The Tempest

  MIRANDA. Alas, now; pray you,    Work not so hard; I would the lightning had    Burnt up those logs that you are enjoin'd to pile.    Pray, set it down and rest you; when this burns,    'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father    Is hard at study; pray, now, rest yourself;    He's safe for these three hours.  FERDINAND. O most dear mistress,    The sun will set before I shall discharge    What I must strive to do.  MIRANDA. If you'll sit down,    I'll bear your logs the while; pray give me that;    I'll carry it to the pile.  FERDINAND. No, precious creature;    I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,    Than you should such dishonour undergo,    While I sit lazy by.  MIRANDA. It would become me    As well as it does you; and I should do it    With much more ease; for my good will is to it,    And yours it is against.  PROSPERO. [Aside] Poor worm, thou art infected!    This visitation shows it.  MIRANDA. You look wearily.  FERDINAND. No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me    When you are by at night. I do beseech you,    Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers,    What is your name?  MIRANDA. Miranda-O my father,    I have broke your hest to say so!  FERDINAND. Admir'd Miranda!    What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady    I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time    Th' harmony of their tongues hath into bondage    Brought my too diligent ear; for several virtues    Have I lik'd several women, never any    With so full soul, but some defect in her    Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd,    And put it to the foil; but you, O you,    So perfect and so peerless, are created    Of every creature's best!  MIRANDA. I do not know    One of my sex; no woman's face remember,    Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen    More that I may call men than you, good friend,    And my dear father. How features are abroad,    I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,    The jewel in my dower, I would not wish    Any companion in the world but you;    Nor can imagination form a shape,    Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle    Something too wildly, and my father's precepts    I therein do forget.  FERDINAND. I am, in my condition,    A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king-    I would not so! – and would no more endure    This wooden slavery than to suffer    The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:    The very instant that I saw you, did    My heart fly to your service; there resides    To make me slave to it; and for your sake    Am I this patient log-man.  MIRANDA. Do you love me?  FERDINAND. O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound,    And crown what I profess with kind event,    If I speak true! If hollowly, invert    What best is boded me to mischief! I,    Beyond all limit of what else i' th' world,    Do love, prize, honour you.  MIRANDA. I am a fool    To weep at what I am glad of.  PROSPERO. [Aside] Fair encounter    Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace    On that which breeds between 'em!  FERDINAND. Wherefore weep you?  MIRANDA. At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer    What I desire to give, and much less take    What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;    And all the more it seeks to hide itself,    The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!    And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!    I am your wife, if you will marry me;    If not, I'll die your maid. To be your fellow    You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,    Whether you will or no.  FERDINAND. My mistress, dearest;    And I thus humble ever.  MIRANDA. My husband, then?  FERDINAND. Ay, with a heart as willing    As bondage e'er of freedom. Here's my hand.  MIRANDA. And mine, with my heart in't. And now farewell    Till half an hour hence.  FERDINAND. A thousand thousand!                          Exeunt FERDINAND and MIRANDA severally  PROSPERO. So glad of this as they I cannot be,    Who are surpris'd withal; but my rejoicing    At nothing can be more. I'll to my book;    For yet ere supper time must I perform    Much business appertaining. Exit

SCENE 2

Another part of the island

Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO

  STEPHANO. Tell not me-when the butt is out we will drink    water, not a drop before; therefore bear up, and board    'em. Servant-monster, drink to me.  TRINCULO. Servant-monster! The folly of this island! They    say there's but five upon this isle: we are three of    them; if th' other two be brain'd like us, the state    totters.  STEPHANO. Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee; thy    eyes are almost set in thy head.  TRINCULO. Where should they be set else? He were a brave    monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.  STEPHANO. My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in    sack. For my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere    I could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues, off    and on. By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant,    monster, or my standard.  TRINCULO. Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.  STEPHANO. We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.  TRINCULO. Nor go neither; but you'll lie like dogs, and    yet say nothing neither.  STEPHANO. Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest    a good moon-calf.  CALIBAN. How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.    I'll not serve him; he is not valiant.  TRINCULO. Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case    to justle a constable. Why, thou debosh'd fish, thou,    was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack    as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but    half fish and half a monster?  CALIBAN. Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him, my    lord?  TRINCULO. 'Lord' quoth he! That a monster should be such    a natural!  CALIBAN. Lo, lo again! Bite him to death, I prithee.  STEPHANO. Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head; if    you prove a mutineer-the next tree! The poor monster's    my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.  CALIBAN. I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to    hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?  STEPHANO. Marry will I; kneel and repeat it; I will stand,    and so shall Trinculo.

Enter ARIEL, invisible

  CALIBAN. As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant,    sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the    island.  ARIEL. Thou liest.  CALIBAN. Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou;    I would my valiant master would destroy thee.    I do not lie.  STEPHANO. Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale,    by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.  TRINCULO. Why, I said nothing.  STEPHANO. Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.  CALIBAN. I say, by sorcery he got this isle;    From me he got it. If thy greatness will    Revenge it on him-for I know thou dar'st,    But this thing dare not-  STEPHANO. That's most certain.  CALIBAN. Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.  STEPHANO. How now shall this be compass'd? Canst thou    bring me to the party?  CALIBAN. Yea, yea, my lord; I'll yield him thee asleep,    Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.  ARIEL. Thou liest; thou canst not.  CALIBAN. What a pied ninny's this! Thou scurvy patch!    I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,    And take his bottle from him. When that's gone    He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him    Where the quick freshes are.  STEPHANO. Trinculo, run into no further danger; interrupt    the monster one word further and, by this hand, I'll turn    my mercy out o' doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.  TRINCULO. Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther    off.  STEPHANO. Didst thou not say he lied?  ARIEL. Thou liest.  STEPHANO. Do I so? Take thou that. [Beats him] As you like    this, give me the lie another time.  TRINCULO. I did not give the lie. Out o' your wits and    hearing too? A pox o' your bottle! This can sack and    drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil    take your fingers!  CALIBAN. Ha, ha, ha!  STEPHANO. Now, forward with your tale. – Prithee stand    further off.  CALIBAN. Beat him enough; after a little time, I'll beat    him too.  STEPHANO. Stand farther. Come, proceed.  CALIBAN. Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him    I' th' afternoon to sleep; there thou mayst brain him,    Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log    Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,    Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember    First to possess his books; for without them    He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not    One spirit to command; they all do hate him    As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.    He has brave utensils-for so he calls them-    Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.    And that most deeply to consider is    The beauty of his daughter; he himself    Calls her a nonpareil. I never saw a woman    But only Sycorax my dam and she;    But she as far surpasseth Sycorax    As great'st does least.  STEPHANO. Is it so brave a lass?  CALIBAN. Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant,    And bring thee forth brave brood.  STEPHANO. Monster, I will kill this man; his daughter and I    will be King and Queen-save our Graces! – and Trinculo    and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou like the plot,    Trinculo?  TRINCULO. Excellent.  STEPHANO. Give me thy hand; I am sorry I beat thee; but    while thou liv'st, keep a good tongue in thy head.  CALIBAN. Within this half hour will he be asleep.    Wilt thou destroy him then?  STEPHANO. Ay, on mine honour.  ARIEL. This will I tell my master.  CALIBAN. Thou mak'st me merry; I am full of pleasure.    Let us be jocund; will you troll the catch    You taught me but while-ere?  STEPHANO. At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any    reason. Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. [Sings]    Flout 'em and scout 'em,    And scout 'em and flout 'em;    Thought is free.  CALIBAN. That's not the tune.                      [ARIEL plays the tune on a tabor and pipe]  STEPHANO. What is this same?  TRINCULO. This is the tune of our catch, play'd by the    picture of Nobody.  STEPHANO. If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy    likeness; if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list.  TRINCULO. O, forgive me my sins!  STEPHANO. He that dies pays all debts. I defy thee. Mercy    upon us!  CALIBAN. Art thou afeard?  STEPHANO. No, monster, not I.  CALIBAN. Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,    Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.    Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments    Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices,    That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep,    Will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming,    The clouds methought would open and show riches    Ready to drop upon me, that, when I wak'd,    I cried to dream again.  STEPHANO. This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I    shall have my music for nothing.  CALIBAN. When Prospero is destroy'd.  STEPHANO. That shall be by and by; I remember the story.  TRINCULO. The sound is going away; let's follow it, and    after do our work.  STEPHANO. Lead, monster; we'll follow. I would I could see    this taborer; he lays it on.  TRINCULO. Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano. Exeunt

SCENE 3

Another part of the island

Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO, and OTHERS

  GONZALO. By'r lakin, I can go no further, sir;    My old bones ache. Here's a maze trod, indeed,    Through forth-rights and meanders! By your patience,    I needs must rest me.  ALONSO. Old lord, I cannot blame thee,    Who am myself attach'd with weariness    To th' dulling of my spirits; sit down and rest.    Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it    No longer for my flatterer; he is drown'd    Whom thus we stray to find, and the sea mocks    Our frustrate search on land. Well, let him go.  ANTONIO. [Aside to SEBASTIAN] I am right glad that he's    so out of hope.    Do not, for one repulse, forgo the purpose    That you resolv'd t' effect.  SEBASTIAN. [Aside to ANTONIO] The next advantage    Will we take throughly.  ANTONIO. [Aside to SEBASTIAN] Let it be to-night;    For, now they are oppress'd with travel, they    Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance    As when they are fresh.  SEBASTIAN. [Aside to ANTONIO] I say, to-night; no more.           Solemn and strange music; and PROSPERO on the           top, invisible. Enter several strange SHAPES,           bringing in a banquet; and dance about it with           gentle actions of salutations; and inviting the           KING, etc., to eat, they depart  ALONSO. What harmony is this? My good friends, hark!  GONZALO. Marvellous sweet music!  ALONSO. Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these?  SEBASTIAN. A living drollery. Now I will believe    That there are unicorns; that in Arabia    There is one tree, the phoenix' throne, one phoenix    At this hour reigning-there.  ANTONIO. I'll believe both;    And what does else want credit, come to me,    And I'll be sworn 'tis true; travellers ne'er did lie,    Though fools at home condemn 'em.  GONZALO. If in Naples    I should report this now, would they believe me?    If I should say, I saw such islanders,    For certes these are people of the island,    Who though they are of monstrous shape yet, note,    Their manners are more gentle-kind than of    Our human generation you shall find    Many, nay, almost any.  PROSPERO. [Aside] Honest lord,    Thou hast said well; for some of you there present    Are worse than devils.  ALONSO. I cannot too much muse    Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing,    Although they want the use of tongue, a kind    Of excellent dumb discourse.  PROSPERO. [Aside] Praise in departing.  FRANCISCO. They vanish'd strangely.  SEBASTIAN. No matter, since    They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.    Will't please you taste of what is here?  ALONSO. Not I.  GONZALO. Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys,    Who would believe that there were mountaineers,    Dewlapp'd like bulls, whose throats had hanging at 'em    Wallets of flesh? or that there were such men    Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find    Each putter-out of five for one will bring us    Good warrant of.  ALONSO. I will stand to, and feed,    Although my last; no matter, since I feel    The best is past. Brother, my lord the Duke,    Stand to, and do as we.Thunder and lightning. Enter ARIEL, like a harpy; claps his wings upon the table; and, with a quaint device, the banquet vanishes  ARIEL. You are three men of sin, whom Destiny,    That hath to instrument this lower world    And what is in't, the never-surfeited sea    Hath caus'd to belch up you; and on this island    Where man doth not inhabit-you 'mongst men    Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad;    And even with such-like valour men hang and drown    Their proper selves.                     [ALONSO, SEBASTIAN etc., draw their swords]    You fools! I and my fellows    Are ministers of Fate; the elements    Of whom your swords are temper'd may as well    Wound the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs    Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish    One dowle that's in my plume; my fellow-ministers    Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt,    Your swords are now too massy for your strengths    And will not be uplifted. But remember-    For that's my business to you-that you three    From Milan did supplant good Prospero;    Expos'd unto the sea, which hath requit it,    Him, and his innocent child; for which foul deed    The pow'rs, delaying, not forgetting, have    Incens'd the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures,    Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso,    They have bereft; and do pronounce by me    Ling'ring perdition, worse than any death    Can be at once, shall step by step attend    You and your ways; whose wraths to guard you from-    Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls    Upon your heads-is nothing but heart's sorrow,    And a clear life ensuing.He vanishes in thunder; then, to soft music, enter the SHAPES again, and dance, with mocks and mows, and carrying out the table  PROSPERO. Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou    Perform'd, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring.    Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated    In what thou hadst to say; so, with good life    And observation strange, my meaner ministers    Their several kinds have done. My high charms work,    And these mine enemies are all knit up    In their distractions. They now are in my pow'r;    And in these fits I leave them, while I visit    Young Ferdinand, whom they suppose is drown'd,    And his and mine lov'd darling. Exit above  GONZALO. I' th' name of something holy, sir, why stand you    In this strange stare?  ALONSO. O, it is monstrous, monstrous!    Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it;    The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder,    That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc'd    The name of Prosper; it did bass my trespass.    Therefore my son i' th' ooze is bedded; and    I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,    And with him there lie mudded. Exit  SEBASTIAN. But one fiend at a time,    I'll fight their legions o'er.  ANTONIO. I'll be thy second. Exeunt SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO  GONZALO. All three of them are desperate; their great guilt,    Like poison given to work a great time after,    Now gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you,    That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly,    And hinder them from what this ecstasy    May now provoke them to.  ADRIAN. Follow, I pray you. Exeunt

ACT IV. SCENE 1

Before PROSPERO'S cell

Enter PROSPERO, FERDINAND, and MIRANDA

  PROSPERO. If I have too austerely punish'd you,    Your compensation makes amends; for    Have given you here a third of mine own life,    Or that for which I live; who once again    I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations    Were but my trials of thy love, and thou    Hast strangely stood the test; here, afore heaven,    I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand!    Do not smile at me that I boast her off,    For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,    And make it halt behind her.  FERDINAND. I do believe it    Against an oracle.  PROSPERO. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition    Wort'hily purchas'd, take my daughter. But    If thou dost break her virgin-knot before    All sanctimonious ceremonies may    With full and holy rite be minist'red,    No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall    To make this contract grow; but barren hate,    Sour-ey'd disdain, and discord, shall bestrew    The union of your bed with weeds so loathly    That you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed,    As Hymen's lamps shall light you.  FERDINAND. As I hope    For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,    With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den,    The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion    Our worser genius can, shall never melt    Mine honour into lust, to take away    The edge of that day's celebration,    When I shall think or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd    Or Night kept chain'd below.  PROSPERO. Fairly spoke.    Sit, then, and talk with her; she is thine own.    What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel!

Enter ARIEL

  ARIEL. What would my potent master? Here I am.  PROSPERO. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service    Did worthily perform; and I must use you    In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,    O'er whom I give thee pow'r, here to this place.    Incite them to quick motion; for I must    Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple    Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise,    And they expect it from me.  ARIEL. Presently?  PROSPERO. Ay, with a twink.  ARIEL. Before you can say 'come' and 'go,'    And breathe twice, and cry 'so, so,'    Each one, tripping on his toe,    Will be here with mop and mow.    Do you love me, master? No?  PROSPERO. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach    Till thou dost hear me call.  ARIEL. Well! I conceive. Exit  PROSPERO. Look thou be true; do not give dalliance    Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw    To th' fire i' th' blood. Be more abstemious,    Or else good night your vow!  FERDINAND. I warrant you, sir,    The white cold virgin snow upon my heart    Abates the ardour of my liver.  PROSPERO. Well!    Now come, my Ariel, bring a corollary,    Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.    No tongue! All eyes! Be silent. [Soft music]

Enter IRIS

  IRIS. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas    Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease;    Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,    And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep;    Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,    Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,    To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves,    Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,    Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;    And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky hard,    Where thou thyself dost air-the Queen o' th' sky,    Whose wat'ry arch and messenger am I,    Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,    Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,    To come and sport. Her peacocks fly amain.                                      [JUNO descends in her car]    Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter CERES

  CERES. Hail, many-coloured messenger, that ne'er    Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;    Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flow'rs    Diffusest honey drops, refreshing show'rs;    And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown    My bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down,    Rich scarf to my proud earth-why hath thy Queen    Summon'd me hither to this short-grass'd green?  IRIS. A contract of true love to celebrate,    And some donation freely to estate    On the blest lovers.  CERES. Tell me, heavenly bow,    If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,    Do now attend the Queen? Since they did plot    The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,    Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company    I have forsworn.  IRIS. Of her society    Be not afraid. I met her Deity    Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son    Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done    Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,    Whose vows are that no bed-rite shall be paid    Till Hymen's torch be lighted; but in vain.    Mars's hot minion is return'd again;    Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,    Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,    And be a boy right out. [JUNO alights]  CERES. Highest Queen of State,    Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gait.  JUNO. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me    To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be,    And honour'd in their issue. [They sing]  JUNO. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,    Long continuance, and increasing,    Hourly joys be still upon you!    Juno sings her blessings on you.  CERES. Earth's increase, foison plenty,    Barns and gamers never empty;    Vines with clust'ring bunches growing,    Plants with goodly burden bowing;    Spring come to you at the farthest,    In the very end of harvest!    Scarcity and want shall shun you,    Ceres' blessing so is on you.  FERDINAND. This is a most majestic vision, and    Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold    To think these spirits?  PROSPERO. Spirits, which by mine art    I have from their confines call'd to enact    My present fancies.  FERDINAND. Let me live here ever;    So rare a wond'red father and a wise    Makes this place Paradise.           [JUNO and CERES whisper, and send IRIS on employment]  PROSPERO. Sweet now, silence;    Juno and Ceres whisper seriously.    There's something else to do; hush, and be mute,    Or else our spell is marr'd.  IRIS. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wind'ring brooks,    With your sedg'd crowns and ever harmless looks,    Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land    Answer your summons; Juno does command.    Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate    A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain NYMPHS

    You sun-burnt sicklemen, of August weary,    Come hither from the furrow, and be merry;    Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put on,    And these fresh nymphs encounter every one    In country footing.Enter certain REAPERS, properly habited; they join with the NYMPHS in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks, after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish  PROSPERO. [Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy    Of the beast Caliban and his confederates    Against my life; the minute of their plot    Is almost come. [To the SPIRITS] Well done; avoid; no    more!  FERDINAND. This is strange; your father's in some passion    That works him strongly.  MIRANDA. Never till this day    Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.  PROSPERO. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort,    As if you were dismay'd; be cheerful, sir.    Our revels now are ended. These our actors,    As I foretold you, were all spirits, and    Are melted into air, into thin air;    And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,    The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,    The solemn temples, the great globe itself,    Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,    And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,    Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff    As dreams are made on; and our little life    Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd;    Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled;    Be not disturb'd with my infirmity.    If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell    And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk    To still my beating mind.  FERDINAND, MIRANDA. We wish your peace. Exeunt  PROSPERO. Come, with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel; come.

Enter ARIEL