Scene I

Before Prospero's cell.

[Enter Prospero in his magic robes, and Ariel]

PROSP:

Now does my project gather to a head.
My charms crack not, my spirits obey, and time
Goes upright with his carriage. How's the day?

PROSP:

Now my project comes to a head:
My charms don’t break; my spirits obey, and time
Moves everything along. What time is it?

ARIEL:

On the sixth hour; at which time, my lord,
You said our work should cease.(5)

ARIEL:

Six o’clock, at which time, my lord,
You said our work should end.

PROSP:

I did say so
When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit,
How fares the King and's followers?

PROSP:

I said so
When first I raised the storm. Tell me, my spirit,
How are the King and his followers doing?

ARIEL:

Confined together
In the same fashion as you gave in charge,(10)
Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir
In the lime-grove which weather-fends your cell;
They cannot budge till your release. The King,
His brother and yours, abide all three distracted,
And the remainder mourning over them,(15)
Brimful of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly
Him that you termed, sir, ’the good old lord Gonzalo:
His tears run down his beard like winter's drops
From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly works ’em
That if you now beheld them your affections(20)
Would become tender.

ARIEL:

Confined together
In the same fashion as you told me;
Just as you left them: all prisoners, sir,
In the grove of trees which weatherproofs your dwelling;
They can’t budge until you release them. The king,
His brother, and yours, all three are distracted,
And the remainder mourning over them,
Full to the brim of sorrow and dismay; but mainly
The man you called, sir, “the good old lord, Gonzalo”:
His tears run down his beard, like winter's drops of water
From the leaves of reeds; your spell works so strongly on them,
That if you saw them now, your affections
Would become tender.

PROSP:

Dost thou think so, spirit?

PROSP:

Do you think so, spirit?

ARIEL:

Mine would, sir, were I human.

ARIEL:

Mine would, sir, if I were human.

PROSP:

And mine shall
Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling(25)
Of their afflictions, and shall not myself,
One of their kind, that relish all as sharply
Passion as they, be kindlier moved than thou art?
Though with their high wrongs I am struck to th’ quick,
Yet with my nobler reason ’gainst my fury(30)
Do I take part. The rarer action is
In virtue than in vengeance. They being penitent,
The sole drift of my purpose doth extend
Not a frown further. Go release them, Ariel.
My charms I'll break, their senses I'll restore,(35)
And they shall be themselves.

PROSP:

And mine shall. You, which are only air, have a touch, a feeling
Of their afflictions, and shouldn’t I,
A human like them, that feels all as sharply,
Passion as they do, be moved to be kinder than you are?
Although I am struck to the quick with their high wrongs,
Still I take part with my nobler reason against my fury:
It is more rare to act in virtue than in vengeance: since they are sorry,
The sole drift of my purpose doesn’t extend
A frown further. Go release them, Ariel.
I'll break my spells, I'll restore their senses,
And they shall be themselves again.

ARIEL:

I'll fetch them, sir.

ARIEL:

I'll fetch them, sir.

[Exit]

[Prospero draws a magic circle with his staff]

PROSP:

Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves,
And ye that on the sands with printless foot
Do chase the ebbing Neptune and do fly him(40)
When he comes back; you demi-puppets that
By moonshine do the green sour ringlets make,
Whereof the ewe not bites, and you whose pastime
Is to make midnight mushrooms, that rejoice
To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid,(45)
Weak masters though ye be, I have bedimmed
The noontide sun, called forth the mutinous winds,
And ’twixt the green sea and the azured vault
Set roaring war—to the dread rattling thunder
Have I given fire, and rifted Jove's stout oak(50)
With his own bolt; the strong-based promontory
Have I made shake, and by the spurs plucked up
The pine and cedar: graves at my command
Have waked their sleepers, oped, and let ’em forth
By my so potent art. But this rough magic(55)
I here abjure. And, when I have required
Some heavenly music—which even now I do—
To work mine end upon their senses that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain fathoms in the earth,(60)
And deeper than did ever plummet sound
I'll drown my book. [Solemn music]

[Re-enter Ariel, followed by Alonso, with a frantic gesture, attended by Gonzalo; Sebastian and Antonio in like manner, attended by Adrian and Francisco. They all enter the circle which Prospero had made, and there stand charmed; which Prospero observing, speaks]

[to Alonso] A solemn air, and the best comforter
To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains,
Now useless, boiled within thy skull.(65)
[to Sebastian and Antonio] There stand,
For you are spell-stopped.—
Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,
Mine eyes, even sociable to the show of thine,
Fall fellowly drops. [aside] The charm dissolves apace,(70)
And as the morning steals upon the night,
Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that mantle
Their clearer reason.—O good Gonzalo,
My true preserver, and a loyal sir(75)
To him you follow'st! I will pay thy graces
Home both in word and deed. Most cruelly
Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter.
Thy brother was a furtherer in the act—
Thou art pinched for't now, Sebastian.(80)
[to Antonio] Flesh and blood,
You, brother mine, that entertained ambition,
Expelled remorse and nature; whom, with Sebastian—
Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong,—
Would here have killed your king; I do forgive thee,(85)
Unnatural though thou art. [Aside] Their understanding
Begins to swell, and the approaching tide
Will shortly fill the reasonable shore
That now lie foul and muddy. Not one of them
That yet looks on me, or would know me—Ariel,(90)
Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell:
I will discase me, and myself present
As I was sometime Milan. Quickly, spirit!
Thou shalt ere long be free.

PROSP:

You elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves;
And you that chase the ebbing ocean on the sands
Without leaving a foot print, and run from him
When he comes back; you half-puppets that
Make the green ringlets sour by moonshine,
Where the ewe doesn’t bite; and you whose pastime
Is to make midnight mushrooms that are happy
To hear the curfew sound; by whose aid,—
Weak masters though you are,—I have dimmed
The noontide sun, called the mutinous winds,
And set roaring between the green sea and
The blue sky: I haven given fire to the dreaded
Rattling thunder, and split Jove's stout oak
With his own lightning bolt: I have made the strong-based
Land that stuck out into the ocean shake; and plucked up
The pine and cedar by the roots: at my command, graves
Have awakened the dead, opened the coffins, and
Let them walk out by my so powerful magic. But I here
Renounce this rough magic; and, when I need
Some heavenly music,—which I do, even now,—
To work my end on their senses that
This airy charm is for, I'll break my staff,
Bury it certain miles in the earth,
And I'll throw my book in the sea deeper than
Lead ever measured the depth of water.

A solemn song, and the best comforter
To an unsettled mind, cure for your brains,
Now useless, boiled inside your skull! Stand there,
Because you are stopped from moving by a spell.
Holy Gonzalo, honorable man,
My eyes, even sociable to the show of your eyes,
Cry like yours. The charm dissolves quickly;
And as the morning steals on into the night,
Melting the darkness, so their rising senses
Begin to chase the ignorant fumes that cloud
Their clearer reason.—O good Gonzalo!
My true preserver, and a loyal gentlemen
To him who you follow, I will repay your graces
To the grave, both in word and deed.—You, Alonso,
Most cruelly used me and my daughter:
Your brother was a partner in the act;—
You’re caught now, Sebastian.—Flesh and blood,
You, brother mine, that had so much ambition,
Denied yourself remorse and your nature, who, with Sebastian,—
Whose pinches inside him are, therefore, very strong,—
Would have killed your king here; I forgive you,
Although you are an unnatural thing! Their understanding
Begins to increase, and the approaching tide of understanding
Will shortly fill the reasonable shores of their minds
That are now corrupt and muddy. Not one of them
Looks on me yet, or recognizes me.—Ariel,
Fetch me the hat and knife in my dwelling:—

I will undress, and present myself
As I was sometimes in Milan.—Quickly, spirit;
You shall soon be free.

[Ariel sings and helps to attire him as Duke of Milan]

ARIEL:

Where the bee sucks, there suck I:(95)
In a cowslip's bell I lie;
There I couch when owls do cry.
On the bat's back I do fly
After summer merrily.
Merrily, merrily shall I live now(100)
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.

ARIEL:

Where the bee sucks, there suck I:
In a flower’s bell I lie;
There I sleep when owls cry.
On the bat's back I fly
After summer merrily:
Merrily, merrily I shall live now
Under the blossom that hangs on the branch.

PROSP:

Why, that's my dainty Ariel! I shall miss thee,
But yet thou shalt have freedom—So, so, so.—
To the King's ship, invisible as thou art!(105)
There shalt thou find the mariners asleep
Under the hatches. The Master and the Boatswain
Being awake, enforce them to this place,
And presently, I prithee.

PROSP:

Why, that's my delicate Ariel! I shall miss you;
But yet you shall have freedom;—so, so, so.—
Invisible as you are, go to the king's ship:
There shall you find the sailors asleep
Under the hatches; the master and the officer in charge
Being awake, make them come to this place,
And right now, please.

ARIEL:

I drink the air before me, and return(110)
Or ere your pulse twice beat.

ARIEL:

I drink in the air before me, and return
Before your pulse beats twice.

[Exit]

GONZALO:

All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement
Inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us
Out of this fearful country!

GONZALO:

All torment, trouble, wonder and amazement
Live here. Some heavenly power guide us
Out of this fearful country!

PROSP:

Behold, sir King,(115)
The wrongéd Duke of Milan, Prospero:
For more assurance that a living prince
Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body;
And to thee and thy company I bid
A hearty welcome.(120)

PROSP:

Behold, Sir King,
The wronged Duke of Milan, Prospero.
For more proof that a living prince
Speaks to you now, I embrace your body;
And I bid a hearty welcome
To you and your company.

[He embraces Alonso]

ALONSO:

Whe'er thou beest he or no,
Or some enchanted trifle to abuse me,
As late I have been, I not know. Thy pulse
Beats as of flesh and blood; and, since I saw thee,
Th’ affliction of my mind amends, with which(125)
I fear a madness held me. This must crave,
An if this be at all—a most strange story.
Thy dukedom I resign, and do entreat
Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should Prospero
Be living and be here?(130)

ALONSO:

I don’t know whether you are he or not,
Or some enchanted little thing to abuse me,
As I have lately been: your pulse
Beats as that of flesh and blood; and, since I saw you,
The affliction of my mind makes amends, with which,
I’m afraid, a madness held me: this must need,—
If this is true at all—a most strange story.
I resign your dukedom, and beg
You to forgive my wrongs.—But how is Prospero
Is living and is here?

PROSP:

[to Gonzalo] First, noble friend,
Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot
Be measured or confined. [He embraces Gonzalo]

PROSP:

First, noble friend,
Let me embrace you, whose honor can’t
Be measured or confined.

GONZALO:

Whither this be
Or be not, I'll not swear.(135)

GONZALO:

I won’t swear whether this is
Or is not true.

PROPSP:

You do yet taste
Some subtilties o'th’ isle that will not let you
Believe things certain.—Welcome, my friends all!

[aside to Sebastian and Antonio]

But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,
I here could pluck his highness’ frown upon you(140)
And justify you traitors. At this time
I will tell no tales.

PROPSP:

Yet you taste
Some qualities of the island— that won’t let you
Believe things are real?—Welcome, my friends all:—

But you, my brace of
lords, if I had a mind to,
I could pluck his highness' frown here on you,
And call you traitors with proof: at this time,
I will tell no tales.

SEBASTIAN:

[aside]

The devil speaks in him.

SEBASTIAN:

The devil speaks in him.

PROSP:

No.
[to Antonio] For you, most wicked sir, whom to call(145)
brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive
Thy rankest fault, all of them, and require
My dukedom of thee, which perforce I know
Thou must restore.(150)

PROSP:

No.
Because you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother
Would even infect my mouth, I forgive
Your worst fault, all of them, and require
My dukedom from you, which I know
You must restore to me by necessity.

ALONSO:

If thou beest Prospero,
Give us particulars of thy preservation;
How thou hast met us here, who three hours since
Were wrecked upon this shore; where I have lost—
How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—(155)
My dear son Ferdinand.

ALONSO:

If you are Prospero,
Give us details of how you were saved;
How you have met us here, who were wrecked
On this shore three hours ago, where I have lost,—
How sharp the point of this memory is!—
My dear son Ferdinand.

PROSP:

I am woe for't, sir.

PROSP:

I am very sorry about it, sir.

ALONSO:

Irreparable is the loss, and patience
Says it is past her cure.

ALONSO:

The loss cannot be repaid, and patience
Says it is beyond her cure.

PROSP

I rather think(160)
You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace
For the like loss I have her sovereign aid,
And rest myself content.

PROSP

I rather think
You haven’t sought her help, by whose soft grace,
I have received her royal aid for a similar loss,
And I am at peace.

ALONSO:

You the like loss?

ALONSO:

You a similar loss!

PROSP:

As great to me as late; and supportable(165)
To make the dear loss have I means much weaker
Than you may call to comfort you, for I
Have lost my daughter.

PROSP:

As great to me, as recently; and, to make the dear
Loss tolerable, I have much weaker means
Than you have to comfort you, because I
Have lost my daughter.