The Tempered

Chapter 8

Enter prospero in his magic robes, and Ariel

PROSPERO

ARIEL

PROSPERO

ARIEL

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?

On the sixth hour, at which time, my lord,

You said our work should cease.

I did say so

When first I raised the tempest. Say, my spirit,

How fares the King and ’s followers?

Confined

together

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,

His 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.

His tears runs down his beard like winter’s drops

From eaves of reeds. Your charm so strongly works

’em

PROSPERO

ARIEL

PROSPERO

ARIEL

He exits.

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

PROSPERO

That if you now beheld them, your affections

Would become tender.

Dost thou think so, spirit?

Mine would, sir, were I human.

And mine shall.

Hast thou, which art but air, a touch, a feeling

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

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,

And they shall be themselves.

I’ll fetch them, sir.

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

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 mushrumps, that rejoice

To hear the solemn curfew; by whose aid,

Weak masters though you be, I have bedimmed

The noontide sun, called forth the mutinous winds,

And ’twixt the green sea and the azured vault

Prospero gestures with his staff.

Solemn music.

Set roaring war; to the dread rattling thunder

Have I given fire, and rifted Jove’s stout oak

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

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,

And deeper than did ever plummet sound

I’ll drown my book.

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

To 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,

Fall 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,

My true preserver and a loyal sir

To him thou follow’st, I will pay thy graces

Home, both in word and deed.—Most cruelly

Ariel exits and at once returns

with Prospero’s ducal robes.

ARIEL

PROSPERO

Didst thou, Alonso, use me and my daughter.

Thy brother was a furtherer in the act.—

Thou 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,

Would 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

That yet looks on me or would know me.—Ariel,

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.

sings, and helps to attire him.

Where the bee sucks, there suck I.

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

Under the blossom that hangs on the bow.

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

Under the hatches. The master and the boatswain

Being awake, enforce them to this place,

And presently, I prithee.

ARIEL

He exits.

GONZALO

PROSPERO

He embraces Alonso.

ALONSO

PROSPERO

GONZALO

PROSPERO

I drink the air before me, and return

Or ere your pulse twice beat.

All torment, trouble, wonder, and amazement

Inhabits here. Some heavenly power guide us

Out of this fearful country!

, to Alonso Behold, sir king,

The wrongèd 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.

Whe’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

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?

, to Gonzalo First, noble friend,

Let me embrace thine age, whose honor cannot

Be measured or confined.

Whether this be

Or be not, I’ll not swear.

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

of lords, were I so minded,

SEBASTIAN

PROSPERO

ALONSO

PROSPERO

ALONSO

PROSPERO

ALONSO

PROSPERO

ALONSO

I here could pluck his Highness’ frown upon you

And justify you traitors. At this time

I will tell no tales.

, aside The devil speaks in him.

, aside to Sebastian No.

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

My dukedom of thee, which perforce I know

Thou must restore.

If thou be’st Prospero,

Give us particulars of thy preservation,

How thou hast met us here, whom three hours since

Were wracked upon this shore, where I have lost—

How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—

My dear son Ferdinand.

I am woe for ’t, sir.

Irreparable is the loss, and patience

Says it is past her cure.

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.

You the like loss?

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.

A 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

PROSPERO

MIRANDA

FERDINAND

MIRANDA

ALONSO

Where my son lies!—When did you lose your

daughter?

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

Are 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

Upon 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

Befitting 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,

At least bring forth a wonder to content you

As much as me my dukedom.

Here Prospero discovers Ferdinand and Miranda,

playing at chess.

, to Ferdinand

Sweet lord, you play me false.

No, my dearest love,

I would not for the world.

Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,

And I would call it fair play.

If this prove

A vision of the island, one dear son

Shall I twice lose.

SEBASTIAN

FERDINAND

He kneels.

ALONSO

Ferdinand stands.

MIRANDA

PROSPERO

ALONSO

FERDINAND

ALONSO

PROSPERO

GONZALO

A most high miracle!

, seeing Alonso and coming forward

Though the seas threaten, they are merciful.

I have cursed them without cause.

Now, all the

blessings

Of a glad father compass thee about!

Arise, and say how thou cam’st here.

, rising and coming forward O wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there here!

How beauteous mankind is! O, brave new world

That has such people in ’t!

’Tis new to thee.

, to Ferdinand

What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?

Your eld’st acquaintance cannot be three hours.

Is she the goddess that hath severed us

And brought us thus together?

Sir, she is mortal,

But by immortal providence she’s mine.

I 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

Received a second life; and second father

This lady makes him to me.

I am hers.

But, O, how oddly will it sound that I

Must ask my child forgiveness!

There, sir, stop.

Let us not burden our remembrances with

A heaviness that’s gone.

I have inly wept

ALONSO

GONZALO

ALONSO

GONZALO

BOATSWAIN

Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you

gods,

And on this couple drop a blessèd crown,

For it is you that have chalked forth the way

Which brought us hither.

I say “Amen,” Gonzalo.

Was 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,

And 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.

, to Ferdinand and Miranda Give me your

hands.

Let grief and sorrow still embrace his heart

That doth not wish you joy!

Be it so. Amen.

Enter Ariel, with the Master and Boatswain

amazedly following.

O, look, sir, look, sir, here is more of us.

I 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?

The 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

PROSPERO

ALONSO

BOATSWAIN

ARIEL

PROSPERO

ALONSO

PROSPERO

, aside to Prospero Sir, all this service

Have I done since I went.

, aside to Ariel My tricksy spirit!

These are not natural events. They strengthen

From strange to stranger.—Say, how came you

hither?

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,

Where, 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,

Where 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.

, aside to Prospero Was ’t well done?

, aside to Ariel

Bravely, my diligence. Thou shalt be free.

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

Must rectify our knowledge.

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,

Which to you shall seem probable, of every

These happened accidents; till when, be cheerful

STEPHANO

TRINCULO

CALIBAN

SEBASTIAN

ANTONIO

PROSPERO

CALIBAN

ALONSO

And think of each thing well. Aside to Ariel.

Come hither, spirit;

Set Caliban and his companions free.

Untie 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.

Every man shift for all the rest, and let no

man take care for himself, for all is but fortune.

Coraggio, bully monster, coraggio.

If these be true spies which I wear in my

head, here’s a goodly sight.

O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed! How

fine my master is! I am afraid he will chastise me.

Ha, ha!

What things are these, my Lord Antonio?

Will money buy ’em?

Very like. One of them

Is a plain fish and no doubt marketable.

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,

And 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

Acknowledge mine.

I shall be pinched to death.

Is not this Stephano, my drunken butler?

SEBASTIAN

ALONSO

TRINCULO

SEBASTIAN

STEPHANO

PROSPERO

STEPHANO

ALONSO

PROSPERO

CALIBAN

PROSPERO

ALONSO

SEBASTIAN

Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo exit.

PROSPERO

He is drunk now. Where had he wine?

And Trinculo is reeling ripe. Where should they

Find this grand liquor that hath gilded ’em?

To Trinculo. How cam’st thou in this pickle?

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.

Why, how now, Stephano?

O, touch me not! I am not Stephano, but a

cramp.

You’d be king o’ the isle, sirrah?

I should have been a sore one, then.

, indicating Caliban

This is as strange a thing as e’er I looked on.

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.

Ay, 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!

Go to, away!

, to Stephano and Trinculo

Hence, and bestow your luggage where you found it.

Or stole it, rather.

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

With such discourse as, I not doubt, shall make it

Go quick away: the story of my life

ALONSO

PROSPERO

They all exit.

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,

Where 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.

I long

To hear the story of your life, which must

Take the ear strangely.

I’ll deliver all,

And promise you calm seas, auspicious gales,

And sail so expeditious that shall catch

Your 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.

Now my charms are all o’erthrown,

And what strength I have ’s mine own,

Which is most faint. Now ’tis true

I must be here confined by you,

Or sent to Naples. Let me not,

Since I have my dukedom got

And pardoned the deceiver, dwell

In this bare island by your spell,

But release me from my bands

With the help of your good hands.

Gentle breath of yours my sails

Must fill, or else my project fails,

Which was to please. Now I want

Spirits to enforce, art to enchant,

He exits.

And my ending is despair,

Unless I be relieved by prayer,

Which pierces so that it assaults

Mercy itself, and frees all faults.

As you from crimes would pardoned be,

Let your indulgence set me free.

He Exits.