Home > The Tempest Text > Act II, Scene I - Page 3

ANTONIO:

A space whose every cubit(295)
Seems to cry out, ‘How shall that Claribel
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(300)
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(305)
For your advancement! Do you understand me?

ANTONIO:

A distance whose every mile
Seems to cry out “How will that Claribel
Send us back to Naples?—Stay in Tunis,
And let Sebastian awake.” —Say this was death
That has now come over them; why, they would be no worse
Than they are now. There is one that can rule Naples
As well as the man who is sleeping, lords that can talk
As much and unnecessarily
As this Gonzalo: I myself could make
Asses of these lords . O, I wish you were of
The same mind as I am! What a sleep this is
For your advancement! Do you understand me?

SEBAST:

Methinks I do.

SEBAST:

I think I do.

ANTONIO:

And how does your content
Tender your own good fortune?

ANTONIO:

And how does your happiness
Advance your own good fortune?

SEBAST:

I remember(310)
You did supplant your brother Prospero.

SEBAST:

I remember
You replaced 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.(315)

ANTONIO:

True.
And look how well my garments fit me;
Much better than before; my brother's servants
Were then my equal; now they wait on me.

SEBAST:

But for your conscience?

SEBAST:

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(320)
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,(325)
To the perpetual wink of 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(330)
We say befits the hour.

ANTONIO:

Yes, sir; where is my conscience? If it were a sore heel,
I would put on my slipper: but I don’t feel
This deity in my heart: twenty consciences
That stand between me and Milan are crystallized
And melt before they hurt me! Your brother sleeps here,
No better than the earth he lies on,
If he really were that which he looks like, dead.
I, with this obedient sword,—three inches of it,—
Can put him to sleep forever; while you, doing the same,
Might put this old bit, this Sir Wisdom, to eternal sleep, he
Who shouldn’t find fault with our actions. For all the rest,
They'll take a suggestion as a cat licks up milk:
They'll turn the clock to any business that
We say is right for the hour.

SEBAST:

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,(335)
And I the King shall love thee.

SEBAST:

Your case, dear friend,
Shall be my authority for what I do: as you go to Milan,
I'll come by Naples. Draw your sword: one stroke
Shall free you from the taxes which you pay,
And I the king shall be devoted to you.

ANTONIO:

Draw together,
And when I rear my hand, do you the like,
To fall it on Gonzalo.

ANTONIO:

Pull out your sword when I do:
And when I raise my hand, you do the same,
So that it falls on Gonzalo.

SEBAST:

O, but one word.(340)

SEBAST:

Oh! Only one word.

[They talk apart]

[Enter Ariel, invisible, with music and song]

ARIEL:

[to Gonzalo] My Master through his art foreess the
danger.
That you, his friend, are in, and sends me forth—
For else his project dies—to keep them living. Through his magic, my master foresees the danger
That you, his friend, are in; and sends me here
To keep you living — because otherwise, his project dies. [Ariel sings in Gonzalo's ear]
While you here do snoring lie,(345)
Open-eyed conspiracy
His time doth take.
If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware.
Awake, awake!(350)

ARIEL:

While you lie here snoring,
Open-eyed Plotting
Takes his time.
If you care about your life,
Shake off slumber, and beware.
Awake! awake!

ANTONIO:

[to Sebastian] Then let us both be sudden.

ANTONIO:

Then let both us be quick.

GONZ:

Now, good angels
Preserve the King.

GONZ:

Now, good angels
Preserve the King!

ALONSO:

[waking] Why, how now? Ho, awake!
[to Antonio and Sebastian] Why are you drawn?(355)
[to Gonzalo] Wherefore this ghastly looking?

ALONSO:

Why, how is it now! Ho, awake! Why are your swords drawn?
Why do you look so ghastly?

GONZ:

What's the matter?

GONZ:

What's the matter?

SEBAST:

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?(360)
It struck mine ear most terribly.

SEBAST:

While we stood here securing your rest,
Just now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing
Like bulls, or rather lions; didn’t it wake you?
It was most terrible to hear.

ALONSO:

I heard nothing.

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.(365)

ANTONIO:

Oh! It was a noise to frighten a monster,
To make an earthquake: sure it was the roar
Of a whole herd of lions.

ALONSO:

Heard you this, Gonzalo?

ALONSO:

Did you hear this, Gonzalo?

GONZ:

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,(370)
That's verily. ’Tis best we stand upon our guard,
Or that we quit this place. Let's draw our weapons.

GONZ:

On my honor, sir, I heard a humming,
And it was a strange one too, which woke me up.
I shook you, sir, and cried; as my eyes opened,
I saw their swords drawn:—there was a noise,
That's true. It’s best to stand our guard,
Or that we leave this place: let's draw our swords.

ALOSNO:

Lead off this ground, and let's make further search
For my poor son.

ALOSNO:

Lead us away from this place: and let's search further
For my poor son.

GONZ:

Heavens keep him from these beasts!(375)
For he is sure i'th’ island.

GONZ:

Heavens protect him from these beasts!
Because he is surely on the island.

ALONSO:

Lead away.

ALONSO:

Lead us away.

[Exeunt all but Ariel]

ARIEL:

Prospero my lord shall know what I have done.
So, King, go safely on to seek thy son.

ARIEL:

Prospero my lord shall know what I have done: So, King, go safely on to look for your son.

[Exit]