Othello
Act III, Scene 1
Cyprus. Before the castle.
- Enter Cassio with Musicians.
Cassio
1- Masters, play here, I will content your pains; Something that’s brief; and bid “Good morrow, general.”
- They play, and enter the Clown.
Clown
2 - 3- Why, masters, have your instruments been in Naples, that
- they speak i’ th’ nose thus?
First Musician
4- How, sir? How?
Clown
5- Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?
First Musician
6- Ay, marry, are they, sir.
Clown
7- O, thereby hangs a tail.
First Musician
8- Whereby hangs a tale, sir?
Clown
9 - 12- 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 Musician
13- Well, sir, we will not.
Clown
14 - 16- 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 Musician
17- We have none such, sir.
Clown
18 - 19- Then put up your pipes in your bag, for I’ll away. Go,
- vanish into air, away!
- Exeunt Musicians.
Cassio
20- Dost thou hear, mine honest friend?
Clown
21- No, I hear not your honest friend; I hear you.
Cassio
22 - 25- 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 favor of speech. Wilt thou do this?
Clown
26 - 27- She is stirring, sir. If she will stir hither, I shall seem
- to notify unto her.
Cassio
28 - 29- Do, good my friend.
- Exit Clown.
- Enter Iago.
- In happy time, Iago.
Iago
30- You have not been a-bed then?
Cassio
31 - 35- 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.
Verdi's Otello at the Lyceum
M. Smargiassi, 1889
Iago
36 - 39- 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
40 - 41- I humbly thank you for’t.
- Exit Iago.
- I never knew a Florentine more kind and honest.
- Enter Emilia.
Emilia
42 - 51- 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 safest occasion by the front
- To bring you in again.
Cassio
52 - 55- 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
56 - 58- Pray you come in.
- I will bestow you where you shall have time
- To speak your bosom freely.
Cassio
59- I am much bound to you.
- Exeunt.
Sara Heyblom as Emilia
Jacob Merkelbach, 1918