William Shakespeare

“ As proper a man as ever went on four legs cannot make him give ground; and it shall be said so again, while Stephano breathes at nostrils. CALIBAN. The spirit torments me. O! STEPHANO. 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. Do not torment me, prithee; I'll bring my wood home faster. ”

“ Will you grant with me That Ferdinand is drown'd? 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 newborn chins Be rough and razorable; she that from whom We all were sea-swallow'd, 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. ”

“ GONZALO.
Had I plantation of this isle, my lord,—
ANTONIO.
He’d 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’ th’ commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
And use of service, none; contract, succession,
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;
No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
No occupation; all men idle, all ”

“ The mariners all under hatches stowed, Who, with a charm join'd to their suff'red labour, I have left asleep; and for the rest o' th' fleet, Which I dispers'd, they all have met again, And are upon the Mediterranean flote Bound sadly home for Naples, Supposing that they saw the King's ship wreck'd, And his great person perish. PROSPERO. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is perform'd; but there's more work. What is the time o' th' day? ARIEL. Past the mid season. PROSPERO. At least two glasses. The time 'twixt six and now Must by us both be spent most preciously. ARIEL. Is there more toil? ”

“ And him he play'd it for, he needs will be
Absolute Milan. Me, poor man-my library
Was dukedom large enough-of temporal royalties
He thinks me now incapable; confederates,
So dry he was for sway, wi' th' King of Naples,
To give him annual tribute, do him homage,
Subject his coronet to his crown, and bend
The dukedom, yet unbow'd-alas, poor Milan!-
To most ignoble stooping.
MIRANDA. O the heavens!
PROSPERO. Mark his condition, and th' event, then tell me
If this might be a brother.
MIRANDA. I should sin
To think but nobly of my grandmother:
Good wombs have borne bad sons. ”

“ Hang not on my garments. MIRANDA. Sir, have pity; I'll be his surety. PROSPERO. Silence! One word more Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What! An advocate for an impostor! hush! Thou think'st there is no more such shapes as he, Having seen but him and Caliban. Foolish wench! To th' most of men this is a Caliban, And they to him are angels. MIRANDA. My affections Are then most humble; I have no ambition To see a goodlier man. PROSPERO. Come on; obey. Thy nerves are in their infancy again, And have no vigour in them. FERDINAND. So they are; My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up. ”

“ There is one tree, the phoenix' throne, one phoenix
At this hour reigning-there.
ANTONIO. I'll believe both;
And what does else want credit, come to me,
And I'll be sworn 'tis true; travellers ne'er did lie,
Though fools at home condemn 'em.
GONZALO. If in Naples
I should report this now, would they believe me?
If I should say, I saw such islanders,
For certes these are people of the island,
Who though they are of monstrous shape yet, note,
Their manners are more gentle-kind than of
Our human generation you shall find
Many, nay, almost any. ”

“ STEPHANO.
Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.
CALIBAN.
How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe. I’ll not serve him, he is not valiant.
TRINCULO.
Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed fish thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I today? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish and half a monster?
CALIBAN.
Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?
TRINCULO.
“Lord” quoth he! That a monster should be such a natural! ”

“ CALIBAN.
You taught me language, and my profit on ’t
Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you,
For learning me your language!
PROSPERO.
Hag-seed, hence!
Fetch us in fuel; and be quick, thou ’rt best,
To answer other business. Shrug’st thou, malice?
If thou neglect’st, or dost unwillingly
What I command, I’ll rack thee with old cramps,
Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar,
That beasts shall tremble at thy din.
CALIBAN.
No, pray thee.
[Aside.] I must obey. His art is of such power,
It would control my dam’s god, Setebos,
And make a vassal of him. ”

“ Your charm so strongly works 'em That if you now beheld them your affections Would become tender. PROSPERO. Dost thou think so, spirit? ARIEL. Mine would, sir, were I human. PROSPERO. And mine shall. Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling Of their afflictions, and shall not myself, One of their kind, that relish all as sharply, Passion as they, be kindlier mov'd than thou art? Though with their high wrongs I am struck to th' quick, Yet with my nobler reason 'gainst my fury Do I take part; the rarer action is In virtue than in vengeance ”

“ PROSPERO. You do yet taste Some subtleties o' th' isle, that will not let you Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all! [Aside to SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO] 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. SEBASTIAN. [Aside] The devil speaks in him. PROSPERO. No. For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother 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. ”

“ STEPHANO. Here; swear then how thou escap'dst.
TRINCULO. Swum ashore, man, like a duck; I can swim like
a duck, I'll be sworn.
STEPHANO. [Passing the bottle] Here, kiss the book. Though
thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a
goose.
TRINCULO. O Stephano, hast any more of this?
STEPHANO. The whole butt, man; my cellar is in a rock by
th' seaside, where my wine is hid. How now, moon-calf!
How does thine ague?
CALIBAN. Hast thou not dropp'd from heaven?
STEPHANO. Out o' th' moon, I do assure thee; I was the Man
i' th' Moon, when time was. ”

“ Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
Hath made his meal on thee?
FRANCISCO. Sir, he may live;
I saw him beat the surges under him,
And ride upon their backs; he trod the water,
Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted
The surge most swoln that met him; his bold head
'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oared
Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
To th' shore, that o'er his wave-worn basis bowed,
As stooping to relieve him. I not doubt
He came alive to land.
ALONSO. No, no, he's gone. ”

“ 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. If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk To still my beating mind. FERDINAND, MIRANDA. We wish your peace. Exeunt PROSPERO. Come, with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel; come.
Enter ARIEL
ARIEL. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What's thy pleasure? PROSPERO. Spirit, We must prepare to meet with Caliban. ARIEL. Ay, my commander. ”

“ How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world That has such people in't! PROSPERO. 'Tis new to thee. ALONSO. What is this maid with whom thou wast at play? Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours; Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us, And brought us thus together? FERDINAND. Sir, she is mortal; But by immortal Providence she's mine. I chose her when I could not ask my father 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 ”

“ CALIBAN.
The dropsy drown this fool! What do you mean
To dote thus on such luggage? Let’t alone,
And do the murder first. If he awake,
From toe to crown he’ll fill our skins with pinches,
Make us strange stuff.
STEPHANO.
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.
TRINCULO.
Do, do: we steal by line and level, an’t like your Grace.
STEPHANO.
I thank thee for that jest. Here’s a garment for ’t: wit shall not go unrewarded while I am King of this country. ”

“ CALIBAN.
That’s not the tune.
[Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.]
STEPHANO.
What is this same?
TRINCULO.
This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of Nobody.
STEPHANO.
If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness: if thou beest a devil, take ’t as thou list.
TRINCULO.
O, forgive me my sins!
STEPHANO.
He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee. Mercy upon us!
CALIBAN.
Art thou afeard?
STEPHANO.
No, monster, not I.
CALIBAN.
Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not. ”

“ I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o’er ears for my labour.
CALIBAN.
Prithee, my King, be quiet. Seest thou here,
This is the mouth o’ th’ 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.
STEPHANO.
Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody thoughts.
TRINCULO.
O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano!
Look what a wardrobe here is for thee!
CALIBAN.
Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.
TRINCULO.
O, ho, monster! we know what belongs to a frippery. O King Stephano! ”