The Tempest

1 Enter Prospero, Ferdinand and Miranda.
2 PROSPERO.
3 If I have too austerely punish’d you,
4 Your compensation makes amends: for I
5 Have given you here a third of mine own life,
6 Or that for which I live; who once again
7 I tender to thy hand: all thy vexations
8 Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
9 Hast strangely stood the test: here, afore Heaven,
10 I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,
11 Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
12 For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,
13 And make it halt behind her.
14 FERDINAND.
15 I do believe it
16 Against an oracle.
17 PROSPERO.
18 Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition
19 Worthily purchas’d, take my daughter: but
20 If thou dost break her virgin knot before
21 All sanctimonious ceremonies may
22 With full and holy rite be minister’d,
23 No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
24 To make this contract grow; but barren hate,
25 Sour-ey’d disdain, and discord shall bestrew
26 The union of your bed with weeds so loathly
27 That you shall hate it both: therefore take heed,
28 As Hymen’s lamps shall light you.
29 FERDINAND.
30 As I hope
31 For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,
32 With such love as ’tis now, the murkiest den,
33 The most opportune place, the strong’st suggestion
34 Our worser genius can, shall never melt
35 Mine honour into lust, to take away
36 The edge of that day’s celebration,
37 When I shall think, or Phoebus’ steeds are founder’d,
38 Or Night kept chain’d below.
39 PROSPERO.
40 Fairly spoke:
41 Sit, then, and talk with her, she is thine own.
42 What, Ariel! my industrious servant, Ariel!
43 Enter Ariel.
44 ARIEL.
45 What would my potent master? here I am.
46 PROSPERO.
47 Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service
48 Did worthily perform; and I must use you
49 In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,
50 O’er whom I give thee power, here to this place.
51 Incite them to quick motion; for I must
52 Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple
53 Some vanity of mine art: it is my promise,
54 And they expect it from me.
55 ARIEL.
56 Presently?
57 PROSPERO.
58 Ay, with a twink.
59 ARIEL.
60 Before you can say “Come” and “Go,”
61 And breathe twice, and cry “so, so,”
62 Each one, tripping on his toe,
63 Will be here with mop and mow.
64 Do you love me, master? no?
65 PROSPERO.
66 Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach
67 Till thou dost hear me call.
68 ARIEL.
69 Well, I conceive.
70 [_Exit._]
71 PROSPERO.
72 Look thou be true; do not give dalliance
73 Too much the rein: the strongest oaths are straw
74 To th’ fire i’ the blood: be more abstemious,
75 Or else good night your vow!
76 FERDINAND.
77 I warrant you, sir;
78 The white cold virgin snow upon my heart
79 Abates the ardour of my liver.
80 PROSPERO.
81 Well.
82 Now come, my Ariel! bring a corollary,
83 Rather than want a spirit: appear, and pertly.
84 No tongue! all eyes! be silent.
85 [_Soft music._]
86 A Masque. Enter Iris.
87 IRIS.
88 Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas
89 Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas;
90 Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
91 And flat meads thatch’d with stover, them to keep;
92 Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,
93 Which spongy April at thy hest betrims,
94 To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves,
95 Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves,
96 Being lass-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard;
97 And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky-hard,
98 Where thou thyself dost air: the Queen o’ th’ sky,
99 Whose wat’ry arch and messenger am I,
100 Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace,
101 Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
102 To come and sport; her peacocks fly amain:
103 Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.
104 Enter Ceres.
105 CERES.
106 Hail, many-colour’d messenger, that ne’er
107 Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;
108 Who with thy saffron wings upon my flowers
109 Diffusest honey drops, refreshing showers;
110 And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown
111 My bosky acres and my unshrubb’d down,
112 Rich scarf to my proud earth; why hath thy queen
113 Summon’d me hither to this short-grass’d green?
114 IRIS.
115 A contract of true love to celebrate,
116 And some donation freely to estate
117 On the blest lovers.
118 CERES.
119 Tell me, heavenly bow,
120 If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,
121 Do now attend the queen? Since they did plot
122 The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,
123 Her and her blind boy’s scandal’d company
124 I have forsworn.
125 IRIS.
126 Of her society
127 Be not afraid. I met her deity
128 Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son
129 Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done
130 Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
131 Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
132 Till Hymen’s torch be lighted; but in vain.
133 Mars’s hot minion is return’d again;
134 Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,
135 Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
136 And be a boy right out.
137 CERES.
138 Highest queen of State,
139 Great Juno comes; I know her by her gait.
140 Enter Juno.
141 JUNO.
142 How does my bounteous sister? Go with me
143 To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be,
144 And honour’d in their issue.
145 [_They sing._]
146 JUNO.
147 _Honour, riches, marriage-blessing,
148 Long continuance, and increasing,
149 Hourly joys be still upon you!
150 Juno sings her blessings on you._
151 CERES.
152 _Earth’s increase, foison plenty,
153 Barns and garners never empty;
154 Vines with clust’ring bunches growing;
155 Plants with goodly burden bowing;
156 Spring come to you at the farthest
157 In the very end of harvest!
158 Scarcity and want shall shun you;
159 Ceres’ blessing so is on you._
160 FERDINAND.
161 This is a most majestic vision, and
162 Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
163 To think these spirits?
164 PROSPERO.
165 Spirits, which by mine art
166 I have from their confines call’d to enact
167 My present fancies.
168 FERDINAND.
169 Let me live here ever.
170 So rare a wonder’d father and a wise,
171 Makes this place Paradise.
172 [_Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on employment._]
173 PROSPERO.
174 Sweet now, silence!
175 Juno and Ceres whisper seriously,
176 There’s something else to do: hush, and be mute,
177 Or else our spell is marr’d.
178 IRIS.
179 You nymphs, call’d Naiads, of the windring brooks,
180 With your sedg’d crowns and ever-harmless looks,
181 Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land
182 Answer your summons; Juno does command.
183 Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
184 A contract of true love. Be not too late.
185 Enter certain Nymphs.
186 You sun-burn’d sicklemen, of August weary,
187 Come hither from the furrow, and be merry:
188 Make holiday: your rye-straw hats put on,
189 And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
190 In country footing.
191 Enter certain Reapers, properly habited: they join with the Nymphs in
192 a graceful dance; towards the end whereof Prospero starts suddenly,
193 and speaks; after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise,
194 they heavily vanish.
195 PROSPERO.
196 [_Aside._] I had forgot that foul conspiracy
197 Of the beast Caliban and his confederates
198 Against my life: the minute of their plot
199 Is almost come. [_To the Spirits._] Well done! avoid; no
200 more!
201 FERDINAND.
202 This is strange: your father’s in some passion
203 That works him strongly.
204 MIRANDA.
205 Never till this day
206 Saw I him touch’d with anger so distemper’d.
207 PROSPERO.
208 You do look, my son, in a mov’d sort,
209 As if you were dismay’d: be cheerful, sir:
210 Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
211 As I foretold you, were all spirits and
212 Are melted into air, into thin air:
213 And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
214 The cloud-capp’d towers, the gorgeous palaces,
215 The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
216 Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
217 And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
218 Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
219 As dreams are made on, and our little life
220 Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex’d:
221 Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled.
222 Be not disturb’d with my infirmity.
223 If you be pleas’d, retire into my cell
224 And there repose: a turn or two I’ll walk,
225 To still my beating mind.
226 FERDINAND, MIRANDA.
227 We wish your peace.
228 [_Exeunt._]
229 PROSPERO.
230 Come, with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel. Come!
231 Enter Ariel.
232 ARIEL.
233 Thy thoughts I cleave to. What’s thy pleasure?
234 PROSPERO.
235 Spirit,
236 We must prepare to meet with Caliban.
237 ARIEL.
238 Ay, my commander. When I presented Ceres,
239 I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear’d
240 Lest I might anger thee.
241 PROSPERO.
242 Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?
243 ARIEL.
244 I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;
245 So full of valour that they smote the air
246 For breathing in their faces; beat the ground
247 For kissing of their feet; yet always bending
248 Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor;
249 At which, like unback’d colts, they prick’d their ears,
250 Advanc’d their eyelids, lifted up their noses
251 As they smelt music: so I charm’d their ears,
252 That calf-like they my lowing follow’d through
253 Tooth’d briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns,
254 Which enter’d their frail shins: at last I left them
255 I’ th’ filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,
256 There dancing up to th’ chins, that the foul lake
257 O’erstunk their feet.
258 PROSPERO.
259 This was well done, my bird.
260 Thy shape invisible retain thou still:
261 The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither
262 For stale to catch these thieves.
263 ARIEL.
264 I go, I go.
265 [_Exit._]
266 PROSPERO.
267 A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
268 Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains,
269 Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;
270 And as with age his body uglier grows,
271 So his mind cankers. I will plague them all,
272 Even to roaring.
273 Re-enter Ariel, loaden with glistering apparel, &c.
274 Come, hang them on this line.
275 Prospero and Ariel remain invisible. Enter Caliban, Stephano and
276 Trinculo all wet.
277 CALIBAN.
278 Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
279 Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.
280 STEPHANO.
281 Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy, has done little
282 better than played the Jack with us.
283 TRINCULO.
284 Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at which my nose is in great
285 indignation.
286 STEPHANO.
287 So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take a displeasure
288 against you, look you,—
289 TRINCULO.
290 Thou wert but a lost monster.
291 CALIBAN.
292 Good my lord, give me thy favour still.
293 Be patient, for the prize I’ll bring thee to
294 Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak softly.
295 All’s hush’d as midnight yet.
296 TRINCULO.
297 Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool!
298 STEPHANO.
299 There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an
300 infinite loss.
301 TRINCULO.
302 That’s more to me than my wetting: yet this is your harmless fairy,
303 monster.
304 STEPHANO.
305 I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o’er ears for my labour.
306 CALIBAN.
307 Prithee, my King, be quiet. Seest thou here,
308 This is the mouth o’ th’ cell: no noise, and enter.
309 Do that good mischief which may make this island
310 Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
311 For aye thy foot-licker.
312 STEPHANO.
313 Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody thoughts.
314 TRINCULO.
315 O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano!
316 Look what a wardrobe here is for thee!
317 CALIBAN.
318 Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.
319 TRINCULO.
320 O, ho, monster! we know what belongs to a frippery. O King Stephano!
321 STEPHANO.
322 Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I’ll have that gown.
323 TRINCULO.
324 Thy Grace shall have it.
325 CALIBAN.
326 The dropsy drown this fool! What do you mean
327 To dote thus on such luggage? Let’t alone,
328 And do the murder first. If he awake,
329 From toe to crown he’ll fill our skins with pinches,
330 Make us strange stuff.
331 STEPHANO.
332 Be you quiet, monster. Mistress line, is not this my jerkin? Now is the
333 jerkin under the line: now, jerkin, you are like to lose your hair, and
334 prove a bald jerkin.
335 TRINCULO.
336 Do, do: we steal by line and level, an’t like your Grace.
337 STEPHANO.
338 I thank thee for that jest. Here’s a garment for ’t: wit shall not go
339 unrewarded while I am King of this country. “Steal by line and level,”
340 is an excellent pass of pate. There’s another garment for ’t.
341 TRINCULO.
342 Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and away with the rest.
343 CALIBAN.
344 I will have none on’t. We shall lose our time,
345 And all be turn’d to barnacles, or to apes
346 With foreheads villainous low.
347 STEPHANO.
348 Monster, lay-to your fingers: help to bear this away where my hogshead
349 of wine is, or I’ll turn you out of my kingdom. Go to, carry this.
350 TRINCULO.
351 And this.
352 STEPHANO.
353 Ay, and this.
354 A noise of hunters heard. Enter divers Spirits, in shape of dogs and
355 hounds, and hunt them about; Prospero and Ariel setting them on.
356 PROSPERO.
357 Hey, Mountain, hey!
358 ARIEL.
359 Silver! there it goes, Silver!
360 PROSPERO.
361 Fury, Fury! There, Tyrant, there! hark, hark!
362 [_Caliban, Stephano and Trinculo are driven out._]
363 Go, charge my goblins that they grind their joints
364 With dry convulsions; shorten up their sinews
365 With aged cramps, and more pinch-spotted make them
366 Than pard, or cat o’ mountain.
367 ARIEL.
368 Hark, they roar.
369 PROSPERO.
370 Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour
371 Lies at my mercy all mine enemies.
372 Shortly shall all my labours end, and thou
373 Shalt have the air at freedom. For a little
374 Follow, and do me service.
375 [_Exeunt._]