University of Virginia Library

ACT II.

SCENE I.

Another part of the island. Ferdinand discovered.
Enter Prospero, Miranda, and Ariel.
PROSPERO.
THE fringed curtains of thine eyes advance,
And see what is yonder.

MIRANDA.
Is't a spirit?
Believe me, Sir, it carries a brave form;
But 'tis a spirit.

PROSPERO.
No; it eats, and sleeps,
And hath such senses as we, were he not
Somewhat stain'd with grief (beauties worst canker)
Thou might'st then call him a goodly person.

MIRANDA.
I might call him a thing divine;
Nothing natural I ever saw so noble.

AIR.
FERDINAND.
What sudden blaze of majesty,
What awful innocence of mein,
Is that which I from hence descry?
Like nature's universal queen.

Sure the goddess, on whom these airs attend,
Such beauty cannot belong to human kind.
MIRANDA.
I am like you a mortal, if such you are.

FERDINAND.
My language too! Oh heav'ns! I am the best
Of them, who speak this language, were I but
In my own country. O! if a virgin,
And your affections not gone forth, I'll make you
Queen of Naples.

PROSPERO
sings.
In tender sighs he silence breaks,
The fair his flame approves,
Consenting blushes warm her cheeks,
She smiles, she yields, she loves.

Young Sir, a word; thou dost here usurp
The name thou ow'st not, and hast put thyself
Upon this island, as a spy to win it
From me, the Lord on't.
FERDINAND.
No, as I am a man.

MIRANDA.
There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.

PROSPERO.
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's cradled.—Follow.

FERDINAND.
No:
I will resist such entertainment, till
Mine enemy has more pow'r.

[He draws, and is charm'd from moving.
MIRANDA.
O! dear father,
Make not too rash a trial of him; for
He's gentle, and not fearful.
AIR.

FERDINAND.
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 subdu'd, are but light to me,
Might I but thro' my prison, once a day,
Behold this maid! all corners else o'th'earth,
Let liberty make use of—space enough
Have I, in such a prison.

PROSPERO.
Hang not on my garment.

MIRANDA.
Have pity, sir.

PROSPERO.
Speak not for him. Follow me, sir:
This door shews you to your lodgings.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A wild part of the island.
Enter Alonzo, Anthonio, and Gonzalo.
GONZALO.
Beseech you, sir, be merry; you have cause
(So have we all) for joy of our escape.

ALONZO.
Prithee, peace—My son is lost.

ANTHONIO.
Sir, he may live;
I saw him beat the billows under him,
And ride upon their backs:
I do not doubt, he came alive to land.

ALONZO.
No, no, he's drown'd.
Thou, Anthonio, and myself, were those
Who caus'd his death.

ANTHONIO.
How cou'd we help it?

ALONZO.
Then, then we should have help'd it,
When thou betray'd'st thy brother Prospero,
And his infant daughter, to my power;
And I, took ambitious, took my force
Another's right—then lost we Ferdinand;
Then brought we these sore afflictions on us.

SCENE III.

[A banquet rises.
Ariel
sings behind the scenes.
AIR.

GONZALO.
See yonder table, set out and furnish'd
With all rarities of meats and fruits!

ALONZO.
But who dares taste this feast?

ANTHONIO.
'Tis certain we must either eat or famish.

ALONZO.
If both resolve, I will adventure too.

SCENE IV.

[The banquet vanishes.
Ariel and the strange shapes appear again.
AIR.
ARIEL.
Around, around, we pace,
About this cursed place,
While thus we compass in
These mortals and their sin;
Your vile lives you shall discover,
Truly all your deeds declare,
For about you spirits hovex,
That can tell you what they are.
Spirits, take them, take them hence,
Make them grieve for each offence.

[The spirits dance, and then drive 'em off.
Enter PROSPERO.
My charms work; mine enemies, knit in their
Destruction, are now within my pow'r.
AIR.

[Exit.

SCENE V.

Before Prospero's cell.
Enter FERDINAND.
To be a prisoner where I love,
Is but a double tie, a link of fortune,
Join'd to the chain of love; but not to see her,
And yet to be so near her, there's the hardship:
But her fair form lives always in my mind.
AIR.

SCENE VI.

Enter Miranda.—Prospero, at a distance, unseen.
MIRANDA.
Sir, my lord; where are you?

FERDINAND.
Is it your voice, my love; or do I dream?

MIRANDA.
Speak softly, it is I.

FERDINAND.
O heavenly creature!
Ten times more gentle than your father's cruel.

MIRANDA.
How do you bear your prison?

FERDINAND.
'Tis my palace,
Whilst you are here.
Admir'd Miranda, many a lady
I've ey'd with best regard; but you. O you,
So perfect, and so peerless, are created
Of every creature best.
AIR.

MIRANDA.
I do not know one of my sex, nor have I
Seen more men than you, and my dear father;
How features are abroad, I'm skilless of:
I wish not any companion but you;
Nor can imagination form a shape,
Besides yourself, to like of.

FERDINAND.
Hear my soul speak:
The very instant that I saw you, did
My heart fly to your service; there resides,
To make me slave to it.

MIRANDA.
Do you love me?

FERDINAND.
O heav'n! O earth! bear witness to this sound,
And crown what I profess with kind event;
Beyond all limit of ought else i' th' world,
I do love you.

AIR.
MIRANDA.
How can I speak my secret pain?
Yet how that secret pain conceal?
Alas! my silence is in vain!
My looks my inmost thoughts reveal.
O, mighty-love! thy power is divine;
I own its force, and thus my heart resign.

Then hence with bashful cunning,
And prompt me, plain and holy innocence:
I am your wife, sir, if you approve it.
FERDINAND.
Ay, with a heart so willing,
As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.

MIRANDA.
And mine with my heart in't: now farewell.

[Exe.

SCENE VII.

Changes to the wild part of the island.
Enter Caliban, with a log of wood upon his shoulders.
[A noise of thunder heard.
CALIBAN.
All th' infections that the sun sucks up
From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me,
And yet I needs must curse.

Enter Trincalo.
TRINCALO.
In the name of wonder, what have we here?
A man, or fish? for it resembles both:
'Tis some amphibious monster of the isle.
Were I in England, as of late I was,
And this monster to expose to view,
It would make a man of me for ever:
In England any monster makes a man.
Come hither, monster.

CALIBAN.
O torment me not!

TRINCALO.
A sensible monster, and speaks my language.
Dear tortoise, if thou hast the sense of taste,
Open thy mouth, and know me for thy friend.

[Pours the wine down his throat.
CALIBAN.
A brave god, and bears celestial liquor.

TRINCALO.
What say'st thou, monster? will you, like me,
Live soberly, and become my subject?

CALIBAN.
I will swear to serve thee.
AIR.

TRINCALO.
Here, kiss the book.

[Caliban drinks again.
CALIBAN.
By Settibos! this liquor's not earthly;
I pr'ythee, did'st thou not drop from heaven?

TRINCALO.
Only from out the moon, I do assure thee;
I was the man in the moon, when time was.

CALIBAN.
I've seen thee in her, and do adore thee;
My mother shew'd me thee, thy dog, and bush.
Pray be my god, and let me drink again.
[drinks again.
I'll shew thee ev'ry fertile inch i' th' isle,
Where berries, nuts, and cluster'd filberds grow.

TRINCALO.
Lead there.

CALIBAN.
The distance is too far to reach,
For see, my lord, the night approaches quick.
AIR.

TRINCALO.
Kind monster, stand firm; I see them coming.

CALIBAN.
Whom?

TRINCALO.
The starv'd prince, and his brace of subjects.

Enter Stephano, Ventoso, and Mustacho.
CALIBAN.
These sprights sha'n't touch our immortal liquor.

VENTOSO.
Surely he has rais'd the devil to his aid.

MUSTACHO.
Duke Trincalo, we have considered.

TRINCALO.
Say then, is't peace or war?

MUSTACHO.
Peace, and the butt.

STEPHANO.
I come a private person now, great duke,
To live content under your government.

TRINCALO.
You shall enjoy the benefits of peace,
And the first-fruits, amongst civil nations,
Is to get drunk for joy; which we'll observe.
Stephano, thou hast been a false rebel;
Yet I forgive thee: in witness whereof
I'll drink soundly.

STEPHANO.
Your grace shall find, that I
Will do you justice, and drink as soundly.

TRINCALO.
Drinking is the life of every thing;
Nothing in nature can subsist without it.

TERZETTO.
TRINCALO.
The thirsty earth soaks up the rain,
And drinks, and gapes for drink again.

STEPHANO.
The plants suck in the earth, and are,
With constant drinking, fresh and fair.

VENTOSO.
The sea itself, which, one would think,
Should have but little need of drink,
Drinks ten thousand rivers up,
So fill'd, that they o'erflow the cup.

TRINCALO.
The busy sun (and one would guess,
By's drunken fiery face, no less)
Drinks up the sea, and when h'as done,
The moon and stars drink up the sun.

All.
Earth, seas, sun, moon, and stars do give
Examples how we ought to live.

[Trincalo strikes the bottle after drinking.