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  • Title: The Tempest (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editors: Brent Whitted, Paul Yachnin

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-370-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editors: Brent Whitted, Paul Yachnin
    Peer Reviewed

    The Tempest (Folio 1, 1623)

    8
    The Tempest.
    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
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