 | The Virgin Queen |  |
ACT III.
SCENE I.
THE DECK, by moonlight.On one part, Sebastian and Anthonio, walking to and fro; at another, Stephano and Trinculo, at work; Caliban asleep near them: a Mariner, keeping watch.
SEBASTIAN.
Well, sir, how relish you this treatment, pray?
Is not your gentle brother wond'rous kind,
In suff'ring us to pass the chilly night
Thus upon deck, whilst he lies warm below?
ANTHONIO.
O, kind indeed! as you say, wond'rous kind!
A precious sample of fraternal love!
To be dragg'd here at his imperious will,
And left to consort with these wretched slaves!
But, list! yon' mariner, who keeps the watch,
E'en now was singing; let's attend the lay:
It may compose, at least divert our thoughts.
MARINER
SINGS.
Let him think on home no more;
For, of those who tempt the main,
But a part see home again!
To the bottom plung'd and lost!
Seamen, when you quit the shore,
Think on home and friends no more!
High we're mounted, dash'd down low!
'Mong'st the stars now, trembling, peep;
Now explore the yawning deep!
Some arise, some there remain,
Ne'er behold the light again!
Seamen, when you quit the shore,
Think on home and friends no more!
And the heavens smile around:
Even then disease may rage,
Death alike snatch youth and age!
Warfare, famine, fire, and drought,
Millions to their end have brought!
Seamen, when you quit the shore,
Think on home and friends no more!
SEBASTIAN.
This artless ditty has more pow'r to sooth.
Then many an intricate, and labour'd strain.
ANTHONIO.
'Thas calm'd me for the present: let's repose!
[They retire.
STEPHANO.
Well sung, i'faith! though it almost lull'd
me asleep.—Come, Trinculo, have not you
the day will break and wake him.
TRINCULO.
Wake him, quotha? an earthquake could
not wake him—he swallow'd so much sack for
his sleeping draught, that a thunder-clap would
not rouse him: but, there—it's done at last;
do you put it on! and, when we have made
him fast, we may take a nap in safety.
STEPHANO.
On it goes, then;—for, I'm as drowsy as a
dormouse:—come, bully-monster! hold up your
chaps:—now we have caught you napping,
we'll bind you over to your good behaviour.
CALIBAN.
[asleep]
Ho! ho! 'tis heaven! and now I'm blest indeed!
STEPHANO.
By the mass, it's more than I am!—I told you
how it would be, Trinculo; he's waking, and
our labour is all in vain.
TRINCULO.
No, it's only the fumes of the wine, which he
said would make him dream of heaven;—and
he's now raving about it in his sleep.
Say you so? then hush! and let us hear
his account of it.
CALIBAN.
Kiss me again, my star-eyed paragon!
Thy mouth's more sweet than luscious honey-bags!
STEPHANO.
Well said, mooncalf! I wish the monster be
not grown loving.
CALIBAN.
Come with me, swan-skin! and I'll shew thee where
These nails have dug for Prosper a deep pit,
False-surfac'd quaintly with inviting herbs;
Within lurk adders, urchins, scorpions, toads!
That, if i' th' fall the tyrant be not kill'd,
By venom'd bites and stings he'll mad expire!
[The Moon sets.
TRINCULO.
This may be a heavenly dream with savages;
I never heard any thing so diabolical in all my
life! but he's silent now;—snatch the opportunity,
Stephano! and on with the muzzle:—
deep pits! toads, adders, and scorpions! I sweat
like one rid by the night-mare!
Now for it, then!—
[Lightning, Thunder, &c.
TRINCULO.
Hold, hold, Stephano! yonder comes the
devil, sure, in a thunder-cloud!
STEPHANO.
Mercy on us, so it is! what shall we do?
where shall we run?
TRINCULO.
Into the steerage, if the sailors well let
us; or else the cabin.
STEPHANO.
Any where, any where;—down, down!
Exeunt Stephano, Trinculo, and Mariner.
Sycorax descends.
SEBASTIAN.
I' th' name of all that's horrible, what's here?
Some fiend, Anthonio! shall we stand, or fly?
ANTHONIO.
Be it the devil himself I will not budge!
I wish to see and know him.—
Hark! 'twill speak.
SYCORAX.
'Scap'd from the lake of quenchless fire,
And its fell furies' restless ire,
At length I've found my long-lost boy!
But, in what state see I my joy?
A slave! and sleeping on the deck
Of a curst ship I must not wreck!
O, that I might! I'd bear my child
Aloft i'th' air;—with fury wild,
Flame, rive, and wreck the bark beneath!
Between a drown'd and fiery death,
The hesitating wretches view;
Then plunge to hell the burning crew!
CALIBAN.
[waking]
O, Setebos! what a rare dream was this!
To kiss my mistress' honey-dropping lips,
And—day and night! do I yet sleep or wake?
Wing'd like a bat methinks I see my dam!
In dreams I've oft beheld thee, but ne'er thus;
Thou wilt not harm me, Sycorax?—lo, I kneel!
SYCORAX.
Fear not, my son! this very hour
Was Sycorax freed; a spirit of pow'r!
On earth to rule almost divine!
This watry element's not mine.
Unto thy mother's hest accord.
To drive him swiftly in my toil,
By force, or by some subtle guile,
The pilot cause steer straight for land;
There nothing can my power withstand!
A sorceress, at my bidding, there
E'en now his torments doth prepare:
And, to protect thee from annoy,
Invulnerable be, my joy!
[The Sun rises]
ANTHONIO.
Hail, spirit of pow'r! all hail, dread Sycorax!
Deadly as thou, curst Prospero we hate!
Thy preternatural descent have seen,
Thy purpose heard, which we would gladly aid;
If thou disdain'st not, with thy son conjoin'd,
The unask'd help of such weak instruments!
SYCORAX.
Your proffer'd services please well,
Belov'd of Sycorax, and hell!
But I must hence;—the eye of day,
Too curious, 'gins to peer, and play
The spy upon our deeds of night!
See, where the garish lamp of light
No longer o'er th' horizon gleams,
But shoots down fervent, glowing beams,
As swift he heaven's steep hill climbs higher;
Quick drive the fated victim on!
Be careful friends! farewell, my son!
Thy mother now must cleave the air,
T' avoid the sun's detested glare!
SYCORAX
SINGS.
Dusky demons, aid my flight,
From this eye-offending light!
Guide to where the wing'd-mouse flitters,
And the mealy screech-owls hoot,
O'er each baneful herb or root,
That all human joy embitters!
Dusky demons, aid my flight,
From this eye-offending light!
Burthen
, in the Air.
Hurry, hurry, aid her flight,
From this eye-offending light!
Sycorax ascends, amidst Thunder, &c. and the Scene closes.
SCENE II.
THE KING'S CABIN.The Thunder is still heard; and Trinculo and Stephano, crying, without.
TRINCULO and STEPHANO.
For heaven's sake, most mighty king,
prince, duke, and lords, open the cabin door!
Enter Alonso, Prospero, Ferdinand, and Gonzalo, severally.
ALONSO.
What may these clamours and strange portents mean?
GONZALO.
No good, I fear, my liege!—remember, sir,
[to Prospero.]
Your magick power's forgone—then let's beware!
PROSPERO.
Fear nothing, sir! in magick what we lack,
Trusting in him who ne'er the just forsook,
Prudence and fortitude shall now supply!
STEPHANO.
[Without—the thunder still heard.
Oh lord! we shall be devour'd in another
minute—open the door, open the door!
Most merciful and mighty lords, open the
door of your most princely cabin, and save two
miserable wretches from this most devilish devil.
PROSPERO.
[Opens the door.
Trinculo and Stephano enter, and kneel.
Now, sirrahs! why this clamorous outcry here?
And whence this mingled fear and boldness?—speak!
STEPHANO.
Oh, I can't speak! do you, Trinculo.
TRINCULO.
Fear will sometimes make a coward bold! the
sailors had no bowels, so we were forc'd to
crave pity here; to save ourselves from being
devour'd by a spirit, or devil, (I know not
which) that just now appear'd upon deck!
PROSPERO.
A spirit on deck! arise, and let me pass—
ALONSO.
Be careful for your safety, good my lord!
FERDINAND.
Remember Ariel's caution ere we sail'd;—
It may be Sycorax, the monster's dam.
The very same, my lord! I heard the monster
call her dam, and Sycorax;—and a damn'd
Sycorax she is!
Enter the Master of the Ship.
PROSPERO.
How now, ship-master! what's the news with you?
MASTER.
Bad news, in troth, my lord! I fear'd some
ill would come of taking that hellish monster
on board; a devil, I believe, has been
upon deck a plotting with him.
PROSPERO.
Observe me well! go, charge the pilot strait
That, as he would shun death, he land avoid;—
Upon not touching earth our lives depend!
MASTER.
Our lives depend more upon touching
food, I take it, my lord! and a shore we must go,
the first land we can make, or to the bottom;
for not a biscuit is there left on board.
PROSPERO.
What say you, sir! the ship was fully stor'd
For twice our voyage, and number, ere we sail'd.
It was, my lord; but, yon terrible beast, Caliban,
and the confederate lords, have thrown
the whole ship's provision into the sea.
PROSPERO.
Then are we lost, indeed! this foul event
Is hell's contrivance! for the senseless beast
Could ne'er have hit on such a sure device,
T'enmesh us in the snares of that arch-fiend!
GONZALO.
Bear up, good sir! all things may yet go well.
MASTER.
If your highness had not left off your magical
art now—
PROSPERO.
I do almost repent me that I did—
But I foresaw not such a dire mischance!
Yet, will I not despair, nor idly grieve:—
The haggard fiend has here no pow'r to harm;
I'll, therefore, send the beast, her son, on shore,
(Soon as our ship shall near the land arrive)
To gather fruits, or what else he may find
Of wholsome viands:—should he not return
We're rid of him!—I, then, myself will go,
Striving to save, a sacrifice for all!
Exeunt all but Trinculo and Stephano.
TRINCULO.
Why, Stephano! what in the name of hunger, is
to become of us now? the provision all thrown
overboard! and a sort of poor souls like us at
sea, with nothing but ropes' ends to eat, and
salt water to wash'em down with! by the mass,
I shall never grow fat upon such diet!—I feel a
strange gnawing here, already;—for, I supp'd
chiefly on sack last night: hast nothing hid in
a corner, Stephano?
STEPHANO.
Yes, wine in plenty;—if the mischievous
monster have not broke open my locker, and
drunk or spilt the contents.
TRINCULO.
But, hast nothing to eat, boy?
STEPHANO.
Nothing, but sack;—which is meat and drink to
me! and he that can't make a good meal on
that, ought to go hungry all his days!—but,
hark, Trinculo! dost not hear a noise upon
deck?—that bloody-minded savage is roaring
in the hold, for fear of the worst.
TRINCULO.
Oh, lord! what will become of me! in the
middle of the sea, as hungry as a hyena, and not
a morsel of any thing to eat!—at this rate, the
hold won't long hold me! and, for want of
food, I shall myself become food for herrings
and mackrel!
Exeunt.
SCENE III.
THE DECK.Prospero, Alonso, Gonzalo, Adrian and Francisco; opposed to them, Anthonio, Sebastian and Caliban.
PROSPERO.
Call yourselves men no more, vile homicides!
Far worse than brutes; nay, e'en the hell-born monster,
And his infernal dam, you foully join'd,
And tempted to this most unheard-of act!
Rave on,—we care not;—soon your lungs will fail.
CALIBAN.
Ho, ho, ho, ho! I now shall be reveng'd
For all my pinches, stitches, racking cramps!
My unthank'd services, and toilsome tasks!
Bearing huge logs of wood, for needful fire
To dress the meat I first had hunted down;
From the quick freshes fetching wholsome drink;
For luscious shell-fish, or choice callow birds,
Climbing steep craggy cliffs, and brittle boughs;
From which when I have fallen, and gotten hurt,
To heal my wounds thou, tyrant, gave'st me blows!
PROSPERO.
Lying, forgetful, most ungrateful brute!
And you two demi-devils! is it thus
(Complotting with that beast to famish us)
You both requite forgiveness of your crimes?
ANTHONIO.
We would have done't by still much shorter means,
Had we not been o'erheard.
SEBASTIAN.
But, 'tis as well;
You cannot long hold out on empty air.
No more can you, sage sirs! you've wisely done,
Destroying that which soon yourselves will want.
ANTHONIO.
Fret not at that, old greybeard! there's no cause.
We had been dolts indeed, not to preserve
Full plenty for ourselves; tho' none for you!
FERDINAND.
That may, perhaps, be ours! let us, my friends,
Assail the triple knot; and, when subdued,
Teach them the way to fast, as they'd teach us.
CALIBAN.
Try first to master me, weak, stripling boy!
I guard the food, and eke delicious wine;
O'er-cover'd with that now-despised robe!
And, 'less on land ye go in search of more,
Ye, famishing, shall see us glut and gorge,
While, ravenous grown, each other ye devour!
PROSPERO.
Foul hag-seed, hence! down to the hold, begone!
CALIBAN.
Begone thyself, proud tyrant! I'll not budge.
My cruel master thou hast been too long!
I now am thine!—and, if thou disobey'st,
On thy curst flesh will I, tenfold, repay!
PROSPERO.
How now, bold slave! this language to thy lord?
Who, with a word, can strike thee, instant, dead!
CALIBAN.
Thou ly'st! thou can'st not; impotent and vain!
Thy spells, thy charms, yea all thy pow'r is gone:
Which did controul the great and lesser lights,
Subjected spirits, and made me thy slave!
In that same sea thy potent magick storm'd,
Like a dull thing thou drowned'st all thine art!
Now Caliban, more strong, is Prosper's lord;
And thou must him obey, as he did thee.
PROSPERO.
Too true it is, my gentle, suff'ring friends!
Most rash and unadvised was the act,
Which has reduc'd us to this piteous plight;—
I us'd my art to draw you into danger,
And now lack art to set you free again!
ALONSO.
Alas, good sir! I am the cause of all,
And I alone should suffer! had not I
At your expulsion treach'rously conniv'd,
These mischiefs consequent would not have happ'd!
'Tis even so, in sooth! but, let us now
'Gainst our calamities bear up like men!
FERDINAND.
Let us encounter them, nor doubt success!—
Conquest, or death, is the alternative;
Should we, unhappily, of victory fail,
Better than lingering famine instant death!
SEBASTIAN.
Then turn to me, young prince! thou and thy sire!
For Naples' crown a legion would I fight.
ANTHONIO.
And I for Milan! Prospero advance!
FRANCISCO.
Foul traitors, hold! nor thus assail your lords!
ADRIAN.
First conquer us;—we'll die in their defence!
GONZALO.
Loyal, and gallant! we'll confront these fiends;
Nor to the hazard put more precious lives!
Of forty devils were the pow'r combin'd,
Thus would I strive to quell this hell-born beast!
[Gonzalo, striking at Caliban, is seized by him.]
Ho, ho, ho, ho! thy sword is blunt, old man!
Now could I grind thy pithless bones to dust;
Rend ye to shreds, or tread ye into clay!
But, get ye gone!—ye may as soon wound air,
Water, or fire, as charmed Caliban!
The spirit of my dam is strong in me!
Hath callous made me to weak mortals' blows;
And your united force I stand, and dare!
Ho, ho, ho, ho! what, are ye all afeard?
GONZALO.
By'r lakin! I yet never was before;
But my old blood's now curdled in my veins.
PROSPERO.
Put up your swords, good sirs! they're but as straws;
A charmed life, in aid of strength, now given,
This beast hath pow'r to bring us all to nought!
My life alone fell Sycorax doth seek;
And that, to save you, will I gladly yield!
Thou more-than-devil! speak thy dam's behest;
Which, though destruction follow, I obey!
CALIBAN.
Make straight to land, dread Sycorax commands!
What there shall hap I know not;—but, I have hope
My frustrate purpose then will I effect,
And people th' unknown clime with Calibans!
FERDINAND.
Peace, monster, peace! heav'n ne'er will that permit.
PROSPERO.
Patience, my son! my life alone is sought;
And what's a life, compared with chastity,
Connubial crown! we come and go as fast,
As mill-sail shadows course each other o'er
The sunny earth, in swift successive round!
Nor can I perish, but by that decree,
To which who would not chearfully resign!
For land, ho! pilot; fearless I'll ashore,
To prove the utmost malice of the fiend!
Lament not, should I sall;—they are not ills,
Tho' they appear such, righteous heaven wills
THE SCENE CLOSES.
Enter Ariel, meeting other Spirits.
ARIEL.
'Tis done, my pure co-mates! the word is giv'n!
For land! heroically Prosp'ro said;
And even now the vessel swiftly sails
To the enchanted shore it ne'er shall leave:
Where, to his grief, Alonso soon shall find
His daughter, and her moorish lord, enthrall'd
By a vile forc'ress, Hyrca, leagued with Sycorax!
Now is the time to prove, celestial bands!
If hellish fiends to us superior are;—
Long have they vaunted, with their burning breath
To dim and scorch our bright ethereal forms;
To hazard that, without good cause, were fond:
But, now, to shield fair virtue is good cause!
By art, or force, then let's essay the deed;
And to good Prosp'ro's rescue instant fly.—
In phalanx firm, with heav'nly armour dight;
Virtue the word! for virtue strongly fight!
SINGS.
Virtue's the word!
Sound the trumpet of heaven!
Draw th' adamant sword,
Temper'd seven times seven!
To war against hell,
And its votaries quell,
Draw th' adamant sword!
Sound the trumpet of heaven!
Burthen.
Virtue's the word! &c.
| The Virgin Queen | |