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The Tempest - Act 2, scene 1
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The Tempest - Act 2, scene 1Act 2, scene 1
Scene 1
Synopsis:
King Alonso and his entourage wander the island in search of Ferdinand. Gonzalo tries unsuccessfully to encourage hope in Alonso of Ferdinand’s survival. Then Ariel, invisible, charms asleep all but Antonio and Sebastian. Antonio seizes the occasion to persuade Sebastian to kill King Alonso and Gonzalo and take the throne of Naples. Ariel, invisible, returns to awake Gonzalo, who wakes the rest. They resume their search.
Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian,Francisco, and others.
GONZALO, ⌜to Alonso⌝
0685 Beseech you, sir, be merry. You have cause—
0686 So have we all—of joy, for our escape
0687 Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe
0688 Is common; every day some sailor’s wife,
0689 5 The masters of some merchant, and the merchant
0690 Have just our theme of woe. But for the miracle—
0691 I mean our preservation—few in millions
0692 Can speak like us. Then wisely, good sir, weigh
0693 Our sorrow with our comfort.
ALONSO 0694 10 Prithee, peace.
SEBASTIAN, ⌜aside to Antonio⌝ 0695 He receives comfort like
0696 cold porridge.
ANTONIO 0697 The visitor will not give him o’er so.
SEBASTIAN 0698 Look, he’s winding up the watch of his wit.
0699 15 By and by it will strike.
GONZALO, ⌜to Alonso⌝ 0700 Sir—
SEBASTIAN 0701 One. Tell.
GONZALO 0702 When every grief is entertained that’s offered,
0703 comes to th’ entertainer—
SEBASTIAN 0704 20A dollar.
GONZALO 0705 Dolor comes to him indeed. You have spoken
0706 truer than you purposed.
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55
SEBASTIAN
0707
You have taken it wiselier than I meant you0708 should.
GONZALO, ⌜to Alonso⌝ 0709 25Therefore, my lord—
ANTONIO 0710 Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue.
ALONSO, ⌜to Gonzalo⌝ 0711 I prithee, spare.
GONZALO 0712 Well, I have done. But yet—
SEBASTIAN, ⌜aside to Antonio⌝ 0713 He will be talking.
ANTONIO, ⌜aside to Sebastian⌝ 0714 30Which, of he or Adrian,
0715 for a good wager, first begins to crow?
SEBASTIAN 0716 The old cock.
ANTONIO 0717 The cockerel.
SEBASTIAN 0718 Done. The wager?
ANTONIO 0719 35A laughter.
SEBASTIAN 0720 A match!
ADRIAN 0721 Though this island seem to be desert—
⌜ANTONIO⌝ 0722 Ha, ha, ha.
⌜SEBASTIAN⌝ 0723 So. You’re paid.
ADRIAN 0724 40Uninhabitable and almost inaccessible—
SEBASTIAN 0725 Yet—
ADRIAN 0726 Yet—
ANTONIO 0727 He could not miss ’t.
ADRIAN 0728 It must needs be of subtle, tender, and delicate
0729 45 temperance.
ANTONIO 0730 Temperance was a delicate wench.
SEBASTIAN 0731 Ay, and a subtle, as he most learnedly
0732 delivered.
ADRIAN 0733 The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
SEBASTIAN 0734 50As if it had lungs, and rotten ones.
ANTONIO 0735 Or as ’twere perfumed by a fen.
GONZALO 0736 Here is everything advantageous to life.
ANTONIO 0737 True, save means to live.
SEBASTIAN 0738 Of that there’s none, or little.
GONZALO 0739 55How lush and lusty the grass looks! How
0740 green!
ANTONIO 0741 The ground indeed is tawny.
SEBASTIAN 0742 With an eye of green in ’t.
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57
ANTONIO
0743
He misses not much.SEBASTIAN 0744 60No, he doth but mistake the truth totally.
GONZALO 0745 But the rarity of it is, which is indeed almost
0746 beyond credit—
SEBASTIAN 0747 As many vouched rarities are.
GONZALO 0748 That our garments, being, as they were,
0749 65 drenched in the sea, hold notwithstanding their
0750 freshness and ⌜gloss,⌝ being rather new-dyed than
0751 stained with salt water.
ANTONIO 0752 If but one of his pockets could speak, would
0753 it not say he lies?
SEBASTIAN 0754 70Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report.
GONZALO 0755 Methinks our garments are now as fresh as
0756 when we put them on first in Afric, at the marriage
0757 of the King’s fair daughter Claribel to the King of
0758 Tunis.
SEBASTIAN 0759 75’Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper
0760 well in our return.
ADRIAN 0761 Tunis was never graced before with such a
0762 paragon to their queen.
GONZALO 0763 Not since widow Dido’s time.
ANTONIO 0764 80Widow? A pox o’ that! How came that “widow”
0765 in? Widow Dido!
SEBASTIAN 0766 What if he had said “widower Aeneas” too?
0767 Good Lord, how you take it!
ADRIAN, ⌜to Gonzalo⌝ 0768 “Widow Dido,” said you? You
0769 85 make me study of that. She was of Carthage, not of
0770 Tunis.
GONZALO 0771 This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
ADRIAN 0772 Carthage?
GONZALO 0773 I assure you, Carthage.
ANTONIO 0774 90His word is more than the miraculous harp.
SEBASTIAN 0775 He hath raised the wall, and houses too.
ANTONIO 0776 What impossible matter will he make easy
0777 next?
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59
SEBASTIAN
0778
I think he will carry this island home in his0779 95 pocket and give it his son for an apple.
ANTONIO 0780 And sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring
0781 forth more islands.
GONZALO 0782 Ay.
ANTONIO 0783 Why, in good time.
GONZALO, ⌜to Alonso⌝ 0784 100Sir, we were talking that our
0785 garments seem now as fresh as when we were at
0786 Tunis at the marriage of your daughter, who is now
0787 queen.
ANTONIO 0788 And the rarest that e’er came there.
SEBASTIAN 0789 105Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido.
ANTONIO 0790 O, widow Dido? Ay, widow Dido.
GONZALO, ⌜to Alonso⌝ 0791 Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as
0792 the first day I wore it? I mean, in a sort.
ANTONIO 0793 That “sort” was well fished for.
GONZALO, ⌜to Alonso⌝ 0794 110When I wore it at your daughter’s
0795 marriage.
ALONSO
0796 You cram these words into mine ears against
0797 The stomach of my sense. Would I had never
0798 Married my daughter there, for coming thence
0799 115 My son is lost, and, in my rate, she too,
0800 Who is so far from Italy removed
0801 I ne’er again shall see her.—O, thou mine heir
0802 Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
0803 Hath made his meal on thee?
FRANCISCO 0804 120 Sir, he may live.
0805 I saw him beat the surges under him
0806 And ride upon their backs. He trod the water,
0807 Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted
0808 The surge most swoll’n that met him. His bold head
0809 125 ’Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oared
0810 Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
0811 To th’ shore, that o’er his wave-worn basis bowed,
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0812
As stooping to relieve him. I not doubt0813 He came alive to land.
ALONSO 0814 130 No, no, he’s gone.
SEBASTIAN
0815 Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,
0816 That would not bless our Europe with your daughter,
0817 But rather lose her to an African,
0818 Where she at least is banished from your eye,
0819 135 Who hath cause to wet the grief on ’t.
ALONSO 0820 Prithee, peace.
SEBASTIAN
0821 You were kneeled to and importuned otherwise
0822 By all of us; and the fair soul herself
0823 Weighed between loathness and obedience at
0824 140 Which end o’ th’ beam should bow. We have lost
0825 your son,
0826 I fear, forever. Milan and Naples have
0827 More widows in them of this business’ making
0828 Than we bring men to comfort them.
0829 145 The fault’s your own.
ALONSO 0830 So is the dear’st o’ th’ loss.
GONZALO 0831 My lord Sebastian,
0832 The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness
0833 And time to speak it in. You rub the sore
0834 150 When you should bring the plaster.
SEBASTIAN 0835 Very well.
ANTONIO 0836 And most chirurgeonly.
GONZALO, ⌜to Alonso⌝
0837 It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
0838 When you are cloudy.
SEBASTIAN 0839 155 Foul weather?
ANTONIO 0840 Very foul.
GONZALO
0841 Had I plantation of this isle, my lord—
ANTONIO
0842 He’d sow ’t with nettle seed.
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63
SEBASTIAN
0843
Or docks, or mallows.GONZALO
0844 160 And were the king on ’t, what would I do?
SEBASTIAN 0845 Scape being drunk, for want of wine.
GONZALO
0846 I’ th’ commonwealth I would by contraries
0847 Execute all things, for no kind of traffic
0848 Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
0849 165 Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
0850 And use of service, none; contract, succession,
0851 Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;
0852 No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
0853 No occupation; all men idle, all,
0854 170 And women too, but innocent and pure;
0855 No sovereignty—
SEBASTIAN 0856 Yet he would be king on ’t.
ANTONIO 0857 The latter end of his commonwealth forgets
0858 the beginning.
GONZALO
0859 175 All things in common nature should produce
0860 Without sweat or endeavor; treason, felony,
0861 Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine
0862 Would I not have; but nature should bring forth
0863 Of its own kind all foison, all abundance,
0864 180 To feed my innocent people.
SEBASTIAN 0865 No marrying ’mong his subjects?
ANTONIO 0866 None, man, all idle: whores and knaves.
GONZALO
0867 I would with such perfection govern, sir,
0868 T’ excel the Golden Age.
SEBASTIAN 0869 185 ’Save his Majesty!
ANTONIO
0870 Long live Gonzalo!
GONZALO 0871 And do you mark me, sir?
ALONSO
0872 Prithee, no more. Thou dost talk nothing to me.
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65
GONZALO
0873
I do well believe your Highness, and did it to0874 190 minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are of
0875 such sensible and nimble lungs that they always use
0876 to laugh at nothing.
ANTONIO 0877 ’Twas you we laughed at.
GONZALO 0878 Who in this kind of merry fooling am
0879 195 nothing to you. So you may continue, and laugh at
0880 nothing still.
ANTONIO 0881 What a blow was there given!
SEBASTIAN 0882 An it had not fallen flatlong.
GONZALO 0883 You are gentlemen of brave mettle. You
0884 200 would lift the moon out of her sphere if she would
0885 continue in it five weeks without changing.
Enter Ariel ⌜invisible,⌝ playing solemn music.
SEBASTIAN 0886 We would so, and then go a-batfowling.
ANTONIO, ⌜to Gonzalo⌝ 0887 Nay, good my lord, be not angry.
GONZALO 0888 No, I warrant you, I will not adventure my
0889 205 discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep?
0890 For I am very heavy.
ANTONIO 0891 Go sleep, and hear us.
⌜All sink down asleep except Alonso,
Antonio, and Sebastian.⌝
ALONSO
0892 What, all so soon asleep? I wish mine eyes
0893 Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts. I find
0894 210 They are inclined to do so.
SEBASTIAN 0895 Please you, sir,
0896 Do not omit the heavy offer of it.
0897 It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,
0898 It is a comforter.
ANTONIO 0899 215 We two, my lord,
0900 Will guard your person while you take your rest,
0901 And watch your safety.
ALONSO 0902 Thank you. Wondrous heavy.
⌜Alonso sleeps. Ariel exits.⌝
p.
67
SEBASTIAN 0903 What a strange drowsiness possesses them!
ANTONIO
0904 220 It is the quality o’ th’ climate.
SEBASTIAN 0905 Why
0906 Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find
0907 Not myself disposed to sleep.
ANTONIO 0908 Nor I. My spirits are nimble.
0909 225 They fell together all, as by consent.
0910 They dropped as by a thunderstroke. What might,
0911 Worthy Sebastian, O, what might—? No more.
0912 And yet methinks I see it in thy face
0913 What thou shouldst be. Th’ occasion speaks thee, and
0914 230 My strong imagination sees a crown
0915 Dropping upon thy head.
SEBASTIAN 0916 What, art thou waking?
ANTONIO
0917 Do you not hear me speak?
SEBASTIAN 0918 I do, and surely
0919 235 It is a sleepy language, and thou speak’st
0920 Out of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say?
0921 This is a strange repose, to be asleep
0922 With eyes wide open—standing, speaking, moving—
0923 And yet so fast asleep.
ANTONIO 0924 240 Noble Sebastian,
0925 Thou let’st thy fortune sleep, die rather, wink’st
0926 Whiles thou art waking.
SEBASTIAN 0927 Thou dost snore distinctly.
0928 There’s meaning in thy snores.
ANTONIO
0929 245 I am more serious than my custom. You
0930 Must be so too, if heed me; which to do
0931 Trebles thee o’er.
SEBASTIAN 0932 Well, I am standing water.
ANTONIO
0933 I’ll teach you how to flow.
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69
SEBASTIAN
0934
250 Do so. To ebb0935 Hereditary sloth instructs me.
ANTONIO 0936 O,
0937 If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
0938 Whiles thus you mock it, how in stripping it
0939 255 You more invest it. Ebbing men indeed
0940 Most often do so near the bottom run
0941 By their own fear or sloth.
SEBASTIAN 0942 Prithee, say on.
0943 The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
0944 260 A matter from thee, and a birth indeed
0945 Which throes thee much to yield.
ANTONIO 0946 Thus, sir:
0947 Although this lord of weak remembrance—this,
0948 Who shall be of as little memory
0949 265 When he is earthed—hath here almost persuaded—
0950 For he’s a spirit of persuasion, only
0951 Professes to persuade—the King his son’s alive,
0952 ’Tis as impossible that he’s undrowned
0953 As he that sleeps here swims.
SEBASTIAN 0954 270 I have no hope
0955 That he’s undrowned.
ANTONIO 0956 O, out of that no hope
0957 What great hope have you! No hope that way is
0958 Another way so high a hope that even
0959 275 Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,
0960 But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me
0961 That Ferdinand is drowned?
SEBASTIAN 0962 He’s gone.
ANTONIO 0963 Then tell me,
0964 280 Who’s the next heir of Naples?
SEBASTIAN 0965 Claribel.
ANTONIO
0966 She that is Queen of Tunis; she that dwells
0967 Ten leagues beyond man’s life; she that from Naples
0968 Can have no note, unless the sun were post—
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71
0969
285 The man i’ th’ moon’s too slow—till newborn chins0970 Be rough and razorable; she that from whom
0971 We all were sea-swallowed, though some cast again,
0972 And by that destiny to perform an act
0973 Whereof what’s past is prologue, what to come
0974 290 In yours and my discharge.
SEBASTIAN 0975 What stuff is this? How say you?
0976 ’Tis true my brother’s daughter’s Queen of Tunis,
0977 So is she heir of Naples, ’twixt which regions
0978 There is some space.
ANTONIO 0979 295 A space whose ev’ry cubit
0980 Seems to cry out “How shall that Claribel
0981 Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis
0982 And let Sebastian wake.” Say this were death
0983 That now hath seized them, why, they were no worse
0984 300 Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples
0985 As well as he that sleeps, lords that can prate
0986 As amply and unnecessarily
0987 As this Gonzalo. I myself could make
0988 A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore
0989 305 The mind that I do, what a sleep were this
0990 For your advancement! Do you understand me?
SEBASTIAN
0991 Methinks I do.
ANTONIO 0992 And how does your content
0993 Tender your own good fortune?
SEBASTIAN 0994 310 I remember
0995 You did supplant your brother Prospero.
ANTONIO 0996 True,
0997 And look how well my garments sit upon me,
0998 Much feater than before. My brother’s servants
0999 315 Were then my fellows; now they are my men.
SEBASTIAN 1000 But, for your conscience?
ANTONIO
1001 Ay, sir, where lies that? If ’twere a kibe,
1002 ’Twould put me to my slipper, but I feel not
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1003
This deity in my bosom. Twenty consciences1004 320 That stand ’twixt me and Milan, candied be they
1005 And melt ere they molest! Here lies your brother,
1006 No better than the earth he lies upon.
1007 If he were that which now he’s like—that’s dead—
1008 Whom I with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
1009 325 Can lay to bed forever; whiles you, doing thus,
1010 To the perpetual wink for aye might put
1011 This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
1012 Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
1013 They’ll take suggestion as a cat laps milk.
1014 330 They’ll tell the clock to any business that
1015 We say befits the hour.
SEBASTIAN 1016 Thy case, dear friend,
1017 Shall be my precedent: as thou got’st Milan,
1018 I’ll come by Naples. Draw thy sword. One stroke
1019 335 Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest,
1020 And I the King shall love thee.
ANTONIO 1021 Draw together,
1022 And when I rear my hand, do you the like
1023 To fall it on Gonzalo.⌜They draw their swords.⌝
SEBASTIAN 1024 340 O, but one word.
⌜They talk apart.⌝
Enter Ariel, ⌜invisible,⌝ with music and song.
ARIEL, ⌜to the sleeping Gonzalo⌝
1025 My master through his art foresees the danger
1026 That you, his friend, are in, and sends me forth—
1027 For else his project dies—to keep them living.
Sings in Gonzalo’s ear:
1028 While you here do snoring lie,
1029 345 Open-eyed conspiracy
1030 His time doth take.
1031 If of life you keep a care,
1032 Shake off slumber and beware.
1033 Awake, awake!
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ANTONIO, ⌜to Sebastian⌝
1034
350Then let us both be sudden.GONZALO, ⌜waking⌝ 1035 Now, good angels preserve the
1036 King!⌜He wakes Alonso.⌝
ALONSO, ⌜to Sebastian⌝
1037 Why, how now, ho! Awake? Why are you drawn?
1038 Wherefore this ghastly looking?
GONZALO, ⌜to Sebastian⌝ 1039 355 What’s the matter?
SEBASTIAN
1040 Whiles we stood here securing your repose,
1041 Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing
1042 Like bulls, or rather lions. Did ’t not wake you?
1043 It struck mine ear most terribly.
ALONSO 1044 360 I heard nothing.
ANTONIO
1045 O, ’twas a din to fright a monster’s ear,
1046 To make an earthquake. Sure, it was the roar
1047 Of a whole herd of lions.
ALONSO 1048 Heard you this, Gonzalo?
GONZALO
1049 365 Upon mine honor, sir, I heard a humming,
1050 And that a strange one too, which did awake me.
1051 I shaked you, sir, and cried. As mine eyes opened,
1052 I saw their weapons drawn. There was a noise,
1053 That’s verily. ’Tis best we stand upon our guard,
1054 370 Or that we quit this place. Let’s draw our weapons.
ALONSO
1055 Lead off this ground, and let’s make further search
1056 For my poor son.
GONZALO 1057 Heavens keep him from these beasts,
1058 For he is, sure, i’ th’ island.
ALONSO 1059 375 Lead away.
ARIEL, ⌜aside⌝
1060 Prospero my lord shall know what I have done.
1061 So, king, go safely on to seek thy son.
They exit.