ACT III.

SCENE I.-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."

Enter Clown.

[Musick.

Clo. Why, masters, have your instruments been at Naples, that they speak i'the nose thus ?

1 Mus. How, sir, how!

Clo. Are these, I pray you, called wind instruments.

1 Mus. Ay, marry, are they, sir.

Clo. O, thereby hangs a tail.

1 Mus. Whereby hangs a tail, 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 musick, that he desires you, of all loves, to make no more noise with it.

1 Mus. Well, sir, we will not.

Clo. If you have any musick that may not be heard, to't again: but, as they say, to hear musick, the general does not greatly care.

1 Mus. We have none such, sir.

Clo. Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I'll away: [Exeunt Musicians.

Go; vanish into air; away.

Cas. Dost thou hear, my honest friend?

Clo. No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.
Cas. Pr'ythee, keep up thy quillets. There's a poor

31

and bid-good-morrow, general.] It is the usual practice of the waits, or nocturnal minstrels, in several towns in the north of England, after playing a tune or two, to cry, "Good-morrow, maister Such-a-one, good-morrow, dame," adding the hour, and state of the weather. It should seem to have prevailed at Stratford-upon-Avon. They formerly used hautboys, which are

the wind-instruments here meant.-RITSON.

b

been at Naples, that they speak i'the nose thus?] The venereal disease first appeared at the siege of Naples.-JOHNSON.

с

of all loves,] This was frequently used as a kind and tender adjuration, instead of the commoner form, by all means.—NARES.

quillets.] i. e. Sly tricks, turns in argument.—NARES.

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.

Enter IAGO.

Cas. Do, good my friend.-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.

[Erit.

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. 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,

[Exit.

He might not but refuse you: but, he protests, he loves And needs no other suitor, but his likings,

To take the saf'st occasion by the front,

To bring you in again.

Cas.

[you;

Yet, I beseech you,

If you think fit, or that it may be done,—
Give me advantage of some brief discourse
With Desdemona alone.

I never knew

A Florentine more kind and honest.] Iago was a Venetian, Cassio a Florentine: he means to say, I never experienced more honesty and kindness even in my own countrymen, than in this man.-MALONE.

1 your displeasure ;] The displeasure you have incurred.—STEEVENS.

Enter OTHELLO, IAGO, and Gentlemen.

Oth. These letters give, lago, to the pilot;
And, by him, do my duties to the state:
That done, I will be walking on the works,
Repair there to me.

Iago.

Well, my good lord, I'll do't.

Oth. This fortification, gentlemen,-shall we see't?
Gent. We'll wait upon your lordship.

SCENE III.

Before the Castle.

[Exeunt.

Enter DESDEMONA, CASSIO, and EMILIA.

Des. Be thou assur'd, good Cassio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

Emil. Good madam, do; I know, it grieves my husband, As if the case were his.

Des. O, that's an honest fellow.-Do not doubt, Cassio, But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

Cas.

Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio,

He's never any thing but your true servant.

Des. O, sir, I thank you: You do love my lord: You have known him long and be you well assur'd, He shall in strangeness stand no further off

Than in a politick distance.

Cas.

Ay, but, lady,

That policy may either last so long,

Or feed upon such nice and waterish diet,
Or breed itself so out of circumstance,
That, I being absent, and my place supplied,
My general will forget my love and service."

Des. Do not doubt that; before Emilia here,
I give thee warrant of thy place: assure thee,
If I do vow a friendship, I'll perform it

To the last article: my lord shall never rest;
I'll watch him tame," and talk him out of patience;
His bed shall seem a school, his board a shrift;
I'll intermingle every thing he does

With Cassio's suit: Therefore be merry, Cassio;
For thy solicitor shall rather die,

Than give thy cause away.

And hear me speak.

Cas. Madam, not now; I am very ill at ease,

Unfit for mine own purposes.

Des.

Do your discretion.

Iago.

Well, well,

[Exit CASSIO.

Ha! I like not that.

Oth. What dost thou say?

Iago. Nothing, my lord: or if-I know not what. Oth. Was not that Cassio, parted from my wife? Iago. Cassio, my lord? No, sure, I cannot think it, That he would steal away so guilty-like,

Seeing you coming.

Oth.

I do believe 'twas he.

8 That policy may either last so long,

Or feed upon, &c.] He may either of himself think it politic to keep me out of office so long, or he may be satisfied with such slight reasons, or so many accidents may make him think my re-admission at that time improper, that I may be quite forgotten.-JOHNSON.

I'll watch him tame,] Hawks and other birds are tamed by keeping them from sleep, and it is to the management of these that Shakspeare alludes.— STEEVENS.

Des. How now, my lord?

I have been talking with a suitor here,

A man that languishes in your displeasure.
Oth. Who is't, you mean?

Des. Why, your lieutenant Cassio.

Good my lord,

If I have any grace, or power to move you,
His present reconciliation take;i

For, if he be not one that truly loves you,
That errs in ignorance, and not in cunning,
I have no judgment in an honest face:
I pr'ythee, call him back.

Oth.

Went he hence now?

Des. Ay, sooth; so humbled,.

That he hath left part of his grief with me;

I suffer with him. Good love, call him back.

Oth. Not now, sweet Desdemona; some other time.
Des. But shall't be shortly?
Oth.

The sooner, sweet, for

you.

No, not to-night.

Des. Shall't be to-night at supper?

Oth.

Des. To-morrow dinner then?

Oth.

I shall not dine at home;

I meet the captains at the citadel.

Des. Why then, to-morrow night; or Tuesday morn; Or Tuesday noon, or night; or Wednesday morn ;—

I pray thee, name the time; but let it not
Exceed three days: in faith, he's penitent;

And yet his trespass, in our common reason,

(Save that, they say, the wars must make examples
Out of their best,') is not almost a fault

To incur a private check: When shall he come?
Tell me, Othello. I wonder in my soul,

What you could ask me, that I should deny,

Or stand so mammering on. What! Michael Cassio,

i

reconciliation take ;] i. e. Accept the submission which he makes in order to be reconciled.-JOHNSON.

1

cunning,] For knowledge.

the wars must make examples

Out of their best,] The severity of military discipline must not spare the best men of their army, when their punishment may afford a wholesome example. JOHNSON.

·mammering-] i. e. Hesitating, standing in suspense.
2 E

VOL. VIII.