Chapter: ACT III. SCENE I.
Before the castle.

Enter Cassio and some 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, have your instruments been in Naples, that
    they speak i' the nose thus?
  FIRST MUSICIAN. How, sir, how?
  CLOWN. Are these, I pray you, wind instruments?
  FIRST MUSICIAN. Ay, marry, are they, sir.
  CLOWN. O, thereby hangs a tail.
  FIRST 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.
  FIRST 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.
  FIRST MUSICIAN. We have 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
favor
    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 have not been abed, then?
  CASSIO. 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 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 safest 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 Desdemona 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.

 Cassio, eager to please, has sent some musicians to play, badly, in hopes of winning back Othello's good favor. Othello's clown comes out and asks the players why their instruments sound so nasal. Next, the Clown insults the musicians by comparing the noise from their instruments to...well, farts. Get it? Wind instruments, breaking wind? Then he tells them that Othello likes their music so much he wants them to stop making noise with it. Of course, if they have any music that can't be heard , they're welcome to play it. The musicians say they don't have any music like that, so he sends them away. Cassio asks him if Emilia is up yet. Just then, Iago enters and is shocked to see Cassio hasn't yet gone to bed. Cassio says he's already sent for Emilia, and Iago promises to send her to Cassio post-haste, so she can hear his plea and make it to Desdemona. In the meantime, Iago promises to lure Othello away from Desdemona, so Cassio can speak with her freely. Iago exits to do more evil master-planning. After Cassio praises Iago for his kindness and honesty, Emilia enters and reports that Desdemona is already pleading to Othello on Cassio's behalf. Othello worries that Montano, Cassio's victim, is kind of a big deal in Cyprus, though Othello has decided that his liking for Cassio should be enough to overcome the fact that Cassio has wronged the wrong guy. Cassio asks Emilia if perhaps he might speak to Desdemona alone. Emilia goes to see if she can arrange such a meeting.

