Gon.
Beseech you, sir, be merry: you have cause
(So have we all) of joy: for our escape
Is much beyond our loss: 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.

Alo.
Pr'ythee, peace.

Gon.
Well, I have done.

Adr.
Though this island seem to be desert,
Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible,
It must needs be of subtle, tender, and delicate temperance.^{1 note}
The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.

Gon.

But the rarity of it is (which is, indeed, almost beyond credit) 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, and 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.

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. Are not, sir, my garments as fresh as the first day I wore them, at your daughter's marriage?

Alo.
You cram these words into mine ears, against
The stomach of my sense: Would I had never
Marry'd my daughter there! for, coming thence,
My son is lost. O, thou, mine heir
Of Naples and of Milan.

Fra.
Sir, he may live.
I saw him beat the surges under him.
And ride upon their backs. I do not doubt,
He came alive to land.

Alo.
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;
We have lost your son,
I fear, for ever: the fault's your own.

Alo.
So is the dearest of the loss.

Gon.
My Lord Sebastian,
The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,
And time to speak it in: you rub the sore,
When you should bring the plaster. Enter Ariel invisible. Solemn music.

Ant.
Nay, my good lord, be not angry.

Gon.

No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?

Ant.
Go sleep, and hear us. [All sleep but Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio.

Alo.
What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes
Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts: I find,
They are inclined to do so.

Seb.
Please you, sir,
Do not omit the heavy offer of it:
It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,
It is a comforter.

Ant.
We two, my lord,
Will guard your person, while you take your rest,
And watch your safety.

Alo.
Thank you. Wond'rous heavy.— [Alonso sleeps. Exit Ariel.

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. 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 this lord hath almost persuaded
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!
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.^{2 note} 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;

O, that you bore
That 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? But I feel not
This deity in my bosom: twenty consciences,
That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candy'd be they,
And melt, ere they molest!^{3 note}

Here lies your brother,
No better than the earth he lies upon,
If he were that which now he's like; whom I,
With this obedient steel, three inches of it,
Can lay to bed for ever: whiles you, doing thus,
To the perpetual wink for aye^{4 note} might put
This ancient morsel,^{5 note} this sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course.

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. Music. Re-enter Ariel, invisible.

Ari.
My master, through his art, foresees the danger
That these, his friends, are in; and sends me forth,
(For else his project dies), to keep them living^{6 note} [Sings in Gonzalo's ear.

While you here do snoring lie,
Open-ey'd conspiracy
  His time doth take:
If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware:
  Awake! awake!

Ant.
Then let us both be sudden.

Gon.
Now, good angels, preserve the king! [They wake.

Alo.
Why, how now, ho! awake! Why are you drawn!^{7 note}
Wherefore thus 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 struck mine ear most terribly.

Alo.
I heard nothing.
Heard you this, Gonzalo?

Gon.
Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
And that a strange one, too, which did awake me:
I saw their weapons drawn:—there was a noise,
That's verity: 'Best stand upon our guard;
Or that we quit this place: let's draw our weapons.

Alo.
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.

Alo.
Lead away. [Exeunt.

Ari.
Prospero my lord shall know what I have done. [Aside.
So, king, go safely on to seek thy son. [Flies away. 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 them; but
For every trifle are they set upon me:
Sometimes like apes, that moe^{8 note} and chatter at me,
And after, bite me; then like hedge-hogs, which
Lie tumbling in my bare-foot way, and mount
Their prickles at my foot-fall; sometime am I
All wound with adders,^{9 note} who, with cloven tongues.
Do hiss me into madness:—Lo! now! lo!
Here comes a spirit of his; and to torment me,
For bringing wood in slowly: I'll fall flat;
Perchance, he will not mind me. Enter Trinculo.

Tri.

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, looks like a foul bombard^{10 note} that would shed his liquor. If it should

thunder, as it did before, I know not where to hide my head: yond' same cloud cannot choose but fall by pailfuls.—What have we here? a man or a fish? Dead or alive? A fish: he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell; a kind of, not of the newest. Poor John.^{11 note} A strange fish! Legg'd like a man! and his fins like arms! Warm o' my troth! I do now let loose my opinion, hold it no longer; this is no fish, but an islander, that hath lately suffer'd by a thunder-bolt. [Thunder.] Alas! the storm is come again; my best way is to creep under his gaberdine;^{12 note} there is no other shelter hereabout: Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows: I will here shroud, till the drench of the storm be past.

Ste.

I shall no more to sea, to sea,
  Here shall I die a-shore;—

This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral: Well, here's my comfort.

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,
Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang.

This is a scurvy tune, too: But here's my comfort.

Cal.

Do not torment me: O!

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 'scaped drowning, to be afeard now of your four legs; for it hath been said, as proper a man as ever went on four legs, cannot make him give ground: and it shall be said so again, while Stephano breathes at nostrils.

Cal.

The spirit torments me: O!

Ste.

This is some monster of the isle, with four legs; who hath got, as I take it, an ague: Where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him some relief if it be but for that: If I can recover him, and keep him tame, and get to Naples with him, he's a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat s-leather.

Cal.
Do not torment me, 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 have never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit; If I can recover him, and keep him tame, I will not take too much for him;^{13 note} he shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.

Cal.
Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt
Anon, I know it by thy trembling;^{14 note}
Now Prosper works upon thee.

Ste.

Come on your ways; open your mouth; here is that which will give language to you, cat;^{15 note} 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.

Tri.

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 voice now is to speak well of his friend; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches, and to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover him, I will help his ague: Come,—Amen!^{16 note} I will pour some in thy other mouth.

Tri.

Stephano.—

Ste.

Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy! mercy!

This is a devil, and no monster: I will leave him; I have no long spoon.^{17 note}

Tri.

Stephano!—if thou beest Stephano, touch me, and speak to me; for I am Trinculo;—be not afeard,—thy good friend Trinculo.

Ste.

If thou beest Trinculo, come forth; I'll pull thee by the lesser legs: if any be Trinculo's legs, these are they. Thou art very Trinculo, indeed: How cam'st thou to be the siege^{18 note} of this moon-calf?^{19 note}

Tri.

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's-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 sprites.
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! Here; swear then how thou escap'dst.

Tri.

Swam a-shore, man, like a duck; I can swim like a duck, I'll be sworn.

Ste.

Here, kiss the book: Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose.

Tri.

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 heaven?^{20 note}

Ste.

Out o' the moon, I do assure thee: I was the man in the moon(A)8Q0208 when time was.

Cal.

I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee.

Ste.

Come, swear to that; kiss the book: I will furnish it anon with new contents: swear.

Tri.

By this good light, this is a very shallow monster: I afeard of him?—a very weak monster:—The man i' the moon?—a most poor credulous monster:—Well drawn, monster, in good sooth.^{21 note}

Cal.
I'll shew thee every fertile inch o' the island;
And kiss thy foot: I pr'ythee, be my god.

Tri.

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.

Tri.

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.

Tri.

—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.

Tri.

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 sea-mells^{22 note} from the rock: Wilt thou go with me?

Ste.

I pr'ythee now, lead the way, without any more talking.—Trinculo, the king and all our company else being drown'd, we will inherit here.—Here; bear my bottle. Fellow Trinculo, we'll fill him by and by again.

Cal.

Farewell, master; farewell, farewell.

Tri.

A howling monster; a drunken monster.

Cal.
No more dams I'll make for fish:
  Nor fetch in firing
  At requiring.
Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish:
  'Ban 'Ban, Ca—Caliban,
  Has a new master—Get a new man.^{23 note}

Ste.

O brave monster! lead the way.

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