THE TEMPEST.

ACT V.

Scene i. Before the cell of Prospero.

Enter Prospero in his magic robes, and Ariel.

Prospero: 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?
Ariel: On the sixth hour, at which time, my lord, 5You said our work should cease.
Prospero: I did say so When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit, How fares the King and ’s followers?
Ariel: Confined 10together In the same fashion as you gave in charge, Just as you left them; all prisoners, sir, In the line grove which weather-fends your cell. They cannot budge till your release. The King, 15His brother, and yours abide all three distracted, And the remainder mourning over them, Brimful of sorrow and dismay; but chiefly Him that you termed, sir, the good old Lord Gonzalo. 20His tears runs 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 Would become tender.
Prospero: 25Dost thou think so, spirit?
Ariel: Mine would, sir, were I human.
Prospero: And mine shall. Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling Of their afflictions, and shall not myself, 30One 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 35Do 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, 40And they shall be themselves.
Ariel: I’ll fetch them, sir. He exits.

Prospero draws a large circle on the stage with his staff.

Prospero: You elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes, and groves, And you that on the sands with printless foot Do chase the ebbing Neptune, and do fly him 45When 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 mushrumps, that rejoice To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid, 50Weak masters though you 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 55With 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 60I here abjure, and when I have required Some heavenly music, which even now I do, Prospero gestures with his staff. To work mine end upon their senses that This airy charm is for, I’ll break my staff, 65Bury it certain fathoms in the earth, And deeper than did ever plummet sound I’ll drown my book. [Solemn music.] Here enters Ariel before; then 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.A solemn air, and the best comforter 70To an unsettled fancy, cure thy brains, Now useless, boiled within thy skull. There stand, For you are spell-stopped.— Holy Gonzalo, honorable man, Mine eyes, e’en sociable to the show of thine, 75Fall fellowly drops.—The charm dissolves apace, 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, 80My true preserver and a loyal sir To him thou 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.— 85Thou art pinched for ’t now, Sebastian.—Flesh and blood, You, brother mine, that entertained ambition, Expelled remorse and nature, whom, with Sebastian, Whose inward pinches therefore are most strong, 90Would here have killed your king, I do forgive thee, Unnatural though thou art.—Their understanding Begins to swell, and the approaching tide Will shortly fill the reasonable shore That now lies foul and muddy. Not one of them 95That yet looks on me or would know me.—Ariel, Fetch me the hat and rapier in my cell. Ariel exits and at once returns with Prospero’s ducal robes. I will discase me and myself present As I was sometime Milan.—Quickly, spirit, Thou shalt ere long be free. Ariel sings, and helps to attire him.Where the bee sucks, there suck I. 100In 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 105Under the blossom that hangs on the bow.
Prospero: 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. There shalt thou find the mariners asleep 110Under the hatches. The master and the boatswain Being awake, enforce them to this place, And presently, I prithee.
Ariel: I drink the air before me, and return Or ere your pulse twice beat. He exits.
Gonzalo: 115All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement Inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us Out of this fearful country!
Prospero: [to Alonso] Behold, sir king, The wrongèd Duke of Milan, Prospero. 120For more assurance that a living prince Does now speak to thee, I embrace thy body, He embraces Alonso. And to thee and thy company I bid A hearty welcome.
Alonso: 125Whe’er thou be’st 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 130I 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 135Be living and be here?
Prospero: [to Gonzalo] First, noble friend, Let me embrace thine age, whose honor cannot Be measured or confined.
Gonzalo: Whether this be 140Or be not, I’ll not swear.
Prospero: You do yet taste Some subtleties o’ th’ isle, that will not let you Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all. Aside to Sebastian and Antonio. But you, my brace 145of lords, were I so minded, I here could pluck his Highness’ frown upon you And justify you traitors. At this time I will tell no tales.
Sebastian: [aside] The devil speaks in him.
Prospero: [aside to Sebastian] 150No. To Antonio. For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive Thy rankest fault, all of them, and require 155My dukedom of thee, which perforce I know Thou must restore.
Alonso: If thou be’st Prospero, Give us particulars of thy preservation, How thou hast met us here, whom three hours since 160Were wracked upon this shore, where I have lost— How sharp the point of this remembrance is!— My dear son Ferdinand.
Prospero: I am woe for ’t, sir.
Alonso: Irreparable is the loss, and patience 165Says it is past her cure.
Prospero: I rather think You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace, For the like loss, I have her sovereign aid And rest myself content.
Alonso: 170You the like loss?
Prospero: As great to me as late, and supportable To make the dear loss have I means much weaker Than you may call to comfort you, for I Have lost my daughter.
Alonso: 175A daughter? O heavens, that they were living both in Naples, The King and Queen there! That they were, I wish Myself were mudded in that oozy bed Where my son lies!—When did you lose your 180daughter?
Prospero: In this last tempest. I perceive these lords At this encounter do so much admire That they devour their reason, and scarce think Their eyes do offices of truth, their words 185Are natural breath.—But howsoe’er you have Been justled from your senses, know for certain That I am Prospero and that very duke Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most strangely 190Upon this shore, where you were wracked, was landed To be the lord on ’t. No more yet of this. For ’tis a chronicle of day by day, Not a relation for a breakfast, nor 195Befitting this first meeting. To Alonso. Welcome, sir. This cell’s my court. Here have I few attendants, And subjects none abroad. Pray you, look in. My dukedom since you have given me again, I will requite you with as good a thing, 200At least bring forth a wonder to content you As much as me my dukedom. Here Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda, playing at chess.
Miranda: [to Ferdinand] Sweet lord, you play me false.
Ferdinand: No, my dearest love, 205I would not for the world.
Miranda: Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle, And I would call it fair play.
Alonso: If this prove A vision of the island, one dear son 210Shall I twice lose.
Sebastian: A most high miracle!
Ferdinand: [seeing Alonso and coming forward] Though the seas threaten, they are merciful. I have cursed them without cause. [He kneels.]
Alonso: Now, all the 215blessings Of a glad father compass thee about! Arise, and say how thou cam’st here. Ferdinand stands.
Miranda: [rising and coming forward] O wonder! 220How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new world That has such people in ’t!
Prospero: ’Tis new to thee.
Alonso: [to Ferdinand] What is this maid with whom thou wast at play? 225Your eld’st acquaintance cannot be three hours. Is she the goddess that hath severed us And brought us thus together?
Ferdinand: Sir, she is mortal, But by immortal providence she’s mine. 230I chose her when I could not ask my father For his advice, nor thought I had one. She Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan, Of whom so often I have heard renown, But never saw before, of whom I have 235Received a second life; and second father This lady makes him to me.
Alonso: I am hers. But, O, how oddly will it sound that I Must ask my child forgiveness!
Prospero: 240There, sir, stop. Let us not burden our remembrances with A heaviness that’s gone.
Gonzalo: I have inly wept Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you 245gods, And on this couple drop a blessèd crown, For it is you that have chalked forth the way Which brought us hither.
Alonso: I say “Amen,” Gonzalo.
Gonzalo: 250Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice Beyond a common joy, and set it down With gold on lasting pillars: in one voyage Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis, 255And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife Where he himself was lost; Prospero his dukedom In a poor isle; and all of us ourselves When no man was his own.
Alonso: [to Ferdinand and Miranda] Give me your 260hands. Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart That doth not wish you joy!
Gonzalo: Be it so. Amen. Enter Ariel, with the Master and Boatswain amazedly following. O, look, sir, look, sir, here is more of us. 265I prophesied if a gallows were on land, This fellow could not drown. Now, blasphemy, That swear’st grace o’erboard, not an oath on shore? Hast thou no mouth by land? What is the news?
Boatswain: 270The best news is that we have safely found Our king and company. The next: our ship, Which, but three glasses since, we gave out split, Is tight and yare and bravely rigged as when We first put out to sea.
Ariel: [aside to Prospero] 275Sir, all this service Have I done since I went.
Prospero: [aside to Ariel] My tricksy spirit!
Alonso: These are not natural events. They strengthen From strange to stranger.—Say, how came you 280hither?
Boatswain: If I did think, sir, I were well awake, I’d strive to tell you. We were dead of sleep And—how, we know not—all clapped under hatches, 285Where, but even now, with strange and several noises Of roaring, shrieking, howling, jingling chains, And more diversity of sounds, all horrible, We were awaked, straightway at liberty, 290Where we, in all her trim, freshly beheld Our royal, good, and gallant ship, our master Cap’ring to eye her. On a trice, so please you, Even in a dream were we divided from them And were brought moping hither.
Ariel: [aside to Prospero] 295Was ’t well done?
Prospero: [aside to Ariel] Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.
Alonso: This is as strange a maze as e’er men trod, And there is in this business more than nature Was ever conduct of. Some oracle 300Must rectify our knowledge.
Prospero: Sir, my liege, Do not infest your mind with beating on The strangeness of this business. At picked leisure, Which shall be shortly, single I’ll resolve you, 305Which to you shall seem probable, of every These happened accidents; till when, be cheerful And think of each thing well. Aside to Ariel. Come hither, spirit; Set Caliban and his companions free. 310Untie the spell. Ariel exits. How fares my gracious sir? There are yet missing of your company Some few odd lads that you remember not.

Enter Ariel, driving in Caliban,
Stephano, and Trinculo in their stolen apparel.

Stephano: Every man shift for all the rest, and let no 315man take care for himself, for all is but fortune. Coraggio, bully monster, coraggio.
Trinculo: If these be true spies which I wear in my head, here’s a goodly sight.
Caliban: O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed! How 320fine my master is! I am afraid he will chastise me.
Sebastian: Ha, ha! What things are these, my Lord Antonio? Will money buy ’em?
Antonio: Very like. One of them 325Is a plain fish and no doubt marketable.
Prospero: Mark but the badges of these men, my lords, Then say if they be true. This misshapen knave, His mother was a witch, and one so strong That could control the moon, make flows and ebbs, 330And deal in her command without her power. These three have robbed me, and this demi-devil, For he’s a bastard one, had plotted with them To take my life. Two of these fellows you Must know and own. This thing of darkness I 335Acknowledge mine.
Caliban: I shall be pinched to death.
Alonso: Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?
Sebastian: He is drunk now. Where had he wine?
Alonso: And Trinculo is reeling ripe. Where should they 340Find this grand liquor that hath gilded ’em? To Trinculo. How cam’st thou in this pickle?
Trinculo: I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last that I fear me will never out of my bones. I shall not fear flyblowing.
Sebastian: 345Why, how now, Stephano?
Stephano: O, touch me not! I am not Stephano, but a cramp.
Prospero: You’d be king o’ the isle, sirrah?
Stephano: I should have been a sore one, then.
Alonso: [indicating Caliban] 350This is as strange a thing as e’er I looked on.
Prospero: He is as disproportioned in his manners As in his shape. To Caliban. Go, sirrah, to my cell. Take with you your companions. As you look To have my pardon, trim it handsomely.
Caliban: 355Ay, that I will, and I’ll be wise hereafter And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass Was I to take this drunkard for a god, And worship this dull fool!
Prospero: Go to, away!
Alonso: [to Stephano and Trinculo] 360Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.
Sebastian: Or stole it, rather. Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo exit.
Prospero: Sir, I invite your Highness and your train To my poor cell, where you shall take your rest For this one night, which part of it I’ll waste 365With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it Go quick away: the story of my life And the particular accidents gone by Since I came to this isle. And in the morn I’ll bring you to your ship, and so to Naples, 370Where I have hope to see the nuptial Of these our dear-belovèd solemnized, And thence retire me to my Milan, where Every third thought shall be my grave.
Alonso: I long 375To hear the story of your life, which must Take the ear strangely.
Prospero: I’ll deliver all, And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales, And sail so expeditious that shall catch 380Your royal fleet far off. [Aside to Ariel.] My Ariel, chick, That is thy charge. Then to the elements Be free, and fare thou well.—Please you, draw near. They all exit.