Welcome to PhiloLogic  
   home |  the ARTFL project |  download |  documentation |  sample databases |   
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
To look up a word in a dictionary, select the word with your mouse and press 'd' on your keyboard.

Previous section

Next section

SCENE II. Another part of the Island. Enter Stephano and Trinculo; Caliban following with a bottle.

Ste.

Tell not me;—when the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board 'em5 note: 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; if the other two be brained like us, the state totters6 note.

Ste.

Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy eyes are almost set in thy head.

Trin.

Where should they be set else? he were a brave monster indeed, if they were set in his tail7 note.

-- 113 --

Ste.

My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me: I swam8 note



, 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.

Trin.

Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard9 note
.

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 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 deboshed fish thou1 note





, was there ever man a coward, that hath

-- 114 --

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!

Cal.

Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I pr'ythee.

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 pleas'd to hearken once again to the suit I made thee2 note




?

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

-- 115 --

tyrant3 note

a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of this island.

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 his tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Trin.

Why, I said nothing.

Ste.

Mum then, and no more.— [To Caliban.] Proceed.

Cal.
I say by sorcery he got this isle;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him—for, I know, thou dar'st;
But this thing dare not.

Ste.

That's most certain.

Cal.

Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.

Ste.

How now shall this be compassed? Can'st thou bring me to the party?

Cal.
Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou may'st knock a nail into his head4 note
.

Ari.
Thou liest, thou canst not.

-- 116 --

Cal.
What a pied ninny's this5 note


? Thou scurvy patch!—
I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,
He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not shew him
Where the quick freshes are.

Ste.

Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the monster one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out of doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

Trin.

Why, what did I? I did nothing; I'll go further off.

Ste.

Didst thou not say, he lied?

Ari.

Thou liest.

Ste.

Do I so? take thou that. [Strikes 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!

Cal.

Ha, ha, ha!

Ste.

Now, forward with your tale. Pr'ythee stand further off.

-- 117 --

Cal.
Beat him enough: after a little time,
I'll beat him too.

Ste.
Stand further.—Come, proceed.

Cal.
Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him
I' the afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him,
Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife: Remember,
First to possess his books; for without them
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
One spirit to command6 note


















: They all do hate him,

-- 118 --


As rootedly as I: Burn but his books;
He has brave utensils, (for so he calls them,)
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider, is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself
Calls her a non-pareil: I never saw a woman7 note

,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax,
As great'st does least.

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 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.

Cal.
Within this half hour will he be asleep;
Wilt thou destroy him then?

-- 119 --

Ste.
Ay, on mine honour.

Ari.
This will I tell my master.

Cal.
Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure;
Let us be jocund: Will you troll the catch8 note





You taught me but while-ere?

Ste.

At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason: Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.

[Sings.

Flout 'em, and skout 'em; and skout 'em, and flout 'em;
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 No-body9 note

.

Ste.

If thou beest a man, shew thyself in thy likeness: if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list.

Trin.
O, forgive me my sins!

Ste.
He that dies, pays all debts: I defy thee:—
Mercy upon us!

-- 120 --

Cal.
Art thou afeard1 note


?

Ste.
No, monster, not I.

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 wak'd after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds, methought, would open, and shew riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd,
I cry'd to dream again.

Ste.

This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where 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 this taborer2 note




: he lays it on.

Trin.

Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano3 note

.

[Exeunt.

-- 121 --

Previous section

Next section


James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
Powered by PhiloLogic