The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

  PROSPERO

  Both, both, my girl:

  Both, it was both, my girl:By foul play, as thou say'st, were we heaved thence,

  It was an evil conspiracy, as you said, that we were cast out of there,But blessedly holp hither.

  But fortunately helped to get here.

  MIRANDA

  O, my heart bleeds

  Oh my heart achesTo think o' the teen that I have turn'd you to,

  To think of the grief that I have brought up again,Which is from my remembrance! Please you, farther.

  From my memories! Please, continue.

  PROSPERO

  My brother and thy uncle, call'd Antonio—

  My brother, your uncle, named Antonio--I pray thee, mark me--that a brother should

  Please. Pay attention—how could a brotherBe so perfidious!--he whom next thyself

  Be so deceitful!—he, who, next to youOf all the world I loved and to him put

  Out of everyone in the world, I love and to him I gaveThe manage of my state; as at that time

  The task of managing of my government; since at the timeThrough all the signories it was the first

  Out of all the provinces it was the highestAnd Prospero the prime duke, being so reputed

  And I, Prospoer, the chief duke, had a reputationIn dignity, and for the liberal arts

  Of honor, and for the arts and sciencesWithout a parallel; those being all my study,

  That was without parallel; those took up all my studying,The government I cast upon my brother

  And the governing I threw on to my brotherAnd to my state grew stranger, being transported

  And I became a foreigner to my province, being captivatedAnd rapt in secret studies. Thy false uncle—

  And absorbed in my magical studies. Your deceitful uncle—Dost thou attend me?

  Are you listening to me?

  MIRANDA

  Sir, most heedfully.

  Sir, most attentively.

  PROSPERO

  Being once perfected how to grant suits,

  Having been instructed on how to grant formal petitions,How to deny them, who to advance and who

  How to deny them, who to promote and whoTo trash for over-topping, new created

  To hold back for getting ahead of themselves, having newly appointedThe creatures that were mine, I say, or changed 'em,

  The officials that were mine, or, I say, having replaced them,Or else new form'd 'em; having both the key

  Or else retrained them, having both the powerOf officer and office, set all hearts i' the state

  Of officials and the role of office, he set all the minds in the governmentTo what tune pleased his ear; that now he was

  To whatever message he desired; now he wasThe ivy which had hid my princely trunk,

  The ivy that had grown over the tree trunk of my own right to rule,And suck'd my verdure out on't. Thou attend'st not.

  And sucked my liveliness out with it. You aren’t listening.

  MIRANDA

  O, good sir, I do.

  Oh, good sir, I am.

  PROSPERO

  I pray thee, mark me.

  Please, listen to me.I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated

  I, having neglected endeavors in this world, completely dedicatedTo closeness and the bettering of my mind

  To solitude and the bettering of my mindWith that which, but by being so retired,

  With things which, except that they were so secluded,O'er-prized all popular rate, in my false brother

  Would be overvalued by the common consensus, in my deceitful brotherAwaked an evil nature; and my trust,

  This awakened an evil nature; and my trust,Like a good parent, did beget of him

  Like a good parent, did create in himA falsehood in its contrary as great

  A disloyalty that was the complete opposite but as greatAs my trust was; which had indeed no limit,

  As my trust had been; which in fact had no limit,A confidence sans bound. He being thus lorded,

  A confidence without boundaries. In that was, he was made a lord,Not only with what my revenue yielded,

  Not only through what my income produced,But what my power might else exact, like one

  But also what my authority might obtain, like oneWho having into truth, by telling of it,

  Who having said something against the truth, because he told it,Made such a sinner of his memory,

  Made such an impostor of his memoryTo credit his own lie, he did believe

  That it gave credit to his own lie, he did believeHe was indeed the duke; out o' the substitution

  He was actually the duke; because he substituted in my place of authorityAnd executing the outward face of royalty,

  And fulfilled the outward face of royalty,With all prerogative: hence his ambition growing—

  With all its privileges: from here his ambition grew—Dost thou hear?

  Do you hear what I’m saying?

  MIRANDA

  Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.

  Your story, sir, would cure deafness.

  PROSPERO

  To have no screen between this part he play'd

  In order to have no separation between this role he was performingAnd him he play'd it for, he needs will be

  And the one who he was performing it for—that is myself—he desired to becomeAbsolute Milan. Me, poor man, my library

  The absolute ruler of Milan. For me, poor man, my libraryWas dukedom large enough: of temporal royalties

  Was a large enough dukedom: of wordly powerHe thinks me now incapable; confederates—

  He thought I was now incapable; he was allies—So dry he was for sway--wi' the King of Naples

  He was so thirty for power—with the King of NaplesTo give him annual tribute, do him homage,

  And had to give him annual taxes, to pay him homage,Subject his coronet to his crown and bend

  And subject his lesser crown to the greater ruler and loweredThe dukedom yet unbow'd--alas, poor Milan!—

  The province that hadn’t yet been overcome—sadly, poor Milan!—To most ignoble stooping.

  To a very shameful position.

  MIRANDA

  O the heavens!

  Oh, good heavens±

  PROSPERO

  Mark his condition and the event; then tell me

  Notice his agreement and the outcome; then tell meIf this might be a brother.

  If you think a brother could do this.

  MIRANDA

  I should sin

  It would be a sinTo think but nobly of my grandmother:

  To think badly of my grandmother:Good wombs have borne bad sons.

  But good women have given birth to bad sons.

  PROSPERO

  Now the condition.

  Now the agreement.The King of Naples, being an enemy

  The King of Naples, being an enemyTo me inveterate, hearkens my brother's suit;

  Of mine for a long time, paid attention to my brothers proposition;Which was, that he, in lieu o' the premises

  Which was, that he, in place of the pledgesOf homage and I know not how much tribute,

  Of homage and I’m not sure how much taxes,Should presently extirpate me and mine

  Would instead immediately eliminate me and my familyOut of the dukedom and confer fair Milan

  From the province and give over the beautiul MilanWith all the honours on my brother: whereon,

  With all the it’s powers to my brother: After this,A treacherous army levied, one midnight

  A treacherous army was enlisted, and one midnight,Fated to the purpose did Antonio open

  Destined for this task, Antonio openedThe gates of Milan, and, i' the dead of darkness,

  The gates of Milan and in the dead of night,The ministers for the purpose hurried thence

  The agents of this plan hurried toMe and thy crying self.

  Me and your crying self.

  MIRANDA

  Alack, for pity!

  What a shame, what
a pity!I, not remembering how I cried out then,

  I now, since I don’t remember how I cried then,Will cry it o'er again: it is a hint

  Will cry over it again: it is a situationThat wrings mine eyes to't.

  That forces my eyes to weep.

  PROSPERO

  Hear a little further

  Listen a little moreAnd then I'll bring thee to the present business

  And then I’ll get to the current businessWhich now's upon's; without the which this story

  That is now upon us; without which this storyWere most impertinent.

  Would be beside the point.

  MIRANDA

  Wherefore did they not

  Why did they notThat hour destroy us?

  Destroy us then?

  PROSPERO

  Well demanded, wench:

  Good question, girl:My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not,

  My story invites that question. My dear, they didn’t dare,So dear the love my people bore me, nor set

  So dear was the love my people had for me, nor did they dare to placeA mark so bloody on the business, but

  Such a bloody mark on their business, butWith colours fairer painted their foul ends.

  Painted a prettier picture of their evil plan.In few, they hurried us aboard a bark,

  In short, they hurried us aboard a ship,Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepared

  And carried us some miles out into the sea; where they preparedA rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg'd,

  The rotting remains of a boat, without ropes,Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats

  Without gear, sail, and mast; even the ratsInstinctively had quit it: there they hoist us,

  Instinctively had left it: there they left us,To cry to the sea that roar'd to us, to sigh

  To cry to the sea that roared back at us, to sighTo the winds whose pity, sighing back again,

  To the winds whose pity, sighing back again,Did us but loving wrong.

  Did us only affectionate wrong.

  MIRANDA

  Alack, what trouble

  What a shame, what troubleWas I then to you!

  I was then for you!

  PROSPERO

  O, a cherubim

  Oh, little angelThou wast that did preserve me. Thou didst smile.

  You were what saved me. You made me smile.Infused with a fortitude from heaven,

  Empowered with a strength from heaven,When I have deck'd the sea with drops full salt,

  When I crossed the salty sea,Under my burthen groan'd; which raised in me

  And groaned under my burden; it was that strength which raised in meAn undergoing stomach, to bear up

  A continuous courage, to withstandAgainst what should ensue.

  What was to come.

  MIRANDA

  How came we ashore?

  How did we come ashore?

  PROSPERO

  By Providence divine.

  By Divine Providence.Some food we had and some fresh water that

  We had some food and some fresh water thatA noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo,

  A noble man from Naples, named Gonzalo,Out of his charity, being then appointed

  Out of his kindness, having been putMaster of this design, did give us, with

  In charge of this plan, gave to us, with Rich garments, linens, stuffs and necessaries,

  Nice clothes, linens, equipment and necessary things,Which since have steaded much; so, of his gentleness,

  Which have since been very helpful; so, because of his nobility,Knowing I loved my books, he furnish'd me

  And knowing that I loved my books, he provided meFrom mine own library with volumes that

  With books from my own library thatI prize above my dukedom.

  I prized more than my dukedom.

  MIRANDA

  Would I might

  I wish that I mightBut ever see that man!

  Someday see that man!

  PROSPERO

  Now I arise:

  Now I will stand up:

  Resumes his mantle (cloak)

  Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow.

  Sit still, and listen to the last of our sad times at sea.Here in this island we arrived; and here

  We arrived here on this island; and hereHave I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit

  I have, as your school teacher, made you more capableThan other princesses can that have more time

  Than other princesses who have more timeFor vainer hours and tutors not so careful.

  To be foolishly spent and tutors who are not so careful.

  MIRANDA

  Heavens thank you for't! And now, I pray you, sir,

  And the heavens thank you for it! And now, I ask you, sir,For still 'tis beating in my mind, your reason

  Because it’s still heavy on my mind, what was your reasonFor raising this sea-storm?

  For raising this sea-storm?

  PROSPERO

  Know thus far forth.

  Know this much.By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune,

  By a strange accident, from generous Fortune, Now my dear lady, hath mine enemies

  Now my dear lady, my enemies have beenBrought to this shore; and by my prescience

  Brought to this shore; and because of my knowledge beforehandI find my zenith doth depend upon

  I found my high point depends onA most auspicious star, whose influence

  A very favorable star, whichIf now I court not but omit, my fortunes

  If I don’t follow its influence now, but instead disregard it, my fortuneWill ever after droop. Here cease more questions:

  Will fade forever after. Now stop more questionsLThou art inclined to sleep; 'tis a good dulness,

  You are wishing to sleep; it’s a good sleepiness,And give it way: I know thou canst not choose.

  And give in to it: I know you cannot do otherwise.

  MIRANDA sleeps

  Come away, servant, come. I am ready now.

  Come here, servant, come. I am ready now.Approach, my Ariel, come.

  Approach, my Ariel come.

  Enter ARIEL

  ARIEL

  All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come

  Greetings, great master! Wise sir, greetings! I have comeTo answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly,

  To satisfy your dearest desire; whether it be to fly,To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride

  To swim, to dive into the fire, to rideOn the curl'd clouds, to thy strong bidding task

  On the spiraling clouds, with your powerful commands, orderAriel and all his quality.

  Ariel and all of his companions.

  PROSPERO

  Hast thou, spirit,

  Have you, spirit,Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee?

  Performed the tempest exactly as I commanded you?

  ARIEL

  To every article.

  To the letter.I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak,

  I boarded the king’s ship; first at the bow,Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,

  Then in the middle, the desk, in every cabin,I flamed amazement: sometime I'ld divide,

  I excited wonder and fear: sometimes I would separate,And burn in many places; on the topmast,

  And burn in many places; on the topmast,The yards and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly,

  The yards and bowsprit, I would excite them separately,Then meet and join. Jove's lightnings, the precursors

  Then meet and rejoin. The thunder god’s lightning-bolts, the precursorsO' the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary

  Of the terrible thunder-claps, more fleetingAnd sight-outrunning were not; the fire and cracks

  And faster than the eye could follow weren’t there; with fire and the boomingOf sulphurous roaring the most mighty Neptune

  Of thunderous roaring the most mighty sea godSeem to besiege and make his bold waves tremble,

  Seemed to over take them and make his daring waves tremble,Yea, his dr
ead trident shake.

  Oh yes, he shook his frightening trident.

  PROSPERO

  My brave spirit!

  My excellent spirit!Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil

  Was there anyone who was so steadfast, so constant, that this tumultWould not infect his reason?

  Would not spoil his good sense?

  ARIEL

  Not a soul

  Not a soulBut felt a fever of the mad and play'd

  Instead they felt a fever like the mad and showedSome tricks of desperation. All but mariners

  Some characteristics of despair. All but the sailorsPlunged in the foaming brine and quit the vessel,

  Jumped into the frothy sea water and left the ship.Then all afire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand,

  Then all on fire from me: the king’s son, Ferdinand,With hair up-staring,--then like reeds, not hair,--

  With his hair standing on end,--more like reeds than hair,--Was the first man that leap'd; cried, 'Hell is empty

  Was the first man to leap overboard; he cried, ‘Hell is emptyAnd all the devils are here.'

  Because all the devils are here.’

  PROSPERO

  Why that's my spirit!

  Well, that’s my good servant!But was not this nigh shore?

  But wasn’t this near shore?

  ARIEL

  Close by, my master.

  Close by, my master.

  PROSPERO

  But are they, Ariel, safe?

  But are they safe, Ariel?

  ARIEL

  Not a hair perish'd;

  Not a single one died;On their sustaining garments not a blemish,

  Not even a stain on the clothes that saved them,But fresher than before: and, as thou badest me,

  But instead cleaner than before: and, as you asked me,In troops I have dispersed them 'bout the isle.

  I have dispersed them in groups around the island.The king's son have I landed by himself;

  The king’s son I have brought to land by himself;Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs

  I left him blowing in the air with his sighsIn an odd angle of the isle and sitting,