SCENE II.
The inchanted island: before the cell of Prospero.
Enter Prospero and Miranda.
Mira.
If by your art, my dearest father, you have
Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them:
The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch,
But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek,
Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffer'd
With those that I saw suffer! a brave vessel,
Who had, no doubt, some noble creatures in her,
Dash'd all to pieces.9Q0039 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 ere6 note
It should the good ship so have swallow'd, and
The freighting souls within her.
Pro.
Be collected;
No more amazement: tell your piteous heart,
There's no harm done.
Mira.
O, woe the day!
Pro.
7 note
No harm.
-- 10 --
I have done nothing but in care of thee,
(Of thee, my dear one! thee, my daughter!) who
Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing
Of whence I am; nor that I am more better8 note
Than Prospero, master of a full poor cell9 note,
And thy no greater father.
Mira.
More to know
Did never meddle1 note with my thoughts.
Pro.
'Tis time,
I should inform thee further. Lend thy hand,
And pluck my magick garment from me.—So;
[Lays down his mantle.
Lye there my art2 note.—Wipe thou thine eyes; have comfort.
The direful spectacle of the wreck, which touch'd
The very 3 notevirtue of compassion in thee,
-- 11 --
I have with such provision in mine art
So safely order'd, 4 note
that there is no soul—
No, not so much perdition as an hair,
Betid to any creature in the vessel
Which thou heard'st cry, which thou saw'st sink. Sit down;
For thou must now know further.
Mira.
You have often
Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp'd,
And left me to a bootless inquisition;
Concluding, Stay, not yet.—
Pro.
The hour's now come;
The very minute bids thee ope thine ear;
Obey, and be attentive. Canst thou remember
A time before we came unto this cell?
I do not think, thou canst; for then thou wast not
5 note
Out three years old.
Mira.
Certainly, sir, I can.
Pro.
By what? by any other house, or person?
-- 12 --
Of any thing the image tell me, that
Hath kept with thy remembrance.
Mira.
'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?
Pro.
Thou hadst, and more, Miranda: But how is it,
That this lives in thy mind? What seest thou else
In the dark back-ward and abysm of time6 note
?
If thou remember'st aught, ere thou cam'st here;
How thou cam'st here, thou may'st.
Mira.
But that I do not.
Pro.
Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve years since,
Thy father was the duke of Milan, and
A prince of power.
Mira.
Sir, are not you my father?
Pro.
Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and
She said—thou wast my daughter; and thy father
Was duke of Milan; 7 note
thou his only heir
And princess, no worse issu'd.
Mira.
O the heavens!
What foul play had we, that we came from thence?
Or blessed was't, we did?
Pro.
Both, both, my girl:
By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heav'd thence;
But blessedly holp hither.
-- 13 --
Mira.
O, my heart bleeds
To think o' the 8 note
teen that I have turn'd you to,
Which is from my remembrance! Please you, further.
Pro.
My brother, and thy uncle, called Anthonio,—
I pray thee, mark me,—that a brother should
Be so perfidious!—he whom, next thyself,
Of all the world I lov'd, and to him put
The manage of my state; as, at that time,
Through all the signiories it was the first,
And Prospero the prime duke; being so reputed
In dignity, and, for the liberal arts,
Without a parallel; those being all my study,
The government I cast upon my brother,
And to my state grew stranger, being transported,
And wrapp'd in secret studies. Thy false uncle—
Dost thou attend me?
Mira.
Sir, most heedfully.
Pro.
Being once perfected how to grant suits,
How to deny them; whom to advance, and whom
9 note
To trash for over-topping; new created
The creatures that were mine; I say, or chang'd 'em,
Or else new form'd 'em: having both the1 note
key
-- 14 --
Of officer and office, set all hearts i' the state
To what tune pleas'd his ear; that now he was
The ivy, which had hid my princely trunk,
And suck'd my verdure out on't.—Thou attend'st not.
Mira.
O good Sir, I do.
Pro.
I pray thee, mark me.
I thus neglecting wordly ends, all dedicated
To closeness, and the bettering of my mind
With that, which, but by being so retir'd,
O'er-priz'd all popular rate, in my false brother
Awak'd an evil nature: and my trust,
Like a good parent2 note, did beget of him
A falshood, in its contrary as great
As my trust was; which had, indeed, no limit,
A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded,
Not only with what my revenue yielded,
But what my power might else exact,—3 note
like one,
-- 15 --
Who having, unto truth, by telling of it,
Made such a sinner of his memory,
To credit his own lie,—he did believe
He was, indeed, the duke; 4 noteout of the substitution,
And executing the outward face of royalty,
With all prerogative:—Hence his ambition growing,—
Dost thou hear?
Mira.
Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.
Pro.
To have no screen between this part he play'd
And him he play'd it for, he needs will be
Absolute Milan: Me, poor man!—my library
Was dukedom large enough; of temporal royalties
He thinks me now incapable: confederates,
5 noteSo dry he was for sway, with the king of Naples
To give him annual tribute, do him homage;
Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend
The dukedom, yet unbow'd (alas, poor Milan!)
To most ignoble stooping.
Mira.
O the heavens!
Pro.
Mark his condition, and the event; then tell me,
-- 16 --
If this might be a brother
Mira.
I should sin
To think but nobly6 note of my grandmother:
Good wombs have borne bad sons.
Pro.
Now the condition.
This king of Naples, being an enemy
To me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit;
Which was, that he in lieu o' 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,
With all the honours, on my brother: Whereon,
A treacherous army levy'd, one mid-night
Fated to the purpose, did Anthonio open
The gates of Milan; and, i' the dead of darkness,
The ministers for the purpose hurried thence
Me, and thy crying self.
Mira.
Alack, for pity!
I, not remembring how I cried out then,7 note
Will cry it o'er again; it is a hint,8 note
That wrings mine eyes to't.
Pro.
Hear a little further,
And then I'll bring thee to the present business
Which now's upon us; without the which, this story
Were most impertinent.
Mira.
Wherefore did they not
That hour destroy us?
Pro.
Well demanded, wench;
My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not;
(So dear the love my people bore me) nor set9Q0040
A mark so bloody on the business; but
With colours fairer painted their foul ends.
-- 17 --
In few, they hurried us aboard a bark;
Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepar'd
A rotten carcass of a boat,9Q0041 not rigg'd,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats
Instinctively had 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.
Mira.
Alack! what trouble
Was I then to you!
Pro.
O! a cherubim
Thou wast, that did preserve me! Thou didst smile,
Infused with a fortitude from heaven,
When I have 9 note
deck'd the sea with drops full salt;
Under my burden groan'd; which rais'd in me
An undergoing stomach,1 note
to bear up
Against what should ensue.
Mira.
How came we ashore?
Pro.
By Providence divine.
Some food we had, and some fresh water, that
A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,
Out of his charity, 2 note
who being then appointed
-- 18 --
Master of this design, did give us; with
Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries,
Which since have steaded much: so, of his gentleness,
Knowing I lov'd my books, he furnish'd me,
From my own library, with volumes that
I prize above my dukedom.
Mira.
Would I might
But ever see that man!
Pro.
Now, I arise9Q0042:—
Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow.
Here in this island we arriv'd; and here
Have I, thy school master, made thee more profit
Than other princes can,9Q0043 that have more time
For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful.
Mira.
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?
Pro.
Know thus far forth.—
By accident most strange, bountiful fortune,
Now my dear lady3 note, hath mine enemies
Brought to this shore: and by my prescience
I find my zenith doth depend upon
A most auspicious star; whose influence
If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes
Will ever after droop.—Here cease more questions;
Thou art inclin'd to sleep; 4 note'tis a good dulness,
And give it way:—I know, thou canst not choose.—
[Miranda sleeps.
Come away, servant, come: I am ready now;
Approach, my Ariel, come.
-- 19 --
Enter Ariel.
Ari.
All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come
To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly,9Q0044
To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride
On the curl'd clouds;5 note to thy strong bidding, task
Ariel, and all his quality.
Pro.
Hast thou, spirit,
6 note
Perform'd to point the tempest that I bad thee?
Ari.
To every article.
I boarded the king's ship; 7 notenow on the beak,
8 noteNow in the waste, the deck, in every cabin,
I flam'd amazement: Sometimes, I'd divide,
And burn in many places; on the top-mast,
The yards, and bolt-sprit, would I flame distinctly,
Then meet, and join: Jove's lightnings, the precursors
O' the dreadful thunder-clap, more momentary
And sight-out-running were not; The fire, and cracks
Of sulphurous roaring, the most mighty Neptune
Seem'd to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble,
Yea, his dread trident shake.
Pro.
My brave spirit!
Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil
Would not infect his reason?
Ari.
Not a soul
9 note
But felt a fever of the mad, and play'd
-- 20 --
Some tricks of desperation: All, but mariners,
Plung'd in the foaming brine, and quit the vessel,
Then all a-fire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand,
With hair up-staring (then like reeds, not hair)
Was the first man that leap'd; cried, Hell is empty,
And all the devils are here.
Pro.
Why, that's my spirit!
But was not this nigh shore?
Ari.
Close by, my master.
Pro.
But are they, Ariel, safe?
Ari.
Not a hair perish'd;
On their 1 note
sustaining garments not a blemish,
-- 21 --
But fresher than before: and, as thou bad'st me,
In troops I have dispers'd them 'bout the isle:
The king's son have I landed by himself;
Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs,
In an odd angle of the isle, and sitting,
His arms in this sad knot.
Pro.
Of the king's ship,
The mariners, say how thou hast dispos'd,
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 dew
2 note
From the still-vex'd Bermoothes,9Q0045 there she's hid:
-- 22 --
The mariners all under hatches stow'd;
Whom, with a charm join'd to their suffer'd labour,
I have left asleep: and for the rest o' the fleet,
Which I dispers'd, they all have met again;
And are upon 3 notethe Mediterranean slote,
Bound sadly home for Naples;
Supposing that they saw the king's ship wreck'd,
And his great person perish.
Pro.
Ariel, thy charge
Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work:
4 note
What is the time o' the day?
Ari.
Past the mid season.9Q0046
Pro.
At least two glasses: The time 'twixt six and now,
Must by us both be spent most preciously.
Ari.
Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains,
Let me remember thee what thou hast promis'd,
Which is not yet perform'd me.
Pro.
How now? moody?
What is't thou can'st demand?
Ari.
My liberty.
Pro.
Before the time be out? no more.
Ari.
I pray thee:
Remember, I have done thee worthy service;
Told thee no lies, made thee no mistakings, serv'd
-- 23 --
Without or grudge, or grumblings: thou didst promise
To bate me a full year.
Pro.
5 note
note scene. The spirits were always considered as in
some measure enslaved to the enchanter, at least for a time, and
as serving with unwillingness, therefore Ariel so often begs for
liberty; and Caliban observes, that the spirits serve Prospero with
no good will, but hate him rootedly.—Of these trifles enough.
Johnson.
Dost thou forget
From what a torment I did free thee?
Ari.
No.
Pro.
Thou dost; and think'st it much, to tread the ooze
-- 24 --
Of the salt deep;
6 note
To run upon the sharp wind of the north;
To do me business9Q0047 in the veins o' the earth,
When it is bak'd with frost.
Ari.
I do not, sir.
Pro.
Thou ly'st, 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.
Pro.
Thou hast: Where was she born? speak; tell me.
Ari.
Sir, in Argier7 note.
Pro.
Oh, was she so? I must,
Once in a month, recount what thou hast been,
Which thou forgett'st. This damn'd witch, Sycorax,
For mischiefs manifold, and sorceries terrible
To enter human hearing, from Argier,
Thou know'st, was banish'd; for one thing she did,
They would not take her life: Is not this true?
Ari.
Ay, sir.
Pro.
This blue-ey'd 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,
Refusing her grand hests, she did confine thee,
By help of her more potent ministers,
And in her most unmitigable rage,
Into a cloven pine; within which rift
Imprison'd, thou didst painfully remain
-- 25 --
A dozen years; within which space she died,
And left thee there; where thou didst vent thy groans,
As fast as mill-wheels strike:9Q0048 Then was this island,
(Save for the son that she did litter here,
A freckled whelp, hag-born) not honour'd with
A human shape.
Ari.
Yes; Caliban her son.
Pro.
Dull thing, I say so; he, that Caliban,
Whom now I keep in service. Thou best know'st
What torment I did find thee in: thy groans
Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts
Of ever-angry bears; it was a torment
To lay upon the damn'd, which Sycorax
Could not again undo; it was mine art,
When I arriv'd, and heard thee, that made gape
The pine, and let thee out.
Ari.
I thank thee, master.
Pro.
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.
Ari.
Pardon, master:
I will be correspondent to command,
And do my spiriting gently.
Pro.
Do so; and after two days
I will discharge thee.
Ari.
That's my noble master!
What shall I do? say what? what shall I do?
Pro.
Go make thyself like to a nymph o' the sea8 note:
Be subject to no sight but thine and mine; invisible
To every eye-ball else. Go, take this shape,
And hither come in it: go, hence, with diligence.
[Exit Ariel.
Awake, dear heart, awake! thou hast slept well;
Awake!
-- 26 --
Mira.
9 note
The strangeness of your story put
Heaviness in me.
Pro.
Shake it off: Come on;
We'll visit Caliban, my slave, who never
Yields us kind answer.
Mira.
'Tis a villain, sir,
I do not love to look on.
Pro.
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.
Cal. [Within.]
There's wood enough within.
Pro.
Come forth, I say; there's other business for thee:
Come, thou tortoise! when?
Enter Ariel like a water-nymph.
Fine apparition! My quaint Ariel,
Hark in thine ear.
Ari.
My lord, it shall be done.
[Exit.
Pro.
Thou poisonous slave, got by the devil himself
Upon thy wicked dam, come forth!
-- 27 --
Enter Caliban.
1 note
Cal.
As wicked dew, as e'er my mother brush'd
With raven's feather from unwholsome fen,
-- 28 --
Drop on you both! a south-west blow on ye,
And blister you all o'er!
Pro.
For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt have cramps,
Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up; urchins2 note
Shall, 3 note
for that vast of night that they may work,
All exercise on thee: thou shalt be pinch'd
-- 29 --
As thick as honey-combs, each pinch more stinging
Than bees that made 'em.
Cal.
I must eat my dinner.
This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother,
Which thou tak'st from me. When thou camest first,
Thou stroak'dst me, and mad'st much of me; would'st give me
Water with berries in't; and teach me how
To name the bigger light, and how the less,
That burn by day and night: and then I lov'd thee,
And shew'd thee all the qualities o' the isle,
The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place, and fertile;
Curs'd be I, that I did so!—All the charms
Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you!
For I am all the subjects that you have,
Who first was mine own king: and here you sty me
In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me
The rest of the island.
Pro.
Thou most lying slave,
Whom stripes may move, not kindness: I have us'd thee,
Filth as thou art, with human care9Q0049; and lodg'd thee
In mine own cell, till thou didst seek to violate
The honour of my child.
Cal.
Oh ho, oh ho!—wou'd it had been done!
Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else
This isle with Calibans.
Pro.
4 note
Abhorred slave;
-- 30 --
Which any print of goodness will not take,
Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee,
Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour
One thing or other: 5 note
when thou didst not, savage,
Know thy own meaning, but wouldst gabble like
A thing more brutish, I endow'd thy purposes
-- 31 --
With words that made them known: 6 note
But thy vild race
Though thou didst learn, had that in't which good natures
Could not abide to be with; therefore wast thou
Deservedly confin'd into this rock,
Who hadst deserv'd more than a prison.
Cal.
You taught me language; and my profit on't
Is, I know how to curse: 7 note
The red plague rid you,
For learning me your language!
Pro.
Hag-seed, hence!
Fetch us in fewel; and be quick, thou we'rt best,
To answer other business. Shrug'st thou, malice?
If thou neglect'st, or dost unwillingly
What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps;
Fill all thy bones with aches; make thee roar,
That beasts shall tremble at thy din.
Cal.
No, 'pray thee!—
I must obey: his art is of such power,
[Aside.
It would controul my dam's god Setebos8 note
,
And make a vassal of him.
Pro.
So, slave; hence!
[Exit Caliban.
-- 32 --
Enter Ferdinand at the remotest part of the stage, and Ariel invisible, playing and singing.
Ariel's Song.
Come unto these yellow sands,
And then take hands:
9 note
Court'sied when you have, and kiss'd,
(The wild waves whist)
Foot it featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.
Hark, hark!
Bur.
Bowgh, wowgh.
[dispersedly.
The watch-dogs bark:
Bur.
Bowgh, wowgh.
[dispersedly.
Hark, hark! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticlere
Cry, Cock-a-doodle-doo.
Fer.
Where should this musick be? i' the air, or the earth?
-- 33 --
It sounds no more:—and sure, it waits upon
Some god of the island. Sitting on a bank,
Weeping again the king my father's wreck,
This music crept by me upon the waters1 note
;
Allaying both their fury, and my passion,
With its sweet air: thence I have follow'd it,
Or it hath drawn me rather:—But 'tis gone.
No, it begins again.
Ariel's Song.
2 note
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,
-- 34 --
But doth suffer a sea-change3 note
,
Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell.
Hark, now I hear them,—ding-dong, bell.
[Burden, ding-dong,9Q0051
Fer.
The ditty does remember my drown'd father:—
This is no mortal business, nor no sound
4 note
That the earth owes:—I hear it now above me.
-- 35 --
Pro.
The fringed curtains5 note
of thine eye advance,
And say, what thou seest yond'.
Mira.
What is't? a spirit?
Lord, how it looks about! Believe me, sir,
It carries a brave form:—But 'tis a spirit.
Pro.
No, wench; it eats, and sleeps, and hath such senses
As we have, such: This gallant, which thou seest,
Was in the wreck; and, but he's something stain'd
With grief, that's beauty's canker, thou might'st call him
A goodly person: he hath lost his fellows,
And strays about to find them.
Mira.
I might call him
A thing divine; for nothing natural
I ever saw so noble.
Pro.
It goes on, I see,
[Aside.
As my soul prompts it:—Spirit, fine spirit, I'll free thee
Within two days for this.
Fer.
6 note
Most sure, the goddess
On whom these airs attend!—Vouchsafe, my prayer
-- 36 --
May know, if you remain upon this island;
And that you will some good instruction give,
How I may bear me here: My prime request,
Which I do last pronounce, is, o you wonder!
If you be maid, or no?
Mira.
No wonder, sir;
But, 7 note
certainly a maid.
-- 37 --
Fer.
My language! heavens!—
I am the best of them that speak this speech,
Were I but where 'tis spoken.
Pro.
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;
And, that he does, I weep: myself am Naples;
Who with mine eyes, ne'er since at ebb, beheld
The king my father wreck'd.
Mira.
Alack, for mercy!
Fer.
Yes, faith, and all his lords; the duke of Milan,
8 noteAnd his brave son, being twain.
Pro.
The duke of Milan,
And his more braver daughter, could 9 notecontroul thee,
If now 'twere fit to do't:—At the first fight
[Aside to Ariel.
They have chang'd eyes:—Delicate Ariel,
I'll set thee free for this.—A word, good sir;
I fear, you have done yourself some wrong1 note: a word—
Mira.
Why speaks my father so ungently? This
Is the third man that I e'er saw; the first,
That e'er I sigh'd for: pity move my father
To be inclin'd my way!
-- 38 --
Fer.
O, if a virgin,
And your affection not gone forth, I'll make you
The queen of Naples.
Pro.
Soft, sir; one word more.—
They are both in either's powers: but this swift business
I must uneasy make, lest too light winning
[Aside.
Make the prize light.—One word more; I charge thee,
That thou attend me: thou dost here usurp
The name thou ow'st not; and hast put thyself
Upon this island, as a spy, to win it
From me, the lord on't.
Fer.
No, as I am a man.
Mira.
There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple:
If the ill spirit have so fair an house,
Good things will strive to dwell with't.
Pro. [To Ferd.]
Follow me.—
Speak not you for him; he's a traitor.—Come,
I'll manacle thy neck and feet together:
Sea-water shalt thou drink, thy food shall be
The fresh-brook muscles, wither'd roots, and husks
Wherein the acorn cradled: Follow.
Fer.
No;
I will resist such entertainment, till
Mine enemy has more power.
[He draws.
Mira.
O dear father,
Make not too rash a trial of him, for
2 note
He's gentle, and not fearful.
Pro.
What, I say,
My foot my tutor?—Put thy sword up, traitor;
-- 39 --
Who mak'st a shew, but dar'st not strike, thy conscience
Is so possess'd with guilt: 3 notecome from thy ward;
For I can here disarm thee with this stick,
And make thy weapon drop.
Mira.
Beseech you, father!
Pro.
Hence; hang not on my garments.
Mira.
Sir, have pity;
I'll be his surety.
Pro.
Silence: one word more
Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What,
An advocate for an impostor? hush!
Thou think'st, there are 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.
Mira.
My affections
Are then most humble; I have no ambition
To see a goodlier man.
Pro.
Come on; obey:
[To Ferdinand.]
4 note
Thy nerves are in their infancy again,
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, or this man's threats,
To whom I am subdu'd, are but light to me,
Might I but through my prison once a day
Behold this maid: all corners else o' the earth
Let liberty make use of; space enough
Have I, in such a prison.
Pro.
It works:—Come on.
-- 40 --
[To Ariel.]
Thou hast done well, fine Ariel!—Follow me.
Hark, what thou else shalt do me.
Mira.
Be of comfort;
My father's of a better nature, sir,
Than he appears by speech; this is unwonted,
Which now came from him.
Pro.
Thou shalt be as free
As mountain winds: but then exactly do
All points of my command.
Ari.
To the syllable.
Pro.
Come, follow: Speak not for him.
[Exeunt.
ACT II.
SCENE I.
Another part of the island.
Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Anthonio, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, and others.
Gonz.
Beseech you, sir, be merry: you have cause
(So have we all) of joy; for our escape
Is much beyond our loss: 5 noteOur hint of woe
Is common; every day, some sailor's wife,
The master of some merchant, and the merchant,
Have just our theme of woe: but for the miracle,
I mean our preservation, few in millions
Can speak like us: then wisely, good sir, weigh
Our sorrow with our comfort.
Alon.
6 note
Pr'ythee, peace.
-- 41 --
Seb.
He receives comfort like cold porridge.
Ant.
7 noteThe visitor will not give him o'er so.
Seb.
Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit;
by and by it will strike.
Gon.
Sir,—
Seb.
One:—Tell.
Gon.
When every grief is entertain'd, that's offer'd,
Comes to the entertainer—
Seb.
A dollar8 note
.
Gon.
Dolour comes to him, indeed; you have
spoken truer than you purpos'd.
Seb.
You have taken it wiselier than I meant you
should.
Gon.
Therefore, my lord,—
Ant.
Fie, what a spend-thrift is he of his tongue!
-- 42 --
Alon.
I pr'ythee, spare.
Gon.
Well, I have done: But yet—
Seb.
He will be talking.
Ant.
Which of them, he, or Adrian, for a good
wager, first begins to crow?
Seb.
The old cock.
Ant.
The cockrel.
Seb.
Done: The wager?
Ant.
A laughter.
Seb.
A match.
Adr.
Though this island seem to be desert,—
Seb.
Ha, ha, ha!
Ant.
So, you've pay'd.
Adr.
Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible,—
Seb.
Yet,
Adr.
Yet—
Ant.
He could not miss't.
Adr.
It must needs be of subtle, tender, 9 noteand delicate
temperance.
Ant.
1 note
Temperance was a delicate wench.
Seb.
Ay, and a subtle; as he most learnedly deliver'd.
Adr.
The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
Seb.
As if it had lungs, and rotten ones.
Ant.
Or, as 'twere perfum'd 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.
-- 43 --
Gon.
2 noteHow lush and lusty the grass looks?9Q0052 how
green?
Ant.
The ground, indeed, is tawny.
Seb.
With an eye of green in't3 note
.
Ant.
He misses not much.
Seb.
No; he doth but mistake the truth totally.
Gon.
But the rarity of it is (which is, indeed, almost beyond credit)—
Seb.
As many vouch'd rarities are.
Gon.
That our garments, being, as they were,
drench'd in the sea, hold notwithstanding their freshness,
and glosses; being rather new dy'd, than stain'd
with salt water.
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 Africk, at the marriage
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 grac'd 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? 4 note
Widow Dido!9Q0054
-- 44 --
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.
Adr.
Carthage?
Gon.
I assure you, Carthage.
Ant.
His word is more than the miraculous harp5 note.
Seb.
He hath rais'd the wall, and houses too.
Ant.
What impossible matter will he make easy
next?
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.
Gon.
Ay?
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.
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 fish'd for.
Gonz.
When I wore it at your daughter's marriage?
Alon.
You cram these words into mine ears, against
The stomach of my sense6 note
: Would I had never
Marry'd my daughter there! for, coming thence,
My son is lost; and, in my rate, she too,
-- 45 --
Who is so far from Italy remov'd,
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;
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'd
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.
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;9Q0055
Where she, at least, is banish'd from your eye,
Who hath cause to wet the grief on't.
Alon.
Pr'ythee, peace.
Seb.
You were kneel'd to, and importun'd otherwise
By all of us; and the fair soul herself
Weigh'd, between lothness and obedience, at
Which end the beam should bow. We have lost your son,
I fear, for ever: Milan and Naples have
More widows in them of this business' making,
7 noteThan we bring men to comfort them: the fault's
Your own.
Alon.
So is the dearest o' the loss.
Gon.
My lord Sebastian,
The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,
-- 46 --
And time to speak it in: you rub the sore,
When you should bring the plaister.
Seb.
Very well.
Ant.
And most chirurgeonly.
Gon.
It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
When you are cloudy.
Seb.
Foul weather?
Ant.
Very foul.
Gon.
Had I the plantation of this isle, my lord,—
Ant.
He'd sow't with nettle-seed.
Seb.
Or docks, or mallows.
Gon.
And were the king of it, What would I do?
Seb.
'Scape being drunk, for want of wine.
Gon.
I' the commonwealth, I would by contraries
Execute all things:9Q0056 for no kind of traffick
Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
And use of service, none; contract, succession,
Bourn8 note, 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.
Seb.
And yet he would be king on't.
Ant.
9 noteThe 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 engine1 note
,
Would I not have; but nature should bring forth,
-- 47 --
Of its own kind, all 2 note
foizon, all abundance
To feed my innocent people.
Seb.
No marrying 'mong his subjects?
Ant.
None, man: all idle; whores, and knaves.
Gon.
I would with such perfection govern, sir,
To excel the golden age.
Seb.
'Save his majesty!
Ant.
Long live Gonzalo!
Gon.
And, do you mark me, sir?
Alon.
Pr'ythee, 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.
Ant.
'Twas you we laugh'd 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.
Gon.
You are gentlemen of brave metal9Q0057; you
would lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would
continue in it five weeks without changing.
Enter Ariel, playing solemn musick.
Seb.
We would so, and then go a bat-fowling.
Ant.
Nay, my good lord, be not angry.
Gon.
No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my
-- 48 --
discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for
I am very heavy?
Ant.
Go, sleep,and hear us.
[Gonz. Adr. Fra. &c. sleep.
Alon.
What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes
Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts: I find,
They are inclin'd to do so.
Seb.
Please you, sir,
Do not omit the heavy offer of it:
It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,
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: Wond'rous heavy—
[All sleep but Seb. and Ant.
Seb.
What a strange drowsiness possesses them?
Ant.
It is the quality o' the climate.
Seb.
Why
Doth it not then our eye-lids sink? I find not
Myself dispos'd to sleep.
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,
What thou should'st 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?
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;
And yet so fast asleep.
Ant.
Noble Sebastian,
-- 49 --
Thou let'st thy fortune sleep, die rather; wink'st
Whiles thou art waking.
Seb.
Thou dost snore distinctly;
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,
Trebles thee o'er.9Q0058
Seb.
Well; I am standing water.
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 cherish,
Whilst 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.
Pr'ythee, say on:
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 2 notethis lord of weak remembrance, this,
(Who shall be of as little memory,
When he is earth'd) hath here almost persuaded,
(3 note
For he's a spirit of persuasion, only
-- 50 --
Professes to persuade) the king, his son's alive;
'Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd,
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, is
Another way so high an hope, that even
Ambition cannot pierce 4 notea wink beyond,
But doubts discovery there. Will you grant, with me,
That Ferdinand is drown'd?
Seb.
He's gone.
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; 5 note
she that from Naples
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, from whom
-- 51 --
We were all sea-swallow'd, 6 note
though some cast again;
And, by that destiny7 note, to perform an act,
Whereof what's past is prologue; what to come,
In yours, and my discharge.
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 regions
There is some space.
Ant.
A space, whose every cubit
Seems to cry out, How shall that Claribel
Measure us back to Naples?—8 note
Keep in Tunis,
And let Sebastian wake!—Say, this were death
That now hath seiz'd them; why, they were no worse
Than now they are: There be, that can rule Naples,
As well as he that sleeps; lords, that can prate
-- 52 --
As amply, and unnecessarily,
As this Gonzalo; I myself could make
A chough9 note 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 content
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;
Much feater than before: My brother's servants
Were then my fellows, now they are my men.
Seb.
But, for your conscience—
Ant.
Ay, sir; where lies that? if it were a kybe,
'Twould put me to my slipper; But I feel not
This deity in my bosom: twenty consciences,
That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candy'd be they,
1 note
And melt, e'er 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 dead2 note;
-- 53 --
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 ay3 note
might put
4 note
This ancient morsel, this sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
They'll 5 notetake suggestion, as a cat laps milk;9Q0059
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,
I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword: one stroke
Shall free thee from the tribute which thou pay'st;
And I the king shall love thee.
Ant.
Draw together:
And when I rear my hand, do you the like
To fall it on Gonzalo.
Seb.
O, but one word.
[They converse apart.
Enter Ariel, with musick and song.
Ari.
My master through his art foresees the danger,
That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth
(For else his project dies) 6 note
to keep them living.
[Sings in Gonzalo's ear.
-- 54 --
While you here do snoring lie,
Open-ey'd conspiracy
His time doth take:
If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware:
Awake! awake!
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 7 note
drawn?
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 it not wake you?
It strook 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.
Alon.
Heard you this, Gonzalo?
Gon.
Upon my honour, sir, I heard a humming,
-- 55 --
And that a strange one too, which did awake me:
I shak'd you, sir, and cry'd; as mine eyes open'd,
I saw their weapons drawn:—there was a noise,
That's verity8 note: '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!
For he is, sure, i' the island.
Alon.
Lead away.
Ari.
Prospero my lord shall know what I have done.
[Aside.
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 up
From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me,
And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch,
Fright me with urchin shows, pitch me i' the mire,
Nor lead me, like a fire-brand, in the dark
Out of my way, unless he bid 'em; but
For every trifle they are set upon me:
Sometime like apes, 9 note
that moe and chatter at me,
-- 56 --
And after, bite me; then like hedge-hogs, which
Lie tumbling in my bare-foot way, and mount
Their pricks at my foot-fall; sometime am I
All 1 notewound with adders, who, with cloven tongues,
Do hiss me into madness:—Lo! now! lo!
Enter Trinculo.
Here comes a spirit of his; and to torment me,
For bringing wood in slowly: I'll fall flat;
Perchance, he will not mind me.
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, 2 note
looks like a foul bumbard 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 chuse but fall by pailfuls.—What have
we here? a man or a fish? Dead or alive? A fish:
-- 57 --
he smells like a fish; a very ancient and 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 painted3 note
, not a holiday-fool
there but would give a piece of silver: there would
this monster 4 note
make a man; any strange beast there
makes a man: when they will not give a doit to relieve
a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see 5 note
a
dead Indian.9Q0060 Legg'd like a man! and his sins like
arms! Warm, o' my troth! I do now let loose my
opinion6 note
, hold it no longer; this is no fish, but an
islander, that has lately suffer'd by a thunder-bolt.
Alas! the storm is come again: my best way is to
creep under 7 note
note
So in Look about you, 1600:
“I'll conjure his gaberdine.” The gaberdine is still worn by
the peasants in Sussex.
Steevens.
his gaberdine; there is no other shelter
-- 58 --
hereabout: Misery acquaints a man with strange
bedfellows: I will here shrowd, 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,
Here shall I dye a-shore,—
This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral:
Well, here's my comfort.
[Drinks.
The master, the swabber, the boatswain and I,
The gunner and his mate,
Lov'd Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,
But none of us car'd for Kate:
For she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a sailor, Go, hang:
She lov'd not the savour of tar nor of pitch,
Yet a taylor might scratch her where-e'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: Oh!
Ste.
What's the matter? Have we devils here?
Do you put tricks upon us with savages, and men of
Inde? Ha! I have not 'scap'd drowning, to be afraid
now of your four legs; for it hath been said, As
proper a man as ever went upon four legs, cannot
make him give ground: and it shall be said so again,
while Stephano breathes at nostrils.
Cal.
The spirit torments me: Oh!
Ste.
This is some monster of the isle, with four
legs; who has got, as I take it, an ague: Where the
devil should he learn our language? I will give him
some relief, if it be but for that: If I can recover
him, and keep him tame, and get to Naples with
-- 59 --
him, he's a present for any emperor that ever trod
on neats-leather.
Cal.
Do not torment me, pr'ythee; I'll bring my
wood home faster.
Ste.
He's in his fit now; and does not talk after
the wisest: He shall taste of my bottle: if he 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 8 note
too much for him; he shall pay for him that
hath him, and that soundly.
Cal.
Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt
anon, 9 note
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, 1 notecat; open
your mouth: this will shake your shaking, I can tell
you, and that soundly: you cannot tell who's your
friend; open your chaps again.
Trin.
I should know that voice: It should be,—
But he is drown'd; and these are devils: O! defend
me!—
Ste.
Four legs, and two voices; a most delicate
monster! His forward voice2 note 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
-- 60 --
will recover him, I will help his ague: Come—3 noteAmen!
I will pour some in thy other mouth.
Trin.
Stephano,—
Ste.
Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy! mercy!
This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave
him; 4 note
I have no long spoon.
Trin.
Stephano!—if thou beest Stephano, touch
me, and speak to me; for I am Trinculo;—be not
afraid,—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 cam'st thou 5 note
to be the siege of this moon-calf?
can he vent Trinculos?
Trin.
I took him to be kill'd with a thunder-stroke:
—But art thou not drown'd Stephano? I hope now,
thou art not drown'd. Is the storm over-blown? I
hid me under the dead moon-calf's gaberdine, for
fear of the storm: And art thou living, Stephano?
O Stephano, two Neapolitans 'scap'd!
Ste.
Pr'ythee, do not turn me about; my stomach
is not constant.
Cal.
These be fine things, an if they be not sprights.
-- 61 --
That's a brave god, and bears celestial liquor:
I will kneel to him.
Ste.
How did'st thou 'scape? How cam'st thou
hither? swear, by this bottle, how thou cam'st hither.
I escap'd upon a butt of sack, which the sailors heav'd
over-board, by this bottle! which I made of the bark
of a tree, with mine own hands, since I was cast
a-shore.
Cal.
I'll swear, upon that bottle, to be thy true
subject; for the liquor is not earthly.
Ste.
Here; swear then, how escap'dst thou?
Trin.
Swom a-shore, man, like a duck; I can swim
like a duck, I'll be sworn.
Ste.
Here, kiss the book: Though thou can'st
swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose.
Trin.
O Stephano, hast any more of this?
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 heaven6 note?
Ste.
Out o' the moon, I do assure thee: I was the
man in the moon, when time was.
Cal.
I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee:
my mistress shew'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.
Trin.
By this good light this is a very shallow monster:
—7 noteI afraid of him?—a very weak monster:—
The man i' the moon?—a most poor credulous monster:
—Well drawn, monster, in good sooth.
-- 62 --
Cal.
I'll shew thee every fertile inch o' the isle;
And I will 8 notekiss thy foot: I pr'ythee, be my god.
Trin.
By this light, a most perfidious and drunken
monster; when his 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.
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!
Cal.
I'll shew thee the best springs; I'll pluck thee berries;
I'll fish for thee, and get thee wood enough.
A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!
I'll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee,
Thou wond'rous man.
Trin.
A most ridiculous monster; to make a wonder
of a poor drunkard.
Cal.
I pr'ythee, let me bring thee where crabs grow;
And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts;
Shew thee a jay's nest, and instruct thee how
To snare the nimble marmozet; I'll bring thee
To clust'ring filberds, and sometimes I'll get thee
Young 9 note
scamels from the rock: Wilt thou go with me?
-- 63 --
Ste.
I pr'ythee now, lead the way, without any
more talking.—Trinculo, the king and all our company
being drown'd, we will inherit here.—Here;
bear my bottle! Fellow Trinculo, we'll fill him by
and by again.
Cal. [Sings drunkenly.]
Farewell master; farewell, farewell.
Trin.
A howling monster; a drunken monster.
-- 64 --
Cal.
No more dams I'll make for fish;
Nor fetch in firing
At requiring,
Nor scrape 1 notetrencher, nor wash dish;9Q0061
Ban' Ban', Ca—Caliban,
Has a new master—Get a new Man.
Freedom, hey-day! hey-day, freedom! freedom,
hey-day, freedom!
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 painful2 note; but their labour3 note
Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness
Are nobly undergone; and most poor matters
Point to rich ends. This my mean task
Would be as heavy to me, as odious; but
The mistress, which I serve, quickens what's dead,
And makes my labours pleasures: o, she is
Ten times more gentle, than her father's crabbed;
And he's compos'd of harshness. I must remove
Some thousands of these logs, and pile them up,
Upon a sore injunction: My sweet mistress
Weeps when she sees me work; and says, such baseness
Had ne'er like executor. I forget:
-- 65 --
But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours;
4 note
Most busy-less, when I do it.
Enter Miranda, and Prospero at a distance.
Mira.
Alas, now! pray you,
Work not so hard: I would, the lightning had
Burnt up those logs, that you are enjoin'd to pile!
Pray, set it down, and rest you: when this burns,
'Twill weep for having weary'd 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 discharge
What I must strive to do.
Mira.
If you'll sit down,
I'll bear your logs the while: Pray, give me that;
I'll carry't to the pile.
Fer.
No, precious creature;
I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,
Than you should such dishonour undergo,
While I sit lazy by.
Mira.
It would become me
As well as it does you: and I should do it
With much more ease; for my good will is to it,
And yours it is against5 note.
Pro.
Poor worm! thou art infected;
This visitation shews it.
Mira.
You look wearily.
Fer.
No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me,
When you are by at night. I do beseech you,
-- 66 --
(Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers)
What is your name?
Mira.
Miranda:—O my father,
I have broke your 6 notehest to say so!
Fer.
Admir'd Miranda!
Indeed, the top of admiration; worth
What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I lik'd several women; never any
With so full soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,
And put it to the foil: But you, o you,
So perfect, and so peerless, are created
7 noteOf every creature's best.
Mira.
I do not know
One of my sex; no woman's face remember,
Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen
More that I may call men, than you, good friend,
And my dear father: how features are abroad,
I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,
(The jewel in my dower) I would not wish
Any companion in the world but you;
Nor can imagination form a shape,
Besides yourself, to like of: But I prattle
Something too wildly, and my father's precepts
I therein do forget.
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 I would suffer8 note
The flesh-fly blow my mouth:—Hear my soul speak;—
-- 67 --
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.
Mira.
Do you love me?
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,9Q0062
Do love, prize, honour you.
Mira.
9 note
I am a fool,
To weep at what I am glad of.
Pro.
Fair encounter
Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace
On that which breeds between them!
Fer.
Wherefore weep you?
Mira.
At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer
What I desire to give; and much less take,
What I shall die to want: But this is trifling;
And all the more it seeks to hide itself,
The bigger bulk it shews. Hence bashful cunning!
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!
I am your wife9Q0063, if you will marry me;
If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow1 note
You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,
Whether you will or no.
-- 68 --
Fer.
My mistress, dearest,
And I thus humble ever.
Mira.
My husband then?
Fer.
Ay, with a heart as willing
As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.
Mira.
And mine, with my heart in't:9Q0064 And now farewell,
Till half an hour hence.
Fer.
A thousand, thousand!
[Exeunt.
Pro.
So glad of this as they, I cannot be,
Who are surpriz'd with all; but my rejoicing
At nothing can be more. I'll to my book;
For yet, ere supper-time, must I perform
Much business appertaining.
[Exit.
SCENE II.
Another part of the island.
Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, 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 'em* 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 brain'd like us, the state
totters.
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 tail2 note.
-- 69 --
Ste.
My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in
sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me: 3 note
I
swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty
leagues, off and on, by this light.—Thou shalt be
my lieutenant, monster, 4 note
or my standard.
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
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 ly'st, most ignorant monster; I am in
case to justle a constable: Why, 5 note
thou debosh'd fish
-- 70 --
thou, was there ever a 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!
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 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.
Ari.
Thou ly'st.
Cal.
Thou ly'st, 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.
-- 71 --
Cal.
Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.
Ste.
How now shall this be compass'd? Canst 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 head.
Ari.
Thou ly'st, thou canst not.
Cal.
6 note
What a py'd ninny's this? Thou scurvy patch!—
I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,
He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not 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 stockfish
of thee.
Trin.
Why, what did I? I did nothing; I'll go
further off.
Ste.
Didst thou not say, he ly'd?
Ari.
Thou ly'st.
Ste.
Do I so? take thou that.
[Beats him.
As you like this, give me the lie another time.
-- 72 --
Trin.
I did not give thee the lie:—Out o' your
wits, and hearing too?—A pox of 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.
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: 7 note
Remember,
First to possess his books: for without them
He's but a sot, as I am; nor hath not
One spirit to command: They all do hate him,
As rootedly as I: Burn but his books;
He has brave utensils (for so he calls them)
Which, when he has an 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 woman,
But only Sycorax my dam, and she;
But she as far surpasses Sycorax,
As greatest 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 vice-roys:—Dost thou
like the plot, Trinculo?
-- 73 --
Trin.
Excellent.
Ste.
Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee:
but, while thou liv'st, keep a good tongue in thy head.
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 mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure;
Let us be jocund: 8 note
Will you troul the catch,
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, play'd by the
picture of no-body.9Q0065
Ste.
If thou be'st a man, shew thyself in thy likeness:
if thou be'st 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!
Cal.
Art thou affeard9 note
?
-- 74 --
Ste.
No, monster, not I.
Cal.
Be not affeard; the isle is full of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices,
That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds, methought, would open, and 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 destroy'd.
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 wou'd, I
could see this taborer: he lays it on.
Trin.
Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III.
Changes to another part of the island.
Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Anthonio, Gonzalo, Adrian, Francisco, &c.
Gon.
1 noteBy'r lakin, I can go no further, Sir;
My old bones ache: here's a maze trod, indeed,
Through forth-rights, and meanders! by your patience,
I needs must rest me.
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 it
No longer for my flatterer: he is drown'd,
-- 75 --
Whom thus we stray to find; and the sea mocks
Our frustrate search on land: Well, let him go.
Ant. [Aside to Sebastian.]
I am right glad that he's so out of hope.
Do not, for one repulse, forego the purpose
That you resolv'd to effect.
Seb.
The next advantage
Will we take throughly.
Ant.
Let it be to-night;
For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they
Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance,
As when they are fresh.
Seb.
I say, to-night: no more.
Solemn and strange musick; and Prospero on the top, 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.
What harmony is this? my good friends, hark!
Gon.
Marvellous sweet musick!
Alon.
Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these?
Seb.
2 note
A living drollery: Now I will believe,
That there are unicorns; that, in Arabia
There is one tree, the phœnix' throne3 note; one phœnix
At this hour reigning there.
-- 76 --
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 Naples
I should report this now, would they believe me?
If I should say, I saw such islanders,
(For, certes4 note
, these are people of the island)
Who though they are of monstrous shape,9Q0066 yet, note,
Their manners are more gentle, kind, than of
Our human generation you shall find
Many, nay, almost any.
Pro.
Honest lord,
Thou hast said well; for some of you there present,
Are worse than devils.
[Aside.
Alon.
I cannot too much muse5 note
,
Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing
(Although they want the use of tongue) a kind
Of excellent dumb discourse.
Pro.
6 note
Praise in departing.
[Aside.
Fran.
They vanish'd strangely.
Seb.
No matter, since
-- 77 --
They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.—
Will't please you taste of what is here?
Alon.
Not I.
Gon.
Faith, sir, you need not fear: When we were boys,
Who would believe 7 note
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 breasts8 note
? which now, we find,
9 note
Each putter out on five for one,9Q0067 will bring us
Good warrant of.9Q0068
-- 78 --
Alon.
I will stand to, and feed,
Although my last; no matter, since I feel
The best is past:—Brother, my lord the duke,
Stand to, and do as we.
Thunder and lightning. 1 note
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 world2 note,
And what is in't) the never-surfeited sea
Hath caused to belch up; and on this island
Where man doth not inhabit; you 'mongst men
Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad;
And even with such like valour men hang and drown
Their proper selves.
[Alonso, Sebastian, and the rest draw their swords.
Ye fools! I and my fellows
Are ministers of fate; the elements
Of whom your swords are temper'd, may as well
Wound the loud winds, or with bemock't-at stabs
Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish
-- 79 --
3 note
One dowle that's in my plume; my fellow-ministers
Are like invulnerable: if you could hurt,
Your swords are now too massy for your strengths,
And will not be up-lifted: But remember,
(For that's my business to you) that you three
From Milan did supplant good Prospero;
Expos'd unto the sea, which hath requit it,
Him, and his innocent child: for which foul deed
The powers, delaying not forgetting, have
Incens'd the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,
Against your peace: Thee, of thy son, Alonso,
They have bereft; and do pronounce by me,
Ling'ring perdition (worse than any death
Can be at once) shall step by step attend
You, and your ways; whose wraths to guard you from9Q0070
(Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls
-- 80 --
Upon your heads) is nothing, but heart's sorrow,
And a 4 note
clear life ensuing.
He vanishes in thunder: then to soft musick, enter the
shapes again, and dance with mops and mowes5 note
, and
carry out the table.
Pro. [Aside.]
Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou
Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring;
Of my instruction hast thou nothing 'bated,
In what thou hadst to say: so, 6 note
with good life,
And observation strange, my meaner ministers
-- 81 --
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;
And in these fits I leave them, whilst I visit
Young Ferdinand (whom they suppose is drown'd)
And his and my lov'd darling.
[Exit Prospero from above.
Gon.
I'the name of something holy, sir, why stand you
In this strange stare?
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, pronounc'd
The name of Prosper; it did 7 note
bass my trespass.
Therefore my son i'the 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.
Ant.
I'll be thy second.
[Exeunt.
Gon.
All three of them are desperate; their great guilt,
8 noteLike poison given to work a great time after,
Now 'gins to bite the spirits:—I do beseech you
That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly,
And hinder them from what this ecstasy9 note
May now provoke them to.
Adri.
Follow, I pray you.
[Exeunt.
-- 82 --
ACT IV.
SCENE I.
Prospero's cell.
Enter Prospero, Ferdinand, and Miranda.
Pro.
If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends; for I
Have given you here 1 note
a third of mine own life,9Q0071
-- 83 --
Or that for which I live; whom once again
I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Hast 2 notestrangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift: o Ferdinand,
Do not smile at me, that I boast her off,9Q0072
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
And make it halt behind her.
Fer.
I do believe it,
Against an oracle.
Pro.
Then, as my 3 notegift, and thine own acquisition
Worthily purchas'd, take my daughter: But
If thou dost break her virgin knot4 note
, before
All sanctimonious ceremonies9Q0073 may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,
No sweet aspersion5 note shall the Heavens let fall
To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly,
-- 84 --
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,
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,
Or night kept chain'd below.
Pro.
Fairly spoke:
Sit then, and talk with her, she is thine own.—
What, Ariel; my industrious servant Ariel!—
Enter Ariel.
Ari.
What would my potent master? here I am.
Pro.
Thou and thy meaner fellows, your last service
Did worthily perform; and I must use you
In such another trick: go, bring 6 notethe rabble,
O'er whom I give thee power, here, to this place:
Incite them to quick motion; for I must
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.
Ari.
Presently?
Pro.
Ay, with a twink.
Ari.
Before you can say, 7 note
Come, and go,
And breathe twice; and cry, so, so;
Each one, tripping on his toe,
Will be here with mop and moe:
Do you love me, master? no.
-- 85 --
Pro.
Dearly, my delicate Ariel: Do not approach,
Till thou dost hear me call.
Ari.
Well, I conceive.
[Exit.
Pro.
Look, thou be true; do not give dalliance
Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw
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.9Q0074
Pro.
Well.—
Now come, my Ariel; 8 notebring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.—
9 noteNo tongue; all eyes; be silent.
[Soft musick.
A Masque. Enter Iris.
Iris.
Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease;
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And slat meads 1 note
thatch'd with stover, them to keep;
-- 86 --
2 note
Thy banks with pionied and twilled brims,
Which spungy April at thy hest betrims,
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; 3 note
and thy broom groves,
Whose shadow the dismissed batchelor loves,
-- 87 --
Being lass-lorn4 note
; thy pole-clipt vineyard5 note;
And thy sea-marge, steril, and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself do'st air; The queen o' the sky,
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.
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 crown
6 note
My bosky acres, and my unshrubb'd down,
Rich scarf to my proud earth; Why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, 7 noteto this short-grass'd green?
Iris.
A contract of true love to celebrate;
And some donation freely to estate
On the bless'd lovers.
Cer.
Tell me, heavenly bow,
If Venus, or her son, as thou do'st know,
Do now attend the queen? since they did plot
The means, that dusky Dis my daughter got,
-- 88 --
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company
I have forsworn.
Iris.
Of her society
Be not afraid: I met her deity
Cutting the clouds towards Paphos; and her son
Dove-drawn with her: here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-rite shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted: but in vain;
Mars's hot minion is return'd again;
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out.
Cer.
8 note
High queen of state,9Q0075
Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.
Enter Juno.
Jun.
How does my bounteous sister? Go with me,
To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be,
And honour'd in their issue.
Jun.
Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
Long continuance, and increasing,
-- 89 --
Hourly joys be still upon you!
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Cer.
9 noteEarth's increase, and foison plenty1 note
;
Barns, and garners, never empty;
Vines, with clust'ring bunches growing;
Plants, with goodly burden bowing;
Spring come to you, at the farthest,
In the very end of harvest!
Scarcity, and want, shall shun you;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.
Fer.
This a most majestic vision, and
2 note
Harmonious charmingly9Q0076: May I be bold
To think these spirits?
Pro.
Spirits, which by mine art
I have from their confines call'd to enact
My present fancies.
Fer.
Let me live here ever;
So rare a wonder'd father, and a wife,
Make this place paradise.
Pro.
Sweet now, silence:
Juno, and Ceres, whisper seriously;
-- 90 --
There's something else to do: hush, and be mute,
Or else our spell is marr'd.
[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on employment.]
Iris.
You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the 3 notewandring brooks,
With your sedg'd crowns, and ever harmless looks,
4 note
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land
Answer your summons; Juno does command:
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love; be not too late.
Enter certain nymphs.
You sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August weary,
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry;
Make holy-day: 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
vanish heavily.
Pro. [Aside.]
I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban, and his confederates,
Against my life; the minute of their plot
Is almost come.—[To the spirits.] Well done;—avoid;—no more.
-- 91 --
Fer.
This is strange: your father's in some passion
That works him strongly,
Mira.
Never till this day,
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pro.
You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,
As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, sir:
Our revels now are ended: these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabrick of this vision5 note
,
The cloud-capt towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all, which it inherit, shall dissolve;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
6 note
Leave not a rack behind9Q0078: We are such stuff
-- 92 --
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.—7 note
Sir, I am vex'd;
Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled:
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:
If thou be pleas'd, retire into my cell,
And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk,
To still my beating mind.
Fer. Mira.
We wish your peace.
[Exeunt Fer. and Mira.
-- 93 --
Pro.
Come with a thought:—I thank thee:—
Ariel, come.
Prospero comes forward from the cell; enter Ariel to him.
Ari.
Thy thoughts I cleave to8 note
: What's thy pleasure?
Pro.
Spirit,
We must prepare, 9 note
to meet with Caliban.
Ari.
Ay, my commander: when I presented Ceres,
I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd,
Lest I might anger thee.
Pro.
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 air
For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
Towards their project: Then I beat my tabor,
At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their ears,
1 note
Advanc'd their eye-lids, lifted up their noses,
-- 94 --
As they smelt musick; so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd, through
Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, 2 note
pricking goss, and thorns,
Which enter'd their frail shins: at last I left them
I' the filthy mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'er-stunk their feet.
Pro.
This was well done, my bird:
Thy shape invisible retain thou still:
The trumpery in my house, go, bring it hither,
3 note
For stale to catch these thieves.
Ari.
I go, I go.
[Exit.
Pro.
A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
-- 95 --
Nurture can never stick4 note; on whom my pains,
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
And as, with age, his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers:9Q0079 I will plague them all,
Even to roaring:—Come, hang them on this line.
[Prospero remains invisible.
Enter Ariel loaden with glistering apparel, &c. 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.
Ste.
Monster, your fairy, which, you say, is a
harmless fairy, has done little better than play'd the
5 noteJack 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 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 hood-wink this mischance: therefore, speak softly;
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 harmless fairy, monster.
Ste.
I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er
ears for my labour.
Cal.
Pr'ythee, my king, be quiet: See'st thou here,
This is the mouth o' the cell; no noise, and enter:
-- 96 --
Do that good mischief, which may make this island
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.
6 note
Trin.
O king Stephano! o peer! o worthy Stephano!
Look, what a wardrobe here is for thee!
Cal.
Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.
Trin.
Oh, ho, monster; 7 note
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.
Cal.
The dropsy drown this fool! what do you mean,
To doat thus on such luggage? 8 note
Let's along,
-- 97 --
And do the murder first: if he awake,
From toe to crown he'll fill our skin with pinches;
Make us strange stuff.
Ste.
Be you quiet, monster.—Mistress line, is not
this my jerkin? Now is the jerkin 9 note
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, and't
like your grace.
Ste.
I thank thee for that jest; here's a garment
for't: wit shall not go unrewarded, while I am king
of this country: Steal by line and level, is an excellent
pass of pate; there's another garment for't.
Trin.
Monster, come, 1 noteput some lime upon your
fingers, and away with the rest.
Cal.
I will have none on't: we shall lose our time,
And all be turn'd 2 note
to barnacles, or to apes
With foreheads villainous low.
-- 98 --
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.
Trin.
And this.
Ste.
Ay, and this.
3 noteA noise of hunters heard. Enter divers spirits in shape
of hounds, hunting them about; Prospero and Ariel
setting them on.
Pro.
Hey, Mountain, hey!
Ari.
Silver! there it goes, Silver!
Pro.
Fury, Fury! there, Tyrant, there! hark, hark!—
[To Ariel.]
Go, charge my goblins that they grind their joints
With dry convulsions; shorten up their sinews
-- 99 --
With aged cramps; and more pinch-spotted make them,
Than pard, or cat o'mountain.
Ari.
Hark, they roar.
Pro.
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.
ACT V.
SCENE I.
Before the cell.
Enter Prospero in his magick robes, and Ariel.
Pro.
Now does my project gather to a head:
My charms crack not; my spirits obey; 4 note
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.
Pro.
I did say so,
When first I rais'd the tempest. Say, my spirit,
How fares the king and his followers?
Ari.
Confin'd together
In the same fashion as you gave in charge;
Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir,
In the lime-grove which weather-fends your cell;
They cannot budge, till your release. The king,
His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted;
And the remainder mourning over them,
Brim-full of sorrow, and dismay; but, chiefly,
-- 100 --
Him that you term'd The good old lord, Gonzalo,
His tears run down his beard, like winter drops
From eaves of reeds: your charm so strongly works 'em,
That if you now beheld them, your affections
Would become tender.
Pro.
Do'st thou think so, spirit?
Ari.
Mine would, sir, were I human.
Pro.
And mine shall.
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch5 note
, a feeling
Of their afflictions? and shall not myself,
One of their kind, 6 note
that relish all as sharply,
Passion as they, be kindlier mov'd than thou art?
Though with their high wrongs I am struck to the quick,
Yet, with my nobler reason, 'gainst my fury
Do I take part: the rarer action is
In virtue than in vengeance: they being penitent,
-- 101 --
The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
Not a frown further: Go, release them, Ariel;
My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore,
And they shall be themselves.
Ari.
I'll fetch them, sir.
[Exit.
Pro.
7 note
Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves;
And ye, that on the sands 8 note
with printless foot
Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him,
When he comes back; you demy-puppets, that
By moon-shine 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
9 note
(Weak masters though ye be)9Q0081 I have be-dimm'd
-- 102 --
The noon-tide sun, call'd forth the mutinous winds,
And 'twixt the green sea and the azur'd vault
Set roaring war: to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak
With his own bolt: the strong-bas'd promontory
Have I made shake; and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine, and cedar: graves, at my command,
Have wak'd their sleepers; op'd, and let them forth
By my so potent art: But this rough magick
I here abjure: and, when I have requir'd
Some heavenly musick, (which even now I do)
To work mine end upon their senses, that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,
And, deeper than did ever plummet sound,
I'll drown my book.
[Solemn musick.]
Re-enter Ariel: after him Alonso with a frantick gesture,
attended by Gonzalo. Sebastian and Anthonio in like
manner, attended by Adrian and Francisco. They all
enter the circle which Prospero had made, and there
stand charm'd; which Prospero observing, speaks.
A solemn air, and the best comforter
To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
Now useless, boil'd within thy skull1 note
! there stand,
For you are spell-stopp'd.—
Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,
Mine eyes, even sociable to the shew of thine,
Fall fellowly drops.—The charm dissolves apace;
And as the morning steals upon the night,
-- 103 --
Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
Their clearer reason.—O good Gonzalo,
My true preserver, and a loyal sir
To him thou follow'st; I will pay thy graces
Home, both in word and deed.—Most cruelly
Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter:
Thy brother was a furtherer in the act;—
Thou'rt pinch'd for't now, Sebastian.—Flesh and blood2 note
,
You brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
Expell'd remorse, and nature; who, with Sebastian,
(Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong)
Would here have kill'd your king; I do forgive thee,
Unnatural though thou art!—Their understanding
Begins to swell; and the approaching tide
Will shortly fill the reasonable shore,
That now lies foul and muddy. Not one of them,
That yet looks on me, or would know me:—Ariel,
Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell;—
I will dis-case me, and myself present,
[Exit Ariel.
As I was sometime Milan:—quickly, spirit;
Thou shalt e'er long be free.
Ariel enters singing, and helps to attire him.
Where the bee sucks, there suck I;
In a cowslip's bell I lie:9Q0083
There I couch when owls do cry.
On the bat's back I do fly,
3 note
After summer, merrily:
Merrily, merrily, shall I live now,
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.
-- 104 --
Pro.
Why, that's my dainty Ariel: I shall miss thee;
But yet thou shalt have freedom: So, so, so.—
To the king's ship, invisible as thou art:
-- 105 --
There shalt thou find the mariners asleep
Under the hatches; the master, and the boatswain,
Being awake, enforce them to this place;
And presently, I pr'ythee.
Ari.
4 noteI drink the air before me, and return
Or e'er your pulse twice beat.
[Exit.
Gon.
All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement
Inhabits here; Some heavenly power guide us
Out of this fearful country!
Pro.
Behold, sir King,
The wronged duke of Milan, Prospero:
For more assurance that a living prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;
And to thee, and thy company, I bid
A hearty welcome.
Alon.
Whe'r thou be'st he, or no,
Or some inchanted trifle to abuse me,
As late I have been, I not know: thy pulse
Beats, as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
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.
6 noteThy dukedom I resign; and do intreat,
Thou pardon me my wrongs:—But how should Prospero
Be living, and be here?
Pro.
First, noble friend,
Let me embrace thine age; whose honour cannot
Be measur'd, or confin'd.
Gon.
Whether this be,
Or be not, I'll not swear.
-- 106 --
Pro.
You do yet taste
Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain:—Welcome, my friends all:—
But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,
[Aside to Seb. and Ant.
I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you,
And justify you traitors; at this time
I'll tell no tales.
Seb.
The devil speaks in him.
[Aside.
Pro.
No:—
For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require
My dukedom of thee, which, perforce, I know,
Thou must restore.
Alon.
If thou be'st Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation:
How thou hast met us here, who three hours since6 note
Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost,
How sharp the point of this remembrance is!
My dear son Ferdinand.
Pro.
7 note
I am woe for't, sir.
-- 107 --
Alon.
Irreparable is the loss; and patience
Says, it is past her cure.
Pro.
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?
Pro.
8 noteAs great to me, as late; and, supportable
To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker
Than you may call to comfort you; for I
Have lost my daughter.
Alon.
A daughter?
O heavens! that they were living both in Naples,
The king and queen there! that they were, I wish,
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed,
Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?
Pro.
In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords
At this encounter do so much admire,
That they devour their reason; and scarce think,
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain,
That I am Prospero, and that very duke
Which was thrust forth of Milan; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed
To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,
Not a relation for a breakfast, nor
Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
This cell's my court: here have I few attendants,
-- 108 --
And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in;
My dukedom since you have given me again,
I will requite you with as good a thing;
At least, bring forth a wonder, to content ye,
As much as me my dukedom.
The entrance of the cell opens, and discovers Ferdinand and Miranda playing at chess.
Mira.
Sweet lord, you play me false.
Fer.
No, my dearest love,
I would not for the world.
Mira.
9 note
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 son
Shall I twice lose.
Seb.
A most high miracle!
Fer.
Though the seas threaten, they are merciful:
I have curs'd them without cause.
Alon.
Now all the blessings
[Ferd. kneels.
Of a glad father compass thee about!
Arise, and say how thou cam'st here.
Mira.
O! wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!
Pro.
'Tis new to thee.
-- 109 --
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,
And brought us thus together?
Fer.
Sir, she's mortal;
But, by immortal Providence, she's mine:
I chose her, when I could not ask my father
For his advice; nor thought, I had one: she
Is daughter to this famous duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,
But never saw before; of whom I have
Receiv'd a second life, and second father
This lady makes him to me.
Alon.
I am hers:
But, oh, how oddly will it sound, that I
Must ask my child forgiveness!
Pro.
There, sir, stop;
Let us not burden our remembrance with
An 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 way
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 down
With gold on lasting pillars: In one voyage
Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis;
And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife,
Where he himself was lost; Prospero his dukedom,
In a poor isle; and all of us, ourselves,
1 note
When no man was his own.
-- 110 --
Alon.
Give me your hands:
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart,
That doth not wish you joy!
Gon.
Be't so, Amen!
Re-enter Ariel, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following.
O look, sir, look, sir, here are more of us!
I prophesy'd, 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?
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.
Ari. [Aside.
Sir, all this service
Have I done since I went.
Pro. [Aside.
My tricksy spirit!2 note
Alon.
These are not natural events; they strengthen,
From strange to stranger:—Say, how came you hither?
-- 111 --
Boats.
If I did think, sir, I were well awake,
I'd strive to tell you. We were dead asleep3 note,
And (how, we know not) all clapp'd under hatches,
Where, but even now, with strange and several noises
Of roaring, shrieking, howling, gingling chains,
And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,
We were awak'd; straightway, at liberty:
Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld
Our royal, good, and gallant ship; our master
Cap'ring to eye her: On a trice, so please you,
Even in a dream, were we divided from them,
And were brought moping hither.
Ari. [Aside.
Was't well done?
Pro. [Aside.
Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.
Alon.
This is as strange a maze as e'er men trod;
And there is in this business more than nature
Was ever conduct4 note
of:9Q0084 some oracle
Must rectify our knowledge.
Pro.
Sir, my liege,
Do not infest your mind 5 note
with beating on
The strangeness9Q0085 of this business; at pick'd leisure,
Which shall be shortly, single I'll resolve you,
6 note
(Which to you shall seem probable) of every
-- 112 --
These happen'd accidents: till when, be cheerful,
And think of each thing well. Come hither, spirit;
[Aside.
Set Caliban and his companions free:
[Aside.
[To Ariel.
Untie the spell. 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 care for himself; for all is but fortune:—
Coragio, bully-monster, Coragio7 note
!
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!
How fine my master is! I am afraid
He will chastise me.
Seb.
Ha, ha;
What things are these, my lord Anthonio!
Will money buy them?
Ant.
Very like; one of them
Is a plain fish, and, no doubt, marketable.
Pro.
Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,
Then say, if they be 8 notetrue:—This mis-shapen knave,—
-- 113 --
His mother was a witch; and one so strong
That could controul the moon, make flows and ebbs,
And deal in her command without her power:
These three have robb'd me; and this demi-devil
(For he's a bastard one) had plotted with them
To take my life: two of these fellows, you
Must know, and own; this thing of darkness, I
Acknowledge mine.
Cal.
I shall be pinch'd to death.
Alon.
Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Seb.
He's drunk now: Where had he wine?
Alon.
9 note
And Trinculo is reeling ripe: Where should they
-- 114 --
Find this grand liquor that hath gilded them?—
How cam'st thou in this pickle?
Trin.
I have been in such a pickle, since I saw you
last, that, I fear me, will never out of my bones: I
shall not fear fly-blowing1 note.
Seb.
Why, how now, Stephano?
Ste.
O, touch me not; I am not Stephano, but a cramp2 note.
Pro.
You'd be king of the isle, sirrah?
Ste.
I should have been a sore one then.
Alon.
This is a strange thing as e'er I look'd on.
[Pointing to Caliban.
Pro.
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.
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?
Pro.
Go to; away!
Alon.
Hence, and bestow your luggage where you
found it.
Seb.
Or stole it, rather.
Pro.
Sir, I invite your highness, and your train,
To my poor cell: where you shall take your rest
For this one night; which (part of it) I'll waste
With such discourse, as, I not doubt, shall make it
Go quick away: the story of my life,
And the particular accidents, gone by,
-- 115 --
Since I came to this isle: And in the morn,
I'll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples,
Where I have hope to see the nuptials
Of these our dear beloved solemniz'd;
And thence retire me to my Milan, where
Every third thought shall be my grave.
Alon.
I long
To hear the story of your life, which must
Take the ear strangely.
Pro.
I'll deliver all;
And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,
And sail so expeditious, that shall catch
Your royal fleet far off.—My Ariel;—chick,—
Aside.
That is thy charge: then to the elements
Aside.
Be free, and fare thou well!—Please you, draw near.
[Exeunt omnes.
-- --
EPILOGUE.
Spoken by Prospero.
Now my charms are all o'erthrown,
And what strength I have's mine own,
Which is most faint: now, 'tis true,
I must be here confin'd by you,
Or sent to Naples: Let me not,
Since I have my dukedom got,
And pardon'd the deceiver, dwell
In this bare island, by your spell;
But release me from my bands,
3 note
With the help of your good hands.
Gentle breath of yours, my sails
Must fill, or else my project fails,
Which was to please: Now I want
Spirits to enforce, art to enchant:
4 note
And my ending is despair,
Unless I be reliev'd by prayer,
-- --
Which pierces so, that it assaults
Mercy itself, and frees all faults.
As you from crimes would pardon'd be,
Let your indulgence set me free!
