1437 favour of speech: wilt thou do this?
  44. Clown
  45. 1438 She is stirring, sir; if she will stir hither I shall
  46. 1439 seem to notify unto her.
  47. Cassio
  48. 1440 Do, good my friend.
  49. [Exit Clown.]
  50. [Enter Iago.]
  51. Cassio
  52. 1441 In happy time, Iago.
  53. Iago
  54. 1442 You have not been a-bed, then?
  55. Cassio
  56. 1443 Why, no; the day had broke
  57. 1444 Before we parted. I have made bold, Iago,
  58. 1445 To send in to your wife: my suit to her
  59. 1446 Is, that she will to virtuous Desdemona
  60. 1447 Procure me some access.
  61. Iago
  62. 1448 I'll send her to you presently;
  63. 1449 And I'll devise a mean to draw the Moor
  64. 1450 Out of the way, that your converse and business
  65. 1451 May be more free.
  66. Cassio
  67. 1452 I humbly thank you for't.
  68. [Exit Iago.]
  69. Cassio
  70. 1453 I never knew
  71. 1454 A Florentine more kind and honest.
  72. [Enter Emilia.]
  73. Emilia
  74. 1455 Good-morrow, good lieutenant; I am sorry
  75. 1456 For your displeasure; but all will sure be well.
  76. 1457 The general and his wife are talking of it;
  77. 1458 And she speaks for you stoutly: the Moor replies
  78. 1459 That he you hurt is of great fame in Cyprus
  79. 1460 And great affinity, and that, in wholesome wisdom,
  80. 1461 He might not but refuse you; but he protests he loves you
  81. 1462 And needs no other suitor but his likings
  82. 1463 To take the safest occasion by the front
  83. 1464 To bring you in again.
  84. Cassio
  85. 1465 Yet, I beseech you,—
  86. 1466 If you think fit, or that it may be done,—
  87. 1467 Give me advantage of some brief discourse
  88. 1468 With Desdemona alone.
  89. Emilia
  90. 1469 Pray you, come in:
  91. 1470 I will bestow you where you shall have time
  92. 1471 To speak your bosom freely.
  93. Cassio
  94. 1472 I am much bound to you.
  95. [Exeunt.]