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.