Cassio Quotes

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,
One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost damn’d in a fair wife;
That never set a squadron in the field,
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 1, Scene 1. The play’s main antagonist and arch-villain Iago shows his intense jealousy of army rival Cassio. He rubbishes Cassio’s theoretical knowledge of war and belittles his lack of battle experience equalling it in a metaphor to that of a spinster. Iago’s sexism is evident here, as he mocks Cassio for being cursed with a beautiful wife, suggesting attractive wives are a source of trouble for husbands and may be unfaithful.

Faith, he to-night hath boarded a land carack:
If it prove lawful prize, he’s made for ever.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 1, Scene 2. Iago makes a crude joke when he likens the sexual union of Othello and Desdemona to him boarding a large merchant ship to seize his prize. This coarse metaphor paints Othello as some kind of pirate who has stolen Desdemona, like she were some kind of valuable property or treasure. "Land carack" also has a double meaning and was a slang term for prostitute.

He hath achieved a maid
That paragons description and wild fame;
One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens,
And in the essential vesture of creation
Does tire the ingener.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 2, Scene 1. Cassio shows himself to be quite the romantic as he describes Othello’s wife to Montano and waxes lyrical about her. He says that Desdemona has been perfectly made by God, suggesting that the words of poets are not adequate to describe her level of perfection. The way Othello is said to have "achieved" such a maid objectifies Desdemona as a kind of trophy wife, which speaks to the theme of gender and male attitudes towards women. Cassio obviously likes and admires Desdemona very much, something Iago will use against him. Foreshadowed here is Cassio being falsely put in the frame for having an affair with Desdemona.

Tempests themselves, high seas, and howling winds,
The gutter’d rocks and congregated sands –
Traitors ensteep’d to clog the guiltless keel, –
As having sense of beauty, do omit
Their mortal natures, letting go safely by
The divine Desdemona.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 2, Scene 1. Cassio’s respect for Desdemona stands in sharp contrast to the derogatory way Iago speaks about women. He sees her as a goddess. Her inherent beauty and goodness are so great that nature and the rocks and sands hold back in awe and allows her ship to pass safely through the storm. Cassio personifies nature, the rocks and sands in this hyperbolic speech, which he makes to Governor Montano and Gentlemen. His language in praise of Desdemona is excessive and extravagent, foreshadowing that Iago will later use their friendship to falsely allege a love affairs between the two.

O, behold,
The riches of the ship is come on shore!
Ye men of Cyprus, let her have your knees.
Hail to thee, lady! and the grace of heaven,
Before, behind thee, and on every hand,
Enwheel thee round!

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 2, Scene 1. Does Cassio unintentionally help set himself up for Iago’s plot against him with claims that he is having a love affair with Desdemona? Cassio’s very public and effusive praise for Othello’s wife certainly provides ammunition for that. His gallantry and courtesy are open to misinterpretation and make him vulnerable to accusations of flirtation and worse. Announcing Desdemona’s arrival in Cyprus, Cassio kneels to greet her and demands that the men of Cyprus do the same. In a metaphor he compares her to "the riches of the ship." He seems to worship her as a Virgin Mary-like figure in his use of heavenly imagery – "grace of heaven" – in his welcome speech. Future events are foreshadowed by Cassio’s words.

‘Tis my breeding
That gives me this bold show of courtesy.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 2, Scene 1. The courteous and mannerly Cassio makes this comment to Iago after he greets Iago’s wife Emilia with a kiss. The likable and friendly Florentine establishes his credentials as a charmer with the ladies. But his "show of courtesy" to them can be open to misrepresentation as flirtation. This is an important quote, because the perhaps too gallant Cassio’s behavior towards women is used later by Iago to suggest an improper relationship with Desdemona.

IAGO: He hath not yet made wanton the night with her; and she is sport for Jove.
CASSIO: She’s a most exquisite lady.
IAGO: And, I’ll warrant her, fun of game.
CASSIO: Indeed, she’s a most fresh and delicate creature.
IAGO: What an eye she has! methinks it sounds a parley of provocation.
CASSIO: An inviting eye; and yet methinks right modest.
IAGO: And when she speaks, is it not an alarum to love?
CASSIO: She is indeed perfection.
IAGO: Well, happiness to their sheets! Come, lieutenant, I have a stoup of wine; and here without are a brace of Cyprus gallants that would fain have a measure to the health of black Othello.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 2, Scene 3. Iago attempts to manipulate Cassio into making sexual advances towards Desdemona. Ever the misogynist, Iago suggests that she is great in bed, looks provocatively at men and is full of game. But Cassio, always the gentleman, shows his respect for women by not rising to the bait. Instead he says that Desdemona has a "modest" eye, is "most exquisite" and "indeed perfection." He refuses to rise to Iago’s bait and speak of her as a sexual object. Iago then proceeds with his plan to get Cassio drunk on wine, by inviting him to toast his boss Othello.

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.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 3, Scene 3. Cassio urges Desdemona to act quickly to plead his case with Othello. If he is not around to remind Othello of his loyalty and love then Othello might replace him, Cassio warns. This foreshadows that Othello will indeed forget Cassio’s love and appoint Iago as his lieutenant.

Madam, my former suit: I do beseech you
That by your virtuous means I may again
Exist, and be a member of his love
Whom I with all the office of my heart
Entirely honour.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 3, Scene 4. Cassio makes this special plea to Desdemona as he describes his love for and loyalty to Othello as his lieutenant. He begs her to intercede for him so that he may win her husband’s forgiveness. He is hoping that Othello will restore him to the position he was dismissed from because of his past service.

I marry her! what? a customer! Prithee, bear some charity to my wit: do not think it so unwholesome. Ha, ha, ha!

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 4, Scene 1. Cassio speaks scornfully and disrespectfully about his lover Bianca, after Iago claims she is saying that Cassio is going to marry her. Cassio thinks that the idea of him marrying a courtesan is so absurd and hilarious, he laughs. It seems that even the lovely Cassio is infected by the same misogynistic culture as some of the other male characters in the play.

This is the monkey’s own giving out: she is persuaded I will marry her, out of her own love and flattery, not out of my promise.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 4, Scene 1. Cassio dismisses Iago’s talk of rumors that he is to marry his lover Bianca, saying it is a rumor she started herself. Cassio displays a disrespectful, misogynistic attitude towards Bianca behind her back, using an animal metaphor to compare her to a monkey. He makes clear that while Bianca loves him, that love is not reciprocated and Cassio seems to be just using her.

She was here even now; she haunts me in every place. I was the other day talking on the sea-bank with certain Venetians; and thither comes the bauble, and, by this hand, she falls me thus about my neck.

– William Shakespeare

Othello, Act 4, Scene 1. Cassio talks disrespectfully and misogynistically about Bianca to Iago. Using the insulting metaphor of "bauble," he compares her to a cheap piece of jewelry. From the way Bianca pursues Cassio everywhere – "haunts me in every place" – she appears to genuinely love him. But Cassio far from loving her back finds her annoying and wants to get rid of her.
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