THE TEMPEST.

ACT III.

Scene ii. Another part of the island.

Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo.

Stephano: [to Trinculo] Tell not me. When the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before. Therefore bear up and board ’em.—Servant monster, drink to me.
Trinculo: 5Servant monster? The folly of this island! They say there’s but five upon this isle; we are three of them. If th’ other two be brained like us, the state totters.
Stephano: Drink, servant monster, when I bid thee. 10Thy eyes are almost set in thy head. Caliban drinks.
Trinculo: Where should they be set else? He were a brave monster indeed if they were set in his tail.
Stephano: My man-monster hath drowned his tongue 15in sack. For my part, the sea cannot drown me. I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty leagues off and on, by this light.—Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard.
Trinculo: Your lieutenant, if you list. He’s no 20standard.
Stephano: We’ll not run, Monsieur Monster.
Trinculo: Nor go neither. But you’ll lie like dogs, and yet say nothing neither.
Stephano: Mooncalf, speak once in thy life, if thou 25be’st a good mooncalf.
Caliban: How does thy Honor? Let me lick thy shoe. I’ll not serve him; he is not valiant.
Trinculo: Thou liest, most ignorant monster. I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou debauched 30fish, thou! Was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I today? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but half a fish and half a monster?
Caliban: Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him, my 35lord?
Trinculo: “Lord,” quoth he? That a monster should be such a natural!
Caliban: Lo, lo again! Bite him to death, I prithee.
Stephano: Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head. 40If you prove a mutineer, the next tree. The poor monster’s my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.
Caliban: I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to harken once again to the suit I made to thee?
Stephano: 45Marry, will I. Kneel and repeat it. I will stand, and so shall Trinculo.

EnterAriel, invisible.

Caliban: [kneeling] As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.
Ariel: 50[in Trinculo’s voice] Thou liest.
Caliban: [to Trinculo] Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou. He stands. I would my valiant master would destroy thee. I do not lie.
Stephano: Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in ’s 55tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.
Trinculo: Why, I said nothing.
Stephano: Mum then, and no more. Trinculo stands aside. Proceed.
Caliban: 60I say by sorcery he got this isle; From me he got it. If thy Greatness will, Revenge it on him, for I know thou dar’st, But this thing dare not.
Stephano: That’s most certain.
Caliban: 65Thou shalt be lord of it, and I’ll serve thee.
Stephano: How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me to the party?
Caliban: Yea, yea, my lord. I’ll yield him thee asleep, Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.
Ariel: 70[in Trinculo’s voice] Thou liest. Thou canst not.
Caliban: What a pied ninny’s this!—Thou scurvy patch!— I do beseech thy Greatness, give him blows And take his bottle from him. When that’s gone, He shall drink naught but brine, for I’ll not show him 75Where the quick freshes are.
Stephano: Trinculo, run into no further danger. Interrupt the monster one word further, and by this hand, I’ll turn my mercy out o’ doors and make a stockfish of thee.
Trinculo: 80Why, what did I? I did nothing. I’ll go farther off.
Stephano: Didst thou not say he lied?
Ariel: [in Trinculo’s voice] Thou liest.
Stephano: Do I so? Take thou that.He beats Trinculo. 85As you like this, give me the lie another time.
Trinculo: I did not give the lie! Out o’ your wits and hearing too? A pox o’ your bottle! This can sack and drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers!
Caliban: 90Ha, ha, ha!
Stephano: Now forward with your tale. To Trinculo. Prithee, stand further off.
Caliban: Beat him enough. After a little time I’ll beat him too.
Stephano: 95Stand farther. Trinculo moves farther away. Come, proceed.
Caliban: Why, as I told thee, ’tis a custom with him I’ th’ afternoon to sleep. There thou mayst brain him, Having first seized his books, or with a log 100Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake, Or cut his weasand with thy knife. Remember First to possess his books, for without them He’s but a sot, as I am, nor hath not One spirit to command. They all do hate him 105As rootedly as I. Burn but his books. He has brave utensils—for so he calls them— Which, when he has a house, he’ll deck withal. And that most deeply to consider is The beauty of his daughter. He himself 110Calls her a nonpareil. I never saw a woman But only Sycorax my dam and she; But she as far surpasseth Sycorax As great’st does least.
Stephano: Is it so brave a lass?
Caliban: 115Ay, lord, she will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood.
Stephano: Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter and I will be king and queen—save our Graces!— and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys.—Dost 120thou like the plot, Trinculo?
Trinculo: Excellent.
Stephano: Give me thy hand. I am sorry I beat thee. But while thou liv’st, keep a good tongue in thy head.
Caliban: 125Within this half hour will he be asleep. Wilt thou destroy him then?
Stephano: Ay, on mine honor.
Ariel: [aside] This will I tell my master.
Caliban: Thou mak’st me merry. I am full of pleasure. 130Let us be jocund. Will you troll the catch You taught me but whilere?
Stephano: At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason.—Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. Flout ’em and cout ’em 135And scout ’em and flout ’em! Thought is free.
Caliban: That’s not the tune. Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.
Stephano: What is this same?
Trinculo: 140This is the tune of our catch played by the picture of Nobody.
Stephano: [to the invisible musician] If thou be’st a man, show thyself in thy likeness. If thou be’st a devil, take ’t as thou list.
Trinculo: 145O, forgive me my sins!
Stephano: He that dies pays all debts.—I defy thee!— Mercy upon us!
Caliban: Art thou afeard?
Stephano: No, monster, not I.
Caliban: 145Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises, Sounds and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments Will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices That, if I then had waked after long sleep, 150Will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming, The clouds methought would open, and show riches Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked I cried to dream again.
Stephano: This will prove a brave kingdom to me, 155where I shall have my music for nothing.
Caliban: When Prospero is destroyed.
Stephano: That shall be by and by. I remember the story.
Trinculo: The sound is going away. Let’s follow it, and 160after do our work.
Stephano: Lead, monster. We’ll follow.—I would I could see this taborer. He lays it on. Wilt come?
Trinculo: I’ll follow, Stephano. Exeunt.