Tempest by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 1
Another part of the island.
Gonzalo : Beseech you, sir, be merry; you have cause,
[p]So have we all, of joy;
for our escape
[p]Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe
[p]Is
common; every day some sailor's wife,
[p]The masters of some merchant
and the merchant
[p]Have just our theme of woe; but for the
miracle,
[p]I mean our preservation, few in millions
[p]Can speak like
us: then wisely, good sir, weigh
[p]Our sorrow with our comfort.
Alonso : Prithee, peace.
Sebastian : He receives comfort like cold porridge.
Antonio : The visitor will not give him o'er so.
Sebastian : Look he's winding up the watch of his wit;
[p]by and by it will
strike.
Gonzalo : Sir,--
Sebastian : One: tell.
Gonzalo : When every grief is entertain'd that's offer'd,
[p]Comes to the
entertainer--
Sebastian : A dollar.
Gonzalo : Dolour comes to him, indeed: you
[p]have spoken truer than you
purposed.
Sebastian : You have taken it wiselier than I meant you should.
Gonzalo : Therefore, my lord,--
Antonio : Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue!
Alonso : I prithee, spare.
Gonzalo : Well, I have done: but yet,--
Sebastian : He will be talking.
Antonio : Which, of he or Adrian, for a good
[p]wager, first begins to crow?
Sebastian : The old cock.
Antonio : The cockerel.
Sebastian : Done. The wager?
Antonio : A laughter.
Sebastian : A match!
Adrian : Though this island seem to be desert,--
Sebastian : Ha, ha, ha! So, you're paid.
Adrian : Uninhabitable and almost inaccessible,--
Sebastian : Yet,--
Adrian : Yet,--
Antonio : He could not miss't.
Adrian : It must needs be of subtle, tender and delicate
[p]temperance.
Antonio : Temperance was a delicate wench.
Sebastian : Ay, and a subtle; as he most learnedly delivered.
Adrian : The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
Sebastian : As if it had lungs and rotten ones.
Antonio : Or as 'twere perfumed by a fen.
Gonzalo : Here is everything advantageous to life.
Antonio : True; save means to live.
Sebastian : Of that there's none, or little.
Gonzalo : How lush and lusty the grass looks! how green!
Antonio : The ground indeed is tawny.
Sebastian : With an eye of green in't.
Antonio : He misses not much.
Sebastian : No; he doth but mistake the truth totally.
Gonzalo : But the rarity of it is,--which is indeed almost
[p]beyond credit,--
Sebastian : As many vouched rarities are.
Gonzalo : That our garments, being, as they were, drenched in
[p]the sea, hold
notwithstanding their freshness and
[p]glosses, being rather new-dyed
than stained with
[p]salt water.
Antonio : If but one of his pockets could speak, would it not
[p]say he lies?
Sebastian : Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report
Gonzalo : Methinks our garments are now as fresh as when we
[p]put them on first
in Afric, at the marriage of
[p]the king's fair daughter Claribel to
the King of Tunis.
Sebastian : 'Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in our return.
Adrian : Tunis was never graced before with such a paragon to
[p]their queen.
Gonzalo : Not since widow Dido's time.
Antonio : Widow! a pox o' that! How came that widow in?
[p]widow Dido!
Sebastian : What if he had said 'widower AEneas' too? Good Lord,
[p]how you take
it!
Adrian : 'Widow Dido' said you? you make me study of that:
[p]she was of
Carthage, not of Tunis.
Gonzalo : This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
Adrian : Carthage?
Gonzalo : I assure you, Carthage.
Sebastian : His word is more than the miraculous harp; he hath
[p]raised the wall
and houses too.
Antonio : What impossible matter will he make easy next?
Sebastian : I think he will carry this island home in his pocket
[p]and give it
his son for an apple.
Antonio : And, sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring
[p]forth more
islands.
Gonzalo : Ay.
Antonio : Why, in good time.
Gonzalo : Sir, we were talking that our garments seem now
[p]as fresh as when we
were at Tunis at the marriage
[p]of your daughter, who is now queen.
Antonio : And the rarest that e'er came there.
Sebastian : Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido.
Antonio : O, widow Dido! ay, widow Dido.
Gonzalo : Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as the first day I
[p]wore it? I
mean, in a sort.
Antonio : That sort was well fished for.
Gonzalo : When I wore it at your daughter's marriage?
Alonso : You cram these words into mine ears against
[p]The stomach of my
sense. Would I had never
[p]Married my daughter there! for, coming
thence,
[p]My son is lost and, in my rate, she too,
[p]Who is so far
from Italy removed
[p]I ne'er again shall see her. O thou mine
heir
[p]Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
[p]Hath made his
meal on thee?
Francisco : Sir, he may live:
[p]I saw him beat the surges under him,
[p]And ride
upon their backs; he trod the water,
[p]Whose enmity he flung aside,
and breasted
[p]The surge most swoln that met him; his bold
head
[p]'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oar'd
[p]Himself with
his good arms in lusty stroke
[p]To the shore, that o'er his wave-worn
basis bow'd,
[p]As stooping to relieve him: I not doubt
[p]He came
alive to land.
Alonso : No, no, he's gone.
Sebastian : Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,
[p]That would not
bless our Europe with your daughter,
[p]But rather lose her to an
African;
[p]Where she at least is banish'd from your eye,
[p]Who hath
cause to wet the grief on't.
Alonso : Prithee, peace.
Sebastian : You were kneel'd to and importuned otherwise
[p]By all of us, and the
fair soul herself
[p]Weigh'd between loathness and obedience,
at
[p]Which end o' the beam should bow. We have lost your
[p]son,
[p]I
fear, for ever: Milan and Naples have
[p]More widows in them of this
business' making
[p]Than we bring men to comfort them:
[p]The fault's
your own.
Alonso : So is the dear'st o' the loss.
Gonzalo : My lord Sebastian,
[p]The truth you speak doth lack some
gentleness
[p]And time to speak it in: you rub the sore,
[p]When you
should bring the plaster.
Sebastian : Very well.
Antonio : And most chirurgeonly.
Gonzalo : It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
[p]When you are cloudy.
Sebastian : Foul weather?
Antonio : Very foul.
Gonzalo : Had I plantation of this isle, my lord,--
Antonio : He'ld sow't with nettle-seed.
Sebastian : Or docks, or mallows.
Gonzalo : And were the king on't, what would I do?
Sebastian : 'Scape being drunk for want of wine.
Gonzalo : I' the commonwealth I would by contraries
[p]Execute all things; for
no kind of traffic
[p]Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
[p]Letters
should not be known; riches, poverty,
[p]And use of service, none;
contract, succession,
[p]Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard,
none;
[p]No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
[p]No occupation; all
men idle, all;
[p]And women too, but innocent and pure;
[p]No
sovereignty;--
Sebastian : Yet he would be king on't.
Antonio : The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the
[p]beginning.
Gonzalo : All things in common nature should produce
[p]Without sweat or
endeavour: treason, felony,
[p]Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any
engine,
[p]Would I not have; but nature should bring forth,
[p]Of its
own kind, all foison, all abundance,
[p]To feed my innocent people.
Sebastian : No marrying 'mong his subjects?
Antonio : None, man; all idle: whores and knaves.
Gonzalo : I would with such perfection govern, sir,
[p]To excel the golden age.
Sebastian : God save his majesty!
Antonio : Long live Gonzalo!
Gonzalo : And,--do you mark me, sir?
Alonso : Prithee, no more: thou dost talk nothing to me.
Gonzalo : I do well believe your highness; and
[p]did it to minister occasion to
these gentlemen,
[p]who are of such sensible and nimble lungs
that
[p]they always use to laugh at nothing.
Antonio : 'Twas you we laughed at.
Gonzalo : Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing
[p]to you: so you may
continue and laugh at
[p]nothing still.
Antonio : What a blow was there given!
Sebastian : An it had not fallen flat-long.
Gonzalo : You are gentlemen of brave metal; you would lift
[p]the moon out of
her sphere, if she would continue
[p]in it five weeks without
changing.
Sebastian : We would so, and then go a bat-fowling.
Antonio : Nay, good my lord, be not angry.
Gonzalo : No, I warrant you; I will not adventure
[p]my discretion so weakly.
Will you laugh
[p]me asleep, for I am very heavy?
Antonio : Go sleep, and hear us.
Alonso : What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes
[p]Would, with themselves,
shut up my thoughts: I find
[p]They are inclined to do so.
Sebastian : Please you, sir,
[p]Do not omit the heavy offer of it:
[p]It seldom
visits sorrow; when it doth,
[p]It is a comforter.
Antonio : We two, my lord,
[p]Will guard your person while you take your
rest,
[p]And watch your safety.
Alonso : Thank you. Wondrous heavy.
Sebastian : What a strange drowsiness possesses them!
Antonio : It is the quality o' the climate.
Sebastian : Why
[p]Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not
[p]Myself
disposed to sleep.
Antonio : Nor I; my spirits are nimble.
[p]They fell together all, as by
consent;
[p]They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke. What
might,
[p]Worthy Sebastian? O, what might?--No more:--
[p]And yet me
thinks I see it in thy face,
[p]What thou shouldst be: the occasion
speaks thee, and
[p]My strong imagination sees a crown
[p]Dropping
upon thy head.
Sebastian : What, art thou waking?
Antonio : Do you not hear me speak?
Sebastian : I do; and surely
[p]It is a sleepy language and thou speak'st
[p]Out
of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say?
[p]This is a strange repose,
to be asleep
[p]With eyes wide open; standing, speaking,
moving,
[p]And yet so fast asleep.
Antonio : Noble Sebastian,
[p]Thou let'st thy fortune sleep--die, rather;
wink'st
[p]Whiles thou art waking.
Sebastian : Thou dost snore distinctly;
[p]There's meaning in thy snores.
Antonio : I am more serious than my custom: you
[p]Must be so too, if heed me;
which to do
[p]Trebles thee o'er.
Sebastian : Well, I am standing water.
Antonio : I'll teach you how to flow.
Sebastian : Do so: to ebb
[p]Hereditary sloth instructs me.
Antonio : O,
[p]If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
[p]Whiles thus you
mock it! how, in stripping it,
[p]You more invest it! Ebbing men,
indeed,
[p]Most often do so near the bottom run
[p]By their own fear
or sloth.
Sebastian : Prithee, say on:
[p]The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
[p]A
matter from thee, and a birth indeed
[p]Which throes thee much to
yield.
Antonio : Thus, sir:
[p]Although this lord of weak remembrance, this,
[p]Who
shall be of as little memory
[p]When he is earth'd, hath here almost
persuade,--
[p]For he's a spirit of persuasion, only
[p]Professes to
persuade,--the king his son's alive,
[p]'Tis as impossible that he's
undrown'd
[p]And he that sleeps here swims.
Sebastian : I have no hope
[p]That he's undrown'd.
Antonio : O, out of that 'no hope'
[p]What great hope have you! no hope that way
is
[p]Another way so high a hope that even
[p]Ambition cannot pierce a
wink beyond,
[p]But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with
me
[p]That Ferdinand is drown'd?
Sebastian : He's gone.
Antonio : Then, tell me,
[p]Who's the next heir of Naples?
Sebastian : Claribel.
Antonio : She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells
[p]Ten leagues beyond
man's life; she that from Naples
[p]Can have no note, unless the sun
were post--
[p]The man i' the moon's too slow--till new-born
chins
[p]Be rough and razorable; she that--from whom?
[p]We all were
sea-swallow'd, though some cast again,
[p]And by that destiny to
perform an act
[p]Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come
[p]In
yours and my discharge.
Sebastian : What stuff is this! how say you?
[p]'Tis true, my brother's daughter's
queen of Tunis;
[p]So is she heir of Naples; 'twixt which
regions
[p]There is some space.
Antonio : A space whose every cubit
[p]Seems to cry out, 'How shall that
Claribel
[p]Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis,
[p]And let
Sebastian wake.' Say, this were death
[p]That now hath seized them;
why, they were no worse
[p]Than now they are. There be that can rule
Naples
[p]As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate
[p]As amply
and unnecessarily
[p]As this Gonzalo; I myself could make
[p]A chough
of as deep chat. O, that you bore
[p]The mind that I do! what a sleep
were this
[p]For your advancement! Do you understand me?
Sebastian : Methinks I do.
Antonio : And how does your content
[p]Tender your own good fortune?
Sebastian : I remember
[p]You did supplant your brother Prospero.
Antonio : True:
[p]And look how well my garments sit upon me;
[p]Much feater
than before: my brother's servants
[p]Were then my fellows; now they
are my men.
Sebastian : But, for your conscience?
Antonio : Ay, sir; where lies that? if 'twere a kibe,
[p]'Twould put me to my
slipper: but I feel not
[p]This deity in my bosom: twenty
consciences,
[p]That stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they
[p]And
melt ere they molest! Here lies your brother,
[p]No better than the
earth he lies upon,
[p]If he were that which now he's like, that's
dead;
[p]Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
[p]Can
lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus,
[p]To the perpetual wink
for aye might put
[p]This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence,
who
[p]Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
[p]They'll
take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
[p]They'll tell the clock to any
business that
[p]We say befits the hour.
Sebastian : Thy case, dear friend,
[p]Shall be my precedent; as thou got'st
Milan,
[p]I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword: one stroke
[p]Shall
free thee from the tribute which thou payest;
[p]And I the king shall
love thee.
Antonio : Draw together;
[p]And when I rear my hand, do you the like,
[p]To fall
it on Gonzalo.
Sebastian : O, but one word.
Ariel : My master through his art foresees the danger
[p]That you, his friend,
are in; and sends me forth--
[p]For else his project dies--to keep
them living.
[p][Sings in GONZALO's ear]
[p]While you here do snoring
lie,
[p]Open-eyed conspiracy
[p]His time doth take.
[p]If of life you
keep a care,
[p]Shake off slumber, and beware:
[p]Awake, awake!
Antonio : Then let us both be sudden.
Gonzalo : Now, good angels
[p]Preserve the king.
Alonso : Why, how now? ho, awake! Why are you drawn?
[p]Wherefore this ghastly
looking?
Gonzalo : What's the matter?
Sebastian : Whiles we stood here securing your repose,
[p]Even now, we heard a
hollow burst of bellowing
[p]Like bulls, or rather lions: did't not
wake you?
[p]It struck mine ear most terribly.
Alonso : I heard nothing.
Antonio : O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,
[p]To make an earthquake!
sure, it was the roar
[p]Of a whole herd of lions.
Alonso : Heard you this, Gonzalo?
Gonzalo : Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,
[p]And that a strange one
too, which did awake me:
[p]I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes
open'd,
[p]I saw their weapons drawn: there was a noise,
[p]That's
verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard,
[p]Or that we quit this
place; let's draw our weapons.
Alonso : Lead off this ground; and let's make further search
[p]For my poor
son.
Gonzalo : Heavens keep him from these beasts!
[p]For he is, sure, i' the
island.
Alonso : Lead away.
Ariel : Prospero my lord shall know what I have done:
[p]So, king, go safely
on to seek thy son.
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Next: Act 2 - Scene 2
