The Tempest
William Shakespeare (1564 C.E.-1616 C.E.)
Published in the First Folio of 1623 C.E.
England
The Tempest is regarded as the last play Shakespeare wrote alone, based on the fact that it uses material only available in late 1610 C.E. and it was performed before King James on Hallowmas Night, 1611 C.E. After writing this play, Shakespeare soon retired to Stratford, but he also collaborated on at least two other plays. Scholars group The Tempest among Shakespeare’s late plays called “romances,” a modern term for a genre of plays that blend elements of tragedy and comedy. It was published in the First Folio of 1623, which is the first published edition of the collected works of William Shakespeare. The actions of The Tempest take place in a single location in a single day (keeping the unities of time and place), beginning with a storm raised by Prospero, the former duke of Milan, whose position has been usurped by his brother Antonio and King Alonzo of Naples. The play has lent itself to numerous adaptations, including Aimé Césaire’s 1969 postcolonial adaptation, Une Tempête (“A Tempest”).
Written by Kyounghye Kwon
The Tempest
William Shakespeare
License: Public Domain
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.
ADRIAN, Lord
FRANCISCO, Lord
CALIBAN, a savage and deformed Slave.
TRINCULO, a Jester.
STEPHANO, a drunken Butler.
Master of a Ship.
Boatswain.
Mariners.
MIRANDA, daughter of Prospero.
ARIEL, an airy Spirit.
IRIS,
CERES,
JUNO, presented by Spirits
Nymphs,
Reapers,
Other Spirits attending on Prospero.
Scene—A ship at sea: an uninhabited island
ACT I
Scene I—On a ship at sea: a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard
[Enter a Ship-Master and a Boatswain]
Mast.
Boatswain!1
Boats.
Here, master: what cheer?
Good, speak to the mariners: fall to’t, yarely, or we run
ourselves aground: bestir, bestir. [Exit.]
[Enter Mariners.]
Boats.
Heigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare! 5
Take in the topsail. Tend to the master’s whistle.
Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!
[Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and others.]
Alon.
Good boatswain, have care. Where’s the master?
Play the men.
Boats.
I pray now, keep below.10
Where is the master, boatswain?
Boats.
Do you not hear him? You mar our labour: keep
your cabins: you do assist the storm.
Gon.
Nay, good, be patient.
Boats.
When the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for 15
the name of king? To cabin: silence! trouble us not.
Gon.
Good, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.
Boats.
None that I more love than myself. You are a Counsellor;
if you can command these elements to silence, and work
the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; 20
use your authority: if you cannot, give thanks you have
lived 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.]
Gon.
I have great comfort from this fellow: methinks 25
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 hanged,
our case is miserable. [Exeunt.]30
[Re-enter Boatswain.]
Down with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring her
to try with main-course. [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? 35
Have you a mind to sink?
Seb.
A pox o’ your throat, you bawling, blasphemous,
incharitable dog!
Boats.
Work you, then.
Ant.
Hang, cur! hang, you whoreson, insolent noise-maker. We are 40
less afraid to be drowned than thou art.
Gon.
I’ll warrant him for drowning; though the ship were no
stronger than a nutshell, and as leaky as an unstanched wench.
Boats.
Lay her a-hold, a-hold! set her two courses off to sea again;
lay her off.45
All lost! to prayers, to prayers! all lost!
Boats.
What, must our mouths be cold?
The king and prince at prayers! let’s assist them,
For our case is as theirs.
Seb.
I’m out of patience.50
Ant.
We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards:
This wide-chapp’d rascal,—would thou mightst lie drowning
The washing of ten tides!
Gon.
He’ll be hang’d yet,
Though every drop of water swear against it,55
And gape at widest 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!”
Ant.
Let’s all sink with the king.60
Seb.
Let’s take leave of him. [Exeunt Ant. and Seb.]
Gon.
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 a dry death.
[Exeunt.]
Scene II—The island—Before Prospero’s cell
[Enter Prospero and Miranda.]
Mir.
If by your art, my dearest father, you have65
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them.
The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
But that the sea, mounting to the welkin’s cheek,
Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffer’d
With those that I saw suffer! a brave vessel,70
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 ere75
It should the good ship so have swallow’d and
The fraughting souls within her.
Pros.
Be collected:
No more amazement: tell your piteous heart
There’s no harm done.80
O, woe the day!
Pros.
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 knowing85
Of whence I am, nor that I am more better
Than Prospero, master of a full poor cell,
And thy no greater father.
Mir.
More to know
Did never meddle with my thoughts.90
Pros.
’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’d95
The very virtue of compassion in thee,
I have with such provision in mine art
So safely order’d, that there is no soul,
No, not so much perdition as an hair
Betid to any creature in the vessel100
Which thou heard’st cry, which thou saw’st sink. Sit down;
For thou must now know farther.
Mir.
You have often
Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp’d,
And left me to a bootless inquisition,105
Concluding “Stay: not yet.”
Pros.
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?110
I do not think thou canst, for then thou wast not
Mir.
Certainly, sir, I can.
Pros.
By what? by any other house or person?
Of any thing the image tell me that115
Hath kept with thy remembrance.
Mir.
’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?120
Pros.
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 remember’st ought ere thou camest here,
How thou camest here thou mayst.125
Mir.
But that I do not.
Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since,
Thy father was the Duke of Milan, and
A prince of power.
Mir.
Sir, are not you my father?130
Pros.
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.
Mir.
O the heavens!135
What foul play had we, that we came from thence?
Or blessed was’t we did?
Pros.
Both, both, my girl:
By foul play, as thou say’st, were we heaved thence;
Mir.
O, my heart bleeds
To think o’ the teen that I have turn’d you to.
Which is from my remembrance! Please you, farther.
Pros.
My brother, and thy uncle, call’d Antonio,—
I pray thee, mark me,—that a brother should145
Be so perfidious!—he whom, next thyself,
Of all the world I loved, 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 reputed150
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—155
Mir.
Sir, most heedfully.
Pros.
Being once perfected how to grant suits,
How to deny them, whom to advance, and whom
To trash for over-topping, new created160
The creatures that were mine, I say, or changed ’em,
Or else new form’d ’em; having both the key
Of officer and office, set all hearts i’ the state
To what tune pleased his ear; that now he was
The ivy which had hid my princely trunk,165
And suck’d my verdure out on’t. Thou attend’st not.
O, good sir, I do.
Pros.
I pray thee, mark me.
I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated
To closeness and the bettering of my mind170
With that which, but by being so retired,
O’er-prized all popular rate, in my false brother
Awaked an evil nature; and my trust,
Like a good parent, did beget of him
A falsehood in its contrary, as great175
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,180
Made such a sinner of his memory,
To credit his own lie, he did believe
He was indeed the duke; out o’ the substitution,
And executing the outward face of royalty,
With all prerogative:—hence his ambition growing,—185
Mir.
Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.
Pros.
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 library190
Was dukedom large enough: of temporal royalties
He thinks me now incapable; confederates,
So dry he was for sway, wi’ the King of Naples
To give him annual tribute, do him homage,
Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend195
The dukedom, yet unbow’d,—alas, poor Milan!—
Mir.
O the heavens!
Pros.
Mark his condition, and th’ event; then tell me
If this might be a brother.200
Mir.
I should sin
To think but nobly of my grandmother:
Good wombs have borne bad sons.
Pros.
Now the condition.
This King of Naples, being an enemy205
To me inveterate, hearkens my brother’s suit;
Which was, that he, in lieu o’ the premises,
Of homage and I know not how much tribute,
Should presently extirpate me and mine
Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan,210
With all the honours, on my brother: whereon,
A treacherous army levied, one midnight
Fated to the purpose, did Antonio open
The gates of Milan; and, i’ the dead of darkness,
The ministers for the purpose hurried thence215
Me and thy crying self.
Mir.
Alack, for pity!
I, not remembering how I cried out then,
Will cry it o’er again: it is a hint
That wrings mine eyes to’t.220
Pros.
Hear a little further,
And then I’ll bring thee to the present business
Which now’s upon ’s; without the which, this story
Were most impertinent.
Mir.
That hour destroy us?
Pros.
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; but230
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 boat, not rigg’d,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats235
Instinctively have quit it: there they hoist us,
To cry to the sea that roar’d to us; to sigh
To the winds, whose pity, sighing back again,
Did us but loving wrong.
Mir.
Alack, what trouble240
Was I then to you!
Image 11.17: Prospero | Prospero sits and speaks with Miranda.
Author: Walter Crane
Source: The University of Adelaide
License: Public Domain
Pros.
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,245
Under my burthen groan’d; which raised in me
An undergoing stomach, to bear up
Against what should ensue.
Mir.
How came we ashore?
Pros.
By Providence divine.250
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,255
Which since have steaded much; so, of his gentleness,
Knowing I loved my books, he furnish’d me
From mine own library with volumes that
I prize above my dukedom.
Mir.
Would I might260
But ever see that man!
Pros.
Now I arise: [Resumes his mantle.]
Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow.
Here in this island we arrived; and here
Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit265
Than other princesses can, that have more time
For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful.
Mir.
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?270
Pros.
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 upon275
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 inclined to sleep; ’tis a good dulness,
And give it way: I know thou canst not choose. [Miranda sleeps.]280
Come away, servant, come. I am ready now.
Approach, my Ariel, come.
Ari.
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 ride285
On the curl’d clouds, to thy strong bidding task
Pros.
Hast thou, spirit,
Perform’d to point the tempest that I bade thee?
Ari.
To every article.290
I boarded the king’s ship; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,
I flamed amazement: sometime I’ld divide,
And burn in many places; on the topmast,
The yards and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly,295
Then meet and join. Jove’s lightnings, the precursors
O’ the 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,300
Pros.
My brave spirit!
Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil
Would not infect his reason?
Ari.
Not a soul305
But felt a fever of the mad, and play’d
Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners
Plunged 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,—310
Was the first man that leap’d; cried, “Hell is empty,
And all the devils are here.”
Pros.
Why, that’s my spirit!
But was not this nigh shore?
Ari.
Close by, my master.315
Pros.
But are they, Ariel, safe?
Ari.
Not a hair perish’d;
On their sustaining garments not a blemish,
But fresher than before: and, as thou badest me,
In troops I have dispersed them ’bout the isle.320
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.
Pros.
Of the king’s ship325
The mariners, say how thou hast disposed,
And all the rest o’ the fleet.
Ari.
Safely in harbour
Is the king’s ship; in the deep nook, where once
Thou call’dst me up at midnight to fetch dew330
From the still-vex’d Bermoothes, there she’s hid:
The mariners all under hatches stow’d;
Who, with a charm join’d to their suffer’d labour,
I have left asleep: and for the rest o’ the fleet,
Which I dispersed, they all have met again,335
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.
Pros.
Ariel, thy charge340
Exactly is perform’d: but there’s more work.
What is the time o’ the day?
Past the mid season.
Pros.
At least two glasses. The time ’twixt six and now
Must by us both be spent most preciously.345
Ari.
Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains,
Let me remember thee what thou hast promised,
Which is not yet perform’d me.
Pros.
What is’t thou canst demand?350
Ari.
My liberty.
Pros.
Before the time be out? no more!
Ari.
I prithee,
Remember I have done thee worthy service;
Told thee no lies, made thee no mistakings, served355
Without or grudge or grumblings: thou didst promise
To bate me a full year.
Pros.
Dost thou forget
From what a torment I did free thee?
Ari.
No.360
Pros.
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’ the earth
When it is baked with frost.365
Ari.
I do not, sir.
Pros.
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?
Ari.
No, sir.370
Pros.
Thou hast. Where was she born? speak; tell me.
Ari.
Sir, in Argier.
Pros.
O, was she so? I must
Once in a month recount what thou hast been,
Which thou forget’st. This damn’d witch Sycorax,375
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?
Ari.
Ay, sir.380
Pros.
This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child,
And here was left by the 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,385
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 remain390
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 freckled whelp hag-born—not honour’d with395
A human shape.
Ari.
Yes, Caliban her son.
Pros.
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 groans400
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 arrived and heard thee, that made gape405
The pine, and let thee out.
Ari.
I thank thee, master.
Pros.
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.410
Ari.
Pardon, master:
I will be correspondent to command,
And do my spiriting gently.
Do so; and after two days
I will discharge thee.415
Ari.
That’s my noble master!
What shall I do? say what; what shall I do?
Pros.
Go make thyself like a nymph o’ the sea:
Be subject to no sight but thine and mine; invisible
To every eyeball else. Go take this shape,420
And hither come in’t: go, hence with diligence! [Exit Ariel.]
Awake, dear heart, awake! thou hast slept well;
Awake!
Mir.
The strangeness of your story put
Pros.
Shake it off. Come on;
We’ll visit Caliban my slave, who never
Yields us kind answer.
Mir.
’Tis a villain, sir,
I do not love to look on.430
Pros.
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.435
Cal.
[within] There’s wood enough within.
Pros.
Come forth, I say! there’s other business for thee:
[Re-enter Ariel like a water-nymph.]
Fine apparition! My quaint Ariel,
Hark in thine ear.440
Ari.
My lord, it shall be done. [Exit.]
Pros.
Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself
Upon thy wicked dam, come forth!
Cal.
As wicked dew as e’er my mother brush’d
With raven’s feather from unwholesome fen445
Drop on you both! a south-west blow on ye
And blister you all o’er!
Pros.
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,450
All exercise on thee; thou shalt be pinch’d
As thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging
Than bees that made ’em.
Cal.
I must eat my dinner.
This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother,455
Which thou takest from me. When thou camest first,
Thou strokedst me, and madest 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 loved thee,460
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,465
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.
Pros.
Thou most lying slave,
Whom stripes may move, not kindness! I have used thee,470
Filth as thou art, with human care; and lodged thee
In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate
The honour of my child.
Cal.
O ho, O ho! would ’t had been done!
Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else475
This isle with Calibans.
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 hour480
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 natures485
Could not abide to be with; therefore wast thou
Deservedly confined into this rock,
Who hadst deserved more than a prison.
Cal.
You taught me language; and my profit on’t
Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you490
For learning me your language!
Pros.
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 unwillingly495
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.
Cal.
No, pray thee.
[Aside] I must obey: his art is of such power,500
It would control my dam’s god, Setebos,
And make a vassal of him.
Pros.
So, slave; hence! [Exit Caliban.]
[Re-enter Ariel, invisible, playing and singing; Ferdinand following.]
Ariel’s song.
Come unto these yellow sands,
And then take hands:505
Courtsied when you have and kiss’d
Foot it featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burthen bear.
Burthen [dispersedly]. Hark, hark!510
Bow-wow.
The watch-dogs bark:
Bow-wow.
Ari. Hark, hark! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticleer515
Cry, Cock-a-diddle-dow.
Fer.
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,520
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.525
[Ariel sings.]
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-change530
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell:
Burthen: Ding-dong.
Ari.
Hark! now I hear them,—Ding-dong, bell.
Fer.
The ditty does remember my drown’d father.535
This is no mortal business, nor no sound
That the earth owes:—I hear it now above me.
The fringed curtains of thine eye advance,
And say what thou seest yond.
Mir.
What is’t? a spirit?540
Lord, how it looks about! Believe me, sir,
It carries a brave form. But ’tis a spirit.
Pros.
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’d545
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.
Mir.
I might call him
A thing divine; for nothing natural550
I ever saw so noble.
Pros.
[Aside]
As my soul prompts it. Spirit, fine spirit! I’ll free thee
Within two days for this.
Fer.
Most sure, the goddess555
On whom these airs attend! Vouchsafe my prayer
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!560
Mir.
No wonder, sir;
But certainly a maid.
Fer.
My language! heavens!
I am the best of them that speak this speech,565
Were I but where ’tis spoken.
Pros.
How? the best?
What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee?
Fer.
A single thing, as I am now, that wonders
To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me;570
And that he does I weep: myself am Naples,
Who with mine eyes, never since at ebb, beheld
The king my father wreck’d.
Mir.
Alack, for mercy!
Fer.
Yes, faith, and all his lords; the Duke of Milan575
And his brave son being twain.
Pros.
[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 changed eyes. Delicate Ariel,580
I’ll set thee free for this. [To Fer.] A word, good sir;
I fear you have done yourself some wrong: a word.
Mir.
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 father585
To be inclined my way!
Fer.
O, if a virgin,
And your affection not gone forth, I’ll make you
The queen of Naples.
Pros.
Soft, sir! one word more.590
[Aside] They are both in either’s powers: but this swift business
I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
Make the prize light. [To Fer.] One word more; I charge thee
That thou attend me: thou dost here usurp
The name thou owest not; and hast put thyself595
Upon this island as a spy, to win it
From me, the lord on’t.
Fer.
No, as I am a man.
Mir.
There’s nothing ill can dwell in such a temple:
If the ill spirit have so fair a house,600
Good things will strive to dwell with’t.
Pros.
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 be605
The fresh-brook muscles, wither’d roots, and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled. Follow.
Fer.
No;
I will resist such entertainment till
Mine enemy has more power. [Draws, and is charmed from moving.]610
Mir.
O dear father,
Make not too rash a trial of him, for
Pros.
What! I say,
My foot my tutor? Put thy sword up, traitor;615
Who makest a show, but darest 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.
Mir.
Beseech you, father.620
Pros.
Hence! hang not on my garments.
Mir.
Sir, have pity;
I’ll be his surety.
Pros.
Silence! one word more
Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What!625
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 the most of men this is a Caliban,
And they to him are angels.630
Mir.
My affections
Are, then, most humble; I have no ambition
To see a goodlier man.
Pros.
Come on; obey:
Thy nerves are in their infancy again,635
And have no vigour in them.
Fer.
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,640
To whom I am subdued, 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.645
Pros.
[Aside]
It works. [To Fer.] Come on.
Thou hast done well, fine Ariel! [To Fer.] Follow me.
[To Ari.] Hark what thou else shalt do me.
Mir.
Be of comfort;
My father’s of a better nature, sir,650
Than he appears by speech: this is unwonted
Which now came from him.
Pros.
Thou shalt be as free
As mountain winds: but then exactly do
All points of my command.655
Ari.
To the syllable.
Pros.
Come, follow. Speak not for him. [Exeunt.]
ACT II
Scene I—Another part of the island
[Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, and others.]
Gon.
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 woe660
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, weigh665
Our sorrow with our comfort.
Alon.
Prithee, peace.
Seb.
He receives comfort like cold porridge.
The visitor will not give him o’er so.
Seb.
Look, he’s winding up the watch of his wit; by and 670
by it will strike.
Gon.
Sir,—
One: tell.
Gon.
When every grief is entertain’d that’s offer’d,
Comes to the entertainer—675
Seb.
A dollar.
Gon.
Dolour comes to him, indeed: you have spoken
truer than you purposed.
Seb.
You have taken it wiselier than I meant you should.
Gon.
Therefore, my lord,—680
Ant.
Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue!
Alon.
I prithee, spare.
Gon.
Well, I have done: but yet,—
Seb.
He will be talking.
Ant.
Which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager, first begins to crow?685
Seb.
The old cock
.
Ant.
The cockerel.
Seb.
Done. The wager?
Ant.
A laughter.
Seb.
A match!690
Adr.
Though this island seem to be desert,—
Adr.
Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible,—
Seb.
Yet,—
Adr.
Yet,—
695
Ant.
He could not miss’t.
Adr.
It must needs be of subtle, tender and delicate temperance.
Ant.
Temperance was a delicate wench.
Seb.
Ay, and a subtle; as he most learnedly delivered.
Adr.
The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.700
Seb.
As if it had lungs, and rotten ones.
Ant.
Or as ’twere perfumed by a fen.
Gon.
Here is every thing advantageous to life.
Ant.
True; save means to live.
Seb.
Of that there’s none, or little.705
Gon.
How lush and lusty the grass looks! how green!
Ant.
The ground, indeed, is tawny.
Seb.
With an eye of green in’t.
Ant.
He misses not much.
Seb.
No; he doth but mistake the truth totally.710
Gon.
But the rarity of it is,—which is indeed almost beyond credit,—
Seb.
As many vouched rarities are.
Gon.
That our garments, being, as they were, drenched
in the sea, hold, notwithstanding, their freshness
and glosses, being rather new-dyed than stained 715
with salt water.
Ant.
If but one of his pockets could speak, would it not say he lies?
Seb.
Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report.
Gon.
Methinks our garments are now as fresh as when
we put them on first in Afric, at the marriage 720
of the king’s fair daughter Claribel to the King of Tunis.
Seb.
’Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in our return.
Adr.
Tunis was never graced before with such a paragon to their queen.
Gon.
Not since widow Dido’s time.
Ant.
Widow! a pox o’ that! How came that widow in? widow Dido!725
Seb.
What if he had said ‘widower Æneas’ too?
Good Lord, how you take it!
Adr.
‘Widow Dido’ said you? you make me study
of that: she was of Carthage, not of Tunis.
Gon.
This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.730
Adr.
Carthage?
Gon.
I assure you, Carthage.
His word is more than the miraculous harp;
he hath raised the wall, and houses too.
Ant.
What impossible matter will he make easy next?735
Seb.
I think he will carry this island home in
his pocket, and give it his son for an apple.
Ant.
And, sowing the kernels of it in the sea,
bring forth more islands.
Ay.740
Ant.
Why, in good time.
Gon.
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.
Ant.
And the rarest that e’er came there.745
Seb.
Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido.
Ant.
O, widow Dido! ay, widow Dido.
Gon.
Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as the first day I wore it?
I mean, in a sort.
Ant.
That sort was well fished for.750
Gon.
When I wore it at your daughter’s marriage?
Alon.
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.755
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?
Fran.
Sir, he may live:760
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 oar’d765
Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
To the shore, that o’er his wave-worn basis bow’d,
As stooping to relieve him: I not doubt
He came alive to land.
Alon.
No, no, he’s gone.770
Seb.
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.775
Alon.
Prithee, peace.
Seb.
You were kneel’d to, and importuned otherwise,
By all of us; and the fair soul herself
Weigh’d between loathness and obedience, at
Which end o’ the beam should bow. We have lost your son,780
I fear, for ever: Milan and Naples have
More widows in them of this business’ making
Than we bring men to comfort them:
Alon.
So is the dear’st o’ the loss.785
Gon.
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.
Seb.
Very well.790
Ant.
And most chirurgeonly.
Gon.
It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
When you are cloudy.
Seb.
Foul weather?
Ant.
Very foul.795
Gon.
Had I plantation of this isle, my lord,—
Ant.
He’ld sow’t with nettle-seed.
Seb.
Or docks, or mallows.
Gon.
And were the king on’t, what would I do?
Seb.
’Scape being drunk for want of wine.800
Gon.
I’ the 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,805
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;—810
Seb.
Yet he would be king on’t.
Ant.
The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning.
Gon.
All things in common nature should produce
Without sweat or endeavour: treason, felony,
Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine,815
Would I not have; but nature should bring forth,
Of its own kind, all foison, all abundance,
To feed my innocent people.
Seb.
No marrying ’mong his subjects?
Ant.
None, man; all idle; whores and knaves.820
Gon.
I would with such perfection govern, sir,
To excel the golden age.
Seb.
Ant.
Long live Gonzalo!
Gon.
And,—do you mark me, sir?825
Alon.
Prithee, no more: thou dost talk nothing to me.
Gon.
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.830
Ant.
’Twas you we laughed at.
Gon.
Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to
you: so you may continue, and laugh at nothing still.
Ant.
What a blow was there given!
Seb.
An it had not fallen flat-long.835
Gon.
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.]
Seb.
We would so, and then go a bat-fowling.
Ant.
Nay, good my lord, be not angry.840
Gon. No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my
discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep,
for I am very heavy?
Ant.
Go sleep, and hear us.
[All sleep except Alon., Seb., and Ant.]
Alon.
What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes845
Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts: I find
They are inclined to do so.
Seb.
Please you, sir,
Do not omit the heavy offer of it:
It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,850
It is a comforter.
Ant.
We two, my lord,
Will guard your person while you take your rest,
And watch your safety.
Alon.
Thank you.—Wondrous heavy.855
Seb.
What a strange drowsiness possesses them!
Ant.
It is the quality o’ the climate.
Seb.
Why
Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not
Myself disposed to sleep.860
Ant.
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,865
What thou shouldst be: the occasion speaks thee; and
My strong imagination sees a crown
Dropping upon thy head.
Seb.
What, art thou waking?
Ant.
Do you not hear me speak?870
Seb.
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,875
And yet so fast asleep.
Ant.
Noble Sebastian,
Thou let’st thy fortune sleep—die, rather; wink’st
Whiles thou art waking.
Seb.
Thou dost snore distinctly;880
There’s meaning in thy snores.
Ant.
I am more serious than my custom: you
Must be so too, if heed me; which to do
Seb.
Well, I am standing water.885
Ant.
I’ll teach you how to flow.
Seb.
Do so: to ebb
Hereditary sloth instructs me.
Ant.
O,
If you but knew how you the purpose cherish890
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.
Seb.
Prithee, say on:895
The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
A matter from thee; and a birth, indeed,
Which throes thee much to yield.
Ant.
Thus, sir:
Although this lord of weak remembrance, this,900
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’d905
As he that sleeps here swims.
Seb.
I have no hope
That he’s undrown’d.
Ant.
O, out of that ‘no hope’
What great hope have you! no hope that way is910
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?
Seb.
He’s gone.915
Ant.
Then, tell me,
Who’s the next heir of Naples?
Seb.
Claribel.
Ant.
She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells
Ten leagues beyond man’s life; she that from Naples920
Can have no note, unless the sun were post,—
The man i’ the moon’s too slow,—till new-born 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 act925
Whereof what’s past is prologue; what to come,
Seb.
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 regions930
There is some space.
Ant.
A space whose every cubit
Seems to cry out, “How shall that Claribel
Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis,
And let Sebastian wake.” Say, this were death935
That now hath seized 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 make940
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?
Seb.
Methinks I do.
Ant.
And how does your content945
Tender your own good fortune?
Seb.
I remember
You did supplant your brother Prospero.
Ant.
True:
And look how well my garments sit upon me;950
Much feater than before: my brother’s servants
Were then my fellows; now they are my men.
Seb.
But for your conscience.
Ay, sir; where lies that? if ’twere a kibe,
’Twould put me to my slipper: but I feel not955
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;960
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,965
They’ll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
They’ll tell the clock to any business that
We say befits the hour.
Seb.
Thy case, dear friend,
Shall be my precedent; as thou got’st Milan,970
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.
Ant.
Draw together;
And when I rear my hand, do you the like,975
To fall it on Gonzalo.
Seb.
O, but one word. [They talk apart.]
[Re-enter Ariel invisible.]
Ari.
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.980
[Sings in Gonzalo’s ear.]
While you here do snoring lie,
Open-eyed conspiracy
His time doth take.
If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware:985
Awake, awake!
Ant.
Then let us both be sudden.
Gon.
Now, good angels
Preserve the king! [They wake.]
Alon.
Why, how now? ho, awake!—Why are you drawn?990
Wherefore this ghastly looking?
Gon.
What’s the matter?
Seb.
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?995
It struck mine ear most terribly.
Alon.
I heard nothing.
Ant.
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.1000
Alon.
Gon.
Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
And that a strange one too, which did awake me:
I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes open’d,
I saw their weapons drawn:—there was a noise,1005
That’s verily. ’Tis best we stand upon our guard,
Or that we quit this place: let’s draw our weapons.
Alon.
Lead off this ground; and let’s make further search
For my poor son.
Gon.
Heavens keep him from these beasts!1010
For he is, sure, i’ th’ island.
Alon.
Lead away.
Ari.
Prospero my lord shall know what I have done:
So, king, go safely on to seek thy son. [Exeunt.]
Scene II—Another part of the island
[Enter Caliban with a burden of wood. A noise of thunder heard.]
Cal.
All the infections that the sun sucks up1015
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’ the mire,
Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark1020
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 mount1025
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 me1030
For bringing wood in slowly. I’ll fall flat;
Perchance he will not mind me.
Trin.
Here’s neither bush nor shrub, to bear off any weather
at all, and another storm brewing; I hear it sing i’
the wind: yond same black cloud, yond huge one, 1035
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 1040
fish-like smell; a 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 1045
give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to
see a dead Indian. Legged 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 a thunderbolt. [Thunder.] Alas, the storm is 1050
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.]
Ste.
I shall no more to sea, to sea,1055
Here shall I die a-shore,—
This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man’s
funeral: well, here’s my comfort. [Drinks.]
[Sings.] The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I,
The gunner, and his mate,1060
Loved Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,
But none of us cared for Kate;
For she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a sailor, Go hang!
She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch;1065
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.]
Cal.
Do not torment me:—O!
Ste.
What’s the matter? Have we devils here? Do you 1070
put tricks upon ’s with savages and men of Ind, ha?
I have not scaped 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, 1075
while Stephano breathes at’s nostrils.
Cal.
The spirit torments me:—O!
Ste.
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 1080
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.
Cal.
Do not torment me, prithee; I’ll bring my wood home faster.
Ste.
He’s in his fit now, and does not talk after the wisest. 1085
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.1090
Cal.
Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon,
I know it by thy trembling: now Prosper works upon thee.
Ste.
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, 1095
I can tell you, and that soundly: you cannot tell
who’s your friend: open your chaps again.
Trin.
I should know that voice: it should be—but he
is drowned; and these are devils:—O defend me!
Ste.
Four legs and two voices,—a most delicate monster! 1100
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.1105
Trin.
Stephano!
Ste.
Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy, mercy!
This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave him;
I have no long spoon.
Trin.
Stephano! If thou beest Stephano, touch me, 1110
and speak to me; for I am Trinculo,—be not afeard,
—thy good friend Trinculo.
Ste.
If thou beest Trinculo, come forth: I’ll pull thee
by the lesser legs: if any be Trinculo’s legs, these are they.
Thou art very Trinculo indeed! How earnest thou to be 1115
the siege of this moon-calf? can he vent Trinculos?
Trin.
I took him to be killed with a thunder-stroke.
But art thou not drowned, Stephano? I hope, now,
thou art not drowned. Is the storm overblown?
I hid me under the dead moon-calf’s gaberdine 1120
for fear of the storm. And art thou living, Stephano?
O Stephano, two Neapolitans scaped!
Ste.
Prithee, do not turn me about; my stomach is not constant.
Cal.
[aside] These be fine things, an if they be not sprites.
That’s a brave god, and bears celestial liquor:1125
I will kneel to him.
Ste.
How didst thou ’scape? How camest thou hither?
swear, by this bottle, how thou camest hither.
I escaped upon a butt of sack, which the sailors
heaved o’erboard, by this bottle! which I made 1130
of the bark of a tree with mine own hands,
since I was cast ashore.
I’ll swear, upon that bottle, to be thy true subject; for the liquor
is not earthly.
Ste.
Here; swear, then, how thou escapedst.1135
Swum ashore, man, like a duck: I can swim like a duck,
I’ll be sworn.
Ste.
Here, kiss the book. Though thou canst swim like a
duck, thou art made like a goose.
Trin.
O Stephano, hast any more of this?1140
Ste.
The whole butt, man: my cellar is in a rock by
the sea-side, where my wine is hid. How now, moon-calf!
how does thine ague?
Cal.
Hast thou not dropp’d from heaven?
Ste.
Out o’ the moon, I do assure thee: I was the man i’ 1145
the moon when time was.
Cal.
I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee:
My mistress show’d me thee, and thy dog, and thy bush.
Ste.
Come, swear to that; kiss the book: I will furnish it
anon with new contents: swear.1150
Trin.
By this good light, this is a very shallow monster!
I afeard of him! A very weak monster! The man i’
the moon! A most poor credulous monster!
Well drawn, monster, in good sooth!
Cal.
I’ll show thee every fertile inch o’ th’ island;1155
And I will kiss thy foot: I prithee, be my god.
Trin.
By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster!
when’s god’s asleep, he’ll rob his bottle.
Cal.
I’ll kiss thy foot; I’ll swear myself thy subject.
Ste.
Come on, then; down, and swear.1160
Trin.
I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-headed monster.
A most scurvy monster! I could find in my heart to beat him,—
Ste.
Come, kiss.
Trin.
But that the poor monster’s in drink: an abominable monster!
I’ll show thee the best springs; I’ll pluck thee berries;1165
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.
Trin.
A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder 1170
of a poor drunkard!
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 thee1175
To clustering filberts, and sometimes I’ll get thee
Young scamels from the rock. Wilt thou go with me?
I prithee now, lead the way, without any more talking.
Trinculo, the king and all our company else being drowned,
we will inherit here: here; bear my bottle: fellow Trinculo, 1180
we’ll fill him by and by again.
Cal.
[sings drunkenly.] Farewell, master; farewell, farewell!
Trin.
A howling monster; a drunken monster!
Cal.
No more dams I’ll make for fish;
Nor fetch in firing1185
At requiring;
Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish:
’Ban, ’Ban, Cacaliban
Has a new master:—get a new man.
Freedom, hey-day! hey-day, freedom! freedom, hey-day, freedom!1190
Ste.
O brave monster! Lead the way. [Exeunt.]
ACT III
Scene I—Before Prospero’s cell
[Enter Ferdinand, bearing a log.]
Fer.
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 task1195
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 composed of harshness. I must remove1200
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,1205
[Enter Miranda; and Prospero at a distance, unseen.]
Mir.
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,1210
’Twill weep for having wearied you. My father
Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself;
He’s safe for these three hours.
Fer.
O most dear mistress,
The sun will set before I shall discharge1215
What I must strive to do.
Mir.
If you’ll sit down,
I’ll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that;
I’ll carry it to the pile.
Fer.
No, precious creature;1220
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.
Mir.
It would become me
As well as it does you: and I should do it1225
With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
Pros.
Poor worm, thou art infected!
This visitation shows it.
Mir.
You look wearily.1230
Fer.
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?
Mir.
Miranda.—O my father,1235
I have broke your hest to say so!
Fer.
Admired Miranda!
Indeed the top of admiration! worth
What’s dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have eyed with best regard, and many a time1240
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I liked several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed,1245
And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature’s best!
Mir.
I do not know
One of my sex; no woman’s face remember,1250
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 wish1255
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
Fer.
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:1265
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.
Mir.
Do you love me?1270
Fer.
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’ the world,1275
Do love, prize, honour you.
Mir.
I am a fool
To weep at what I am glad of.
Pros.
Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace1280
On that which breeds between ’em!
Fer.
Wherefore weep you?
Mir.
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;1285
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 fellow1290
You may deny me; but I’ll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.
Fer.
My mistress, dearest;
And I thus humble ever.
Mir.
My husband, then?1295
Fer.
As bondage e’er of freedom: here’s my hand.
Mir.
And mine, with my heart in’t: and now farewell
Till half an hour hence.
Fer.
A thousand thousand!1300
[Exeunt Fer. and Mir. severally.]
Pros.
So glad of this as they I cannot be,
Who are surprised 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.]1305
Scene II—Another part of the island
[Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.]
Ste.
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.
Trin.
Servant-monster! the folly of this island! They say
there’s but five upon this isle: we are three of them; 1310
if th’ other two be brained like us, the state totters.
Ste.
Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes
Trin.
Where should they be set else? he were a brave
monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.1315
Ste.
My man-monster hath drowned 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.1320
Trin.
Your lieutenant, if you list; he’s no standard.
Ste.
We’ll not run, Monsieur Monster.
Trin.
Nor go neither; but you’ll lie, like dogs, and yet say
nothing neither.
Ste.
Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest 1325
a good moon-calf.
Cal.
How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.
I’ll not serve him, he is not valiant.
Trin.
Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case
to justle a constable. Why, thou debauched fish, thou, 1330
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 a fish and half a monster?
Cal.
Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?
Trin.
‘Lord,’ quoth he! That a monster should be such a natural!1335
Cal.
Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee.
Ste.
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.
Cal.
I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to 1340
hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?
Ste. Marry, will I: kneel and repeat it; I will stand,
and so shall Trinculo.
[Enter Ariel, invisible.]
Cal.
As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer,
that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.1345
Ari.
Thou liest.
Cal.
Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou:
I would my valiant master would destroy thee!
I do not lie.
Ste.
Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in’s tale, 1350
by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.
Trin.
Why, I said nothing.
Ste.
Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.
Cal.
I say, by sorcery he got this isle;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will1355
Revenge it on him,—for I know thou darest,
But this thing dare not,—
Ste.
That’s most certain.
Cal.
Thou shalt be lord of it, and I’ll serve thee.
Ste.
How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou 1360
bring me to the party?
Cal.
Yea, yea, my lord: I’ll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.
Ari.
Thou liest; thou canst not.
What a pied ninny’s this! Thou scurvy patch!1365
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.
Ste.
Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt 1370
the monster one word further, and, by this hand,
I’ll turn my mercy out o’ doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.
Trin.
Why, what did I? I did nothing. I’ll go farther off.
Ste.
Didst thou not say he lied?
Ari.
Thou liest.1375
Ste.
Do I so? take thou that. [Beats him.] As you like this,
give me the lie another time.
Trin.
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!1380
Cal.
Ha, ha, ha!
Ste.
Now, forward with your tale.—Prithee, stand farther off.
Cal.
Beat him enough: after a little time, I’ll beat him too.
Ste.
Stand farther. Come, proceed.
Cal.
Why, as I told thee, ’tis a custom with him1385
I’ th’ afternoon to sleep: there thou mayst brain him,
Having first seized 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 them1390
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.1395
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 Sycorax1400
Ste.
Is it so brave a lass?
Cal.
Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant,
And bring thee forth brave brood.
Ste.
Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and 1405
I will be king and queen,—save our Graces!—and Trinculo
and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?
Trin.
Excellent.
Ste.
Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee; but,
while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.1410
Cal.
Within this half hour will he be asleep:
Wilt thou destroy him then?
Ste.
Ay, on mine honour.
Ari.
This will I tell my master.
Cal.
Thou makest me merry; I am full of pleasure:1415
Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch
You taught me but while-ere?
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;1420
Thought is free.
Cal.
That’s not the tune.
[Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.]
Ste.
What is this same?
Trin.
This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of Nobody.
Ste.
If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness: 1425
if thou beest a devil, take’t as thou list.
Trin.
Ste.
He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee. Mercy upon us!
Cal.
Art thou afeard?
Ste.
No, monster, not I.1430
Cal.
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 sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,1435
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 waked,
I cried to dream again.
Ste.
This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where 1440
I shall have my music for nothing.
Cal.
When Prospero is destroyed.
Ste.
That shall be by and by: I remember the story.
Trin.
The sound is going away; let’s follow it, and after do our work.
Ste.
Lead, monster; we’ll follow. I would I could see 1445
this taborer; he lays it on.
Wilt come? I’ll follow, Stephano. [Exeunt.]
Scene III—Another part of the island
[Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, and others.]
Gon.
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,1450
I needs must rest me.
Alon.
Old lord, I cannot blame thee,
Who am myself attach’d with weariness,
To the dulling of my spirits: sit down, and rest.
Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it1455
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.
Ant.
[Aside to Seb.]
I am right glad that he’s so out of hope.
Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose1460
That you resolved to effect.
Seb.
[Aside to Ant.]
The next advantage
Will we take throughly.
Ant.
[Aside to Seb.]
Let it be to-night;
For, now they are oppress’d with travel, they1465
Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance
As when they are fresh.
Seb.
[Aside to Ant.]
I say, to-night: no more.
[Solemn and strange music.]
Alon.
What harmony is this?—My good friends, hark!
Gon. Marvellous sweet music!1470
[Enter Prospero above, invisible. Enter several
strange Shapes, bringing in a banquet: they dance
about it with gentle actions of salutation; and, inviting
the King, &c. to eat, they depart.]
Alon.
Give us kind keepers, heavens!—What were these?
Seb.
A living drollery. Now I will believe
That there are unicorns; that in Arabia
There is one tree, the phœnix’ throne; one phœnix
At this hour reigning there.1475
Ant.
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.
Gon.
If in Naples1480
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 of1485
Our human generation you shall find
Many, nay, almost any.
Pros.
[Aside]
Honest lord,
Thou hast said well; for some of you there present
Are worse than devils.1490
Alon.
Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing—
Although they want the use of tongue—a kind
Of excellent dumb discourse.
Pros.
[Aside]
Praise in departing.1495
Fran.
They vanish’d strangely.
Seb.
No matter, since
They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.—
Will’t please you taste of what is here?
Alon.
Not I.1500
Gon.
Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys,
Who would believe that there were mountaineers
Dew-lapp’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 find1505
Each putter-out of five for one will bring us
Good warrant of.
I will stand to, and feed,
Although my last: no matter, since I feel
The best is past. Brother, my lord the duke,1510
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.]
Ari.
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 caused to belch up you; and on this island,1515
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. [Alon., Seb. &c. draw their swords.]
You fools! I and my fellows 1520
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-ministers1525
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;1530
Exposed unto the sea, which hath requit it,
Him and his innocent child: for which foul deed
The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have
Incensed the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso,1535
They have bereft; and do pronounce by me:
Lingering 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 falls1540
Upon your heads,—is nothing but heart-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.]
Pros.
Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou
Perform’d, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring:
Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated1545
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 power;1550
And in these fits I leave them, while I visit
Young Ferdinand,—whom they suppose is drown’d,—
And his and mine loved darling. [Exit above.]
Gon.
I’ the name of something holy, sir, why stand you
In this strange stare?1555
Alon.
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, pronounced
The name of Prosper: it did bass my trespass.1560
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.]
Seb.
But one fiend at a time,
I’ll fight their legions o’er.1565
Ant.
I’ll be thy second.
[Exeunt Seb. and Ant.]
Gon.
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,1570
And hinder them from what this ecstasy
May now provoke them to.
Adr.
Follow, I pray you. [Exeunt.]
ACT IV
Scene I—Before Prospero’s cell
[Enter Prospero, Ferdinand, and Miranda.]
Pros.
If I have too austerely punish’d you,
Your compensation makes amends; for I1575
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,1580
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.
Fer.
Against an oracle.
Pros.
Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition
Worthily purchased, take my daughter: but
If thou dost break her virgin-knot before
All sanctimonious ceremonies may1590
With full and holy rite be minister’d,
No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
Sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly1595
That you shall hate it both: therefore take heed,
As Hymen’s lamps shall light you.
Fer.
As I hope
For quiet days, fair issue and long life,
With such love as ’tis now, the murkiest den,1600
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 Phœbus’ steeds are founder’d,1605
Or Night kept chain’d below.
Pros.
Fairly spoke.
Sit, then, and talk with her; she is thine own.
What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel!
Ari.
What would my potent master? here I am.1610
Pros.
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 power, here to this place:
Incite them to quick motion; for I must1615
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
Some vanity of mine art: it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.
Ari.
Presently?
Pros.
Ay, with a twink.1620
Ari.
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?1625
Pros.
Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach
Till thou dost hear me call.
Ari.
Well, I conceive. [Exit.]
Pros.
Look thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein: the strongest oaths are straw1630
To the fire i’ the blood: be more abstemious,
Or else, good night your vow!
Fer.
I warrant you, sir;
The white cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.1635
Pros.
Well.
Now come, my Ariel! bring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly!
No tongue! all eyes! be silent. [Soft music.]
Iris
Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas1640
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 best betrims,1645
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’ the sky,1650
Whose watery 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:
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.1655
[Enter Ceres.]
Cer.
Hail, many-colour’d messenger, that ne’er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diffusest honey-drops, refreshing showers;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown1660
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 estate1665
On the blest lovers.
Cer.
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,1670
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 son1675
Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
Till Hymen’s torch be lighted: but in vain;
Mars’s hot minion is returned again;1680
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out.
Cer.
Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gait.1685
[Enter Juno.]
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,1690
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Earth’s increase, foison plenty,
Barns and garners never empty;
Vines with clustering bunches growing;1695
Plants with goodly burthen 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.1700
Fer.
This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
To think these spirits?
Pros.
Spirits, which by mine art
I have from their confines call’d to enact1705
My present fancies.
Fer.
Let me live here ever;
So rare a wonder’d father and a wife
[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on employment.]
Pros.
Sweet, now, silence!
Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;1710
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 windring brooks,
With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land1715
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 sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry:1720
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.]
Pros.
[Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates1725
Against my life: the minute of their plot
Is almost come. [To the Spirits.] Well done! avoid; no more!
This is strange: your father’s in some passion
That works him strongly.
Mir.
Never till this day1730
Saw I him touch’d with anger so distemper’d.
Pros.
You do look, my son, in a moved 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, and1735
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,1740
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:1745
Be not disturb’d with my infirmity:
If you be pleased, retire into my cell,
And there repose: a turn or two I’ll walk,
To still my beating mind.
Fer. Mir.
We wish your peace. [Exeunt.]1750
Pros.
Come with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel: come.
[Enter Ariel.]
Ari.
Thy thoughts I cleave to. What’s thy pleasure?
Pros.
Spirit,
We must prepare to meet with Caliban.
Ari.
Ay, my commander: when I presented Ceres,1755
I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear’d
Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?
Ari.
I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;
So full of valour that they smote the air1760
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,
Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses1765
As they smelt music: so I charm’d their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow’d through
Tooth’d briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns,
Which enter’d their frail shins: at last I left them
I’ the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,1770
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
Pros.
This was well done, my bird.
Thy shape invisible retain thou still:
The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,1775
For stale to catch these thieves.
Ari.
I go, I go. [Exit.]
Pros.
A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;1780
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.]
[Prospero and Ariel remain, invisible. Enter Caliban,
Stephano, and Trinculo, all wet.]
Cal.
Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.1785
Ste.
Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy,
has done little better than played the Jack with us.
Trin.
Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose
is in great indignation.
Ste.
So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should 1790
take a displeasure against you, look you,—
Trin.
Thou wert but a lost monster.
Cal.
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.1795
All’s hush’d as midnight yet.
Trin.
Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool,—
Ste.
There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster,
but an infinite loss.
Trin.
That’s more to me than my wetting: yet this is your 1800
harmless fairy, monster.
Ste.
I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o’er ears for my labour.
Cal.
Prithee, my king, be quiet. See’st thou here,
This is the mouth o’ the cell: no noise, and enter.
Do that good mischief which may make this island1805
Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
For aye thy foot-licker.
Ste.
Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody thoughts.
Trin.
O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano!
look what a wardrobe here is for thee!1810
Cal.
Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.
Trin.
O, ho, monster! we know what belongs to a
frippery. O King Stephano!
Ste.
Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I’ll have that gown.
Trin.
Thy Grace shall have it.1815
Cal.
The dropsy drown this fool! what do you mean
To dote thus on such luggage? Let’s alone,
And do the murder first: if he awake,
From toe to crown he’ll fill our skins with pinches,
Make us strange stuff.1820
Ste.
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.
Trin.
Do, do: we steal by line and level, an’t like your Grace.
Ste.
I thank thee for that jest; here’s a garment for’t: 1825
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 garment for’t.
Trin.
Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and away with the rest.
Cal.
I will have none on’t: we shall lose our time,1830
And all be turn’d to barnacles, or to apes
With foreheads villanous low.
Ste.
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.1835
Trin.
And this.
Ste.
Ay, and this.
[A noise of hunters heard. Enter divers Spirits, in
shape of dogs and hounds, and hunt them about,
Prospero and Ariel setting them on.]
Pros.
Hey, Mountain, hey!
Ari.
Silver! there it goes, Silver!
Pros.
Fury, fury! there, Tyrant, there! hark, hark!1840
[Cal., Ste., and Trin. 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
Then pard or cat o’ mountain.
Ari.
Hark, they roar!1845
Pros.
Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour
Lie 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.]1850
ACT V
Scene I—Before the cell of Prospero
[Enter Prospero in his magic robes, and Ariel.]
Pros.
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?
Ari.
On the sixth hour; at which time, my lord,
You said our work should cease.1855
Pros.
I did say so,
When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit,
How fares the king and’s followers?
Ari.
In the same fashion as you gave in charge,1860
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,1865
Brimful of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
Him that 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 affections1870
Would become tender.
Pros.
Dost thou think so, spirit?
Ari.
Mine would, sir, were I human.
Pros.
And mine shall.
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling1875
Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
One of their kind, that relish all as sharply,
Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art?
Though with their high wrongs I am struck to the quick,
Yet with my nobler reason ’gainst my fury1880
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,1885
And they shall be themselves.
Ari.
Pros.
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 him1890
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—1895
Weak masters though ye be—I have bedimm’d
The noontide sun, call’d forth the mutinous winds.
And ’twixt the green sea and the azured vault
Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove’s stout oak1900
With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory
Have I made shake, and by the spurs pluck’d up
The pine and cedar: graves at my command
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let ’em forth
By my so potent art. But this rough magic1905
I here abjure; and, when I have required
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,1910
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I’ll drown my book. [Solemn music.]
[Re-enter Ariel before: then Alonso, with a
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 charmed; 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,1915
For you are spell-stopp’d.
Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine,
Fall fellowly drops. The charm dissolves apace;
And as the morning steals upon the night,1920
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 graces1925
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,1930
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 tide1935
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:
I will discase me, and myself present1940
As I was sometime Milan: quickly, spirit;
Thou shalt ere long be free.
[Ariel 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.1945
On the bat’s back I do fly
Merrily, merrily shall I live now
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.
Pros.
Why, that’s my dainty Ariel! I shall miss thee;1950
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,1955
And presently, I prithee.
Ari.
I drink the air before me, and return
Or ere your pulse twice beat. [Exit.]
Gon.
All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement
Inhabits here: some heavenly power guide us1960
Out of this fearful country!
Pros.
The wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero:
For more assurance that a living prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;1965
And to thee and thy company I bid
A hearty welcome.
Alon.
Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
As late I have been, I not know: thy pulse1970
Beats, as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
The 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 entreat1975
Thou pardon me my wrongs.—But how should Prospero
Be living and be here?
Pros.
First, noble friend,
Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
Be measured or confined.1980
Gon.
Whether this be
Or be not, I’ll not swear.
Pros.
You do yet taste
Some subtilties o’ the isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all!1985
[Aside to Seb. and Ant.]
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.
Seb.
[Aside]
The devil speaks in him.1990
Pros.
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,1995
Thou must restore.
Alon.
If thou be’st Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation;
How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wreck’d upon this shore; where I have lost—2000
How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—
My dear son Ferdinand.
Pros.
I am woe for’t, sir.
Alon.
Irreparable is the loss; and patience
Says it is past her cure.2005
Pros.
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.
Alon.
You the like loss!2010
Pros.
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
Alon.
A daughter?2015
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 you daughter?
Pros.
In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords2020
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 certain2025
That I am Prospero, and that very duke
Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck’d, was landed,
To be the Lord on’t. No more yet of this;
For ’tis a chronicle of day by day,2030
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,2035
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.]
Mir.
Sweet lord, you play me false.
Fer.
I would not for the world.
Mir.
Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,
And I would call it fair play.
Alon.
If this prove
A vision of the island, one dear son2045
Shall I twice lose.
Seb.
A most high miracle!
Fer.
Though the seas threaten, they are merciful;
I have cursed them without cause. [Kneels.]
Alon.
Now all the blessings2050
Of a glad father compass thee about!
Arise, and say how thou camest here.
Mir.
O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,2055
That has such people in’t!
Pros.
’Tis new to thee.
Alon.
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,2060
And brought us thus together?
Fer.
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. She2065
Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,
But never saw before; of whom I have
Received a second life; and second father
This lady makes him to me.2070
Alon.
I am hers:
But, O, how oddly will it sound that I
Must ask my child forgiveness!
Pros.
There, sir, stop:
Let us not burthen our remembrances with2075
A heaviness that’s gone.
Gon.
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 way2080
Which brought us hither.
Alon.
I say, Amen, Gonzalo!
Gon.
Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue
Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice
Beyond a common joy! and set it down2085
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 ourselves2090
Alon.
[to Fer. and Mir.]
Give me your hands:
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart
That doth not wish you joy!
Gon.
Be it so! Amen!2095
[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?2100
Boats.
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.2105
Ari.
[Aside to Pros.]
Sir, all this service
Have I done since I went.
Pros.
[Aside to Ari.]
My tricksy spirit!
Alon.
These are not natural events; they strengthen
From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?2110
Boats.
If I did think, sir, I were well awake,
I’ld 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,2115
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
We were awaked; straightway, at liberty;
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant ship; our master
Capering to eye her:—on a trice, so please you,2120
Even in a dream, were we divided from them,
And were brought moping hither.
Ari.
[Aside to Pros.]
Was’t well done?
Pros.
[Aside to Ari.]
Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.
This is as strange a maze as e’er men trod;2125
And there is in this business more than nature
Was ever conduct of: some oracle
Must rectify our knowledge.
Pros.
Sir, my liege,
Do not infest your mind with beating on2130
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 Ari.] Come hither, spirit:2135
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.]
Ste.
Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take 2140
care for himself; for all is but fortune.—Coragio, bully-monster,
coragio!
Trin.
If these be true spies which I wear in my head,
here’s a goodly sight.
Cal.
O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed!2145
How fine my master is! I am afraid
He will chastise me.
Seb.
Ha, ha!
What things are these, my lord Antonio?
Will money buy ’em?2150
Ant.
Very like; one of them
Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.
Pros.
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 strong2155
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 you2160
Must know and own; this thing of darkness I
Acknowledge mine.
Cal.
I shall be pinch’d to death.
Alon.
Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Seb.
He is drunk now: where had he wine?2165
Alon.
And Trinculo is reeling ripe: where should they
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded ’em?—
How camest thou in this pickle?
I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you last,
that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: 2170
I shall not fear fly-blowing.
Seb.
Why, how now, Stephano!
Ste.
O, touch me not;—I am not Stephano, but a cramp.
Pros.
You’ld be king o’ the isle, sirrah?
Ste.
I should have been a sore one, then.2175
This is a strange thing as e’er I look’d on. [Pointing to Caliban.]
Pros.
He is as disproportion’d 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.2180
Cal.
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!
Pros.
Go to; away!2185
Alon.
Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
Seb.
Or stole it, rather. [Exeunt Cal., Ste., and Trin.]
Pros.
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 waste2190
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,2195
Where I have hope to see the nuptial
Of these our dear-beloved solemnized;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.
Alon.
I long2200
To hear the story of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.
Pros.
I’ll deliver all;
And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,
And sail so expeditious, that shall catch2205
Your royal fleet far off. [Aside to Ari.] My Ariel, chick,
That is thy charge: then to the elements
Be free, and fare thou well! Please you, draw near.
[Exeunt.]
EPILOGUE.
SPOKEN BY PROSPERO.
Now my charms are all o’erthrown,
And what strength I have’s mine own,2210
Which is most faint: now, ’tis true,
I must be here confined by you,
Or sent to Naples. Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon’d the deceiver, dwell2215
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,2220
Which was to please. Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant;
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be relieved by prayer,
Which pierces so, that it assaults2225
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon’d be,
Let your indulgence set me free.
