Act 1 — Scene II.—The Island: before the Cell of Prospero.

Enter Prospero and Miranda.

Mira. If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them. The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch, But that the sea, mounting to th’ welkin’s cheek,369-1 Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffer’d With those that I saw suffer! a brave369-2 vessel, Who had no doubt some noble creatures in her, Dash’d all to pieces. O, the cry did knock Against my very heart! Poor souls, they perish’d! Had I been any god of power, I would Have sunk the sea within the earth, or e’er369-3 It should the good ship so have swallow’d, and The fraughting370-4 souls within her.

Pros. Be collected; No more amazement:370-5 tell your piteous heart There’s no harm done.

Mira. O, woe the day!

Pros. No harm. I have done nothing but in care of thee,— Of thee, my dear one, thee, my daughter,—who Art ignorant of what thou art, nought knowing Of whence I am; nor that I am more better370-6 Than Prospero, master of a full-poor cell, And thy no greater father.

Mira. More to know Did never meddle370-7 with my thoughts.

Pros. ’Tis time I should inform thee further. Lend thy hand, And pluck my magic garment from me.—So: [Lays down his robe. Lie there, my art.370-8—Wipe thou thine eyes; have comfort. The direful spectacle of the wreck, which touch’d The very virtue of compassion in thee, I have with such prevision in mine art So safely order’d, that there is no soul370-9— No, not so much perdition as an hair Betid to any creature in the vessel Which thou heard’st cry, which thou saw’st sink. Sit down; For thou must now know further.

TELL YOUR PITEOUS HEART

Mira. You have often Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp’d And left me to a bootless inquisition,372-10 Concluding, Stay, not yet.

Pros. The hour’s now come; The very minute bids thee ope thine ear: Obey, and be attentive. Canst thou remember A time before we came unto this cell? I do not think thou canst; for then thou wast not Out372-11 three years old.

Mira. Certainly, sir, I can.

Pros. By what? by any other house or person? Of any thing the image tell me that Hath kept with thy remembrance.

Mira. ’Tis far off, And rather like a dream than an assurance That my remembrance warrants. Had I not Four or five women once that tended me?

Pros. Thou hadst, and more, Miranda. But how is it That this lives in thy mind? What see’st thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? If thou remember’st aught ere thou camest here, How thou camest here, thou mayst.372-12

Mira. But that I do not.

Pros. Twelve year since, Miranda, twelve year since, Thy father was the Duke of Milan, and A prince of power.

Mira. Sir, are you not my father?

Pros. Thy mother was a piece of virtue, and She said thou wast my daughter; and thy father Was Duke of Milan; thou his only heir, A princess—no worse issued.

Mira. O the Heavens! What foul play had we, that we came from thence? Or blessèd was’t we did?

Pros. Both, both, my girl: By foul play, as thou say’st, were we heaved thence; But blessedly holp373-13 hither.

Mira. O, my heart bleeds To think o’ the teen373-14 that I have turn’d you to, Which is from my remembrance! Please you, further.373-15

Pros. My brother, and thy uncle, call’d Antonio,— I pray thee, mark me;—that a brother should Be so perfidious!—he whom, next thyself, Of all the world I loved, and to him put The manage373-16 of my State; as, at that time, Through all the signiories373-17 it was the first, And Prospero the prime373-18 Duke; being so reputed In dignity, and for the liberal arts Without a parallel: those being all my study, The government I cast upon my brother, And to my State grew stranger, being transported And rapt in secret studies. Thy false uncle,— Dost thou attend me?

Mira. Sir, most heedfully.

Pros.—Being once perfected how to grant suits, How to deny them; who374-19 t’ advance, and who To trash374-20 for over-topping374-21—new-created The creatures that were mine, I say, or changed ’em, Or else new-form’d ’em; having both the key374-22 Of officer and office, set all hearts i’ the State To what tune pleased his ear; that374-23 now he was The ivy which had hid my princely trunk, And suck’d the verdure out on’t. Thou attend’st not.

Mira. O good sir, I do.

Pros. I pray thee, mark me. I thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated To closeness,374-24 and the bettering of my mind With that which, but374-25 by being so retired, O’er-prized all popular rate,374-26 in my false brother Awaked an evil nature; and my trust, Like a good parent, did beget of him A falsehood, in its contrary as great As my trust was; which had indeed no limit, A confidence sans375-27 bound. He being thus lorded, Not only with what my revenue yielded, But what my power might else exact,—like one Who having unto truth, by falsing of it,375-28 Made such a sinner of his memory To375-29 credit his own lie,—he did believe He was indeed the Duke; out o’ the substitution,375-30 And executing the outward face of royalty, With all prerogative: hence his ambition growing,— Dost thou hear?375-31

Mira. Your tale, sir, would cure deafness.

Pros. To have no screen between this part he play’d And them he play’d it for, he needs will be Absolute Milan.375-32 Me,375-33 poor man, my library Was dukedom large enough: of temporal royalties He thinks me now incapable; confederates— So dry he was for sway376-34—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!376-35— To most ignoble stooping.376-36

Mira. O the Heavens!

Pros. This King of Naples, being an enemy To me inveterate, hearkens my brother’s suit; Which was, that he, in lieu376-37 o’ the premises,— Of homage, and I know not how much tribute,— Should presently376-38 extirpate me and mine Out of the dukedom, and confer fair Milan, With all the honours, on my brother: whereon, A treacherous army levied, one midnight Fated to th’ practice376-39 did Antonio open The gates of Milan; and, i’ the dead of darkness, The ministers for th’ purpose hurried thence Me and thy crying self.376-40

Mira. Alack, for pity! I, not remembering how I cried on’t then, Will cry it o’er again: it is a hint377-41 That wrings mine eyes to’t.

Pros. Hear a little further, And then I’ll bring thee to the present business Which now’s upon’s;377-42 without the which this story Were most impertinent.377-43

Mira. Wherefore did they not That hour destroy us?

Pros. Well demanded, wench:377-44 My tale provokes that question. Dear, they durst not— So dear the love my people bore me—set A mark so bloody on the business; but With colours fairer painted their foul ends. In few,377-45 they hurried us aboard a bark, Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepared A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg’d, Nor tackle, sail, nor mast; the very rats Instinctively had quit it: there they hoist377-46 us, To cry to th’ sea that roar’d to us; to sigh To th’ winds, whose pity, sighing back again, Did us but loving wrong.

Mira. Alack, what trouble Was I then to you!

Pros. O, a cherubim Thou wast that did preserve me! Thou didst smile, Infusèd with a fortitude from Heaven, When I have degg’d378-47 the sea with drops full salt, Under my burden groan’d; which raised in me An undergoing stomach,378-48 to bear up Against what should ensue.

Mira. How came we ashore?

Pros. By Providence divine. Some food we had, and some fresh water, that A noble Neapolitan, Gonzalo, Out of his charity,—being then appointed Master of this design,—did give us; with Rich garments, linens, stuffs, and necessaries, Which since have steaded378-49 much; so, of his gentleness, Knowing I loved my books, he furnish’d me, From mine own library, with volumes that I prize above my dukedom.

Mira. Would I might But ever see that man!

Pros. Now I arise:378-50 Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow. Here in this island we arrived; and here Have I, thy schoolmaster, made thee more profit378-51 Than other princesses can, that have more time For vainer hours, and tutors not so careful.

Mira. Heavens thank you for’t! And now, I pray you, sir,— For still ’tis beating in my mind,—your reason For raising this sea-storm?

Pros. Know thus far forth: By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune— Now my dear lady—hath mine enemies Brought to this shore; and by my prescience I find my zenith379-52 doth depend upon A most auspicious star, whose influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes Will ever after droop.379-53 Here cease more questions: Thou art inclined to sleep; ’tis a good dulness, And give it way: I know thou canst not choose.379-54 [Miranda sleeps. Come away, servant, come! I’m ready now: Approach, my Ariel; come!

Enter Ariel.

Ari. All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure; be’t to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curl’d clouds: to thy strong bidding task Ariel and all his quality.379-55

Pros. Hast thou, spirit, Perform’d to point379-56 the tempest that I bade thee?

Ari. To every article. I boarded the King’s ship; now on the beak,379-57 Now in the waist,380-58 the deck, in every cabin, I flamed amazement: sometime I’d divide, And burn in many places; on the top-mast, The yards, and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly,380-59 Then meet and join. Jove’s lightnings, the precursors O’ the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary380-60 And sight-outrunning were not: the fire, and cracks Of sulphurous roaring, the most mighty Neptune Seem’d to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble. Yea, his dread trident shake.

Pros. My brave spirit! Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil380-61 Would not infect his reason?

Ari. Not a soul But felt a fever of the mad,380-62 and play’d Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners Plunged in the foaming brine, and quit the vessel. Then all a-fire with me: The King’s son, Ferdinand, With hair up-staring,380-63—then like reeds, not hair,— Was the first man that leap’d; cried, Hell is empty, And all the devils are here.

Pros. Why, that’s my spirit! But was not this nigh shore?

Ari. Close by, my master.

Pros. But are they, Ariel, safe?

Ari. Not a hair perish’d; On their unstaining381-64 garments not a blemish, But fresher than before: and, as thou badest me, In troops I have dispersed them ’bout the isle. The King’s son have I landed by himself; Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs In an odd angle381-65 of the isle, and sitting, His arms in this sad knot.381-66

Pros. Of the King’s ship The mariners, say, how hast thou disposed, And all the rest o’ the fleet?381-67

Ari. Safely in harbour Is the King’s ship; in the deep nook, where once Thou call’dst me up at midnight to fetch dew From the still-vex’d Bermoothes,381-68 there she’s hid: The mariners all under hatches stow’d; Who, with a charm join’d to their suffer’d labour, I’ve left asleep:381-69 and, for the rest o’ the fleet Which I dispersed, they all have met again, And are upon the Mediterranean flote,382-70 Bound sadly home for Naples; Supposing that they saw the King’s ship wreck’d, And his great person perish.

Pros. Ariel, thy charge Exactly is performed: but there’s more work. What is the time o’ the day?

Ari. Past the mid season, At least two glasses.382-71

Pros. The time ’twixt six and now Must by us both be spent most preciously.

Ari. Is there more toil? Since thou dost give me pains, Let me remember382-72 thee what thou hast promised, Which is not yet perform’d382-73 me.

Pros. How now! moody? What is’t thou canst demand?

Ari. My liberty.

Pros. Before the time be out? no more!382-74

Ari. I pr’ythee, Remember I have done thee worthy service; Told thee no lies, made no mistakings, served Without or grudge or grumblings: thou didst promise To bate me a full year.382-75

Pros. Dost thou forget From what a torment I did free thee?

Ari. No.

Pros. Thou dost; and think’st it much to tread the ooze Of the salt deep; to run upon the sharp Wind of the North; to do me business in The veins o’ the earth when it is baked with frost.383-76

Ari. I do not, sir.

Pros. Thou liest, malignant thing!383-77 Hast thou forgot The foul witch Sycorax, who with age and envy383-78 Was grown into a hoop? hast thou forgot her?

Ari. No, sir.

Pros. Thou hast: where was she born? speak; tell me.

Ari. Sir, in Argier.383-79

Pros. O, was she so? I must Once in a month recount what thou hast been, Which thou forgett’st. This damn’d witch Sycorax, For mischiefs manifold, and sorceries terrible To enter human hearing, from Argier, Thou know’st, was banish’d. Is not this true?

Ari. Ay, sir.

Pros. This blue-eyed hag383-80 was hither brought, And here was left by th’ sailors. Thou, my slave, As thou report’st thyself, wast then her servant; And, for383-81 thou wast a spirit too delicate To act her earthy and abhorr’d commands, Refusing her grand hests,384-82 she did confine thee, By help of her more potent ministers, And in her most unmitigable rage, Into384-83 a cloven pine; within which rift Imprison’d thou didst painfully remain A dozen years; within which space she died, And left thee there; where thou didst vent thy groans As fast as mill-wheels strike. Then was this island— Save for the son that she did litter here,384-84 A freckled whelp, hag-born—not honour’d with A human shape.

Ari. Yes, Caliban her son.

Pros. Dull thing, I say so; he, that Caliban, Whom now I keep in service. Thou best know’st What torment I did find thee in: thy groans Did make wolves howl, and penetrate the breasts Of ever-angry bears. It was a torment To lay upon the damn’d, which Sycorax Could not again undo: it was mine art, When I arrived and heard thee, that made gape The pine, and let thee out.

Ari. I thank thee, master.

Pros. If thou more murmur’st, I will rend an oak, And peg thee in his knotty entrails, till Thou’st howl’d away twelve Winters.

Ari. Pardon, master: I will be correspondent384-85 to command, And do my spriting gently.

Pros. Do so; and after two days I will discharge thee.

Ari. That’s my noble master! What shall I do? say what; what shall I do?

Pros. Go make thyself like to a nymph o’ the sea: Be subject to no sight but mine; invisible To every eyeball else. Go take this shape, And hither come in’t: hence, with diligence!— [Exit Ariel. Awake, dear heart, awake! thou hast slept well; Awake!

Mira. [Waking.] The strangeness of your story put Heaviness in me.

Pros. Shake it off. Come on; We’ll visit Caliban my slave, who never Yields us kind answer.

Mira. ’Tis a villain, sir, I do not love to look on.

Pros. But, as ’tis, We cannot miss him:385-86 he does make our fire, Fetch in our wood, and serves in offices That profit us.—What, ho! slave! Caliban! Thou earth, thou! speak.

Cal. [Within.] There’s wood enough within.

Pros. Come forth, I say! there’s other business for thee: Come forth, thou tortoise! when!385-87—

Re-enter Ariel, like a Water-nymph.

Fine apparition! My quaint386-88 Ariel, Hark in thine ear.

Ari. My lord, it shall be done. [Exit.

Pros. Thou poisonous slave, come forth!

Enter Caliban.

Cal. As wicked386-89 dew as e’er my mother brush’d With raven’s feather from unwholesome fen Drop on you both! a south-west blow on ye, And blister you all o’er!386-90

Pros. For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt have cramps, Side-stitches386-91 that shall pen thy breath up; urchins386-92 Shall, for that vast386-93 of night that they may work, All exercise on thee; thou shalt be pinch’d As thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging Than bees that made ’em.

Cal. I must eat my dinner This island’s mine, by Sycorax my mother. Which thou takest from me. When thou camest here first, Thou strokedst me, and madest much of me; wouldst give me Water with berries in’t386-94 and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the less, That burn by day and night: and then I loved thee, And show’d thee all the qualities o’ the isle, The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place, and fertile. Cursèd be that I did so! All the charms Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you! For I am all the subjects that you have, Which first was mine own king: and here you sty387-95 me In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me The rest o’ the island.

Pros. Abhorrèd slave, Which any print of goodness wilt not take, Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee, Took pains to make thee speak, taught thee each hour One thing or other: when thou didst not, savage, Know thine own meaning,387-96 but wouldst gabble like A thing most brutish, I endow’d thy purposes With words that made them known. But thy vile race, Though thou didst learn, had that in’t which good natures Could not abide to be with; therefore wast thou Deservedly confined into this rock, Who hadst deserved more than a prison.

Cal. You taught me language; and my profit on’t Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid387-97 you For learning me your language!

Pros. Hag-seed, hence! Fetch us in fuel; and be quick, thou’rt best, To answer other business. Shrugg’st thou, malice? If thou neglect’st, or dost unwillingly What I command, I’ll rack thee with old388-98 cramps, Fill all thy bones with achès, make thee roar, That beasts shall tremble at thy din.

Cal. 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.

Pros. So, slave; hence!

[Exit Caliban.

Re-enter Ariel, invisible, playing and singing; Ferdinand following.

Ariel’s Song

Hark, hark! Burden dispersedly.

The watch-dogs bark: Bow-wow.

Hark, hark! I hear; Bow-wow.

The strain of strutting chanticleer. Cock-a-diddle-dow.

Ferd. Where should this music be? i’ the air, or th’ earth? It sounds no more: and, sure, it waits upon Some god o’ the island. Sitting on a bank, Weeping again the King my father’s wreck, This music crept by me upon the waters, Allaying both their fury and my passion389-100 With its sweet air: thence I have follow’d it, Or it hath drawn me rather. But ’tis gone. No, it begins again.

Ariel sings.

Ferd. The ditty does remember my drown’d father. This is no mortal business, nor no sound That the earth owes.389-102 I hear it now above me.

Pros. The fringèd curtains of thine eyes advance,389-103 And say what thou see’st yond.

Mira. What is’t? A spirit? Lord, how it looks about! Believe me, sir, It carries a brave389-104 form. But ’tis a spirit.

Pros. No, wench: it eats and sleeps, and hath such senses As we have, such. This gallant which thou see’st Was in the wreck; and, but he’s something stain’d With grief, that’s beauty’s canker,390-105 thou mightst call him A goodly person: he hath lost his fellows, And strays about to find ’em.

Mira. I might call him A thing divine; for nothing natural I ever saw so noble.390-106

Pros. [Aside.] It goes on,390-107 I see, As my soul prompts it.—Spirit, fine spirit! I’ll free thee Within two days for this.

Ferd. Most sure, the goddess On whom these airs attend!—Vouchsafe my prayer May know if you remain upon this island; And that you will some good instruction give How I may bear me here: my prime request, Which I do last pronounce, is,—O you wonder!— If you be maid or no?390-108

Mira. No wonder,390-109 sir; But certainly a maid.

Ferd. My language!390-110 Heavens!— I am the best of them that speak this speech, Were I but where ’tis spoken.

Pros. How! the best? What wert thou, if the King of Naples heard thee?

Ferd. A single thing,391-111 as I am now, that wonders To hear thee speak of Naples. He does hear me; And that he does I weep: myself am Naples;391-112 Who with mine eyes, ne’er since at ebb, beheld The King my father wreck’d.

Mira. Alack, for mercy!

Ferd. Yes, faith, and all his lords; the Duke of Milan And his brave son391-113 being twain.

Pros. [Aside.] The Duke of Milan And his more braver daughter could control thee,391-114 If now t’were fit to do’t. At the first sight They have changed eyes.—Delicate Ariel, I’ll set thee free for this!391-115—A word, good sir; I fear you’ve done yourself some wrong:391-116 a word.

Mira. Why speaks my father so ungently? This Is the third man that e’er I saw; the first That e’er I sigh’d for: pity move my father To be inclined my way!

Ferd. O, if a virgin, And your affection not gone forth, I’ll make you The Queen of Naples.

Pros. Soft, sir! one word more.— [Aside.] They’re both in either’s powers: but this swift business I must uneasy make, lest too light winning Make the prize light.392-117—One word more; I charge thee That thou attend me: Thou dost here usurp The name thou owest not; and hast put thyself Upon this island as a spy, to win it From me, the lord on’t.

Ferd. No, as I’m a man.

Mira. There’s nothing ill can dwell in such a temple: If the ill spirit have so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with’t.

Pros. [To Ferd.] Follow me— Speak not you for him; he’s a traitor.—Come; I’ll manacle thy neck and feet together: Sea-water shalt thou drink; thy food shall be The fresh-brook muscles, wither’d roots, and husks Wherein the acorn cradled: follow.

Ferd. No; I will resist such entertainment, till Mine enemy has more power.

[He draws, and is charmed from moving.

Mira. O dear father, Make not too rash a trial of him, for He’s gentle, and not fearful.392-118

Pros. What, I say, My fool my tutor!—Put thy sword up, traitor; Who makest a show, but darest not strike, thy conscience Is so possess’d with guilt: come from thy ward;393-119 For I can here disarm thee with this stick, And make thy weapon drop.

Mira. Beseech you, father!—

Pros. Hence! hang not on my garments.

Mira. Sir, have pity; I’ll be his surety.

Pros. Silence! one word more Shall make me chide thee, if not hate thee. What! An advocate for an impostor? hush! Thou think’st there are 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.

Mira. My affections Are, then, most humble; I have no ambition To see a goodlier man.

Pros. [To Ferd.] Come on; obey: Thy nerves393-120 are in their infancy again, And have no vigour in them.

Ferd. So they are: My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up. My father’s loss, the weakness which I feel, The wreck of all my friends, and this man’s threats To whom I am subdued, are light to me, Might I but through my prison once a day Behold this maid: all corners else o’ the Earth Let liberty make use of; space enough Have I in such a prison.

Pros. [Aside.] It works.—[To Ferd.] Come on.— Thou hast done well, fine Ariel!—Follow me.— [To Ariel.] Hark, what thou else shalt do me.

Mira. Be of comfort; My father’s of a better nature, sir, Than he appears by speech: this is unwonted Which now came from him.

Pros. [To Ariel.] Thou shalt be as free As mountain winds: but then exactly do All points of my command.

Ari. To th’ syllable.

Pros. Come, follow.—Speak not for him.

[Exeunt.