The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  And I the King shall love thee.

  ANTONIO

  Draw together,

  And when I rear my hand, do you the like

  To fall it on Gonzalo.

  They draw

  SEBASTIAN

  O, but one word.

  Enter Ariel, invisible, with music

  ARIEL (to Gonzalo)

  My master through his art foresees the danger

  That you his friend are in—and sends me forth,

  For else his project dies, to keep them living.

  He sings in Gonzalo’s ear While you here do snoring lie,

  Open-eyed conspiracy

  His time doth take.

  If of life you keep a care,

  Shake off slumber, and beware.

  Awake, awake!

  ANTONIO (to Sebastian)

  Then let us both be sudden.

  GONZALO (awaking)

  Now good angels

  Preserve the King!

  ALONSO (awaking)

  Why, how now? Ho, awake!

  The others awake

  (To Antonio and Sebastian)

  Why are you drawn?

  (To Gonzalo) Wherefore this ghastly looking?

  GONZALO

  What’s the matter?

  SEBASTIAN

  Whiles we stood here securing your repose,

  Even now we heard a hollow burst of bellowing,

  Like bulls, or rather lions. Did’t not wake you?

  It struck mine ear most terribly.

  ALONSO

  I heard nothing.

  ANTONIO

  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.

  ALONSO

  Heard you this, Gonzalo?

  GONZALO

  Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,

  And that a strange one too, which did awake me.

  I shaked you, sir, and cried. As mine eyes opened

  I saw their weapons drawn. There was a noise,

  That’s verily. ’Tis best we stand upon our guard,

  Or that we quit this place. Let’s draw our weapons.

  ALONSO

  Lead off this ground, and let’s make further search

  For my poor son.

  GONZALO

  Heavens keep him from these beasts!

  For he is sure i’th’ island.

  ALONSO

  Lead away.

  Exeunt all but Ariel

  ARIEL

  Prospero my lord shall know what I have done.

  So, King, go safely on to seek thy son.

  Exit

  2.2 Enter Caliban, wearing a gaberdine, and with a burden of wood

  CALIBAN ⌈throwing down his burden⌉

  All the infections that the sun sucks up

  From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him

  By inch-meal a disease!

  ⌈A noise of thunder heard⌉

  His spirits hear me,

  And yet I needs must curse. But they’ll nor pinch,

  Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i’th’ mire,

  Nor lead me like a fire-brand in the dark

  Out of my way, unless he bid ’em. But

  For every trifle are they set upon me;

  Sometime like apes, that mow and chatter at me

  And after bite me; then like hedgehogs, which

  Lie tumbling in my barefoot way and mount

  Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I

  All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues

  Do hiss me into madness.

  Enter Trinculo

  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.

  He lies down

  TRINCULO Here’s neither bush nor shrub to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing. I hear it sing i‘th’ wind. Yon same black cloud, yon huge one, looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor. If it should thunder as it did before, I know not where to hide my head. Yon same cloud cannot choose but fall by pailfuls. (Seeing Caliban) 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. A strange fish! Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday-fool there but would give a piece of silver. There would this monster 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 a dead Indian. Legged 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 suffered by a thunderbolt.

  ⌈Thunder⌉

  Alas, the storm is come again. My best way is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no other shelter hereabout. Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows. I will here shroud till the dregs of the storm be past.

  He hides under Caliban’s gaberdine. Enter Stefano, singing, with a wooden bottle in his hand

  STEFANO

  I shall no more to sea, to sea,

  Here shall I die ashore—

  This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man’s funeral.

  Well, here’s my comfort.

  He drinks, then sings

  The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I, 45

  The gunner and his mate,

  Loved Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,

  But none of us cared for Kate.

  For she had a tongue with a tang,

  Would cry to a sailor ‘Go hang!’

  She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch,

  Yet a tailor might scratch her where’er she did itch.

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

  Then to sea, etc.

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

  He drinks

  CALIBAN (to Trinculo) Do not torment me! O!

  STEFANO What’s the matter? Have we devils here? Do you put tricks upon’s with savages and men of Ind, 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 Stefano breathes at’ nostrils.

  CALIBAN The spirit torments me. O!

  STEFANO 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.

  CALIBAN (to Trinculo) Do not torment me, prithee! I’ll bring my wood home faster.

  STEFANO 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. He shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.

  CALIBAN (to Trinculo) Thou dost me yet but little hurt. Thou wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling. Now Prosper works upon thee.

  STEFANO Come on your ways. Open your mouth. Here is that which will give language to you, cat. 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.

  Caliban drinks

  TRINCULO I should know that voice. It should be—but he is drowned, and these are devils. O, defend me!

  STEFANO 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.

  Caliban drinks

  Amen. I will pour some in thy other mouth.

  TRINCULO Stefano!

  STEFANO Do
th thy other mouth call me? Mercy, mercy! This is a devil, and no monster. I will leave him. I have no long spoon.

  TRINCULO Stefano! If thou beest Stefano, touch me and speak to me, for I am Trinculo. Be not afeard. Thy good friend Trinculo.

  STEFANO If thou beest Trinculo, come forth. I’ll pull thee by the lesser legs. If any be Trinculo’s legs, these are they. He pulls out Trinculo by the legs Thou art very Trinculo indeed! How cam’st thou to be the siege of this moon-calf? Can he vent Trinculos?

  TRINCULO (rising) I took him to be killed with a thunderstroke. But art thou not drowned, Stefano? I hope now thou art not drowned. Is the storm overblown? I hid me under the dead moon-calf’s gaberdine for fear of the storm. And art thou living, Stefano? O Stefano, two Neapolitans scaped!

  ⌈He dances Stefano round⌉

  STEFANO Prithee, do not turn me about. My stomach is not constant.

  CALIBAN

  These be fine things, an if they be not spirits.

  That’s a brave god, and bears celestial liquor.

  I will kneel to him.

  ⌈He kneels⌉

  STEFANO (to Trinculo) How didst thou scape? How cam’st thou hither? Swear by this bottle how thou cam’st hither. I escaped upon a butt of sack which the sailors heaved o’erboard, by this bottle—which I made of the bark of a tree with mine own hands since I was cast ashore.

  CALIBAN I’ll swear upon that bottle to be thy true subject, for the liquor is not earthly.

  STEFANO (offering Trinculo the bottle) Here. Swear then how thou escapedst.

  TRINCULO Swum ashore, man, like a duck. I can swim like a duck, I’ll be sworn.

  STEFANO Here, kiss the book.

  Trinculo drinks

  Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made

  like a goose.

  TRINCULO O Stefano, hast any more of this?

  STEFANO The whole butt, man. My cellar is in a rock by th’ seaside, where my wine is hid.

  ⌈Caliban rises⌉

  How now, moon-calf? How does thine ague?

  CALIBAN Hast thou not dropped from heaven?

  STEFANO Out o’th’ moon, I do assure thee. I was the man i’th’ moon when time was.

  CALIBAN

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

  My mistress showed me thee, and thy dog and thy bush.

  STEFANO Come, swear to that. Kiss the book. I will furnish it anon with new contents. Swear.

  Caliban drinks

  TRINCULO By this good light, this is a very shallow monster! I afeard of him? A very weak monster! The man i’th’ moon? A most poor, credulous monster! Well drawn, monster, in good sooth!

  CALIBAN (to Stefano)

  I’ll show thee every fertile inch o’th’ island,

  And I will kiss thy foot. I prithee, be my god.

  TRINCULO By this light, a most perfidious and drunken monster! When’s god’s asleep, he’ll rob his bottle.

  CALIBAN (to Stefano)

  I’ll kiss thy foot. I’ll swear myself thy subject.

  STEFANO Come on then; down, and swear.

  ⌈Caliban kneels⌉

  TRINCULO I shall laugh myself to death at this puppy-headed monster. A most scurvy monster! I could find in my heart to beat him—

  STEFANO (to Caliban) Come, kiss.

  ⌈Caliban kisses his foot⌉

  TRINCULO But that the poor monster’s in drink. An abominable monster!

  CALIBAN

  I’ll show 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 wondrous man.

  TRINCULO A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder of a poor drunkard!

  CALIBAN (to Stefano)

  I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow,

  And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts,

  Show thee a jay’s nest, and instruct thee how

  To snare the nimble marmoset. I’ll bring thee

  To clust’ring filberts, and sometimes I’ll get thee

  Young seamews from the rock. Wilt thou go with

  me?

  STEFANO I prithee now, lead the way without any more talking.—Trinculo, the King and all our company else being drowned, we will inherit here.—Here, bear my bottte.—Fettow Trinculo, we’ll fill him by and by again.

  CALIBAN (sings drunkenly) Farewell, master, farewell, farewell!

  TRINCULO A howling monster, a drunken monster!

  CALIBAN (sings)No more dams I’ll make for fish,

  Nor fetch in firing

  At requiring,

  Nor scrape trenchering, nor wash dish.

  ’Ban, ’ban, Cacaliban

  Has a new master.—Get a new man!

  Freedom, high-day! High-day, freedom! Freedom, highday,

  freedom!

  STEFANO O brave monster! Lead the way.

  Exeunt

  3.1 Enter Ferdinand, bearing a log

  FERDINAND

  There be some sports are painful, and their labour

  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 composed 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 never like executor. I forget,

  But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,

  Most busil’est when I do it.

  Enter Miranda, and Prospero following at a distance

  MIRANDA

  Alas now, pray you

  Work not so hard. I would the lightning had

  Burnt up those logs that you are enjoined 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 (to Ferdinand) 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 best to say so!

  FERDINAND

  Admired Miranda!

  Indeed the top of admiration, worth

  What’s dearest to the world. Full many a lady

  I have eyed with best regard, and many a time

  Th’harmony of their tongues hath into bondage

  Brought my too diligent ear. For several virtue
s

  Have I liked several women; never any

  With so full soul but some defect in her

  Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed

  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!

  Beyond all limit of what else i’th’ world,

  Do love, prize, honour you.

  MIRANDA (weeping)

  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 (to Miranda)