I'll fight their legions o'er.
yint. I '11 be thy second.
[Exeunt Sel>. and Ant.
Gon. All three of them are desperate : their great guilt,
Like poison given to work a great time after.
Now 'gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you.
That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly,
And hinder them from what this ecstasy
May now provoke them to.
Adr. Follow, I pray you. [Exeunt.
ACT FOURTH.
Scene I.
Before Prosperos cell.
Enter Prospero, Ferd'mand, and Miranda.
Pros. If I have too austerely punish'd you,
Your compensation makes amends ; for I
Have given you here a third of mine own life.
Or that for which I live ; who once again
I tender to thy hand : all thy vexations
Were but my trials of thy love, and thou
Hast strangely stood the test : here, afore Heaven,
I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Do not smile at me that I boast her off,
For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise, lo
And make it halt behind her.
Fer. I do believe it
Against an oracle.
Pros. Then, as my gift, and thine own acquisition
Worthily purchased, take my daughter : but
If thou dost break her virgin-knot before
All sanctimonious ceremonies may
With full and holy rite be minister'd,
No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall
To make this contract grow ; but barren hate.
Sour-eyed disdain and discord shall bestrew 20
The union of your bed with weeds so loathly
That you shall hate it both : therefore take heed.
As Hymen's lamps shall light you.
Fer. As I hope
For quiet days, fair issue and long life,
With such love as 'tis now, the murkiest den,
The most opportune place, the strong'st suggestion
Our worser genius can, shall never melt
Mine honour into lust, to take away
The edge of that day's celebration
When I shall think, or Phoebus' steeds are founder'd,
Or Night kept chain'd below.
Pros. Fairly spoke. 51
Sit, then, and talk with her ; she is thine own.
What, Ariel ! my industrious servant, Ariel !
Enter Ariel.
Ari. What would my potent master ? here I am.
Pros. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Did worthily perform ; and I must use you
In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,
O'er whom I give thee power, here to this place :
Incite them to quick motion ; for I must
Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple 40
Some vanity of mine art : it is my promise,
And they expect it from me.
Art. Presently ?
Pros. Ay, with a twink.
Art. Before you can say, ' come,' and ' go,'
And breathe twice, and cry, ' so, so,'
Each one, tripping on his toe,
Will be here with mop and mow.
Do you love me, master ? no ?
Pros. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach
Till thou dost hear me call.
Art. Well, I conceive. \^Exit. 50
Pros. Look thou be true ; do not give dalHance
Too much the rein : the strongest oaths are straw
To the fire i' the blood : be more abstemious,
Or else, good night your vow !
Per. I warrant you, sir ;
The white cold virgin snow upon my heart
Abates the ardour of my liver.
Pros. Well.
Now come, my Ariel ! bring a corollary,
Rather than want a spirit : appear, and pertly !
No tongue ! all eyes ! be silent. [Soft music.
Enter Iris.
Iris. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas 60
Of wheat, rye, barley, fetches, oats, and pease ;
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,
And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep j
Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims,
"Which spongy April at thy hest betrims.
To make cold nymphs chaste crowns ; and thy
broom-groves,
Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves.
Being lass-lorn ; thy pole-clipt vineyard ;
And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky-hard,
Where thou thyself dost air ; — the queen o' the sky,
Whose watery arch and messenger am I, 71
Bids thee leave these ; and with her sovereign grace.
Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,
To come and sport : — her peacocks fly amain :
Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.
Enter Ceres.
Cer. Hail, many-colour'd messenger, that ne'er
Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter -,
Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flowers
Diff'usest honey-drops, refreshing showers ;
And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown 80
My bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down.
Rich scarf to my proud earth ; — why hath thy queen
Summon'd me hither, to this short-grass'd green ?
Iris. A contract of true love to celebrate ;
And some donation freely to estate
On the blest lovers.
Cer. Tell me, heavenly bow.
If Venus or her son, as thou dost know.
Do now attend the queen ? Since they did plot
The means that dusky Dis my daughter got.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company 90
I have forsworn.
Iris. Of her society
Be not afraid : I met her deity
Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son
Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done
Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,
Whose vows are, that no bed-right shall be paid
Till Hymen's torch be lighted : but in vain ;
Mars's hot minion is return'd again ;
Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows, 99
Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows,
And be a boy right out.
Cer. High'st queen of state.
Great Juno, comes ; I know her by her gait.
Enter Juno.
Juno. How does my bounteous sister ? Go with me
To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be.
And honour'd in their issue. [They sing :
Juno. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing.
Long continuance, and increasing.
Hourly joys be still upon you !
Juno sings her blessings on you.
Cer. Earthes increase, foison plenty. Ho
Barns and garners never empty ;
Vines with clustering bunches growing ;
Plants with goodly burthen bowing ;
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Spring come to you at the farthest
In the very end of harvest !
Scarcity and want shall shun you ;
Ceres' blessing so is on you.
Fer. This is a most majestic vision, and
Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold
To think these spirits ?
Pros. Spirits, which by mine art l2o
I have from their confines call'd to enact
My present fancies.
Fer. Let me live here ever ;
So rare a wonder'd father and a wise
Makes this place Paradise.
[Juno and Ceres whisper, and send
Iris on employment.
Pros. Sweet, now, silence !
Juno and Ceres whisper seriously ;
There's something else to do : hush, and be mute,
Or else our spell is marr'd.
Iris. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the windring brooks.
With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,
Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land 130
Answer your summons ; Juno does command :
Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate
A contract of true love •, be not too late.
Enter certain Nymphs.
You sunburn'd sicklemen, of August weary.
Come hither from the furrow, and be merry :
Make holiday ; your rye-straw hats put on,
And these fresh nymphs encounter every one
In country footing.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Enter certain Reapers, properly habited : they Join
ivith the Nymphs in a graceful dance ; to-wards
the end nvhereof Prospero starts suddenly, and
speaks ; after nvhich, to a strange, hollow, and
confused noise, they heavily vanish.
Pros. \_Aside'\ I had forgot that foul conspiracy
Of the beast Caliban and his confederates 140
Against my life : the minute of their plot
Is almost come. [To the Spirits.'] Well done !
avoid ; no more !
Fer. This is strange : your father 's in some passion
That works him strongly.
Mir. Never till this day
Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.
Pros. You do look, my son, in a moved sort,
As if you were dismay'd : be cheerful, sir.
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air: 150
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision.
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve.
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded.
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on ; and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd ;
Bear with my weakness ; my old brain is troubled :
Be not disturb'd with my infirmity: 160
If you be pleased, retire into my cell.
And there repose : a turn or two I '11 walk,
To still my beating mind.
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
Fer. Mir. We wish your peace. \Exeunt.
Pros. Come with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel : come.
Etiter Ariel.
Ari. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What 's thy pleasure .?
Pros. Spirit,
We must prepare to meet with Caliban.
Ari. Ay, my commander : when I presented Ceres,
I thought to have told thee of it ; but I fear'd
Lest I might anger thee. 169
Pros. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets ?
Ari. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking \
So full of valour that they smote the air
For breathing in their faces ; beat the ground
For kissing of their feet ; yet always bending
Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor ;
At which, like unback'd colts, they prick'd their ears,
Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their noses
As they smelt music : so I charm'd their ears,
That, calf-like, they my lowing follow'd through 179
Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, pricking goss, and thorns.
Which enter'd their frail shins : at last I left them
F the filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell,
There dancing up to the chins, that the foul lake
O'erstunk their feet.
Pros. This was well done, my bird.
Thy shape invisible retain thou still :
The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither,
For stale to catch these thieves.
Ari. I go, I go. \Exit.
Pros. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature
Nurture can never stick ; on whom my pains.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost; 190
And as with age his body uglier grows,
So his mind cankers. I will plague them all.
Even to roaring.
Re-enter Ariel, loaden lulth glistering
apparel, Is'c.
Come, hang them on this hne.
Prospero and Ariel remain, invisible.
Enter Caliban, Stephana, and Trinculo, all ivet.
Cal. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
Hear a foot fall : we now are near his cell.
Ste. Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless
fairy, has done little better than played the Jack with us.
Trin. Monster, I do smell all horse-piss ; at which my
nose is in great indignation. 200
Ste. So is mine. Do you hear, monster ? If I should
take a displeasure against you, look you, —
Trin. Thou wert but a lost monster.
Cal. Good my lord, give me thy favour still.
Be patient, for the prize I '11 bring thee to
Shall hoodwink this mischance : therefore speak softly.
All 's hush'd as midnight yet.
Trin. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool, —
Ste. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that,
monster, but an infinite loss. 210
Trin. That 's more to me than my wetting : yet this is
your harmless fairy, monster.
Ste. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears
for my labour.
Cal. Prithee, my king, be quiet. See'st thou here,
THE TEMPEST Act IV. Sc. i.
This is the mouth o' the cell : no noise, and enter.
Do that good mischief which may make this island
Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
For aye thy foot-licker.
5/^. Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody
thoughts. 220
Trin. O King Stephano! Opeer! O worthy Stephano!
look what a wardrobe here is for thee !
Cal. Let it alone, thou fool ; it is but trash.
Trifi. O, ho, monster ! we know what belongs to a
frippery. O King Stephano !
Ste. Put off that gown, Trinculo ; by this hand, I '11
have that gown.
Trin. Thy grace shall have it.
Cal. The dropsy drown this fool ! what do yoii mean
To dote thus on such luggage ? Let's alone, 231
And do the murder first : if he awake.
From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches,
Make us strange stuff.
5/^. Be you quiet, monster. Mistress line, is not this
my jerkin ? Now is the jerkin under the line :
now, jerkin, you are like to lose your hair, and
prove a bald jerkin.
Trin. Do, do : we steal by line and level, an 't like
your grace. 240
Ste. I thank thee for that jest ; here 's a garment for 't :
wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king of
this country. ' Steal by line and level ' is an
excellent pass of pate ; there 's another garment
for 't.
Trin. Monster, come, put some lime upon your fingers,
and away with the rest.
Act IV. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Cal. I will have none on 't ; we shall lose our time,
And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes
With foreheads villanous low. 250
Ste. Monster, lay-to your fingers : help to bear this
away where my hogshead of wine is, or I'll turn
you out of my kingdom : go to, carry this.
Trin. And this,
Ste. Ay, and this.
A noise of himters heard. Enter divers Spirits, in
shape of dogs atid hounds, hunting thetn about ;
Prospero and Ariel setting them on.
Pros. Hey, Mountain, hey !
Ari. Silver ! there it goes. Silver !
Pros. Fury, Fury ! there, Tyrant, there ! hark, hark !
\Cal., Ste., and Trin. are driven out.
Go charge my goblins that they grind their joints
With dry convulsions ; shorten up their sinews 260
With aged cramps ; and more pinch-spotted make
them
Than pard or cat o' mountain.
Ari. Hark, they roar !
Pros. Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour
Lies at my mercy all mine enemies :
Shortly shall all my labours end, and thou
Shalt have the air at freedom : for a little
Follow, and do me service. [Exeunt.
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
ACT FIFTH.
Scene I.
Before the cell of Prosper o.
Enter Prospero in his magic robes, and Ariel.
Pros. Now does my project gather to a head :
My charms crack not ; my spirits obey ; and time
Goes upright with his carriage. How 's the day ?
Art. On the sixth hour : at which time, my lord,
You said our work should cease.
Pros. I did say so,
When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit,
How fares the king and 's followers ?
Ari. Confined together
In the same fashion as you gave in charge.
Just as you left them ; all prisoners, sir.
In the line-grove which weather-fends your cell ; lo
They cannot budge till your release. The king,
His brother, and yours, abide all three distracted,
And the remainder mourning over them,
Brimful of sorrow and dismay ; but chiefly
Him that you term'd, sir, ' The good old lord,
Gonzalo ' ;
His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops
From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly
works 'em,
That if you now beheld them, your affections
Would become tender.
Pros. Dost thou think so, spirit .?
Ari. Mine would, sir, were I human.
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Pros. And mine shall. 20
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeHng
Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
One of their kind, that relish all as sharply.
Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art ?
Though with their high wrongs I am struck to
the quick.
Yet with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury
Do I take part : the rarer action is
In virtue than in vengeance : they being penitent.
The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
Not a frown further. Go release them, Ariel : 30
My charms I '11 break, their senses I '11 restore,
And they shall be themselves.
Ari. I'll fetch them, sir. \_Exit.
Pros. 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 mushrumps, that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew j by whose aid — 40
Weak masters though ye be — I have bedimm'd
The noontide sun, call'd 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 1 made shake, and by the spurs pluck'd up
The pine and cedar : graves at my command
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let 'em forth
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
By my so potent art. But this rough magic 50
I here abjure j 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 '11 break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms m the earth,
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I '11 drown my book. [Solemn music.
Re-enter Ariel before : then Alonso, nvith a frantic
gesture, attended by Gonzalo ; Sebastian and
Antonio in like 77ianner, attended by Adrian and
Francisco : they all enter the circle ivhich Pros-
per had made, and there stand charmed; nuhich
Prospero observing, speaks :
A solemn air, and the best comforter
To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
Now useless, boil'd within thy skull ! There stand,
For you are spell-stopp'd. 61
Holy Gonzalo, honourable man.
Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine.
Fall fellowly drops. 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 70
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 pinch'd for't now, Sebastian. Flesh and blood,
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
You, brother mine, that entertain'd ambition,
Expell'd remorse and nature ; who, with Sebastian, —
Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong, —
Would here have kill'd your king ; I do forgive thee.
Unnatural though thou art. Their understanding
Begins to swell ; and the approaching tide 80
Will shortly fill the reasonable shore.
That now lies 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 1 was sometime Milan : quickly, spirit ;
Thou shalt ere long be free.
Ariel swgs and helps to attire him.
Where the bee sucks, there suck I :
In a cowslip's bell I lie ;
There I couch when owls do cry. 90
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.
Pros. 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, loo
And presently, I prithee.
Ari. I drink the air before me, and return
Or ere your pulse twice beat. [^Exit.
Gon. All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
Inhabits here : some heavenly power guide us
Out of this fearful country !
Pros. 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 j
And to thee and thy company I bid no
A hearty welcome.
Alon. Whether thou be'st 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,
The 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 }
Pros. First, noble friend, 1 20
Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
Be measured or confined.
Gon. Whether this be
Or be not, I '11 not swear.
Pros. You do yet taste
Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you
Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all !
[Aside to Seb. and Ant.^ 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.
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Seb. [Aside] The devil speaks in him.
Pros. No.
For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother 130
"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.
Alo?i. If thou be'st Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation ;
How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wreck'd upon this shore ; where I have lost —
How sharp the point of this remembrance is ! —
My dear son Ferdinand.
Pros. I am woe for 't, sir.
Alon. Irreparable is the loss ; and patience 140
Says it is past her cure.
Pros. 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.
Alon. You the like loss !
Pros. 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.
Alon. A daughter ?
O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,
The king and queen there ! that they were, I wish 150
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed
Where my son lies. When did you lose your
daughter ^.
Pros. In this last tempest. I perceive, these lords
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
At this encounter do so much admire,
That they devour their reason, and scarce think
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words
Are natural breath : but, howsoe'er you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain
That I am Prospero, and that very duke 1 59
Which was thrust forth of Milan ; who most strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, 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 170
As much as me my dukedom.
Here Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda
playing at chess.
Mir. Sweet lord, you play me false.
Fer. No, my dear'st love,
I would not for the world.
Mir. Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle.
And I would call it fair play.
Alon. If this prove
A vision of the island, one dear son
Shall I twice lose.
Seb. A most high miracle !
Act V. Sc. i. THE TEMPEST
Fer. Though the seas threaten, they are merciful ;
I have cursed them without cause. \_Kneels.
Alon. Now all the blessings
Of a glad father compass thee about ! 1 80
Arise, and say how thou camest here.
Mir. O, wonder !
How many goodly creatures are there here !
How beauteous mankind is ! O brave new world,
That has such people in 't !
Pros. 'Tis new to thee.
Alon. What is this maid with whom thou wast at play "i
Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours :
Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,
And brought us thus together .''
Fer. Sir, she is mortal ;
But by immortal Providence she 's mine :
I chose her when I could not ask my father 190
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 j of whom I have
Received a second life ; and second father
This lady makes him to me.
Alon. I am hers :
But, O, how oddly will it sound that I
Must ask my child forgiveness !
Pros. There, sir, stop :
Let us not burthen our remembrances with
A heaviness that 's gone.
Gon. I have inly wept, 200
Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you gods.
And on this couple drop a blessed crown !
THE TEMPEST Act V. Sc. i.
For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way
Which brought us hither.
Aloti. I say, Amen, Gonzalo !
Gon. 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 210
Where he himself was lost, Prospero his dukedom
In a poor isle, and all of us ourselves
When no man was his own.
Alon. \To Fer. and Mir.'] Give me your hands :
Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart
That doth not wish you joy !
Gotu Be it so ! Amen !
Re-enter Ariel, nvith the Master and Boatswain
amazedly folloiving.
O, look, sir, look, sir ! here is more of us :
I prophesied, if a gallows were on land.
This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy,
That swear'st grace o'erboard, not an oath on shore ?