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The Tempest (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editors: Brent Whitted, Paul Yachnin
Peer Reviewed
Actus Secundus. Scœna Prima.
Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Anthonio, Gonzalo, Adrian,
Francisco, and others.
675Gonz. Beseech you Sir, be merry; you haue cause,
(So haue we all) of ioy; for our escape
Is much beyond our losse; our hint of woe
Is common, euery day, some Saylors wife,
The Masters of some Merchant, and the Merchant
680Haue iust our Theame of woe: But for the miracle,
(I meane our preseruation) few in millions
Can speake like vs: then wisely (good Sir) weigh
Our sorrow, with our comfort.
Alons. Prethee peace.
685Seb. He receiues comfort like cold porredge.
Ant. The Visitor will not giue him ore so.
Seb. Looke, hee's winding vp the watch of his wit,
By and by it will strike.
Gon. Sir.
690Seb. One: Tell.
Gon. When euery greefe is entertaind,
That's offer'd comes to th'entertainer.
Seb. A dollor.
Gon. Dolour comes to him indeed, you haue spoken
695truer then you purpos'd.
Seb. You haue taken it wiselier then I meant you
should.
Gon. Therefore my Lord.
Ant. Fie, what a spend-thrift is he of his tongue.
700Alon. I pre-thee spare.
Gon. Well, I haue done: But yet
Seb. He will be talking.
Ant. Which, of he, or Adrian, for a good wager,
First begins to crow?
705Seb. The old Cocke.
Ant. The Cockrell.
Seb. Done: The wager?
Ant. A Laughter.
Seb. A match.
710Adr. Though this Island seeme to be desert.
Seb. Ha, ha, ha.
Ant. So: you'r paid.
Adr. Vninhabitable, and almost inaccessible.
Seb. Yet
715Adr. Yet
Ant. He could not misse't.
Adr. It must needs be of subtle, tender, and delicate
temperance.
Ant. Temperance was a delicate wench.
720Seb. I, and a subtle, as he most learnedly deliuer'd.
Adr. The ayre breathes vpon vs here most sweetly.
Seb. As if it had Lungs, and rotten ones.
Ant. Or, as 'twere perfum'd by a Fen.
Gon. Heere is euery thing aduantageous to life.
725Ant. True, saue meanes to liue.
Seb. Of that there's none, or little.
Gon. How lush and lusty the grasse lookes?
How greene?
Ant. The ground indeed is tawny.
730Seb. With an eye of greene in't.
Ant. He misses not much.
Seb. No: he doth but mistake the truth totally.
Gon. But the rariety of it is, which is indeed almost
beyond credit.
735Seb. As many voucht rarieties are.
Gon. That our Garments being (as they were) drencht
in the Sea, hold notwithstanding their freshnesse and
glosses, being rather new dy'de then stain'd with salte
water.
740Ant. If but one of his pockets could speake, would
it not say he lyes?
Seb. I, or very falsely pocket vp his report.
Gon. Me thinkes our garments are now as fresh as
when we put them on first in Affricke, at the marriage
745of the kings faire daughter Claribel to the king of Tunis.
Seb. 'Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in
our returne.
Adri. Tunis was neuer grac'd before with such a Pa-
ragon to their Queene.
750Gon. Not since widdow Dido's time.
Ant. Widow? A pox o'that: how came that Wid-
dow in? Widdow Dido!
Seb. What if he had said Widdower Æneas too?
Good Lord, how you take it?
755Adri. Widdow Dido said you? You make me study
of that: She was of Carthage, not of Tunis.
Gon. This Tunis Sir was Carthage.
Adri. Carthage?
Gon. I assure you Carthage.
Ant. His word is more then the miraculous Harpe.
760Seb. He hath rais'd the wall, and houses too.
Ant. What impossible matter wil he make easy next?
Seb. I thinke hee will carry this Island home in his
pocket, and giue it his sonne for an Apple.
Ant. And sowing the kernels of it in the Sea, bring
765forth more Islands.
Gon. I.
Ant. Why in good time.
Gon. Sir, we were talking, that our garments seeme
now as fresh as when we were at Tunis at the marriage
of your daughter, who is now Queene.
770Ant. And the rarest that ere came there.
Seb. Bate (I beseech you) widdow Dido.
Ant. O Widdow Dido? I, Widdow Dido.
Gon. Is not Sir my doublet as fresh as the first day I
wore it? I meane in a sort.
775Ant. That sort was well fish'd for.
Gon. When I wore it at your daughters marriage.
Alon. You cram these words into mine eares, against
the stomacke of my sense: would I had neuer
Married my daughter there: For comming thence
780My sonne is lost, and (in my rate) she too,
Who is so farre from Italy remoued,
I ne're againe shall see her: O thou mine heire
Of Naples and of Millaine, what strange fish
Hath made his meale on thee?
785Fran. Sir he may liue,
I saw him beate the surges vnder him,
And ride vpon their backes; he trod the water
Whose enmity he flung aside: and brested
The surge most swolne that met him: his bold head
790'Boue the contentious waues he kept. and oared
Himselfe with his good armes in lusty stroke
To th'shore; that ore his waue-worne basis bowed
As stooping to releeue him: I not doubt
He came aliue to Land.
795Alon. No, no, hee's gone.
Seb. Sir you may thank your selfe for this great losse,
That would not blesse our Europe with your daughter,
But rather loose her to an Affrican,
Where she at least, is banish'd from your eye,
800Who hath cause to wet the greefe on't.
Alon. Pre-thee peace.
Seb. You were kneel'd too, & importun'd otherwise
By all of vs: and the faire soule her selfe
Waigh'd betweene loathnesse, and obedience, at
805Which end o'th'beame should bow: we haue lost your
I feare for euer: Millaine and Naples haue
Mo widdowes in them of this businesse making,
Then we bring men to comfort them:
The faults your owne.
810Alon. So is the deer'st oth' losse.
Gon. My Lord Sebastian,
The truth you speake doth lacke some gentlenesse,
And time to speake it in: you rub the sore,
When you should bring the plaister.
815Seb. Very well.
Ant. And most Chirurgeonly.
Gon. It is foule weather in vs all, good Sir,
When you are cloudy.
Seb. Fowle weather?
Ant. Very foule.
Gon. Had I plantation of this Isle my Lord.
820Ant. Hee'd sow't vvith Nettle-seed.
Seb. Or dockes, or Mallowes.
Gon. And were the King on't, what vvould I do?
Seb. Scape being drunke, for want of Wine.
Gon. I'th'Commonwealth I vvould (by contraries)
825Execute all things: For no kinde of Trafficke
Would I admit: No name of Magistrate:
Letters should not be knowne: Riches, pouerty,
And vse of seruice, none: Contract, Succession,
Borne, bound of Land, Tilth, Vineyard none:
830No vse of Mettall, Corne, or Wine, or Oyle:
No occupation, all men idle, all:
And Women too, but innocent and pure:
No Soueraignty.
Seb. Yet he vvould be King on't.
835Ant. The latter end of his Common-wealth forgets
the beginning.
Gon. All things in common Nature should produce
Without sweat or endeuour: Treason, fellony,
Sword, Pike, Knife, Gun, or neede of any Engine
840Would I not haue: but Nature should bring forth
Of it owne kinde, all foyzon, all abundance
To feed my innocent people.
Seb. No marrying 'mong his subiects?
Ant. None (man) all idle; Whores and knaues,
845Gon. I vvould vvith such perfection gouerne Sir:
T'Excell the Golden Age.
Seb. 'Saue his Maiesty.
Ant. Long liue Gonzalo.
Gon. And do you marke me, Sir?
Alon. Pre-thee no more: thou dost talke nothing to
850Gon. I do vvell beleeue your Highnesse, and did it
to minister occasion to these Gentlemen, who are of
such sensible and nimble Lungs, that they alwayes vse
to laugh at nothing.
Ant. 'Twas you vve laugh'd at.
855Gon. Who, in this kind of merry fooling am nothing
to you: so you may continue, and laugh at nothing still.
Ant. What a blow vvas there giuen?
Seb. And it had not falne flat-long.
Gon. You are Gentlemen of braue mettal: you would
860lift the Moone out of her spheare, if she would continue
in it fiue weekes vvithout changing.
Enter Ariell playing solemne Musicke.
Seb. We vvould so, and then go a Bat-fowling.
Ant. Nay good my Lord, be not angry.
865Gon. No I warrant you, I vvill not aduenture my
discretion so weakly: Will you laugh me asleepe, for I
am very heauy.
Ant. Go sleepe, and heare vs.
Alon. What, all so soone asleepe? I wish mine eyes
870Would (with themselues) shut vp my thoughts,
I finde they are inclin'd to do so.
Seb. Please you Sir,
Do not omit the heauy offer of it:
It sildome visits sorrow, when it doth, it is a Comforter.
875Ant. We two my Lord, will guard your person,
While you take your rest, and watch your safety.
Alon. Thanke you: Wondrous heauy.
Seb. What a strange drowsines possesses them?
Ant. It is the quality o'th'Clymate.
880Seb. Why
Doth it not then our eye-lids sinke? I finde
Not my selfe dispos'd to sleep.
Ant. Nor I, my spirits are nimble:
They fell together all, as by consent
885They dropt, as by a Thunder-stroke: what might
Worthy Sebastian? O, what might? no more:
And yet, me thinkes I see it in thy face,
What thou should'st be: th'occasion speaks thee, and
My strong imagination see's a Crowne
890Dropping vpon thy head.
Seb. What? art thou waking?
Ant. Do you not heare me speake?
Seb. I do, and surely
It is a sleepy Language; and thou speak'st
895Out of thy sleepe: What is it thou didst say?
This is a strange repose, to be asleepe
With eyes wide open: standing, speaking, mouing:
And yet so fast asleepe.
Ant. Noble Sebastian,
900Thou let'st thy fortune sleepe: die rather: wink'st
Whiles thou art waking.
Seb. Thou do'st snore distinctly,
There's meaning in thy snores.
Ant. I am more serious then my custome: you
905Must be so too, if heed me: which to do,
Trebbles thee o're.
Seb. Well: I am standing water.
Ant. Ile teach you how to flow.
Seb. Do so: to ebbe
910Hereditary Sloth instructs me.
Ant. O!
If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
Whiles thus you mocke it: how in stripping it
You more inuest it: ebbing men, indeed
915(Most often) do so neere the bottome run
By their owne feare, or sloth.
Seb. 'Pre-thee say on,
The setting of thine eye, and cheeke proclaime
A matter from thee; and a birth, indeed,
920Which throwes thee much to yeeld.
Ant. Thus Sir:
Although this Lord of weake remembrance; this
Who shall be of as little memory
When he is earth'd, hath here almost perswaded
925(For hee's a Spirit of perswasion, onely
Professes to perswade) the King his sonne's aliue,
'Tis as impossible that hee's vndrown'd,
As he that sleepes heere, swims.
Seb. I haue no hope
930That hee's vndrown'd.
Ant. O, out of that no hope,
What great hope haue you? No hope that way, Is
Another way so high a hope, that euen
Ambition cannot pierce a winke beyond
935But doubt discouery there. Will you grant with me
That Ferdinand is drown'd.
Seb. He's gone.
Ant. Then tell me, who's the next heire of Naples?
Seb. Claribell.
940Ant. She that is Queene of Tunis: she that dwels
Ten leagues beyond mans life: she that from Naples
Can haue no note, vnlesse the Sun were post:
The Man i'th Moone's too slow, till new-borne chinnes
Be rough, and Razor-able: She that from whom
945We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast againe,
(And by that destiny) to performe an act
Whereof, what's past is Prologue; what to come
In yours, and my discharge.
Seb. What stuffe is this? How say you?
950'Tis true my brothers daughter's Queene of Tunis,
So is she heyre of Naples, 'twixt which Regions
There is some space.
Ant. A space, whose eu'ry cubit
Seemes to cry out, how shall that Claribell
955Measure vs backe to Naples? keepe in Tunis,
And let Sebastian wake. Say, this were death
That now hath seiz'd them, why they were no worse
Then now they are: There be that can rule Naples
As well as he that sleepes: Lords, that can prate
960As amply, and vnnecessarily
As this Gonzallo: I my selfe could make
A Chough of as deepe chat: O, that you bore
The minde that I do; what a sleepe were this
For your aduancement? Do you vnderstand me?
965Seb. Me thinkes I do.
Ant. And how do's your content
Tender your owne good fortune?
Seb. I remember
You did supplant your Brothet Prospero.
970Ant. True:
And looke how well my Garments sit vpon me,
Much feater then before: My Brothers seruants
Were then my fellowes, now they are my men.
Seb. But for your conscience.
975Ant. I Sir: where lies that? If 'twere a kybe
'Twould put me to my slipper: But I feele not
This Deity in my bosome: 'Twentie consciences
That stand 'twixt me, and Millaine, candied be they,
And melt ere they mollest: Heere lies your Brother,
980No better then the earth he lies vpon,
If he were that which now hee's like (that's dead)
Whom I with this obedient steele (three inches of it)
Can lay to bed for euer: whiles you doing thus,
To the perpetuall winke for aye might put
985This ancient morsell: this Sir Prudence, who
Should not vpbraid our course: for all the rest
They'l take suggestion, as a Cat laps milke,
They'l tell the clocke, to any businesse that
We say befits the houre.
990Seb. Thy case, deere Friend
Shall be my president: As thou got'st Millaine,
I'le come by Naples: Draw thy sword, one stroke
Shall free thee from the tribute which thou paiest,
And I the King shall loue thee.
995Ant. Draw together:
And when I reare my hand, do you the like
To fall it on Gonzalo.
Seb. O, but one word.
Enter Ariell with Musicke and Song.
1000Ariel. My Master through his Art foresees the danger
That you (his friend) are in, and sends me forth
(For else his proiect dies) to keepe them liuing.
Sings in Gonzaloes eare.
While you here do snoaring lie,
1005Open-ey'd Conspiracie
His time doth take:
If of Life you keepe a care,
Shake off slumber and beware.
Awake, awake.
1010Ant. Then let vs both be sodaine.
Gon. Now, good Angels preserue the King.
Alo. Why how now hoa; awake? why are you drawn?
Wherefore this ghastly looking?
Gon. What's the matter?
1015Seb. Whiles we stood here securing your repose,
(Euen now) we heard a hollow burst of bellowing
Like Buls, or rather Lyons, did't not wake you?
It strooke mine eare most terribly.
Alo. I heard nothing.
1020Ant. O, 'twas a din to fright a Monsters eare;
To make an earthquake: sure it was the roare
Of a whole heard of Lyons.
Alo. Heard you this Gonzalo?
Gon. Vpon mine honour, Sir, I heard a humming,
1025(And that a strange one too) which did awake me:
I shak'd you Sir, and cride: as mine eyes opend,
I saw their weapons drawne: there was a noyse,
That's verily: 'tis best we stand vpon our guard;
Or that we quit this place: let's draw our weapons.
1030Alo. Lead off this ground & let's make further search
For my poore sonne.
Gon. Heauens keepe him from these Beasts:
For he is sure i'th Island.
Alo. Lead away.
1035Ariell. Prospero my Lord, shall know what I haue
So (King) goe safely on to seeke thy Son.
Exeunt.