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

Page 381

by William Shakespeare


  Earth’s growth, abundance a plenty,Barns and garners never empty,

  With barns and granaries never empty,Vines and clustering bunches growing,

  Vines growing clustering bunches of grapes,Plants with goodly burthen bowing;

  Plants bending with ample fruits;Spring come to you at the farthest

  May spring come to you at the veryIn the very end of harvest!

  End of the harvest!Scarcity and want shall shun you;

  Shortage and desire will avoid you;Ceres' blessing so is on you.

  Ceres’s blessing is also on you.

  FERDINAND

  This is a most majestic vision, and

  This is an incredibly magnificent sight, andHarmoniously charmingly. May I be bold

  Pleasant and enchanting. If I may ask without offending you,To think these spirits?

  Are these spirits?

  PROSPERO

  Spirits, which by mine art

  Spirits, which with my magicI have from their confines call'd to enact

  I have called out of their imprisonment to performMy present fancies.

  My current whims.

  FERDINAND

  Let me live here ever;

  Let me live here forever;So rare a wonder'd father and a wife

  Such a rare father who performs these wonders and a wifeMakes this place Paradise.

  Who makes this place a paradise.

  Juno and Ceres whisper, and send Iris on employment

  PROSPERO

  Sweet, now, silence!

  Now, my darling be silent!Juno and Ceres whisper seriously;

  Juno and Ceres are whispering seriously;There's something else to do: hush, and be mute,

  There’s something else to do: hush, and be silent,Or else our spell is marr'd.

  Or else our spell will be ruined.

  IRIS

  You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the windring brooks,

  The nymphs of the winding steams, called Naiads,With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,

  With your crowns woven from reeds and always harmless looks,Leave your crisp channels and on this green land

  I ask you to leave your rippling waters and come to this green landAnswer your summons; Juno does command:

  To answer your summons; Juno commands you:Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate

  Come here, gentle-natured nymphs, and help to celebrateA contract of true love; be not too late.

  A marriage of true love; don’t be too late.

  Enter certain Nymphs

  You sunburnt sicklemen, of August weary,

  Sunburnt, harvesting men, weary from the August harvest,Come hither from the furrow and be merry:

  Come here from the plowed fields and be happy:Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put on

  Celebrate; put on your straw hatsAnd these fresh nymphs encounter every one

  And take a partner from these fresh nymphs In country footing.

  For a country dance.

  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

  “[Enter some Reapers (harvesters), properly dressed: they join with the Nymphs in a graceful dance; toward the end of which PROSPERO suddenly is startled, and speaks; after which, there is a strange, hollow, and confused noise, and they suddenly vanish.]”

  PROSPERO

  [Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy

  [Aside] I forgot about that terrible conspiracyOf the beast Caliban and his confederates

  Of the slave Caliban and his companionsAgainst my life: the minute of their plot

  Against my life: the time for their planIs almost come.

  Is almost here.

  [To the Spirits] Well done! avoid; no more!

  [To the Spirits] Well done! Leave; you’re done!

  FERDINAND

  This is strange: your father's in some passion

  This is strange: your father is in some sort of fitThat works him strongly.

  That is making him act strangely.

  MIRANDA

  Never till this day

  Never until today haveSaw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.

  I seen him affected with such distressed anger.

  PROSPERO

  You do look, my son, in a moved sort,

  You, my son, look as if some mood has upset you,As if you were dismay'd: be cheerful, sir.

  As if you were dismayed; be cheerful, sir.Our revels now are ended. These our actors,

  Our festivities have now ended. Our actors here,As I foretold you, were all spirits and

  As I told you before, were all spirits andAre melted into air, into thin air:

  Have melted into thin air, right into thin air:And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,

  And, like the unsubstantial material that this vision was made from,The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,

  The towers in the clouds, the gorgeous palaces,The solemn temples, the great globe itself,

  The sacred temples, and the whole earth itself,Ye all which it inherit, shall dissolve

  Yes, all who live here, will disappearAnd, like this insubstantial pageant faded,

  And, like this imaginary spectacle, which has faded,Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff

  Without leaving a single cloud behind. We are made of the same stuffAs dreams are made on, and our little life

  That dreams are made of, and our little lifeIs rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd;

  Finished in sleep. Sir, I am irritated;Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled:

  Tolerate my weakness; my old mind is troubled:Be not disturb'd with my infirmity:

  Don’t be disturbed by my frailty:If you be pleased, retire into my cell

  If you would like, go back into my cellAnd there repose: a turn or two I'll walk,

  And relax there: I’ll walk a little bit,To still my beating mind.

  To calm my pounding mind.

  FERDINAND & MIRANDA

  We wish your peace.

  We hope you can find some peace.

  Exeunt

  PROSPERO

  Come with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel: come.

  Come here as fast as a thought. Thank you, Ariel: come here.

  Enter ARIEL

  ARIEL

  Thy thoughts I cleave to. What's thy pleasure?

  It’s your thoughts I obey. What do you wish?

  PROSPERO

  Spirit,

  Spirit,We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

  We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

  ARIEL

  Ay, my commander: when I presented Ceres,

  Yes, my commander: when I acted as Ceres,I thought to have told thee of it, but I fear'd

  I thought about telling you about it, but I was afraidLest I might anger thee.

  That it might anger you.

  PROSPERO

  Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?

  Tell me again, where did you last see those rascals?

  ARIEL

  I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking;

  I told you, sir, they were red faced with drinking;So full of valour that they smote the air

  So full of heroism that they smacked the airFor breathing in their faces; beat the ground

  Because it breathed in their faces; they best the groundFor kissing of their feet; yet always bending

  For touching their feet; but always turningTowards their project. Then I beat my tabour;

  Towards their plan. Then I played my drum;At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd

  At which, like untrained colts, they turnedtheir ears,

  Their ears,Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses

  Raised their eyelids, and lifted up their nosesAs they smelt music: so I charm'd their ears

  As if they could smell the music: so I cast a s
pell on their earsThat calf-like they my lowing follow'd through

  So that they would follow my music like cows throughTooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss and thorns,

  Thorny briers, spiny shrubs, prickly weeds and thorns,Which entered their frail shins: at last I left them

  Which stuck in their weak shins: finally I left themI' the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,

  In the filth-covered pool on the other side your cell,There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake

  Dancing in the water up to their chins, so that the dirty lakeO'erstunk their feet.

  Stuck worse than their feet.

  PROSPERO

  This was well done, my bird.

  That was done well, my spirit.Thy shape invisible retain thou still:

  Keep yourself invisible still:The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,

  Go bring the fancy clothes from my house here,For stale to catch these thieves.

  As a decoy to catch these thieves.

  ARIEL

  I go, I go.

  I’m going, I’m going.

  Exit

  PROSPERO

  A devil, a born devil, on whose nature

  Caliban, he’s a devil, he was born a devil, whose characterNurture can never stick; on whom my pains,

  Teaching can never change; on whom my efforts,Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost;

  Compassionately undertake, were all wasted, very wasted;And as with age his body uglier grows,

  And as his body grows uglier with age,So his mind cankers. I will plague them all,

  His mind decays as well. I will torment them allEven to roaring.

  To the point of screaming

  Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering apparel, & c

  “[Re-enter ARIEL, carrying the glittering clothing, etc.]”

  Come, hang them on this line.

  Come on, hang those on this lime tree.

  PROSPERO and ARIEL remain invisible. Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet

  CALIBAN

  Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not

  Please, walk quietly, so that not even a blind mole couldHear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

  Hear a footstep: we are now close to his cell.

  STEPHANO

  Monster, your fairy, which you say is

  Monster, your island fairy-music, which you say isa harmless fairy, has done little better than

  Just a harmless fairy-song, has done nothing better thanplayed the Jack with us.

  Play a practical joke on us.

  TRINCULO

  Monster, I do smell all horse-piss; at

  Monster, I smell completely like horse-piss;which my nose is in great indignation.

  Which my nose is very offended by.

  STEPHANO

  So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take

  So is mine. Do you hear that, monster? If I happen to takea displeasure against you, look you,--

  A disliking to you, look at you,--

  TRINCULO

  Thou wert but a lost monster.

  You would be only a ruined monster.

  CALIBAN

  Good my lord, give me thy favour still.

  My good lord, continue to think well of me.Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to

  Be patient, because the prize that I’ll bring to youShall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak softly.

  Will cover up all this misfortune: so speak quietly.All's hush'd as midnight yet.

  Everything is as silent as midnight here.

  TRINCULO

  Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool,--

  Yes, but to loose our wine bottles in the pool,--

  STEPHANO

  There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that,

  That was not only a disgrace and a dishonor,monster, but an infinite loss.

  Monster, but also a terrible loss.

  TRINCULO

  That's more to me than my wetting: yet this is your

  That means more to me than getting wet: and that was what you calledharmless fairy, monster.

  A harmless fairy-song, monster.

  STEPHANO

  I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears

  I will get my bottle back, even if I am drownedfor my labour.

  For my effort.

  CALIBAN

  Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here,

  Please, my king, be quiet. See this here,This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter.

  This is the entrance of the cell: don’t make any noise, and go in.Do that good mischief which may make this island

  Do that good kind of crime that will make this islandThine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,

  Yours forever, and I, your Caliban,For aye thy foot-licker.

  Will forever worship you.

  STEPHANO

  Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody thoughts.

  Give me your hand. I am beginning to have blood-thirsty thoughts.

  TRINCULO

  O king Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano! Look

  Oh, king Stephano! Oh, nobleman! Oh, admirable Stephano! Lookwhat a wardrobe here is for thee!

  At this wardrobe that is here for you!

  CALIBAN

  Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.

  Leave it alone, you fool; it’s only trash.

  TRINCULO

  O, ho, monster! we know what belongs to a frippery.

  Oh, really, Monster! We can tell what belongs to a thrift-store.O king Stephano!

  Oh, king Stephano!

  STEPHANO

  Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I'll have

  Put down that tunic, Trinculo; I swear by this hand, I’ll havethat gown.

  That tunic.

  TRINCULO

  Thy grace shall have it.

  You will have it, your grace.

  CALIBAN

  The dropsy drown this fool! What do you mean

  May disease kill this fool! Why are youTo dote thus on such luggage? Let's alone

  So enamored with this stuff? Let’s leave it aloneAnd do the murder first: if he awake,

  And do the murder first: if he awakens,From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches,

  He’ll have us pinched from our toes to our heads,Make us strange stuff.

  And turn us into strange fabrics.

  STEPHANO

  Be you quiet, monster. Mistress line,

  Be quite, monster. Mistress lime tree,is not this my jerkin? Now is the jerkin under

  Isn’t this my jacket? Oh, and now the jacket underneaththe line: now, jerkin, you are like to lose your

  You miss lime tree. Now, jacket, you will probably lose yourhair and prove a bald jerkin.

  Hair and turn into a bald jacket for being underneath there!

  TRINCULO

  Do, do: we steal by line and level, an't like your grace.

  Carry on, carry on: we’ll it steal with great care, if you so desire, your grace.

  STEPHANO

  I thank thee for that jest; here's a garment for't:

  I thank your for that joke; here’s a piece of clothing in exchange;wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king of this

  Humor will not go unrewarded while I am king of thiscountry. 'Steal by line and level' is an excellent

  Country. ‘Steal it with great care’ is an excellentpass of pate; there's another garment for't.

  Use of your thoughts; here’s another piece of clothing for it.

  TRINCULO

  Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers, and

  Monster, come here, put some sticky stuff on your fingers, andaway with the rest.

  Steal the rest.

  CALIBAN

  I will have none on't: we shall lose our time,

  I won’t do that: we are losing time,And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes

  And will all be turned into barnacles, or into apesWi
th foreheads villanous low.

  With terribly low foreheads.

  STEPHANO

  Monster, lay-to your fingers: help to bear this

  Monster, use your fingers: help us carry thisaway where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn you

  Away to where my barrel of wine is, or I’ll exile youout of my kingdom: go to, carry this.

  From my kingdom: get to work, carry this.

  TRINCULO

  And this.

  And this.

  STEPHANO

  Ay, and this.

  Yes, and this.

  A noise of hunters heard. Enter divers Spirits, in shape of dogs and hounds, and hunt them about, PROSPERO and ARIEL setting them on

  “[The sound of hunters is heard. Enter many different Spirits, in the shape of dogs and hounds, and hunt after them. PRSOPERP and ARIEL encourage them on, calling out the dogs names]”

  PROSPERO

  Hey, Mountain, hey!

  Hey, Mountain, hey!

  ARIEL

  Silver! There it goes, Silver!

  Silver! There it goes, Silver!

  PROSPERO

  Fury, Fury! there, Tyrant, there! hark! hark!

  Fury, Fury! Right there, Tyrant! Listen! Listen!

  CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, are driven out

  Go charge my goblins that they grind their joints

  Go tell my gablins to torment their jointsWith dry convulsions, shorten up their sinews

  With severe seizures, tighten up their musclesWith aged cramps, and more pinch-spotted make them

  With craps like that from old age, and make them more spotted with bruises from pinchingThan pard or cat o' mountain.

  Than a leopard or mountain lion.

  ARIEL

  Hark, they roar!

  Listen, they’re screaming!

 

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