William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (560 page)

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Authors: William Shakespeare

Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare

BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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What great hope have you! No hope that way is
Another way so high a hope that even
Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,
But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me
That Ferdinand is drowned?
SEBASTIAN
He’s gone.
ANTONIO
Then tell me,
Who’s the next heir of Naples?
SEBASTIAN
Claribel.
ANTONIO
She that is Queen of Tunis; she that dwells
Ten leagues beyond man’s life; she that from Naples
Can have no note—unless the sun were post—
The man i’th’ moon’s too slow—till new-born chins
Be rough and razorable; she that from whom
We all were sea-swallowed, though some cast again—
And by that destiny, to perform an act
Whereof what’s past is prologue, what to come
In yours and my discharge.
SEBASTIAN
What stuff is this? How say you?
‘Tis true my brother’s daughter’s Queen of Tunis;
So is she heir of Naples; ’twixt which regions
There is some space.
ANTONIO
A space whose every cubit
Seems to cry out ‘How shall that Claribel
Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis,
And let Sebastian wake.’ Say this were death
That now hath seized them; why, they were no worse
Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples
As well as he that sleeps, lords that can prate
As amply and unnecessarily
As this Gonzalo; I myself could make
A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore
The mind that I do, what a sleep were this
For your advancement! Do you understand me?
SEBASTIAN
Methinks I do.
ANTONIO
And how does your content
Tender your own good fortune?
SEBASTIAN
I remember
You did supplant your brother Prospero.
ANTONIO
True;
And look how well my garments sit upon me,
Much feater than before. My brother’s servants
Were then my fellows; now they are my men.
SEBASTIAN But for your conscience.
ANTONIO
Ay, sir, where lies that? If ‘twere a kibe
’Twould put me to my slipper; but I feel not
This deity in my bosom. Twenty consciences
That stand ’twixt me and Milan, candied be they,
And melt ere they molest. Here lies your brother,
No better than the earth he lies upon
If he were that which now he’s like—that’s dead;
Whom I with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus,
To the perpetual wink for aye might put
This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
They’ll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
They’ll tell the clock to any business that
We say befits the hour.
SEBASTIAN
Thy case, dear friend,
Shall be my precedent. As thou got’st Milan,
I’ll come by Naples. Draw thy sword. One stroke
Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest,
And I the King shall love thee.
ANTONIO
Draw together,
And when I rear my hand, do you the like
To fall it on Gonzalo.
They draw
 
SEBASTIAN
O, but one word.
Enter Ariel, invisible, with music
 
ARIEL (to
Gonzalo)
My master through his art foresees the danger
That you his friend are in—and sends me forth,
For else his project dies, to keep them living.
He sings in Gonzalo’s ear
While you here do snoring lie,
Open-eyed conspiracy
His time doth take.
If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware.
Awake, awake!
 
 
ANTONIO (to Sebastian)
Then let us both be sudden.
GONZALO (awaking)
Now good angels
Preserve the King!
ALONSO (awaking)
Why, how now? Ho, awake!
The others awake
 
(To
Antonio
and
Sebastian)
Why are you drawn?
(To Gonzalo) Wherefore this ghastly looking?
GONZALO
What’s the matter?
SEBASTIAN
Whiles we stood here securing your repose,
Even now we heard a hollow burst of bellowing,
Like bulls, or rather lions. Did’t not wake you?
It struck mine ear most terribly.
ALONSO
I heard nothing.
ANTONIO
O, ’twas a din to fright a monster’s ear,
To make an earthquake! Sure it was the roar
Of a whole herd of lions.
ALONSO
Heard you this, Gonzalo?
GONZALO
Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
And that a strange one too, which did awake me.
I shaked you, sir, and cried. As mine eyes opened
I saw their weapons drawn. There was a noise,
That’s verily. ’Tis best we stand upon our guard,
Or that we quit this place. Let’s draw our weapons.
ALONSO
Lead off this ground, and let’s make further search
For my poor son.
GONZALO
Heavens keep him from these beasts!
For he is sure i’th’ island.
ALONSO
Lead away.
Exeunt all but Ariel
ARIEL
Prospero my lord shall know what I have done.
So, King, go safely on to seek thy son.
Exit
2.2
Enter Caliban, wearing a gaberdine, and with a
burden of wood
 
CALIBAN
⌈throwing down his burden⌉
All the infections that the sun sucks up
From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
By inch-meal a disease!
⌈A noise of thunder heard⌉
 
His spirits hear me,
And yet I needs must curse. But they’ll nor pinch,
Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i’th’ mire,
Nor lead me like a fire-brand in the dark
Out of my way, unless he bid ’em. But
For every trifle are they set upon me;
Sometime like apes, that mow and chatter at me
And after bite me; then like hedgehogs, which
Lie tumbling in my barefoot way and mount
Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I
All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues
Do hiss me into madness.
Enter Trinculo
 
Lo now, lo!
Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me
For bringing wood in slowly. I’ll fall flat.
Perchance he will not mind me.
He lies down
 
TRINCULO Here’s neither bush nor shrub to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing. I hear it sing i‘th’ wind. Yon same black cloud, yon huge one, looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor. If it should thunder as it did before, I know not where to hide my head. Yon same cloud cannot choose but fall by pailfuls. (Seeing Caliban) What have we here, a man or a fish? Dead or alive?—A fish, he smells like a fish; a very ancient and fish-like smell; a kind of not-of-the-newest poor-john. A strange fish! Were I in England now, as once I was, and had but this fish painted, not a holiday-fool there but would give a piece of silver. There would this monster make a man. Any strange beast there makes a man. When they will not give a doit to relieve a lame beggar, they will lay out ten to see a dead Indian. Legged like a man, and his fins like arms! Warm, o’my troth! I do now let loose my opinion, hold it no longer. This is no fish, but an islander that hath lately suffered by a thunderbolt.
⌈Thunder⌉
 
Alas, the storm is come again. My best way is to creep under his gaberdine; there is no other shelter hereabout. Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows. I will here shroud till the dregs of the storm be past.
He hides under Caliban’s gaberdine. Enter Stefano, singing, with a wooden bottle in his hand
 
STEFANO
I shall no more to sea, to sea,
Here shall I die ashore—
This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man’s funeral.
Well, here’s my comfort.
He drinks, then sings
 
The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I, 45
The gunner and his mate,
Loved Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery,
But none of us cared for Kate.
For she had a tongue with a tang,
Would cry to a sailor ‘Go hang!’
She loved not the savour of tar nor of pitch,
Yet a tailor might scratch her where’er she did itch.
Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang!
Then to sea, etc.
This is a scurvy tune, too. But here’s my comfort.
He drinks
CALIBAN (
to Trinculo)
Do not torment me! O!
STEFANO What’s the matter? Have we devils here? Do you put tricks upon’s with savages and men of Ind, ha? I have not scaped drowning to be afeard now of your four legs. For it hath been said: ‘As proper a man as ever went on four legs cannot make him give ground.’ And it shall be said so again, while Stefano breathes at’ nostrils.
CALIBAN The spirit torments me. O!
STEFANO This is some monster of the isle with four legs, who hath got, as I take it, an ague. Where the devil should he learn our language? I will give him some relief, if it be but for that. If I can recover him and keep him tame and get to Naples with him, he’s a present for any emperor that ever trod on neat’s leather.
CALIBAN (to
Trinculo)
Do not torment me, prithee! I’ll bring my wood home faster.
STEFANO He’s in his fit now, and does not talk after the wisest. He shall taste of my bottle. If he have never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit. If I can recover him and keep him tame, I will not take too much for him. He shall pay for him that hath him, and that soundly.
CALIBAN (
to Trinculo)
Thou dost me yet but little hurt. Thou wilt anon, I know it by thy trembling. Now Prosper works upon thee.
STEFANO Come on your ways. Open your mouth. Here is that which will give language to you, cat. Open your mouth. This will shake your shaking, I can tell you, and that soundly. You cannot tell who’s your friend. Open your chaps again.
Caliban drinks
 
TRINCULO I should know that voice. It should be—but he is drowned, and these are devils. O, defend me!
STEFANO Four legs and two voices—a most delicate monster! His forward voice now is to speak well of his friend; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and to detract. If all the wine in my bottle will recover him, I will help his ague. Come.
Caliban
drinks
 
Amen. I will pour some in thy other mouth.
TRINCULO Stefano!
STEFANO Doth thy other mouth call me? Mercy, mercy! This is a devil, and no monster. I will leave him. I have no long spoon.
TRINCULO Stefano! If thou beest Stefano, touch me and speak to me, for I am Trinculo. Be not afeard. Thy good friend Trinculo.
STEFANO If thou beest Trinculo, come forth. I’ll pull thee by the lesser legs. If any be Trinculo’s legs, these are they.
He pulls out Trinculo by the legs
Thou art very Trinculo indeed! How cam’st thou to be the siege of this moon-calf? Can he vent Trinculos?
TRINCULO (rising) I took him to be killed with a thunderstroke. But art thou not drowned, Stefano? I hope now thou art not drowned. Is the storm overblown? I hid me under the dead moon-calf’s gaberdine for fear of the storm. And art thou living, Stefano? O Stefano, two Neapolitans scaped!
⌈He dances Stefano round⌉
 
STEFANO Prithee, do not turn me about. My stomach is not constant.
CALIBAN
These be fine things, an if they be not spirits.
That’s a brave god, and bears celestial liquor.
I will kneel to him.

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