That she may make, unmake, do what she list,
Even as her appetite shall play the god

With his weak function. How am I then a villain

To counsel Cassio to this parallel course,
Directly to his good? Divinity of hell!
When devils will the blackest sins put on,
They do suggest at first with heavenly shows,
As I do now: for whiles this honest fool
Plies Desdemona to repair his fortunes,
And she for him pleads strongly to the Moor,
I'll pour this pestilence into his ear,
That she repeals him for her body's lust;
And by how much she strives to do him good,
She shall undo her credit with the Moor.
So will I turn her virtue into pitch;

And out of her own goodness make the net
That shall enmesh them all.

Enter Roderigo.

How now, Roderigo!

370

Rod. I do follow here in the chase, not like a hound that hunts, but one that fills up the cry. My money is almost spent; I have been to-night exceedingly well cudgeled; 380 and I think the issue will be, I shall have so much experience for my pains; and so, with

363. "Parallel course" for course level or even with his design.H. N. H.

365. "when devils will"; that is, when devils will instigate to their blackest sins, they tempt, &c. We have repeatedly met with the same use of put on for instigate, and of suggest for tempt.—H. N. H.

no money at all and a little more wit, return

again to Venice.

Iago. How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?

Thou know'st we work by wit and not by witch

craft,
And wit depends on

Does 't not go well?

And thou by that

dilatory time.

Cassio hath beaten thee, small hurt hast cashier'd

390

Cassio:
Though other things grow fair against the sun,
Yet fruits that blossom first will first be ripe:
Content thyself awhile. By the mass, 'tis morn-

ing;

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 Rod.]
[Exit Rod.]

are to be done:

Two things

My wife must move for Cassio to her mistress;

I'll set her on;

400

Myself the while to draw the Moor apart,
And bring him jump when he may Cassio find
Soliciting his wife: aye, that's the way;
Dull not device by coldness and delay.

[Exit.

392. "fruits that blossom first"; the "blossoming" of things, to which Iago alludes, is the removal of Cassio. As their plan had already blossomed, so there was good hope that the fruits of it would soon be ripe.-The folio substitutes In troth for By th' mass.H. N. H.

ACT THIRD

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.

[Music.

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. Aye, 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 10 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.

2. "Good morrow, general"; it was usual for friends to serenade a new-married couple on the morning after the celebration of the marriage, or to greet them with a morning song to bid them good morrow.-H. N. H.

13. "for love's sake"; Q. 1, "of all loues."-I. G.

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 20 I'll away: go; vanish into air; away!

[Exeunt Musicians. Cas. Dost thou hear, my 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 favor of speech: wilt thou do this? Clo. She is stirring, sir: if she will stir hither, 30 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 busi-

ness

40

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 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

Cas.

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.

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.

Cas.

Pray you, come in:
I will bestow you where you shall have time
To speak your bosom freely.

I am much bound to you.

50

[Exeunt.

43. "Florentine," i. e. "even a Florentine"; Iago was a Venetian. -I. G.

45. "for your displeasure"; that is, the displeasure you have incurred from Othello.-H. N. H.

52. Omitted in Ff.-I. G.