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- 1612
- THE TEMPEST
- by William Shakespeare
- DRAMATIS PERSONAE
-
- ALONSO, King of Naples
- SEBASTIAN, his brother
- PROSPERO, the right Duke of Milan
- ANTONIO, his brother, the usurping Duke of Milan
- FERDINAND, son to the King of Naples
- GONZALO, an honest old counsellor
-
- Lords
- ADRIAN
- FRANCISCO
- CALIBAN, a savage and deformed slave
- TRINCULO, a jester
- STEPHANO, a drunken butler
- MASTER OF A SHIP
- BOATSWAIN
- MARINERS
-
- MIRANDA, daughter to Prospero
-
- ARIEL, an airy spirit
-
- Spirits
- IRIS
- CERES
- JUNO
- NYMPHS
- REAPERS
- Other Spirits attending on Prospero
-
- SCENE:
- A ship at sea; afterwards an uninhabited island
-
-
- THE TEMPEST
- ACT I. SCENE 1
-
- On a ship at sea; a tempestuous noise of thunder
- and lightning heard
- Enter a SHIPMASTER and a BOATSWAIN
-
- MASTER. Boatswain!
- BOATSWAIN. Here, master; what cheer?
- MASTER. Good! Speak to th' mariners; fall to't yarely, or
- we run ourselves aground; bestir, bestir. Exit
-
- Enter MARINERS
-
- BOATSWAIN. Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts!
- yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to th' master's
- whistle. Blow till thou burst thy wind, if room enough.
-
- Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, FERDINAND
- GONZALO, and OTHERS
-
- ALONSO. Good boatswain, have care. Where's the master?
- Play the men.
- BOATSWAIN. I pray now, keep below.
- ANTONIO. Where is the master, boson?
- BOATSWAIN. Do you not hear him? You mar our labour;
- keep your cabins; you do assist the storm.
- GONZALO. Nay, good, be patient.
- BOATSWAIN. When the sea is. Hence! What cares these
- roarers for the name of king? To cabin! silence! Trouble
- us not.
- GONZALO. Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.
- BOATSWAIN. None that I more love than myself. You are
- counsellor; if you can command these elements to
- silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not
- hand a rope more. Use your authority; if you cannot, give
- thanks you have liv'd so long, and make yourself ready
- in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so
- hap.-Cheerly, good hearts!-Out of our way, I say.
- Exit
- GONZALO. I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks
- he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is
- perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging;
- make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth
- little advantage. If he be not born to be hang'd, our
- case is miserable. Exeunt
-
- Re-enter BOATSWAIN
-
- BOATSWAIN. Down with the topmast. Yare, lower, lower!
- Bring her to try wi' th' maincourse. [A cry within] A
- plague upon this howling! They are louder than the
- weather or our office.
-
- Re-enter SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, and GONZALO
-
- Yet again! What do you here? Shall we give o'er, and
- drown? Have you a mind to sink?
- SEBASTIAN. A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous,
- incharitable dog!
- BOATSWAIN. Work you, then.
- ANTONIO. Hang, cur; hang, you whoreson, insolent noisemaker;
- we are less afraid to be drown'd than thou art.
- GONZALO. I'll warrant him for drowning, though the ship were
- no stronger than a nutshell, and as leaky as an unstanched
- wench.
- BOATSWAIN. Lay her a-hold, a-hold; set her two courses; off
- to sea again; lay her off.
-
- Enter MARINERS, Wet
- MARINERS. All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!
- Exeunt
- BOATSWAIN. What, must our mouths be cold?
- GONZALO. The King and Prince at prayers!
- Let's assist them,
- For our case is as theirs.
- SEBASTIAN. I am out of patience.
- ANTONIO. We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards.
- This wide-chopp'd rascal-would thou mightst lie drowning
- The washing of ten tides!
- GONZALO. He'll be hang'd yet,
- Though every drop of water swear against it,
- And gape at wid'st to glut him.
- [A confused noise within: Mercy on us!
- We split, we split! Farewell, my wife and children!
- Farewell, brother! We split, we split, we split!]
- ANTONIO. Let's all sink wi' th' King.
- SEBASTIAN. Let's take leave of him.
- Exeunt ANTONIO and SEBASTIAN
- GONZALO. Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for
- an acre of barren ground-long heath, brown furze, any
- thing. The wills above be done, but I would fain die
- dry death. Exeunt
-
-
- SCENE 2
-
- The Island. Before PROSPERO'S cell
- Enter PROSPERO and MIRANDA
-
- MIRANDA. If by your art, my dearest father, you have
- Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
- The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
- But that the sea, mounting to th' welkin's cheek,
- Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffered
- With those that I saw suffer! A brave vessel,
- Who had no doubt some noble creature in her,
- Dash'd all to pieces! O, the cry did knock
- Against my very heart! Poor souls, they perish'd.
- Had I been any god of power, I would
- Have sunk the sea within the earth or ere
- It should the good ship so have swallow'd and
- The fraughting souls within her.
- PROSPERO. Be conected;
- No more amazement; tell your piteous heart
- There's no harm done.
- MIRANDA. O, woe the day!
- PROSPERO. No harm.
- I have done nothing but in care of thee,
- Of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter, who
- Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing
- Of whence I am, nor that I am more better
- Than Prospero, master of a full poor cell,
- And thy no greater father.
- MIRANDA. More to know
- Did never meddle with my thoughts.
- PROSPERO. 'Tis time
- I should inform thee farther. Lend thy hand,
- And pluck my magic garment from me. So,
- [Lays down his mantle]
- Lie there my art. Wipe thou thine eyes; have comfort.
- The direful spectacle of the wreck, which touch'd
- The very virtue of compassion in thee,
- I have with such provision in mine art
- So safely ordered that there is no soul-
- No, not so much perdition as an hair
- Betid to any creature in the vessel
- Which thou heard'st cry, which thou saw'st sink.
- Sit down, for thou must now know farther.
- MIRANDA. You have often
- Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp'd,
- And left me to a bootless inquisition,
- Concluding 'Stay; not yet.'
- PROSPERO. The hour's now come;
- The very minute bids thee ope thine ear.
- Obey, and be attentive. Canst thou remember
- A time before we came unto this cell?
- I do not think thou canst; for then thou wast not
- Out three years old.
- MIRANDA. Certainly, sir, I can.
- PROSPERO. By what? By any other house, or person?
- Of any thing the image, tell me, that
- Hath kept with thy remembrance?
- MIRANDA. 'Tis far off,
- And rather like a dream than an assurance
- That my remembrance warrants. Had I not
- Four, or five, women once, that tended me?
- PROSPERO. Thou hadst, and more, Miranda. But how is it
- That this lives in thy mind? What seest thou else
- In the dark backward and abysm of time?
- If thou rememb'rest aught, ere thou cam'st here,
- How thou cam'st here thou mayst.
- MIRANDA. But that I do not.
- PROSPERO. Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since,
- Thy father was the Duke of Milan, and
- A prince of power.
- MIRANDA. Sir, are not you my father?
- PROSPERO. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and
- She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father
- Was Duke of Milan, and his only heir
- And princess no worse issued.
- MIRANDA. O, the heavens!
- What foul play had we that we came from thence?
- Or blessed was't we did?
- PROSPERO. Both, both, my girl.
- By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heav'd thence;
- But blessedly holp hither.
- MIRANDA. O, my heart bleeds
- To think o' th' teen that I have turn'd you to,
- Which is from my remembrance. Please you, farther.
- PROSPERO. My brother and thy uncle, call'd Antonio-
- I pray thee, mark me that a brother should
- Be so perfidious. He, whom next thyself
- Of all the world I lov'd, and to him put
- The manage of my state; as at that time
- Through all the signories it was the first,
- And Prospero the prime duke, being so reputed
- In dignity, and for the liberal arts
- Without a parallel, those being all my study-
- The government I cast upon my brother
- And to my state grew stranger, being transported
- And rapt in secret studies. Thy false uncle-
- Dost thou attend me?
- MIRANDA. Sir, most heedfully.
- PROSPERO. Being once perfected how to grant suits,
- How to deny them, who t' advance, and who
- To trash for over-topping, new created
- The creatures that were mine, I say, or chang'd 'em,
- Or else new form'd 'em; having both the key
- Of officer and office, set all hearts i' th' state
- To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was
- The ivy which had hid my princely trunk
- And suck'd my verdure out on't. Thou attend'st not.
- MIRANDA. O, good sir, I do!
- PROSPERO. I pray thee, mark me.
- I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated
- To closeness and the bettering of my mind
- With that which, but by being so retir'd,
- O'er-priz'd all popular rate, in my false brother
- Awak'd an evil nature; and my trust,
- Like a good parent, did beget of him
- A falsehood, in its contrary as great
- As my trust was; which had indeed no limit,
- A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded,
- Not only with what my revenue yielded,
- But what my power might else exact, like one
- Who having into truth, by telling of it,
- Made such a sinner of his memory,
- To credit his own lie-he did believe
- He was indeed the Duke; out o' th' substitution,
- And executing th' outward face of royalty
- With all prerogative. Hence his ambition growing-
- Dost thou hear?
- MIRANDA. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.
- PROSPERO. To have no screen between this part he play'd
- And him he play'd it for, he needs will be
- Absolute Milan. Me, poor man-my library
- Was dukedom large enough-of temporal royalties
- He thinks me now incapable; confederates,
- So dry he was for sway, wi' th' King of Naples,
- To give him annual tribute, do him homage,
- Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend
- The dukedom, yet unbow'd-alas, poor Milan!-
- To most ignoble stooping.
- MIRANDA. O the heavens!
- PROSPERO. Mark his condition, and th' event, then tell me
- If this might be a brother.
- MIRANDA. I should sin
- To think but nobly of my grandmother:
- Good wombs have borne bad sons.
- PROSPERO. Now the condition:
- This King of Naples, being an enemy
- To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit;
- Which was, that he, in lieu o' th' premises,
- Of homage, and I know not how much tribute,
- Should presently extirpate me and mine
- Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan
- With all the honours on my brother. Whereon,
- A treacherous army levied, one midnight
- Fated to th' purpose, did Antonio open
- The gates of Milan; and, i' th' dead of darkness,
- The ministers for th' purpose hurried thence
- Me and thy crying self.
- MIRANDA. Alack, for pity!
- I, not rememb'ring how I cried out then,
- Will cry it o'er again; it is a hint
- That wrings mine eyes to't.
- PROSPERO. Hear a little further,
- And then I'll bring thee to the present busines
- Which now's upon 's; without the which this story
- Were most impertinent.
- MIRANDA. Wherefore did they not
- That hour destroy us?
- PROSPERO. Well demanded, wench!
- My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not,
- So dear the love my people bore me; nor set
- A mark so bloody on the business; but
- With colours fairer painted their foul ends.
- In few, they hurried us aboard a bark;
- Bore us some leagues to sea, where they prepared
- A rotten carcass of a butt, not rigg'd,
- Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats
- Instinctively have quit it. There they hoist us,
- To cry to th' sea, that roar'd to us; to sigh
- To th' winds, whose pity, sighing back again,
- Did us but loving wrong.
- MIRANDA. Alack, what trouble
- Was I then to you!
- PROSPERO. O, a cherubin
- Thou wast that did preserve me! Thou didst smile,
- Infused with a fortitude from heaven,
- When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt,
- Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me
- An undergoing stomach, to bear up
- Against what should ensue.
- MIRANDA. How came we ashore?
- PROSPERO. By Providence divine.
- Some food we had and some fresh water that
- A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
- Out of his charity, who being then appointed
- Master of this design, did give us, with
- Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries,
- Which since have steaded much; so, of his gentleness,
- Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me
- From mine own library with volumes that
- I prize above my dukedom.
- MIRANDA. Would I might
- But ever see that man!
- PROSPERO. Now I arise. [Puts on his mantle]
- Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow.
- Here in this island we arriv'd; and here
- Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit
- Than other princess' can, that have more time
- For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful.
- MIRANDA. Heavens thank you for't! And now, I pray you,
- sir,
- For still 'tis beating in my mind, your reason
- For raising this sea-storm?
- PROSPERO. Know thus far forth:
- By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune,
- Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies
- Brought to this shore; and by my prescience
- I find my zenith doth depend upon
- A most auspicious star, whose influence
- If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes
- Will ever after droop. Here cease more questions;
- Thou art inclin'd to sleep; 'tis a good dullness,
- And give it way. I know thou canst not choose.
- [MIRANDA sleeps]
- Come away, servant; come; I am ready now.
- Approach, my Ariel. Come.
-
- Enter ARIEL
-
- ARIEL. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come
- To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly,
- To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride
- On the curl'd clouds. To thy strong bidding task
- Ariel and all his quality.
- PROSPERO. Hast thou, spirit,
- Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee?
- ARIEL. To every article.
- I boarded the King's ship; now on the beak,
- Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,
- I flam'd amazement. Sometime I'd divide,
- And burn in many places; on the topmast,
- The yards, and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly,
- Then meet and join Jove's lightning, the precursors
- O' th' dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary
- And sight-outrunning were not; the fire and cracks
- Of sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune
- Seem to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble,
- Yea, his dread trident shake.
- PROSPERO. My brave spirit!
- Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil
- Would not infect his reason?
- ARIEL. Not a soul
- But felt a fever of the mad, and play'd
- Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners
- Plung'd in the foaming brine, and quit the vessel,
- Then all afire with me; the King's son, Ferdinand,
- With hair up-staring-then like reeds, not hair-
- Was the first man that leapt; cried 'Hell is empty,
- And all the devils are here.'
- PROSPERO. Why, that's my spirit!
- But was not this nigh shore?
- ARIEL. Close by, my master.
- PROSPERO. But are they, Ariel, safe?
- ARIEL. Not a hair perish'd;
- On their sustaining garments not a blemish,
- But fresher than before; and, as thou bad'st me,
- In troops I have dispers'd them 'bout the isle.
- The King's son have I landed by himself,
- Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs
- In an odd angle of the isle, and sitting,
- His arms in this sad knot.
- PROSPERO. Of the King's ship,
- The mariners, say how thou hast dispos'd,
- And all the rest o' th' fleet?
- ARIEL. Safely in harbour
- Is the King's ship; in the deep nook, where once
- Thou call'dst me up at midnight to fetch dew
- From the still-vex'd Bermoothes, there she's hid;
- The mariners all under hatches stowed,
- Who, with a charm join'd to their suff'red labour,
- I have left asleep; and for the rest o' th' fleet,
- Which I dispers'd, they all have met again,
- And are upon the Mediterranean flote
- Bound sadly home for Naples,
- Supposing that they saw the King's ship wreck'd,
- And his great person perish.
- PROSPERO. Ariel, thy charge
- Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work.
- What is the time o' th' day?
- ARIEL. Past the mid season.
- PROSPERO. At least two glasses. The time 'twixt six and now
- Must by us both be spent most preciously.
- ARIEL. Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains,
- Let me remember thee what thou hast promis'd,
- Which is not yet perform'd me.
- PROSPERO. How now, moody?
- What is't thou canst demand?
- ARIEL. My liberty.
- PROSPERO. Before the time be out? No more!
- ARIEL. I prithee,
- Remember I have done thee worthy service,
- Told thee no lies, made thee no mistakings, serv'd
- Without or grudge or grumblings. Thou didst promise
- To bate me a full year.
- PROSPERO. Dost thou forget
- From what a torment I did free thee?
- ARIEL. No.
- PROSPERO. Thou dost; and think'st it much to tread the ooze
- Of the salt deep,
- To run upon the sharp wind of the north,
- To do me business in the veins o' th' earth
- When it is bak'd with frost.
- ARIEL. I do not, sir.
- PROSPERO. Thou liest, malignant thing. Hast thou forgot
- The foul witch Sycorax, who with age and envy
- Was grown into a hoop? Hast thou forgot her?
- ARIEL. No, sir.
- PROSPERO. Thou hast. Where was she born?
- Speak; tell me.
- ARIEL. Sir, in Argier.
- PROSPERO. O, was she so? I must
- Once in a month recount what thou hast been,
- Which thou forget'st. This damn'd witch Sycorax,
- For mischiefs manifold, and sorceries terrible
- To enter human hearing, from Argier
- Thou know'st was banish'd; for one thing she did
- They would not take her life. Is not this true?
- ARIEL. Ay, sir.
- PROSPERO. This blue-ey'd hag was hither brought with child,
- And here was left by th'sailors. Thou, my slave,
- As thou report'st thyself, wast then her servant;
- And, for thou wast a spirit too delicate
- To act her earthy and abhorr'd commands,
- Refusing her grand hests, she did confine thee,
- By help of her more potent ministers,
- And in her most unmitigable rage,
- Into a cloven pine; within which rift
- Imprison'd thou didst painfully remain
- A dozen years; within which space she died,
- And left thee there, where thou didst vent thy groans
- As fast as mill-wheels strike. Then was this island-
- Save for the son that she did litter here,
- A freckl'd whelp, hag-born-not honour'd with
- A human shape.
- ARIEL. Yes, Caliban her son.
- PROSPERO. Dull thing, I say so; he, that Caliban
- Whom now I keep in service. Thou best know'st
- What torment I did find thee in; thy groans
- Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts
- Of ever-angry bears; it was a torment
- To lay upon the damn'd, which Sycorax
- Could not again undo. It was mine art,
- When I arriv'd and heard thee, that made gape
- The pine, and let thee out.
- ARIEL. I thank thee, master.
- PROSPERO. If thou more murmur'st, I will rend an oak
- And peg thee in his knotty entrails, till
- Thou hast howl'd away twelve winters.
- ARIEL. Pardon, master;
- I will be correspondent to command,
- And do my spriting gently.
- PROSPERO. Do so; and after two days
- I will discharge thee.
- ARIEL. That's my noble master!
- What shall I do? Say what. What shall I do?
- PROSPERO. Go make thyself like a nymph o' th' sea; be subject
- To no sight but thine and mine, invisible
- To every eyeball else. Go take this shape,
- And hither come in 't. Go, hence with diligence!
- Exit ARIEL
- Awake, dear heart, awake; thou hast slept well;
- Awake.
- MIRANDA. The strangeness of your story put
- Heaviness in me.
- PROSPERO. Shake it off. Come on,
- We'll visit Caliban, my slave, who never
- Yields us kind answer.
- MIRANDA. 'Tis a villain, sir,
- I do not love to look on.
- PROSPERO. But as 'tis,
- We cannot miss him: he does make our fire,
- Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices
- That profit us. What ho! slave! Caliban!
- Thou earth, thou! Speak.
- CALIBAN. [ Within] There's wood enough within.
- PROSPERO. Come forth, I say; there's other business for thee.
- Come, thou tortoise! when?
-
- Re-enter ARIEL like a water-nymph
-
- Fine apparition! My quaint Ariel,
- Hark in thine ear.
- ARIEL. My lord, it shall be done. Exit
- PROSPERO. Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself
- Upon thy wicked dam, come forth!
-
- Enter CALIBAN
-
- CALIBAN. As wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd
- With raven's feather from unwholesome fen
- Drop on you both! A south-west blow on ye
- And blister you all o'er!
- PROSPERO. For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt have cramps,
- Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up; urchins
- Shall, for that vast of night that they may work,
- All exercise on thee; thou shalt be pinch'd
- As thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging
- Than bees that made 'em.
- CALIBAN. I must eat my dinner.
- This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother,
- Which thou tak'st from me. When thou cam'st first,
- Thou strok'st me and made much of me, wouldst give me
- Water with berries in't, and teach me how
- To name the bigger light, and how the less,
- That burn by day and night; and then I lov'd thee,
- And show'd thee all the qualities o' th' isle,
- The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile.
- Curs'd be I that did so! All the charms
- Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you!
- For I am all the subjects that you have,
- Which first was mine own king; and here you sty me
- In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me
- The rest o' th' island.
- PROSPERO. Thou most lying slave,
- Whom stripes may move, not kindness! I have us'd thee,
- Filth as thou art, with human care, and lodg'd thee
- In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate
- The honour of my child.
- CALIBAN. O ho, O ho! Would't had been done.
- Thou didst prevent me; I had peopl'd else
- This isle with Calibans.
- MIRANDA. Abhorred slave,
- Which any print of goodness wilt not take,
- Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee,
- Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour
- One thing or other. When thou didst not, savage,
- Know thine own meaning, but wouldst gabble like
- A thing most brutish, I endow'd thy purposes
- With words that made them known. But thy vile race,
- Though thou didst learn, had that in't which good natures
- Could not abide to be with; therefore wast thou
- Deservedly confin'd into this rock, who hadst
- Deserv'd more than a prison.
- CALIBAN. You taught me language, and my profit on't
- Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you
- For learning me your language!
- PROSPERO. Hag-seed, hence!
- Fetch us in fuel. And be quick, thou 'rt best,
- To answer other business. Shrug'st thou, malice?
- If thou neglect'st, or dost unwillingly
- What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps,
- Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar,
- That beasts shall tremble at thy din.
- CALIBAN. No, pray thee.
- [Aside] I must obey. His art is of such pow'r,
- It would control my dam's god, Setebos,
- And make a vassal of him.
- PROSPERO. So, slave; hence! Exit CALIBAN
-
- Re-enter ARIEL invisible, playing ad singing;
- FERDINAND following
-
- ARIEL'S SONG.
- Come unto these yellow sands,
- And then take hands;
- Curtsied when you have and kiss'd,
- The wild waves whist,
- Foot it featly here and there,
- And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.
- Hark, hark!
- [Burden dispersedly: Bow-wow.]
- The watch dogs bark.
- [Burden dispersedly: Bow-wow.]
- Hark, hark! I hear
- The strain of strutting chanticleer
- Cry, Cock-a-diddle-dow.
- FERDINAND. Where should this music be? I' th' air or th'
- earth?
- It sounds no more; and sure it waits upon
- Some god o' th' island. Sitting on a bank,
- Weeping again the King my father's wreck,
- This music crept by me upon the waters,
- Allaying both their fury and my passion
- With its sweet air; thence I have follow'd it,
- Or it hath drawn me rather. But 'tis gone.
- No, it begins again.
-
- ARIEL'S SONG
- Full fathom five thy father lies;
- Of his bones are coral made;
- Those are pearls that were his eyes;
- Nothing of him that doth fade
- But doth suffer a sea-change
- Into something rich and strange.
- Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
- [Burden: Ding-dong.]
- Hark! now I hear them-Ding-dong bell.
-
- FERDINAND. The ditty does remember my drown'd father.
- This is no mortal business, nor no sound
- That the earth owes. I hear it now above me.
- PROSPERO. The fringed curtains of thine eye advance,
- And say what thou seest yond.
- MIRANDA. What is't? a spirit?
- Lord, how it looks about! Believe me, sir,
- It carries a brave form. But 'tis a spirit.
- PROSPERO. No, wench; it eats and sleeps and hath such senses
- As we have, such. This gallant which thou seest
- Was in the wreck; and but he's something stain'd
- With grief, that's beauty's canker, thou mightst call him
- A goodly person. He hath lost his fellows,
- And strays about to find 'em.
- MIRANDA. I might call him
- A thing divine; for nothing natural
- I ever saw so noble.
- PROSPERO. [Aside] It goes on, I see,
- As my soul prompts it. Spirit, fine spirit! I'll free thee
- Within two days for this.
- FERDINAND. Most sure, the goddess
- On whom these airs attend! Vouchsafe my pray'r
- May know if you remain upon this island;
- And that you will some good instruction give
- How I may bear me here. My prime request,
- Which I do last pronounce, is, O you wonder!
- If you be maid or no?
- MIRANDA. No wonder, sir;
- But certainly a maid.
- FERDINAND. My language? Heavens!
- I am the best of them that speak this speech,
- Were I but where 'tis spoken.
- PROSPERO. How? the best?
- What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee?
- FERDINAND. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders
- To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me;
- And that he does I weep. Myself am Naples,
- Who with mine eyes, never since at ebb, beheld
- The King my father wreck'd.
- MIRANDA. Alack, for mercy!
- FERDINAND. Yes, faith, and all his lords, the Duke of Milan
- And his brave son being twain.
- PROSPERO. [Aside] The Duke of Milan
- And his more braver daughter could control thee,
- If now 'twere fit to do't. At the first sight
- They have chang'd eyes. Delicate Ariel,
- I'll set thee free for this. [To FERDINAND] A word, good
- sir;
- I fear you have done yourself some wrong; a word.
- MIRANDA. Why speaks my father so ungently? This
- Is the third man that e'er I saw; the first
- That e'er I sigh'd for. Pity move my father
- To be inclin'd my way!
- FERDINAND. O, if a virgin,
- And your affection not gone forth, I'll make you
- The Queen of Naples.
- PROSPERO. Soft, Sir! one word more.
- [Aside] They are both in either's pow'rs; but this swift
- busines
- I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
- Make the prize light. [To FERDINAND] One word more; I
- charge thee
- That thou attend me; thou dost here usurp
- The name thou ow'st not; and hast put thyself
- Upon this island as a spy, to win it
- From me, the lord on't.
- FERDINAND. No, as I am a man.
- MIRANDA. There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.
- If the ill spirit have so fair a house,
- Good things will strive to dwell with't.
- PROSPERO. Follow me.
- Speak not you for him; he's a traitor. Come;
- I'll manacle thy neck and feet together.
- Sea-water shalt thou drink; thy food shall be
- The fresh-brook mussels, wither'd roots, and husks
- Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow.
- FERDINAND. No;
- I will resist such entertainment till
- Mine enemy has more power.
- [He draws, and is charmed from moving]
- MIRANDA. O dear father,
- Make not too rash a trial of him, for
- He's gentle, and not fearful.
- PROSPERO. What, I say,
- My foot my tutor? Put thy sword up, traitor;
- Who mak'st a show but dar'st not strike, thy conscience
- Is so possess'd with guilt. Come from thy ward;
- For I can here disarm thee with this stick
- And make thy weapon drop.
- MIRANDA. Beseech you, father!
- PROSPERO. Hence! Hang not on my garments.
- MIRANDA. Sir, have pity;
- I'll be his surety.
- PROSPERO. Silence! One word more
- Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What!
- An advocate for an impostor! hush!
- Thou think'st there is no more such shapes as he,
- Having seen but him and Caliban. Foolish wench!
- To th' most of men this is a Caliban,
- And they to him are angels.
- MIRANDA. My affections
- Are then most humble; I have no ambition
- To see a goodlier man.
- PROSPERO. Come on; obey.
- Thy nerves are in their infancy again,
- And have no vigour in them.
- FERDINAND. So they are;
- My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up.
- My father's loss, the weakness which I feel,
- The wreck of all my friends, nor this man's threats
- To whom I am subdu'd, are but light to me,
- Might I but through my prison once a day
- Behold this maid. All corners else o' th' earth
- Let liberty make use of; space enough
- Have I in such a prison.
- PROSPERO. [Aside] It works. [To FERDINAND] Come on.-
- Thou hast done well, fine Ariel! [To FERDINAND] Follow
- me.
- [To ARIEL] Hark what thou else shalt do me.
- MIRANDA. Be of comfort;
- My father's of a better nature, sir,
- Than he appears by speech; this is unwonted
- Which now came from him.
- PROSPERO. [To ARIEL] Thou shalt be as free
- As mountain winds; but then exactly do
- All points of my command.
- ARIEL. To th' syllable.
- PROSPERO. [To FERDINAND] Come, follow. [To MIRANDA]
- Speak not for him. Exeunt
- ACT II. SCENE 1
-
- Another part of the island
- Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN,
- FRANCISCO, and OTHERS
-
- GONZALO. Beseech you, sir, be merry; you have cause,
- So have we all, of joy; for our escape
- Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe
- Is common; every day, some sailor's wife,
- The masters of some merchant, and the merchant,
- Have just our theme of woe; but for the miracle,
- I mean our preservation, few in millions
- Can speak like us. Then wisely, good sir, weigh
- Our sorrow with our comfort.
- ALONSO. Prithee, peace.
- SEBASTIAN. He receives comfort like cold porridge.
- ANTONIO. The visitor will not give him o'er so.
- SEBASTIAN. Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit; by
- and by it will strike.
- GONZALO. Sir-
- SEBASTIAN. One-Tell.
- GONZALO. When every grief is entertain'd that's offer'd,
- Comes to th' entertainer-
- SEBASTIAN. A dollar.
- GONZALO. Dolour comes to him, indeed; you have spoken
- truer than you purpos'd.
- SEBASTIAN. You have taken it wiselier than I meant you
- should.
- GONZALO. Therefore, my lord-
- ANTONIO. Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue!
- ALONSO. I prithee, spare.
- GONZALO. Well, I have done; but yet-
- SEBASTIAN. He will be talking.
- ANTONIO. Which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager, first
- begins to crow?
- SEBASTIAN. The old cock.
- ANTONIO. The cock'rel.
- SEBASTIAN. Done. The wager?
- ANTONIO. A laughter.
- SEBASTIAN. A match!
- ADRIAN. Though this island seem to be desert-
- ANTONIO. Ha, ha, ha!
- SEBASTIAN. So, you're paid.
- ADRIAN. Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible-
- SEBASTIAN. Yet-
- ADRIAN. Yet-
- ANTONIO. He could not miss't.
- ADRIAN. It must needs be of subtle, tender, and delicate
- temperance.
- ANTONIO. Temperance was a delicate wench.
- SEBASTIAN. Ay, and a subtle; as he most learnedly
- deliver'd.
- ADRIAN. The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
- SEBASTIAN. As if it had lungs, and rotten ones.
- ANTONIO. Or, as 'twere perfum'd by a fen.
- GONZALO. Here is everything advantageous to life.
- ANTONIO. True; save means to live.
- SEBASTIAN. Of that there's none, or little.
- GONZALO. How lush and lusty the grass looks! how green!
- ANTONIO. The ground indeed is tawny.
- SEBASTIAN. With an eye of green in't.
- ANTONIO. He misses not much.
- SEBASTIAN. No; he doth but mistake the truth totally.
- GONZALO. But the rarity of it is, which is indeed almost
- beyond credit-
- SEBASTIAN. As many vouch'd rarities are.
- GONZALO. That our garments, being, as they were, drench'd
- in the sea, hold, notwithstanding, their freshness and
- glosses, being rather new-dy'd, than stain'd with salt
- water.
- ANTONIO. If but one of his pockets could speak, would it
- not say he lies?
- SEBASTIAN. Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report.
- GONZALO. Methinks our garments are now as fresh as when
- we put them on first in Afric, at the marriage of the
- King's fair daughter Claribel to the King of Tunis.
- SEBASTIAN. 'Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in
- our return.
- ADRIAN. Tunis was never grac'd before with such a paragon
- to their queen.
- GONZALO. Not since widow Dido's time.
- ANTONIO. Widow! a pox o' that! How came that 'widow'
- in? Widow Dido!
- SEBASTIAN. What if he had said 'widower Aeneas' too?
- Good Lord, how you take it!
- ADRIAN. 'Widow Dido' said you? You make me study of
- that. She was of Carthage, not of Tunis.
- GONZALO. This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
- ADRIAN. Carthage?
- GONZALO. I assure you, Carthage.
- ANTONIO. His word is more than the miraculous harp.
- SEBASTIAN. He hath rais'd the wall, and houses too.
- ANTONIO. What impossible matter will he make easy next?
- SEBASTIAN. I think he will carry this island home in his
- pocket, and give it his son for an apple.
- ANTONIO. And, sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring
- forth more islands.
- GONZALO. Ay.
- ANTONIO. Why, in good time.
- GONZALO. Sir, we were talking that our garments seem now
- as fresh as when we were at Tunis at the marriage of
- your daughter, who is now Queen.
- ANTONIO. And the rarest that e'er came there.
- SEBASTIAN. Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido.
- ANTONIO. O, widow Dido! Ay, widow Dido.
- GONZALO. Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as the first day I
- wore it? I mean, in a sort.
- ANTONIO. That 'sort' was well fish'd for.
- GONZALO. When I wore it at your daughter's marriage?
- ALONSO. You cram these words into mine ears against
- The stomach of my sense. Would I had never
- Married my daughter there; for, coming thence,
- My son is lost; and, in my rate, she too,
- Who is so far from Italy removed
- I ne'er again shall see her. O thou mine heir
- Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
- Hath made his meal on thee?
- FRANCISCO. Sir, he may live;
- I saw him beat the surges under him,
- And ride upon their backs; he trod the water,
- Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted
- The surge most swoln that met him; his bold head
- 'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oared
- Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
- To th' shore, that o'er his wave-worn basis bowed,
- As stooping to relieve him. I not doubt
- He came alive to land.
- ALONSO. No, no, he's gone.
- SEBASTIAN. Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,
- That would not bless our Europe with your daughter,
- But rather lose her to an African;
- Where she, at least, is banish'd from your eye,
- Who hath cause to wet the grief on't.
- ALONSO. Prithee, peace.
- SEBASTIAN. You were kneel'd to, and importun'd otherwise
- By all of us; and the fair soul herself
- Weigh'd between loathness and obedience at
- Which end o' th' beam should bow. We have lost your son,
- I fear, for ever. Milan and Naples have
- Moe widows in them of this business' making,
- Than we bring men to comfort them;
- The fault's your own.
- ALONSO. So is the dear'st o' th' loss.
- GONZALO. My lord Sebastian,
- The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,
- And time to speak it in; you rub the sore,
- When you should bring the plaster.
- SEBASTIAN. Very well.
- ANTONIO. And most chirurgeonly.
- GONZALO. It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
- When you are cloudy.
- SEBASTIAN. Foul weather?
- ANTONIO. Very foul.
- GONZALO. Had I plantation of this isle, my lord-
- ANTONIO. He'd sow 't with nettle-seed.
- SEBASTIAN. Or docks, or mallows.
- GONZALO. And were the king on't, what would I do?
- SEBASTIAN. Scape being drunk for want of wine.
- GONZALO. I' th' commonwealth I would by contraries
- Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
- Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
- Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
- And use of service, none; contract, succession,
- Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;
- No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
- No occupation; all men idle, all;
- And women too, but innocent and pure;
- No sovereignty-
- SEBASTIAN. Yet he would be king on't.
- ANTONIO. The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the
- beginning.
- GONZALO. All things in common nature should produce
- Without sweat or endeavour. Treason, felony,
- Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine,
- Would I not have; but nature should bring forth,
- Of it own kind, all foison, all abundance,
- To feed my innocent people.
- SEBASTIAN. No marrying 'mong his subjects?
- ANTONIO. None, man; all idle; whores and knaves.
- GONZALO. I would with such perfection govern, sir,
- T' excel the golden age.
- SEBASTIAN. Save his Majesty!
- ANTONIO. Long live Gonzalo!
- GONZALO. And-do you mark me, sir?
- ALONSO. Prithee, no more; thou dost talk nothing to me.
- GONZALO. I do well believe your Highness; and did it to
- minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are of such
- sensible and nimble lungs that they always use to laugh
- at nothing.
- ANTONIO. 'Twas you we laugh'd at.
- GONZALO. Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to
- you; so you may continue, and laugh at nothing still.
- ANTONIO. What a blow was there given!
- SEBASTIAN. An it had not fall'n flat-long.
- GONZALO. You are gentlemen of brave mettle; you would
- lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would continue
- in it five weeks without changing.
-
- Enter ARIEL, invisible, playing solemn music
-
- SEBASTIAN. We would so, and then go a-bat-fowling.
- ANTONIO. Nay, good my lord, be not angry.
- GONZALO. No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my
- discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am
- very heavy?
- ANTONIO. Go sleep, and hear us.
- [All sleep but ALONSO, SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO]
- ALONSO. What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes
- Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts; I find
- They are inclin'd to do so.
- SEBASTIAN. Please you, sir,
- Do not omit the heavy offer of it:
- It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,
- It is a comforter.
- ANTONIO. We two, my lord,
- Will guard your person while you take your rest,
- And watch your safety.
- ALONSO. Thank you-wondrous heavy!
- [ALONSO sleeps. Exit ARIEL]
- SEBASTIAN. What a strange drowsiness possesses them!
- ANTONIO. It is the quality o' th' climate.
- SEBASTIAN. Why
- Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not
- Myself dispos'd to sleep.
- ANTONIO. Nor I; my spirits are nimble.
- They fell together all, as by consent;
- They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke. What might,
- Worthy Sebastian? O, what might! No more!
- And yet methinks I see it in thy face,
- What thou shouldst be; th' occasion speaks thee; and
- My strong imagination sees a crown
- Dropping upon thy head.
- SEBASTIAN. What, art thou waking?
- ANTONIO. Do you not hear me speak?
- SEBASTIAN. I do; and surely
- It is a sleepy language, and thou speak'st
- Out of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say?
- This is a strange repose, to be asleep
- With eyes wide open; standing, speaking, moving,
- And yet so fast asleep.
- ANTONIO. Noble Sebastian,
- Thou let'st thy fortune sleep-die rather; wink'st
- Whiles thou art waking.
- SEBASTIAN. Thou dost snore distinctly;
- There's meaning in thy snores.
- ANTONIO. I am more serious than my custom; you
- Must be so too, if heed me; which to do
- Trebles thee o'er.
- SEBASTIAN. Well, I am standing water.
- ANTONIO. I'll teach you how to flow.
- SEBASTIAN. Do so: to ebb,
- Hereditary sloth instructs me.
- ANTONIO. O,
- If you but knew how you the purpose cherish,
- Whiles thus you mock it! how, in stripping it,
- You more invest it! Ebbing men indeed,
- Most often, do so near the bottom run
- By their own fear or sloth.
- SEBASTIAN. Prithee say on.
- The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
- A matter from thee; and a birth, indeed,
- Which throes thee much to yield.
- ANTONIO. Thus, sir:
- Although this lord of weak remembrance, this
- Who shall be of as little memory
- When he is earth'd, hath here almost persuaded-
- For he's a spirit of persuasion, only
- Professes to persuade-the King his son's alive,
- 'Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd
- As he that sleeps here swims.
- SEBASTIAN. I have no hope
- That he's undrown'd.
- ANTONIO. O, out of that 'no hope'
- What great hope have you! No hope that way is
- Another way so high a hope, that even
- Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,
- But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me
- That Ferdinand is drown'd?
- SEBASTIAN. He's gone.
- ANTONIO. Then tell me,
- Who's the next heir of Naples?
- SEBASTIAN. Claribel.
- ANTONIO. She that is Queen of Tunis; she that dwells
- Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples
- Can have no note, unless the sun were post,
- The Man i' th' Moon's too slow, till newborn chins
- Be rough and razorable; she that from whom
- We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast again,
- And by that destiny, to perform an act
- Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come
- In yours and my discharge.
- SEBASTIAN. What stuff is this! How say you?
- 'Tis true, my brother's daughter's Queen of Tunis;
- So is she heir of Naples; 'twixt which regions
- There is some space.
- ANTONIO. A space whose ev'ry cubit
- Seems to cry out 'How shall that Claribel
- Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis,
- And let Sebastian wake.' Say this were death
- That now hath seiz'd them; why, they were no worse
- Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples
- As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate
- As amply and unnecessarily
- As this Gonzalo; I myself could make
- A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore
- The mind that I do! What a sleep were this
- For your advancement! Do you understand me?
- SEBASTIAN. Methinks I do.
- ANTONIO. And how does your content
- Tender your own good fortune?
- SEBASTIAN. I remember
- You did supplant your brother Prospero.
- ANTONIO. True.
- And look how well my garments sit upon me,
- Much feater than before. My brother's servants
- Were then my fellows; now they are my men.
- SEBASTIAN. But, for your conscience-
- ANTONIO. Ay, sir; where lies that? If 'twere a kibe,
- 'Twould put me to my slipper; but I feel not
- This deity in my bosom; twenty consciences
- That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they
- And melt, ere they molest! Here lies your brother,
- No better than the earth he lies upon,
- If he were that which now he's like-that's dead;
- Whom I with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
- Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus,
- To the perpetual wink for aye might put
- This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
- Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
- They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
- They'll tell the clock to any business that
- We say befits the hour.
- SEBASTIAN. Thy case, dear friend,
- Shall be my precedent; as thou got'st Milan,
- I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword. One stroke
- Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest;
- And I the King shall love thee.
- ANTONIO. Draw together;
- And when I rear my hand, do you the like,
- To fall it on Gonzalo.
- SEBASTIAN. O, but one word. [They talk apart]
-
- Re-enter ARIEL, invisible, with music and song
-
- ARIEL. My master through his art foresees the danger
- That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth-
- For else his project dies-to keep them living.
- [Sings in GONZALO'S ear]
- While you here do snoring lie,
- Open-ey'd conspiracy
- His time doth take.
- If of life you keep a care,
- Shake off slumber, and beware.
- Awake, awake!
-
- ANTONIO. Then let us both be sudden.
- GONZALO. Now, good angels
- Preserve the King! [They wake]
- ALONSO. Why, how now?-Ho, awake!-Why are you drawn?
- Wherefore this ghastly looking?
- GONZALO. What's the matter?
- SEBASTIAN. Whiles we stood here securing your repose,
- Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing
- Like bulls, or rather lions; did't not wake you?
- It struck mine ear most terribly.
- ALONSO. I heard nothing.
- ANTONIO. O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,
- To make an earthquake! Sure it was the roar
- Of a whole herd of lions.
- ALONSO. Heard you this, Gonzalo?
- GONZALO. Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
- And that a strange one too, which did awake me;
- I shak'd you, sir, and cried; as mine eyes open'd,
- I saw their weapons drawn-there was a noise,
- That's verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard,
- Or that we quit this place. Let's draw our weapons.
- ALONSO. Lead off this ground; and let's make further
- search
- For my poor son.
- GONZALO. Heavens keep him from these beasts!
- For he is, sure, i' th' island.
- ALONSO. Lead away.
- ARIEL. Prospero my lord shall know what I have done;
- So, King, go safely on to seek thy son. Exeunt
-
-
- SCENE 2
-
- Another part of the island
- Enter CALIBAN, with a burden of wood. A noise of
- thunder heard
-
- CALIBAN. All the infections that the sun sucks up
- From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
- By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me,
- And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch,
- Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i' th' mire,
- Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark
- Out of my way, unless he bid 'em; but
- For every trifle are they set upon me;
- Sometime like apes that mow and chatter at me,
- And after bite me; then like hedgehogs which
- Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount
- Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I
- All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues
- Do hiss me into madness.
-
- Enter TRINCULO
-
- Lo, now, lo!
- Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me
- For bringing wood in slowly. I'll fall flat;
- Perchance he will not mind me.
- TRINCULO. Here's neither bush nor shrub to bear off any
- weather at all, and another storm brewing; I hear it
- sing i' th' wind. Yond same black cloud, yond huge one,
- looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor. If
- it should thunder as it did before, I know not where to
- hide my head. Yond same cloud cannot choose but fall by
- pailfuls. What have we here? a man or a fish? dead or
- alive? A fish: he smells like a fish; a very ancient and
- fish-like smell; kind of not-of-the-newest Poor-John. A
- strange fish! Were I in England now, as once I was, and
- had but this fish painted, not a holiday fool there but
- would give a piece of silver. There would this monster
- make a man; any strange beast there makes a man; when
- they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they
- will lay out ten to see a dead Indian. Legg'd like a
- man, and his fins like arms! Warm, o' my troth! I do now
- let loose my opinion; hold it no longer: this is no
- fish, but an islander, that hath lately suffered by
- thunderbolt. [Thunder] Alas, the storm is come again! My
- best way is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no
- other shelter hereabout. Misery acquaints a man with
- strange bed-fellows. I will here shroud till the dregs
- of the storm be past.
-
- Enter STEPHANO singing; a bottle in his hand
-
- STEPHANO. I shall no more to sea, to sea,
- Here shall I die ashore-
- This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral;
- well, here's my comfort. [Drinks]
-
- The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I,
- The gunner, and his mate,
- Lov'd Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,
- But none of us car'd for Kate;
- For she had a tongue with a tang,
- Would cry to a sailor 'Go hang!'
- She lov'd not the savour of tar nor of pitch,
- Yet a tailor might scratch her where'er she did itch.
- Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang!
-
- This is a scurvy tune too; but here's my comfort.
- [Drinks]
- CALIBAN. Do not torment me. O!
- STEPHANO. What's the matter? Have we devils here? Do you
- put tricks upon 's with savages and men of Ind? Ha! I
- have not scap'd drowning to be afeard now of your four
- legs; for it hath been said: As proper a man as ever
- went on four legs cannot make him give ground; and it
- shall be said so again, while Stephano breathes at
- nostrils.
- CALIBAN. The spirit torments me. O!
- STEPHANO. This is some monster of the isle with four legs,
- who hath got, as I take it, an ague. Where the devil
- should he learn our language? I will give him some
- relief, if it be but for that. If I can recover him, and
- keep him tame, and get to Naples with him, he's a
- present for any emperor that ever trod on neat's
- leather.
- CALIBAN. Do not torment me, prithee; I'll bring my wood
- home faster.
- STEPHANO. He's in his fit now, and does not talk after the
- wisest. He shall taste of my bottle; if he have never
- drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit. If
- I can recover him, and keep him tame, I will not take
- too much for him; he shall pay for him that hath him,
- and that soundly.
- CALIBAN. Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon,
- I know it by thy trembling; now Prosper works upon thee.
- STEPHANO. Come on your ways; open your mouth; here is
- that which will give language to you, cat. Open your
- mouth; this will shake your shaking, I can tell you, and
- that soundly; you cannot tell who's your friend. Open
- your chaps again.
- TRINCULO. I should know that voice; it should be-but he is
- drown'd; and these are devils. O, defend me!
- STEPHANO. Four legs and two voices; a most delicate monster!
- His forward voice, now, is to speak well of his
- friend; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and
- to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover
- him, I will help his ague. Come-Amen! I will pour some
- in thy other mouth.
- TRINCULO. Stephano!
- STEPHANO. Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy, mercy!
- This is a devil, and no monster; I will leave him; I
- have no long spoon.
- TRINCULO. Stephano! If thou beest Stephano, touch me, and
- speak to me; for I am Trinculo-be not afeard-thy good
- friend Trinculo.
- STEPHANO. If thou beest Trinculo, come forth; I'll pull
- the by the lesser legs; if any be Trinculo's legs, these
- are they. Thou art very Trinculo indeed! How cam'st thou
- to be the siege of this moon-calf? Can he vent
- Trinculos?
- TRINCULO. I took him to be kill'd with a thunderstroke.
- But art thou not drown'd, Stephano? I hope now thou are
- not drown'd. Is the storm overblown? I hid me under the
- dead moon-calf's gaberdine for fear of the storm. And
- art thou living, Stephano? O Stephano, two Neapolitans
- scap'd!
- STEPHANO. Prithee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not
- constant.
- CALIBAN. [Aside] These be fine things, an if they be not
- sprites.
- That's a brave god, and bears celestial liquor.
- I will kneel to him.
- STEPHANO. How didst thou scape? How cam'st thou hither?
- Swear by this bottle how thou cam'st hither-I escap'd
- upon a butt of sack, which the sailors heaved o'erboard-
- by this bottle, which I made of the bark of a tree, with
- mine own hands, since I was cast ashore.
- CALIBAN. I'll swear upon that bottle to be thy true
- subject, for the liquor is not earthly.
- STEPHANO. Here; swear then how thou escap'dst.
- TRINCULO. Swum ashore, man, like a duck; I can swim like
- a duck, I'll be sworn.
- STEPHANO. [Passing the bottle] Here, kiss the book. Though
- thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a
- goose.
- TRINCULO. O Stephano, hast any more of this?
- STEPHANO. The whole butt, man; my cellar is in a rock by
- th' seaside, where my wine is hid. How now, moon-calf!
- How does thine ague?
- CALIBAN. Hast thou not dropp'd from heaven?
- STEPHANO. Out o' th' moon, I do assure thee; I was the Man
- i' th' Moon, when time was.
- CALIBAN. I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee. My
- mistress show'd me thee, and thy dog and thy bush.
- STEPHANO. Come, swear to that; kiss the book. I will
- furnish it anon with new contents. Swear.
- [CALIBAN drinks]
- TRINCULO. By this good light, this is a very shallow
- monster!
- I afeard of him! A very weak monster! The Man i' th'
- Moon! A most poor credulous monster! Well drawn,
- monster, in good sooth!
- CALIBAN. I'll show thee every fertile inch o' th' island;
- and will kiss thy foot. I prithee be my god.
- TRINCULO. By this light, a most perfidious and drunken
- monster! When's god's asleep he'll rob his bottle.
- CALIBAN. I'll kiss thy foot; I'll swear myself thy
- subject.
- STEPHANO. Come on, then; down, and swear.
- TRINCULO. I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-
- headed monster. A most scurvy monster! I could find in
- my heart to beat him-
- STEPHANO. Come, kiss.
- TRINCULO. But that the poor monster's in drink. An
- abominable monster!
- CALIBAN. I'll show thee the best springs; I'll pluck thee
- berries;
- I'll fish for thee, and get thee wood enough.
- A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!
- I'll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee,
- Thou wondrous man.
- TRINCULO. A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder of
- a poor drunkard!
- CALIBAN. I prithee let me bring thee where crabs grow;
- And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts;
- Show thee a jay's nest, and instruct thee how
- To snare the nimble marmoset; I'll bring thee
- To clust'ring filberts, and sometimes I'll get thee
- Young scamels from the rock. Wilt thou go with me?
- STEPHANO. I prithee now, lead the way without any more
- talking. Trinculo, the King and all our company else
- being drown'd, we will inherit here. Here, bear my bottle.
- Fellow Trinculo, we'll fill him by and by again.
- CALIBAN. [Sings drunkenly] Farewell, master; farewell,
- farewell!
- TRINCULO. A howling monster; a drunken monster!
- CALIBAN. No more dams I'll make for fish;
- Nor fetch in firing
- At requiring,
- Nor scrape trenchering, nor wash dish.
- 'Ban 'Ban, Ca-Caliban,
- Has a new master-Get a new man.
- Freedom, high-day! high-day, freedom! freedom, high-
- day, freedom!
- STEPHANO. O brave monster! Lead the way. Exeunt
-
-
- ACT III. SCENE 1
-
- Before PROSPERO'S cell
- Enter FERDINAND, hearing a log
-
- FERDINAND. There be some sports are painful, and their
- labour
- Delight in them sets off; some kinds of baseness
- Are nobly undergone, and most poor matters
- Point to rich ends. This my mean task
- Would be as heavy to me as odious, but
- The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead,
- And makes my labours pleasures. O, she is
- Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed;
- And he's compos'd of harshness. I must remove
- Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up,
- Upon a sore injunction; my sweet mistress
- Weeps when she sees me work, and says such baseness
- Had never like executor. I forget;
- But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,
- Most busy, least when I do it.
-
- Enter MIRANDA; and PROSPERO at a distance, unseen
-
- MIRANDA. Alas, now; pray you,
- Work not so hard; I would the lightning had
- Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile.
- Pray, set it down and rest you; when this burns,
- 'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father
- Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself;
- He's safe for these three hours.
- FERDINAND. O most dear mistress,
- The sun will set before I shall discharge
- What I must strive to do.
- MIRANDA. If you'll sit down,
- I'll bear your logs the while; pray give me that;
- I'll carry it to the pile.
- FERDINAND. No, precious creature;
- I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
- Than you should such dishonour undergo,
- While I sit lazy by.
- MIRANDA. It would become me
- As well as it does you; and I should do it
- With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
- And yours it is against.
- PROSPERO. [Aside] Poor worm, thou art infected!
- This visitation shows it.
- MIRANDA. You look wearily.
- FERDINAND. No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me
- When you are by at night. I do beseech you,
- Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers,
- What is your name?
- MIRANDA. Miranda-O my father,
- I have broke your hest to say so!
- FERDINAND. Admir'd Miranda!
- What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
- I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time
- Th' harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
- Brought my too diligent ear; for several virtues
- Have I lik'd several women, never any
- With so full soul, but some defect in her
- Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
- And put it to the foil; but you, O you,
- So perfect and so peerless, are created
- Of every creature's best!
- MIRANDA. I do not know
- One of my sex; no woman's face remember,
- Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
- More that I may call men than you, good friend,
- And my dear father. How features are abroad,
- I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,
- The jewel in my dower, I would not wish
- Any companion in the world but you;
- Nor can imagination form a shape,
- Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle
- Something too wildly, and my father's precepts
- I therein do forget.
- FERDINAND. I am, in my condition,
- A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king-
- I would not so!-and would no more endure
- This wooden slavery than to suffer
- The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:
- The very instant that I saw you, did
- My heart fly to your service; there resides
- To make me slave to it; and for your sake
- Am I this patient log-man.
- MIRANDA. Do you love me?
- FERDINAND. O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,
- And crown what I profess with kind event,
- If I speak true! If hollowly, invert
- What best is boded me to mischief! I,
- Beyond all limit of what else i' th' world,
- Do love, prize, honour you.
- MIRANDA. I am a fool
- To weep at what I am glad of.
- PROSPERO. [Aside] Fair encounter
- Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
- On that which breeds between 'em!
- FERDINAND. Wherefore weep you?
- MIRANDA. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
- What I desire to give, and much less take
- What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;
- And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
- The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!
- And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
- I am your wife, if you will marry me;
- If not, I'll die your maid. To be your fellow
- You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
- Whether you will or no.
- FERDINAND. My mistress, dearest;
- And I thus humble ever.
- MIRANDA. My husband, then?
- FERDINAND. Ay, with a heart as willing
- As bondage e'er of freedom. Here's my hand.
- MIRANDA. And mine, with my heart in't. And now farewell
- Till half an hour hence.
- FERDINAND. A thousand thousand!
- Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA severally
- PROSPERO. So glad of this as they I cannot be,
- Who are surpris'd withal; but my rejoicing
- At nothing can be more. I'll to my book;
- For yet ere supper time must I perform
- Much business appertaining. Exit
-
-
- SCENE 2
-
- Another part of the island
- Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO
-
- STEPHANO. Tell not me-when the butt is out we will drink
- water, not a drop before; therefore bear up, and board
- 'em. Servant-monster, drink to me.
- TRINCULO. Servant-monster! The folly of this island! They
- say there's but five upon this isle: we are three of
- them; if th' other two be brain'd like us, the state
- totters.
- STEPHANO. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy
- eyes are almost set in thy head.
- TRINCULO. Where should they be set else? He were a brave
- monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.
- STEPHANO. My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in
- sack. For my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere
- I could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues, off
- and on. By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant,
- monster, or my standard.
- TRINCULO. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.
- STEPHANO. We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.
- TRINCULO. Nor go neither; but you'll lie like dogs, and
- yet say nothing neither.
- STEPHANO. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest
- a good moon-calf.
- CALIBAN. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.
- I'll not serve him; he is not valiant.
- TRINCULO. Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case
- to justle a constable. Why, thou debosh'd fish, thou,
- was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack
- as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but
- half fish and half a monster?
- CALIBAN. Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him, my
- lord?
- TRINCULO. 'Lord' quoth he! That a monster should be such
- a natural!
- CALIBAN. Lo, lo again! Bite him to death, I prithee.
- STEPHANO. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head; if
- you prove a mutineer-the next tree! The poor monster's
- my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.
- CALIBAN. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to
- hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?
- STEPHANO. Marry will I; kneel and repeat it; I will stand,
- and so shall Trinculo.
-
- Enter ARIEL, invisible
-
- CALIBAN. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant,
- sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the
- island.
- ARIEL. Thou liest.
- CALIBAN. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou;
- I would my valiant master would destroy thee.
- I do not lie.
- STEPHANO. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale,
- by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.
- TRINCULO. Why, I said nothing.
- STEPHANO. Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.
- CALIBAN. I say, by sorcery he got this isle;
- From me he got it. If thy greatness will
- Revenge it on him-for I know thou dar'st,
- But this thing dare not-
- STEPHANO. That's most certain.
- CALIBAN. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.
- STEPHANO. How now shall this be compass'd? Canst thou
- bring me to the party?
- CALIBAN. Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep,
- Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.
- ARIEL. Thou liest; thou canst not.
- CALIBAN. What a pied ninny's this! Thou scurvy patch!
- I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,
- And take his bottle from him. When that's gone
- He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him
- Where the quick freshes are.
- STEPHANO. Trinculo, run into no further danger; interrupt
- the monster one word further and, by this hand, I'll turn
- my mercy out o' doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.
- TRINCULO. Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther
- off.
- STEPHANO. Didst thou not say he lied?
- ARIEL. Thou liest.
- STEPHANO. Do I so? Take thou that. [Beats him] As you like
- this, give me the lie another time.
- TRINCULO. I did not give the lie. Out o' your wits and
- hearing too? A pox o' your bottle! This can sack and
- drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil
- take your fingers!
- CALIBAN. Ha, ha, ha!
- STEPHANO. Now, forward with your tale.-Prithee stand
- further off.
- CALIBAN. Beat him enough; after a little time, I'll beat
- him too.
- STEPHANO. Stand farther. Come, proceed.
- CALIBAN. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
- I' th' afternoon to sleep; there thou mayst brain him,
- Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log
- Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
- Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember
- First to possess his books; for without them
- He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
- One spirit to command; they all do hate him
- As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.
- He has brave utensils-for so he calls them-
- Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
- And that most deeply to consider is
- The beauty of his daughter; he himself
- Calls her a nonpareil. I never saw a woman
- But only Sycorax my dam and she;
- But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
- As great'st does least.
- STEPHANO. Is it so brave a lass?
- CALIBAN. Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant,
- And bring thee forth brave brood.
- STEPHANO. Monster, I will kill this man; his daughter and I
- will be King and Queen-save our Graces!-and Trinculo
- and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou like the plot,
- Trinculo?
- TRINCULO. Excellent.
- STEPHANO. Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee; but
- while thou liv'st, keep a good tongue in thy head.
- CALIBAN. Within this half hour will he be asleep.
- Wilt thou destroy him then?
- STEPHANO. Ay, on mine honour.
- ARIEL. This will I tell my master.
- CALIBAN. Thou mak'st me merry; I am full of pleasure.
- Let us be jocund; will you troll the catch
- You taught me but while-ere?
- STEPHANO. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any
- reason. Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. [Sings]
-
- Flout 'em and scout 'em,
- And scout 'em and flout 'em;
- Thought is free.
-
- CALIBAN. That's not the tune.
- [ARIEL plays the tune on a tabor and pipe]
- STEPHANO. What is this same?
- TRINCULO. This is the tune of our catch, play'd by the
- picture of Nobody.
- STEPHANO. If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy
- likeness; if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list.
- TRINCULO. O, forgive me my sins!
- STEPHANO. He that dies pays all debts. I defy thee. Mercy
- upon us!
- CALIBAN. Art thou afeard?
- STEPHANO. No, monster, not I.
- CALIBAN. Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
- Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
- Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
- Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices,
- That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep,
- Will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming,
- The clouds methought would open and show riches
- Ready to drop upon me, that, when I wak'd,
- I cried to dream again.
- STEPHANO. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I
- shall have my music for nothing.
- CALIBAN. When Prospero is destroy'd.
- STEPHANO. That shall be by and by; I remember the story.
- TRINCULO. The sound is going away; let's follow it, and
- after do our work.
- STEPHANO. Lead, monster; we'll follow. I would I could see
- this taborer; he lays it on.
- TRINCULO. Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano. Exeunt
-
-
- SCENE 3
-
- Another part of the island
- Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN
- FRANCISCO, and OTHERS
-
- GONZALO. By'r lakin, I can go no further, sir;
- My old bones ache. Here's a maze trod, indeed,
- Through forth-rights and meanders! By your patience,
- I needs must rest me.
- ALONSO. Old lord, I cannot blame thee,
- Who am myself attach'd with weariness
- To th' dulling of my spirits; sit down and rest.
- Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it
- No longer for my flatterer; he is drown'd
- Whom thus we stray to find, and the sea mocks
- Our frustrate search on land. Well, let him go.
- ANTONIO. [Aside to SEBASTIAN] I am right glad that he's
- so out of hope.
- Do not, for one repulse, forgo the purpose
- That you resolv'd t' effect.
- SEBASTIAN. [Aside to ANTONIO] The next advantage
- Will we take throughly.
- ANTONIO. [Aside to SEBASTIAN] Let it be to-night;
- For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they
- Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance
- As when they are fresh.
- SEBASTIAN. [Aside to ANTONIO] I say, to-night; no more.
-
- Solemn and strange music; and PROSPERO on the
- top, invisible. Enter several strange SHAPES,
- bringing in a banquet; and dance about it with
- gentle actions of salutations; and inviting the
- KING, etc., to eat, they depart
-
- ALONSO. What harmony is this? My good friends, hark!
- GONZALO. Marvellous sweet music!
- ALONSO. Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these?
- SEBASTIAN. A living drollery. Now I will believe
- That there are unicorns; that in Arabia
- There is one tree, the phoenix' throne, one phoenix
- At this hour reigning-there.
- ANTONIO. I'll believe both;
- And what does else want credit, come to me,
- And I'll be sworn 'tis true; travellers ne'er did lie,
- Though fools at home condemn 'em.
- GONZALO. If in Naples
- I should report this now, would they believe me?
- If I should say, I saw such islanders,
- For certes these are people of the island,
- Who though they are of monstrous shape yet, note,
- Their manners are more gentle-kind than of
- Our human generation you shall find
- Many, nay, almost any.
- PROSPERO. [Aside] Honest lord,
- Thou hast said well; for some of you there present
- Are worse than devils.
- ALONSO. I cannot too much muse
- Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing,
- Although they want the use of tongue, a kind
- Of excellent dumb discourse.
- PROSPERO. [Aside] Praise in departing.
- FRANCISCO. They vanish'd strangely.
- SEBASTIAN. No matter, since
- They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.
- Will't please you taste of what is here?
- ALONSO. Not I.
- GONZALO. Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys,
- Who would believe that there were mountaineers,
- Dewlapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging at 'em
- Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men
- Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find
- Each putter-out of five for one will bring us
- Good warrant of.
- ALONSO. I will stand to, and feed,
- Although my last; no matter, since I feel
- The best is past. Brother, my lord the Duke,
- Stand to, and do as we.
-
- Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL, like a harpy;
- claps his wings upon the table; and, with a quaint
- device, the banquet vanishes
-
- ARIEL. You are three men of sin, whom Destiny,
- That hath to instrument this lower world
- And what is in't, the never-surfeited sea
- Hath caus'd to belch up you; and on this island
- Where man doth not inhabit-you 'mongst men
- Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad;
- And even with such-like valour men hang and drown
- Their proper selves.
- [ALONSO, SEBASTIAN etc., draw their swords]
- You fools! I and my fellows
- Are ministers of Fate; the elements
- Of whom your swords are temper'd may as well
- Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs
- Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish
- One dowle that's in my plume; my fellow-ministers
- Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt,
- Your swords are now too massy for your strengths
- And will not be uplifted. But remember-
- For that's my business to you-that you three
- From Milan did supplant good Prospero;
- Expos'd unto the sea, which hath requit it,
- Him, and his innocent child; for which foul deed
- The pow'rs, delaying, not forgetting, have
- Incens'd the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,
- Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso,
- They have bereft; and do pronounce by me
- Ling'ring perdition, worse than any death
- Can be at once, shall step by step attend
- You and your ways; whose wraths to guard you from-
- Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls
- Upon your heads-is nothing but heart's sorrow,
- And a clear life ensuing.
-
- He vanishes in thunder; then, to soft music, enter
- the SHAPES again, and dance, with mocks and mows,
- and carrying out the table
-
- PROSPERO. Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou
- Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring.
- Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated
- In what thou hadst to say; so, with good life
- And observation strange, my meaner ministers
- Their several kinds have done. My high charms work,
- And these mine enemies are all knit up
- In their distractions. They now are in my pow'r;
- And in these fits I leave them, while I visit
- Young Ferdinand, whom they suppose is drown'd,
- And his and mine lov'd darling. Exit above
- GONZALO. I' th' name of something holy, sir, why stand you
- In this strange stare?
- ALONSO. O, it is monstrous, monstrous!
- Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it;
- The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder,
- That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd
- The name of Prosper; it did bass my trespass.
- Therefore my son i' th' ooze is bedded; and
- I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,
- And with him there lie mudded. Exit
- SEBASTIAN. But one fiend at a time,
- I'll fight their legions o'er.
- ANTONIO. I'll be thy second. Exeunt SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO
- GONZALO. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt,
- Like poison given to work a great time after,
- Now gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you,
- That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly,
- And hinder them from what this ecstasy
- May now provoke them to.
- ADRIAN. Follow, I pray you. Exeunt
-
- ACT IV. SCENE 1
-
- Before PROSPERO'S cell
- Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA
-
- PROSPERO. If I have too austerely punish'd you,
- Your compensation makes amends; for
- Have given you here a third of mine own life,
- Or that for which I live; who once again
- I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations
- Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
- Hast strangely stood the test; here, afore heaven,
- I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand!
- Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
- For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
- And make it halt behind her.
- FERDINAND. I do believe it
- Against an oracle.
- PROSPERO. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition
- Wort'hily purchas'd, take my daughter. But
- If thou dost break her virgin-knot before
- All sanctimonious ceremonies may
- With full and holy rite be minist'red,
- No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
- To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
- Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew
- The union of your bed with weeds so loathly
- That you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed,
- As Hymen's lamps shall light you.
- FERDINAND. As I hope
- For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,
- With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den,
- The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion
- Our worser genius can, shall never melt
- Mine honour into lust, to take away
- The edge of that day's celebration,
- When I shall think or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd
- Or Night kept chain'd below.
- PROSPERO. Fairly spoke.
- Sit, then, and talk with her; she is thine own.
- What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel!
-
- Enter ARIEL
-
- ARIEL. What would my potent master? Here I am.
- PROSPERO. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service
- Did worthily perform; and I must use you
- In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,
- O'er whom I give thee pow'r, here to this place.
- Incite them to quick motion; for I must
- Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
- Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise,
- And they expect it from me.
- ARIEL. Presently?
- PROSPERO. Ay, with a twink.
- ARIEL. Before you can say 'come' and 'go,'
- And breathe twice, and cry 'so, so,'
- Each one, tripping on his toe,
- Will be here with mop and mow.
- Do you love me, master? No?
- PROSPERO. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach
- Till thou dost hear me call.
- ARIEL. Well! I conceive. Exit
- PROSPERO. Look thou be true; do not give dalliance
- Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw
- To th' fire i' th' blood. Be more abstemious,
- Or else good night your vow!
- FERDINAND. I warrant you, sir,
- The white cold virgin snow upon my heart
- Abates the ardour of my liver.
- PROSPERO. Well!
- Now come, my Ariel, bring a corollary,
- Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.
- No tongue! All eyes! Be silent. [Soft music]
-
- Enter IRIS
-
- IRIS. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
- Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease;
- Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
- And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep;
- Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,
- Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,
- To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves,
- Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
- Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;
- And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky hard,
- Where thou thyself dost air-the Queen o' th' sky,
- Whose wat'ry arch and messenger am I,
- Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
- Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
- To come and sport. Her peacocks fly amain.
- [JUNO descends in her car]
- Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.
-
- Enter CERES
-
- CERES. Hail, many-coloured messenger, that ne'er
- Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
- Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flow'rs
- Diffusest honey drops, refreshing show'rs;
- And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
- My bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down,
- Rich scarf to my proud earth-why hath thy Queen
- Summon'd me hither to this short-grass'd green?
- IRIS. A contract of true love to celebrate,
- And some donation freely to estate
- On the blest lovers.
- CERES. Tell me, heavenly bow,
- If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
- Do now attend the Queen? Since they did plot
- The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
- Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company
- I have forsworn.
- IRIS. Of her society
- Be not afraid. I met her Deity
- Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son
- Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done
- Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
- Whose vows are that no bed-rite shall be paid
- Till Hymen's torch be lighted; but in vain.
- Mars's hot minion is return'd again;
- Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
- Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
- And be a boy right out. [JUNO alights]
- CERES. Highest Queen of State,
- Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gait.
- JUNO. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me
- To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be,
- And honour'd in their issue. [They sing]
- JUNO. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
- Long continuance, and increasing,
- Hourly joys be still upon you!
- Juno sings her blessings on you.
- CERES. Earth's increase, foison plenty,
- Barns and gamers never empty;
- Vines with clust'ring bunches growing,
- Plants with goodly burden bowing;
- Spring come to you at the farthest,
- In the very end of harvest!
- Scarcity and want shall shun you,
- Ceres' blessing so is on you.
- FERDINAND. This is a most majestic vision, and
- Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
- To think these spirits?
- PROSPERO. Spirits, which by mine art
- I have from their confines call'd to enact
- My present fancies.
- FERDINAND. Let me live here ever;
- So rare a wond'red father and a wise
- Makes this place Paradise.
- [JUNO and CERES whisper, and send IRIS on employment]
- PROSPERO. Sweet now, silence;
- Juno and Ceres whisper seriously.
- There's something else to do; hush, and be mute,
- Or else our spell is marr'd.
- IRIS. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wind'ring brooks,
- With your sedg'd crowns and ever harmless looks,
- Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land
- Answer your summons; Juno does command.
- Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
- A contract of true love; be not too late.
-
- Enter certain NYMPHS
-
- You sun-burnt sicklemen, of August weary,
- Come hither from the furrow, and be merry;
- Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put on,
- And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
- In country footing.
-
- Enter certain REAPERS, properly habited; they join
- with the NYMPHS in a graceful dance; towards the
- end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks,
- after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused
- noise, they heavily vanish
-
- PROSPERO. [Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy
- Of the beast Caliban and his confederates
- Against my life; the minute of their plot
- Is almost come. [To the SPIRITS] Well done; avoid; no
- more!
- FERDINAND. This is strange; your father's in some passion
- That works him strongly.
- MIRANDA. Never till this day
- Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
- PROSPERO. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,
- As if you were dismay'd; be cheerful, sir.
- Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
- As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
- Are melted into air, into thin air;
- And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
- The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
- The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
- Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
- And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
- Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
- As dreams are made on; and our little life
- Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd;
- Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled;
- Be not disturb'd with my infirmity.
- If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell
- And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk
- To still my beating mind.
- FERDINAND, MIRANDA. We wish your peace. Exeunt
- PROSPERO. Come, with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel; come.
-
- Enter ARIEL
-
- ARIEL. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What's thy pleasure?
- PROSPERO. Spirit,
- We must prepare to meet with Caliban.
- ARIEL. Ay, my commander. When I presented 'Ceres.'
- I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd
- Lest I might anger thee.
- PROSPERO. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?
- ARIEL. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;
- So full of valour that they smote the air
- For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
- For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
- Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor,
- At which like unback'd colts they prick'd their ears,
- Advanc'd their eyelids, lifted up their noses
- As they smelt music; so I charm'd their cars,
- That calf-like they my lowing follow'd through
- Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns,
- Which ent'red their frail shins. At last I left them
- I' th' filthy mantled pool beyond your cell,
- There dancing up to th' chins, that the foul lake
- O'erstunk their feet.
- PROSPERO. This was well done, my bird.
- Thy shape invisible retain thou still.
- The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither
- For stale to catch these thieves.
- ARIEL. I go, I go. Exit
- PROSPERO. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
- Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
- Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
- And as with age his body uglier grows,
- So his mind cankers. I will plague them all,
- Even to roaring.
-
- Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering apparel, &c.
-
- Come, hang them on this line.
- [PROSPERO and ARIEL remain, invisible]
-
- Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet
-
- CALIBAN. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
- Hear a foot fall; we now are near his cell.
- STEPHANO. Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless
- fairy, has done little better than play'd the Jack with us.
- TRINCULO. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss at which my
- nose is in great indignation.
- STEPHANO. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should
- take a displeasure against you, look you-
- TRINCULO. Thou wert but a lost monster.
- CALIBAN. Good my lord, give me thy favour still.
- Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to
- Shall hoodwink this mischance; therefore speak softly.
- All's hush'd as midnight yet.
- TRINCULO. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool!
- STEPHANO. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in
- that, monster, but an infinite loss.
- TRINCULO. That's more to me than my wetting; yet this is
- your harmless fairy, monster.
- STEPHANO. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er
- ears for my labour.
- CALIBAN. Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here,
- This is the mouth o' th' cell; no noise, and enter.
- Do that good mischief which may make this island
- Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
- For aye thy foot-licker.
- STEPHANO. Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody
- thoughts.
- TRINCULO. O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano!
- Look what a wardrobe here is for thee!
- CALIBAN. Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.
- TRINCULO. O, ho, monster; we know what belongs to a
- frippery. O King Stephano!
- STEPHANO. Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I'll
- have that gown.
- TRINCULO. Thy Grace shall have it.
- CALIBAN. The dropsy drown this fool! What do you mean
- To dote thus on such luggage? Let 't alone,
- And do the murder first. If he awake,
- From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches;
- Make us strange stuff.
- STEPHANO. Be you quiet, monster. Mistress line, is not
- this my jerkin? Now is the jerkin under the line; now,
- jerkin, you are like to lose your hair, and prove a bald
- jerkin.
- TRINCULO. Do, do. We steal by line and level, an't like
- your Grace.
- STEPHANO. I thank thee for that jest; here's a garment
- for't. Wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king of
- this country. 'Steal by line and level' is an excellent
- pass of pate; there's another garmet for't.
- TRINCULO. Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers,
- and away with the rest.
- CALIBAN. I will have none on't. We shall lose our time,
- And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes
- With foreheads villainous low.
- STEPHANO. Monster, lay-to your fingers; help to bear this
- away where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn you out
- of my kingdom. Go to, carry this.
- TRINCULO. And this.
- STEPHANO. Ay, and this.
-
- A noise of hunters beard. Enter divers SPIRITS, in
- shape of dogs and hounds, bunting them about;
- PROSPERO and ARIEL setting them on
-
- PROSPERO. Hey, Mountain, hey!
- ARIEL. Silver! there it goes, Silver!
- PROSPERO. Fury, Fury! There, Tyrant, there! Hark, hark!
- [CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO are driven out]
- Go charge my goblins that they grind their joints
- With dry convulsions, shorten up their sinews
- With aged cramps, and more pinch-spotted make them
- Than pard or cat o' mountain.
- ARIEL. Hark, they roar.
- PROSPERO. Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour
- Lies at my mercy all mine enemies.
- Shortly shall all my labours end, and thou
- Shalt have the air at freedom; for a little
- Follow, and do me service. Exeunt
-
-
- ACT V. SCENE 1
-
- Before PROSPERO'S cell
- Enter PROSPERO in his magic robes, and ARIEL
-
- PROSPERO. Now does my project gather to a head;
- My charms crack not, my spirits obey; and time
- Goes upright with his carriage. How's the day?
- ARIEL. On the sixth hour; at which time, my lord,
- You said our work should cease.
- PROSPERO. I did say so,
- When first I rais'd the tempest. Say, my spirit,
- How fares the King and 's followers?
- ARIEL. Confin'd together
- In the same fashion as you gave in charge;
- Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir,
- In the line-grove which weather-fends your cell;
- They cannot budge till your release. The King,
- His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted,
- And the remainder mourning over them,
- Brim full of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
- Him you term'd, sir, 'the good old lord, Gonzalo';
- His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops
- From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly works 'em
- That if you now beheld them your affections
- Would become tender.
- PROSPERO. Dost thou think so, spirit?
- ARIEL. Mine would, sir, were I human.
- PROSPERO. And mine shall.
- Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling
- Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
- One of their kind, that relish all as sharply,
- Passion as they, be kindlier mov'd than thou art?
- Though with their high wrongs I am struck to th' quick,
- Yet with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury
- Do I take part; the rarer action is
- In virtue than in vengeance; they being penitent,
- The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
- Not a frown further. Go release them, Ariel;
- My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore,
- And they shall be themselves.
- ARIEL. I'll fetch them, sir. Exit
- PROSPERO. Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and
- groves;
- And ye that on the sands with printless foot
- Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him
- When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
- By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make,
- Whereof the ewe not bites; and you whose pastime
- Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice
- To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid-
- Weak masters though ye be-I have be-dimm'd
- The noontide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
- And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault
- Set roaring war. To the dread rattling thunder
- Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
- With his own bolt; the strong-bas'd promontory
- Have I made shake, and by the spurs pluck'd up
- The pine and cedar. Graves at my command
- Have wak'd their sleepers, op'd, and let 'em forth,
- By my so potent art. But this rough magic
- I here abjure; and, when I have requir'd
- Some heavenly music-which even now I do-
- To work mine end upon their senses that
- This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
- Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
- And deeper than did ever plummet sound
- I'll drown my book. [Solem music]
-
- Here enters ARIEL before; then ALONSO, with
- frantic gesture, attended by GONZALO; SEBASTIAN
- and ANTONIO in like manner, attended by ADRIAN
- and FRANCISCO. They all enter the circle which
- PROSPERO had made, and there stand charm'd; which
- PROSPERO observing, speaks
-
- A solemn air, and the best comforter
- To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
- Now useless, boil'd within thy skull! There stand,
- For you are spell-stopp'd.
- Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,
- Mine eyes, ev'n sociable to the show of thine,
- Fall fellowly drops. The charm dissolves apace,
- And as the morning steals upon the night,
- Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
- Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
- Their clearer reason. O good Gonzalo,
- My true preserver, and a loyal sir
- To him thou follow'st! I will pay thy graces
- Home both in word and deed. Most cruelly
- Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter;
- Thy brother was a furtherer in the act.
- Thou art pinch'd for't now, Sebastian. Flesh and blood,
- You, brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
- Expell'd remorse and nature, who, with Sebastian-
- Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong-
- Would here have kill'd your king, I do forgive thee,
- Unnatural though thou art. Their understanding
- Begins to swell, and the approaching tide
- Will shortly fill the reasonable shore
- That now lies foul and muddy. Not one of them
- That yet looks on me, or would know me. Ariel,
- Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell; Exit ARIEL
- I will discase me, and myself present
- As I was sometime Milan. Quickly, spirit
- Thou shalt ere long be free.
-
- ARIEL, on returning, sings and helps to attire him
-
- Where the bee sucks, there suck I;
- In a cowslip's bell I lie;
- There I couch when owls do cry.
- On the bat's back I do fly
- After summer merrily.
- Merrily, merrily shall I live now
- Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.
-
- PROSPERO. Why, that's my dainty Ariel! I shall miss thee;
- But yet thou shalt have freedom. So, so, so.
- To the King's ship, invisible as thou art;
- There shalt thou find the mariners asleep
- Under the hatches; the master and the boatswain
- Being awake, enforce them to this place;
- And presently, I prithee.
- ARIEL. I drink the air before me, and return
- Or ere your pulse twice beat. Exit
- GONZALO. All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement,
- Inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us
- Out of this fearful country!
- PROSPERO. Behold, Sir King,
- The wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero.
- For more assurance that a living prince
- Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;
- And to thee and thy company I bid
- A hearty welcome.
- ALONSO. Whe'er thou be'st he or no,
- Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
- As late I have been, I not know. Thy pulse
- Beats, as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
- Th' affliction of my mind amends, with which,
- I fear, a madness held me. This must crave-
- An if this be at all-a most strange story.
- Thy dukedom I resign, and do entreat
- Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should Prospero
- Be living and be here?
- PROSPERO. First, noble friend,
- Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
- Be measur'd or confin'd.
- GONZALO. Whether this be
- Or be not, I'll not swear.
- PROSPERO. You do yet taste
- Some subtleties o' th' isle, that will not let you
- Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all!
- [Aside to SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO] But you, my brace of
- lords, were I so minded,
- I here could pluck his Highness' frown upon you,
- And justify you traitors; at this time
- I will tell no tales.
- SEBASTIAN. [Aside] The devil speaks in him.
- PROSPERO. No.
- For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother
- Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
- Thy rankest fault-all of them; and require
- My dukedom of thee, which perforce I know
- Thou must restore.
- ALONSO. If thou beest Prospero,
- Give us particulars of thy preservation;
- How thou hast met us here, whom three hours since
- Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost-
- How sharp the point of this remembrance is!-
- My dear son Ferdinand.
- PROSPERO. I am woe for't, sir.
- ALONSO. Irreparable is the loss; and patience
- Says it is past her cure.
- PROSPERO. I rather think
- You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace
- For the like loss I have her sovereign aid,
- And rest myself content.
- ALONSO. You the like loss!
- PROSPERO. As great to me as late; and, supportable
- To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker
- Than you may call to comfort you, for I
- Have lost my daughter.
- ALONSO. A daughter!
- O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
- The King and Queen there! That they were, I wish
- Myself were mudded in that oozy bed
- Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?
- PROSPERO. In this last tempest. I perceive these lords
- At this encounter do so much admire
- That they devour their reason, and scarce think
- Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
- Are natural breath; but, howsoe'er you have
- Been justled from your senses, know for certain
- That I am Prospero, and that very duke
- Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
- Upon this shore, where you were wrecked, was landed
- To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
- For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
- Not a relation for a breakfast, nor
- Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
- This cell's my court; here have I few attendants,
- And subjects none abroad; pray you, look in.
- My dukedom since you have given me again,
- I will requite you with as good a thing;
- At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye
- As much as me my dukedom.
-
- Here PROSPERO discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA,
- playing at chess
-
- MIRANDA. Sweet lord, you play me false.
- FERDINAND. No, my dearest love,
- I would not for the world.
- MIRANDA. Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle
- And I would call it fair play.
- ALONSO. If this prove
- A vision of the island, one dear son
- Shall I twice lose.
- SEBASTIAN. A most high miracle!
- FERDINAND. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful;
- I have curs'd them without cause. [Kneels]
- ALONSO. Now all the blessings
- Of a glad father compass thee about!
- Arise, and say how thou cam'st here.
- MIRANDA. O, wonder!
- How many goodly creatures are there here!
- How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world
- That has such people in't!
- PROSPERO. 'Tis new to thee.
- ALONSO. What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?
- Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours;
- Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,
- And brought us thus together?
- FERDINAND. Sir, she is mortal;
- But by immortal Providence she's mine.
- I chose her when I could not ask my father
- For his advice, nor thought I had one. She
- Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
- Of whom so often I have heard renown
- But never saw before; of whom I have
- Receiv'd a second life; and second father
- This lady makes him to me.
- ALONSO. I am hers.
- But, O, how oddly will it sound that I
- Must ask my child forgiveness!
- PROSPERO. There, sir, stop;
- Let us not burden our remembrances with
- A heaviness that's gone.
- GONZALO. I have inly wept,
- Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods,
- And on this couple drop a blessed crown;
- For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way
- Which brought us hither.
- ALONSO. I say, Amen, Gonzalo!
- GONZALO. Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
- Should become Kings of Naples? O, rejoice
- Beyond a common joy, and set it down
- With gold on lasting pillars: in one voyage
- Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis;
- And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife
- Where he himself was lost; Prospero his dukedom
- In a poor isle; and all of us ourselves
- When no man was his own.
- ALONSO. [To FERDINAND and MIRANDA] Give me your
- hands.
- Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart
- That doth not wish you joy.
- GONZALO. Be it so. Amen!
-
- Re-enter ARIEL, with the MASTER and BOATSWAIN
- amazedly following
-
- O look, sir; look, sir! Here is more of us!
- I prophesied, if a gallows were on land,
- This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,
- That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore?
- Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?
- BOATSWAIN. The best news is that we have safely found
- Our King and company; the next, our ship-
- Which but three glasses since we gave out split-
- Is tight and yare, and bravely rigg'd, as when
- We first put out to sea.
- ARIEL. [Aside to PROSPERO] Sir, all this service
- Have I done since I went.
- PROSPERO. [Aside to ARIEL] My tricksy spirit!
- ALONSO. These are not natural events; they strengthen
- From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?
- BOATSWAIN. If I did think, sir, I were well awake,
- I'd strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep,
- And-how, we know not-all clapp'd under hatches;
- Where, but even now, with strange and several noises
- Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,
- And moe diversity of sounds, all horrible,
- We were awak'd; straightway at liberty;
- Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
- Our royal, good, and gallant ship; our master
- Cap'ring to eye her. On a trice, so please you,
- Even in a dream, were we divided from them,
- And were brought moping hither.
- ARIEL. [Aside to PROSPERO] Was't well done?
- PROSPERO. [Aside to ARIEL] Bravely, my diligence. Thou
- shalt be free.
- ALONSO. This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod;
- And there is in this business more than nature
- Was ever conduct of. Some oracle
- Must rectify our knowledge.
- PROSPERO. Sir, my liege,
- Do not infest your mind with beating on
- The strangeness of this business; at pick'd leisure,
- Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you,
- Which to you shall seem probable, of every
- These happen'd accidents; till when, be cheerful
- And think of each thing well. [Aside to ARIEL] Come
- hither, spirit;
- Set Caliban and his companions free;
- Untie the spell. [Exit ARIEL] How fares my gracious sir?
- There are yet missing of your company
- Some few odd lads that you remember not.
-
- Re-enter ARIEL, driving in CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and
-
- TRINCULO, in their stolen apparel
- STEPHANO. Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man
- take care for himself; for all is but fortune. Coragio,
- bully-monster, coragio!
- TRINCULO. If these be true spies which I wear in my head,
- here's a goodly sight.
- CALIBAN. O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed!
- How fine my master is! I am afraid
- He will chastise me.
- SEBASTIAN. Ha, ha!
- What things are these, my lord Antonio?
- Will money buy'em?
- ANTONIO. Very like; one of them
- Is a plain fish, and no doubt marketable.
- PROSPERO. Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
- Then say if they be true. This mis-shapen knave-
- His mother was a witch, and one so strong
- That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,
- And deal in her command without her power.
- These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil-
- For he's a bastard one-had plotted with them
- To take my life. Two of these fellows you
- Must know and own; this thing of darkness I
- Acknowledge mine.
- CALIBAN. I shall be pinch'd to death.
- ALONSO. Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
- SEBASTIAN. He is drunk now; where had he wine?
- ALONSO. And Trinculo is reeling ripe; where should they
- Find this grand liquor that hath gilded 'em?
- How cam'st thou in this pickle?
- TRINCULO. I have been in such a pickle since I saw you
- last that, I fear me, will never out of my bones. I
- shall not fear fly-blowing.
- SEBASTIAN. Why, how now, Stephano!
- STEPHANO. O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a
- cramp.
- PROSPERO. You'd be king o' the isle, sirrah?
- STEPHANO. I should have been a sore one, then.
- ALONSO. [Pointing to CALIBAN] This is as strange a thing
- as e'er I look'd on.
- PROSPERO. He is as disproportioned in his manners
- As in his shape. Go, sirrah, to my cell;
- Take with you your companions; as you look
- To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.
- CALIBAN. Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter,
- And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass
- Was I to take this drunkard for a god,
- And worship this dull fool!
- PROSPERO. Go to; away!
- ALONSO. Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
- SEBASTIAN. Or stole it, rather.
- Exeunt CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO
- PROSPERO. Sir, I invite your Highness and your train
- To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest
- For this one night; which, part of it, I'll waste
- With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it
- Go quick away-the story of my life,
- And the particular accidents gone by
- Since I came to this isle. And in the morn
- I'll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples,
- Where I have hope to see the nuptial
- Of these our dear-belov'd solemnized,
- And thence retire me to my Milan, where
- Every third thought shall be my grave.
- ALONSO. I long
- To hear the story of your life, which must
- Take the ear strangely.
- PROSPERO. I'll deliver all;
- And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,
- And sail so expeditious that shall catch
- Your royal fleet far off. [Aside to ARIEL] My Ariel,
- chick,
- That is thy charge. Then to the elements
- Be free, and fare thou well!-Please you, draw near.
- Exeunt
-
-
- EPILOGUE
- EPILOGUE
- Spoken by PROSPERO
-
- Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
- And what strength I have's mine own,
- Which is most faint. Now 'tis true,
- I must be here confin'd by you,
- Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
- Since I have my dukedom got,
- And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
- In this bare island by your spell;
- But release me from my bands
- With the help of your good hands.
- Gentle breath of yours my sails
- Must fill, or else my project fails,
- Which was to please. Now I want
- Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;
- And my ending is despair
- Unless I be reliev'd by prayer,
- Which pierces so that it assaults
- Mercy itself, and frees all faults.
- As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
- Let your indulgence set me free.
- THE END
-