The Tempered

Chapter 7

Enter prospero, FERDINAND And Miranda

PROSPERO

FERDINAND

PROSPERO

, to Ferdinand

If I have too austerely punished you,

Your compensation makes amends, for I

Have given you here a third of mine own life,

Or that for which I live; who once again

I tender to thy hand. All thy vexations

Were but my trials of thy love, and thou

Hast strangely stood the test. Here afore heaven

I ratify this my rich gift. O Ferdinand,

Do not smile at me that I boast of her,

For thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise

And make it halt behind her.

I do believe it

Against an oracle.

Then, as my gift and thine own acquisition

Worthily purchased, take my daughter. But

If thou dost break her virgin-knot before

All sanctimonious ceremonies may

With full and holy rite be ministered,

No sweet aspersion shall the heavens let fall

To make this contract grow; but barren hate,

Sour-eyed disdain, and discord shall bestrew

FERDINAND

PROSPERO

Ferdinand and Miranda move aside.

ARIEL

PROSPERO

ARIEL

PROSPERO

ARIEL

The union of your bed with weeds so loathly

That you shall hate it both. Therefore take heed,

As Hymen’s lamps shall light you.

As I hope

For quiet days, fair issue, and long life,

With such love as ’tis now, the murkiest den,

The most opportune place, the strong’st suggestion

Our worser genius can shall never melt

Mine honor into lust to take away

The edge of that day’s celebration

When I shall think or Phoebus’ steeds are foundered

Or night kept chained below.

Fairly spoke.

Sit then and talk with her. She is thine own.

What, Ariel, my industrious servant, Ariel!

Enter Ariel.

What would my potent master? Here I am.

Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service

Did worthily perform, and I must use you

In such another trick. Go bring the rabble,

O’er whom I give thee power, here to this place.

Incite them to quick motion, for I must

Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple

Some vanity of mine art. It is my promise,

And they expect it from me.

Presently?

Ay, with a twink.

Before you can say “Come” and “Go,”

And breathe twice, and cry “So, so,”

Each one, tripping on his toe,

Will be here with mop and mow.

Do you love me, master? No?

PROSPERO

ARIEL

He exits.

PROSPERO

FERDINAND

PROSPERO

Soft music.

IRIS

Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach

Till thou dost hear me call.

Well; I conceive.

, to Ferdinand

Look thou be true; do not give dalliance

Too much the rein. The strongest oaths are straw

To th’ fire i’ th’ blood. Be more abstemious,

Or else goodnight your vow.

I warrant you, sir,

The white cold virgin snow upon my heart

Abates the ardor of my liver.

Well.—

Now come, my Ariel. Bring a corollary

Rather than want a spirit. Appear, and pertly.

No tongue. All eyes. Be silent.

Enter Iris.

Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas

Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and peas;

Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep,

And flat meads thatched with stover, them to keep;

Thy banks with pionèd and twillèd brims,

Which spongy April at thy hest betrims

To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy

broom groves,

Whose shadow the dismissèd bachelor loves,

Being lass-lorn; thy poll-clipped vineyard,

And thy sea marge, sterile and rocky hard,

Where thou thyself dost air—the Queen o’ th’ sky,

Whose wat’ry arch and messenger am I,

Bids thee leave these, and with her sovereign grace,

Here on this grass-plot, in this very place,

CERES

IRIS

CERES

IRIS

To come and sport. Her peacocks fly amain.

Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter Ceres.

Hail, many-colored messenger, that ne’er

Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter;

Who with thy saffron wings upon my flowers

Diffusest honey drops, refreshing showers;

And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown

My bosky acres and my unshrubbed down,

Rich scarf to my proud Earth. Why hath thy queen

Summoned me hither to this short-grassed green?

A contract of true love to celebrate,

And some donation freely to estate

On the blest lovers.

Tell me, heavenly bow,

If Venus or her son, as thou dost know,

Do now attend the Queen? Since they did plot

The means that dusky Dis my daughter got,

Her and her blind boy’s scandaled company

I have forsworn.

Of her society

Be not afraid. I met her deity

Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son

Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have

done

Some wanton charm upon this man and maid,

Whose vows are that no bed-right shall be paid

Till Hymen’s torch be lighted—but in vain.

Mars’s hot minion is returned again;

Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,

Swears he will shoot no more, but play with

sparrows,

And be a boy right out.

CERES

JUNO

JUNO

CERES

FERDINAND

PROSPERO

FERDINAND

Juno and Ceres whisper,

and send Iris on employment.

PROSPERO

Juno descends.

Highest queen of state,

Great Juno, comes. I know her by her gait.

How does my bounteous sister? Go with me

To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be

And honored in their issue.

They sing.

Honor, riches, marriage-blessing,

Long continuance and increasing,

Hourly joys be still upon you.

Juno sings her blessings on you.

Earth’s increase, foison plenty,

Barns and garners never empty,

Vines with clust’ring bunches growing,

Plants with goodly burden bowing;

Spring come to you at the farthest

In the very end of harvest.

Scarcity and want shall shun you.

Ceres’ blessing so is on you.

This is a most majestic vision, and

Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold

To think these spirits?

Spirits, which by mine art

I have from their confines called to enact

My present fancies.

Let me live here ever.

So rare a wondered father and a wise

Makes this place paradise.

Sweet now, silence.

IRIS

PROSPERO

To a strange, hollow, and confused noise,

the spirits heavily vanish.

FERDINAND

MIRANDA

PROSPERO

Juno and Ceres whisper seriously.

There’s something else to do. Hush, and be mute,

Or else our spell is marred.

You nymphs, called naiads of the windring brooks,

With your sedged crowns and ever-harmless looks,

Leave your crisp channels and on this green land

Answer your summons, Juno does command.

Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate

A contract of true love. Be not too late.

Enter certain Nymphs.

You sunburned sicklemen, of August weary,

Come hither from the furrow and be merry.

Make holiday: your rye-straw hats put on,

And these fresh nymphs encounter every one

In country footing.

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited. They join with

the Nymphs in a graceful dance, towards the end

whereof Prospero starts suddenly and speaks.

I had forgot that foul conspiracy

Of the beast Caliban and his confederates

Against my life. The minute of their plot

Is almost come.—Well done. Avoid. No more.

, to Miranda

This is strange. Your father’s in some passion

That works him strongly.

Never till this day

Saw I him touched with anger, so distempered.

, to Ferdinand

You do look, my son, in a moved sort,

As if you were dismayed. Be cheerful, sirFERDINAND/MIRANDA

They exit

PROSPER

ARIE

PROSPER

ARIE

PROSPER

ARIE

Our revels now are ended. These our actors

As I foretold you, were all spirits an

Are melted into air, into thin air

And like the baseless fabric of this vision

The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces

The solemn temples, the great globe itself

Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve

And, like this insubstantial pageant faded

Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuf

As dreams are made on, and our little lif

Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vexed

Bear with my weakness. My old brain is troubled

Be not disturbed with my infirmity

If you be pleased, retire into my cel

And there repose. A turn or two I’ll wal

To still my beating mind

We wish your peace

Enter Ariel

Come with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel. Come

Thy thoughts I cleave to. What’s thy pleasure

Spirit

We must prepare to meet with Caliban

Ay, my commander. When I presented Ceres

I thought to have told thee of it, but I feare

Lest I might anger thee

Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets

I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking

So full of valor that they smote the air

For breathing in their faces, beat the groundPROSPERO

ARIELHe exits

PROSPER

CALIBA

STEPHAN

For kissing of their feet; yet always bendin

Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor

At which, like unbacked colts, they pricked thei

ears

Advanced their eyelids, lifted up their nose

As they smelt music. So I charmed their ear

That, calf-like, they my lowing followed throug

Toothed briers, sharp furzes, pricking gorse, an

thorns

Which entered their frail shins. At last I left the

I’ th’ filthy-mantled pool beyond your cell

There dancing up to th’ chins, that the foul lak

O’erstunk their feet

This was well done, my bird

Thy shape invisible retain thou still

The trumpery in my house, go bring it hithe

For stale to catch these thieves

I go, I go

A devil, a born devil, on whose natur

Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains

Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost

And as with age his body uglier grows

So his mind cankers. I will plague them al

Even to roaring

Enter Ariel, loaden with glistering apparel, etc

Come, hang them on this line

Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo, all wet, a

Prospero and Ariel look on

Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mol

may not hear a footfall. We now are near his cell

Monster, your fairy, which you say is

harmless fairy, has done little better than played thetri culottes

STEPHANIE

Monster, I do smell all horse piss, at which

my nose is in great indignation.

So is mine.—Do you hear, monster. If I

should take a displeasure against you, look you—

Thou wert but a lost monster.

Good my lord, give me thy favor still.

Be patient, for the prize I’ll bring thee to

Shall hoodwink this mischance. Therefore speak

softly.

All’s hushed as midnight yet.

Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool!

There is not only disgrace and dishonor in

that, monster, but an infinite loss.

That’s more to me than my wetting. Yet this

is your harmless fairy, monster!

I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o’er

ears for my labor.

Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here,

This is the mouth o’ th’ cell. No noise, and enter.

Do that good mischief which may make this island

Thine own forever, and I, thy Caliban,

For aye thy foot-licker.

Give me thy hand. I do begin to have bloody

thoughts.

, seeing the apparel O King Stephano, O

peer, O worthy Stephano, look what a wardrobe

here is for thee!

Let it alone, thou fool. It is but trash.

Oho, monster, we know what belongs to a

frippery. He puts on one of the gowns. O King

Stephanie!

Put off that gown, Tri culottes. By this hand,

I’ll have that gown.

He takes a jacket from the tree.

A noise of hunters heard.

PROSPERO

ARIEL

PROSPERO

Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo are driven off.

Thy Grace shall have it.

The dropsy drown this fool! What do you mean

To dote thus on such luggage? Let ’t alone,

And do the murder first. If he awake,

From toe to crown he’ll fill our skins with pinches,

Make us strange stuff.

Be you quiet, monster.—Mistress Line, is

not this my jerkin?

Now is the jerkin under the line.—Now, jerkin, you

are like to lose your hair and prove a bald jerkin.

Do, do. We steal by line and level, an ’t like

your Grace.

I thank thee for that jest. Here’s a garment

for ’t. Wit shall not go unrewarded while I am king

of this country. “Steal by line and level” is an excellent

pass of pate. There’s another garment for ’t.

Monster, come, put some lime upon your

fingers, and away with the rest.

I will have none on ’t. We shall lose our time

And all be turned to barnacles or to apes

With foreheads villainous low.

Monster, lay to your fingers. Help to bear

this away where my hogshead of wine is, or I’ll turn

you out of my kingdom. Go to, carry this.

And this.

Ayo, and this.

Enter divers spirits in shape of dogs and hounds,

hunting them about, Prospero and Ariel setting them on.

Hey, Mountain, hey!

Silver! There it goes, Silver!

Fury, Fury! There, Tyrant, there! Hark, hark!

They exit.

Go, charge my goblins that they grind their joints

With dry convulsions, shorten up their sinews

With agèd cramps, and more pinch-spotted make

them

Than pard or cat o’ mountain.

Hark, they roar.

Let them be hunted soundly. At this hour

Lies at my mercy all mine enemies.

Shortly shall all my labors end, and thou

Shalt have the air at freedom. For a little period of time

Follow and do me service.

They exit.