Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe.

Content thyself a while. By the mass, ’tis morning.

Pleasure and action make the hours seem short.

Retire thee. Go where thou art billeted.

Away, I say. Thou shalt know more hereafter.

Nay, get thee gone.

Exit Roderigo

Two things are to be done.

My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress.

I’ll set her on.

Myself a while to draw the Moor apart,

And bring him jump when he may Cassio find

Soliciting his wife. Ay, that’s the way.

Dull not device by coldness and delay.

Exit

3.1 Enter Cassio with Musicians

CASSIO

Masters, play here—I will content your pains—

Something that’s brief, and bid ‘Good morrow, general’.

Music. Enter Clown

CLOWN Why, masters, ha’ your instruments been in Naples, that they speak i’th’ nose thus?

MUSICIAN HOW, sir, how?

CLOWN Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?

MUSICIAN Ay, marry are they, sir.

CLOWN O, thereby hangs a tail.

MUSICIAN Whereby hangs a tale, sir?

CLOWN 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.

MUSICIAN Well, sir, we will not.

CLOWN 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.

MUSICIAN We ha’ none such, sir.

CLOWN Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I’ll away. Go, vanish into air, away. Exeunt Musicians

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 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?

CLOWN She is stirring, sir. If she will stir hither, I shall seem to notify unto her.

CASSIO

Do, good my friend. Exit Clown

Enter Iago

In happy time, Iago.

IAGO

You ha’ not been abed, then.

CASSIO Why, no. The day had broke

Before we parted. I ha’ 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.

CASSIO I humbly thank you for’t.

Exit Iago

I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest.

Enter Emilia

EMILIA

Good morrow, good lieutenant. I am sorry

For your displeasure, but all will sure 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.

CASSIO Yet I beseech you,

If you think fit, or that it may be done,

Give me advantage of some brief discourse

With Desdemon alone.

EMILIA Pray you come in.

I will bestow you where you shall have time

To speak your bosom freely.

CASSIO I am much bound to you.

Exeunt

3.2 Enter Othello, Iago, and Gentlemen

OTHELLO

These letters give, Iago, to the pilot,

And by him do my duties to the senate.

That done, I will be walking on the works.

Repair there to me.

IAGO Well, my good lord, I’ll do’t.

Exit

OTHELLO

This fortification, gentlemen—shall we see’t?

A GENTLEMAN We’ll wait upon your lordship.

Exeunt

3.3 Enter Desdemona, Cassio, and Emilia

DESDEMONA

Be thou assured, good Cassio, I will do

All my abilities in thy behalf.

EMILIA

Good madam, do. I warrant it grieves my husband

As if the cause were his.

DESDEMONA

O, that’s an honest fellow. Do not doubt, Cassio,

But I will have my lord and you again

As friendly as you were.

CASSIO Bounteous madam,

Whatever shall become of Michael Cassio

He’s never anything but your true servant.

DESDEMONA

I know’t. I thank you. You do love my lord.

You have known him long, and be you well assured

He shall in strangeness stand no farther off

Than in a politic distance.

CASSIO Ay, but, lady,

That policy may either last so long,

Or feed upon such nice and wat’rish diet,

Or breed itself so out of circumstance,

That, I being absent and my place supplied,

My general will forget my love and service.

DESDEMONA

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 everything he does

With Cassio’s suit. Therefore be merry, Cassio,

For thy solicitor shall rather die

Than give thy cause away.

Enter Othello and Iago

EMILIA Madam, here comes my lord.

CASSIO

Madam, I’ll take my leave.

DESDEMONA Why, stay, and hear me speak.

CASSIO

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

Unfit for mine own purposes.

DESDEMONA Well, do your discretion.

Exit Cassio

IAGO Ha! I like not that.

OTHELLO What dost thou say?

IAGO

Nothing, my lord. Or if, I know not what.