The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  And they shall be themselves.

  ARIEL

  I’ll fetch them, sir.

  Exit

  ⌈Prospero draws a circle with his staff⌉

  PROSPERO

  Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,

  And ye that on the sands with printless foot

  Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him

  When he comes back; you demi-puppets that

  By moonshine 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,

  Weak masters though ye be, I have bedimmed

  The noontide sun, called forth the mutinous winds,

  And ‘twixt the green sea and the azured 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-based promontory

  Have I made shake, and by the spurs plucked up

  The pine and cedar; graves at my command

  Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let ’em forth

  By my so potent art. But this rough magic

  I here abjure. And when I have required

  Some heavenly music—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 music. Here enters first Ariel, invisible; then Alonso, with a frantic gesture, attended by Gonzalo; Sebastian and Antonio, in like manner, attended by Adrian and Francisco. They all enter the circle which Prospero had made, and there stand charmed; which Prospero observing, speaks

  (To Alonso) A solemn air, and the best comforter

  To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,

  Now useless, boiled within thy skull.

  (To Sebastian and Antonio) There stand,

  For you are spelt-stopped.—

  Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,

  Mine eyes, ev’n sociable to the show of thine,

  Fall fellowly drops. (Aside) The charm dissolves apace,

  And as the morning steals upon the night,

  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 art pinched for’t now, Sebastian.

  (To Antonio) Flesh and blood,

  You, brother mine, that entertained ambition,

  Expelled remorse and nature, whom, with Sebastian—

  Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong,—

  Would here have killed your king, I do forgive thee,

  Unnatural though thou art. (Aside) Their understanding

  Begins to swell, and the approaching tide

  Will shortly fill the reasonable shores

  That now lie 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 disease me, and myself present

  As I was sometime Milan. Quickly, spirit!

  Thou shalt ere long be free.

  Ariel sings and helps to attire him as Duke of Milan

  ARIEL

  Where the bee sucks, there suck I: In a cowslip’s bell I lie;

  There I couch when owls do cry.

  On the bat’s back I do fly

  After summer merrily.

  Merrily, merrily shall I live now

  Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

  Merrily, merrily shall I live now

  Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

  PROSPERO

  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!

  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 prithee.

  ARIEL

  I drink the air before me, and return

  Or ere your pulse twice beat.

  Exit

  GONZALO

  All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement

  Inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us

  Out of this fearful country!

  PROSPERO

  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.

  He embraces Alonso

  ALONSO

  Whe’er thou beest he or no,

  Or some enchanted 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

  Th’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.

  Thy dukedom I resign, and do entreat

  Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should

  Prospero

  Be living and be here?

  PROSPERO (to Gonzalo)

  First, noble friend,

  Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot

  Be measured or confined.

  He embraces Gonzalo

  GONZALO

  Whether this be

  Or be not, I’ll not swear.

  PROSPERO

  You do yet taste

  Some subtleties o’th’ isle that will not let you

  Believe things certain.—Welcome, my friends all.

  (Aside to Sebastian and Antonio)

  But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,

  I here could pluck his highness’ frown upon you

  And justify you traitors. At this time

  I will tell no tales.

  SEBASTIAN (to Antonio) The devil speaks in him.

  PROSPERO No.

  (To Antonio) 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.

  ALONSO

  If thou beest Prospero,

  Give us particulars of thy preservation,

  How thou hast met us here, whom three hours since

  Were wrecked upon this shore, where I have lost—

  How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—

  My dear son Ferdinand.

  PROSPERO

  I am woe for’t, sir.

  ALONSO

  Irreparable is the loss, and patience

  Says it is past her cure.

  PROSPERO

  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.

  ALONSO

  You the like loss?

  PROSPERO

  As 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.

  ALONSO

  A daughter?

  O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,

&
nbsp; 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?

  PROSPERO

  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, these words

  Are natural breath. But howsoe’er you have

  Been jostled 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 wrecked, 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,

  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.

  Here Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda, playing at chess

  MIRANDA

  Sweet lord, you play me false.

  FERDINAND No, my dearest love,

  I would not for the world.

  MIRANDA

  Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,

  An I would call it fair play.

  ALONSO

  If this prove

  A vision of the island, one dear son

  Shall I twice lose.

  SEBASTIAN

  A most high miracle.

  FERDINAND (coming forward)

  Though the seas threaten, they are merciful.

  I have cursed them without cause.

  He kneels

  ALONSO

  Now all the blessings

  Of a glad father compass thee about.

  Arise and say how thou cam’st here.

  Ferdinand rises

  MIRANDA (coming forward)

  O wonder!

  How many goodly creatures are there here!

  How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world

  That has such people in’t!

  PROSPERO

  ’Tis new to thee.

  ALONSO (to Ferdinand)

  What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?

  Your eld’st acquaintance cannot be three hours.

  Is she the goddess that hath severed us,

  And brought us thus together?

  FERDINAND

  Sir, she is 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

  Received a second life; and second father

  This lady makes him to me.

  ALONSO

  I am hers.

  But O, how oddly will it sound, that I

  Must ask my child forgiveness!

  PROSPERO

  There, sir, stop.

  Let us not burden our remembrance with

  A heaviness that’s gone.

  GONZALO

  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 chalked forth the way

  Which brought us hither.

  ALONSO

  I say amen, Gonzalo.

  GONZALO

  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,

  When no man was his own.

  ALONSO (to Ferdinand and Miranda) Give me your hands.

  Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart

  That doth not wish you joy.

  GONZALO

  Be it so! Amen!

  Enter Ariel, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following

  O look, sir, look, sir, here is more of us!

  I prophesied if a gallows were on land

  This fellow could not drown. (To the Boatswain) Now,

  blasphemy,

  That swear’st grace o’erboard: not an oath on shore?

  Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?

  BOATSWAIN

  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 rigged, as when

  We first put out to sea.

  ARIEL (aside to Prospero) Sir, all this service

  Have I done since I went.

  PROSPERO (aside to Ariel)

  My tricksy spirit!

  ALONSO

  These are not natural events; they strengthen

  From strange to stranger. Say, how came you hither?

  BOATSWAIN

  If I did think, sir, I were well awake

  I’d strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep,

  And—how we know not—all clapped under hatches,

  Where but even now, with strange and several noises

  Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains,

  And more diversity of sounds, all horrible,

  We were awaked; 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.

  ARIEL (aside to Prospero)

  Was’t well done?

  PROSPERO (aside to Ariel)

  Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.

  ALONSO

  This is as strange a maze as e’er men trod,

  And there is in this business more than nature

  Was ever conduct of. Some oracle

  Must rectify our knowledge.

  PROSPERO

  Sir, my liege,

  Do not infest your mind with beating on

  The strangeness of this business. At picked leisure,

  Which shall be shortly, single I’ll resolve you,

  Which to you shall seem probable, of every

  These happened accidents; till when be cheerful,

  And think of each thing well. (Aside to Ariel) Come

  hither, spirit.

  Set Caliban and his companions free.

  Untie the spell.

  Exit Ariel

  (To Alonso) How fares my gracious sir?

  There are yet missing of your company

  Some few odd lads that you remember not.

  Enter Ariel, driving in Caliban, Stefano, and Trinculo, in their stolen apparel

  STEFANO Every man shift for all the rest, and let no man take care for himself, for all is but fortune. Coragio, bully-monster, coragio!

  TRINCULO If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here’s a goodly sight.

  CALIBAN

  O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed!

  How fine my master is! I am afraid

  He will chastise me.

  SEBASTIAN

  Ha, ha! What things are these, my lord Antonio?

  Will money buy ’em?

  ANTONIO

  Very like; one of them

  Is a plain fis
h, and no doubt marketable.

  PROSPERO

  Mark but the badges of these men, my lords,

  Then say if they be true. This misshapen knave,

  His mother was a witch, and one so strong

  That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs,

  And deal in her command without her power.

  These three have robbed 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.

  CALIBAN

  I shall be pinched to death.

  ALONSO

  Is not this Stefano, my drunken butler?

  SEBASTIAN

  He is drunk now. Where had he wine?

  ALONSO

  And Trinculo is reeling ripe. Where should they

  Find this grand liquor that hath gilded ’em?

  (To Trinculo) How cam’st thou in this pickle?

  TRINCULO 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-blowing.

  SEBASTIAN Why, how now, Stefano?

  STEFANO O, touch me not! I am not Stefano, but a cramp.

  PROSPERO You’d be king o’the isle, sirrah?

  STEFANO I should have been a sore one, then.

  ALONSO (pointing to Caliban) This is a strange thing as e’er I looked on.

  PROSPERO

  He is as disproportioned in his manners

  As in his shape. (To Caliban) Go, sirrah, to my cell.

  Take with you your companions. As you look

  To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.

  CALIBAN

  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 fooll

  PROSPERO

  Go to, away!

  Exit Caliban

  ALONSO (to Stefano and Trinculo)

  Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.

  SEBASTIAN Or stole it, rather.

  Exeunt Stefano and Trinculo

  PROSPERO (to Alonso)

  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

  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 nuptial

  Of these our dear-belovèd solemnized;