The Tempest
Act II, Scene 1

Another part of the island.
- Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Gonzalo, Adrian,
- Francisco, and others.
Gonzalo
1 - 9- Beseech you, sir, be merry; you have cause
- (So have we all) of joy; for our escape
- Is much beyond our loss. Our hint of woe
- Is common: every day some sailor’s wife,
- The masters of some merchant, and the merchant
- Have just our theme of woe; but for the miracle
- (I mean our preservation), few in millions
- Can speak like us. Then wisely, good sir, weigh
- Our sorrow with our comfort.
Alonso
10- Prithee peace.
Sebastian
11- He receives comfort like cold porridge.
Antonio
12- The visitor will not give him o’er so.
Sebastian
13 - 14- Look, he’s winding up the watch of his wit, by and by it
- will strike.
Gonzalo
15- Sir—
Sebastian
16- One. Tell.
Gonzalo
17 - 18- When every grief is entertain’d that’s offer’d,
- Comes to th’ entertainer—
Sebastian
19- A dollar.
Gonzalo
20 - 21- Dolor comes to him indeed, you have spoken truer than you
- purpos’d.
Sebastian
22- You have taken it wiselier than I meant you should.
Gonzalo
23- Therefore, my lord—
Antonio
24- Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue!
Alonso
25- I prithee spare.
Gonzalo
26- Well, I have done. But yet—
Sebastian
27- He will be talking.
Antonio
28 - 29- Which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager, first begins to
- crow?
Sebastian
30- The old cock.
Antonio
31- The cock’rel.
Sebastian
32- Done. The wager?
Antonio
33- A laughter.
Sebastian
34- A match!
Adrian
35- Though this island seem to be desert—
Sebastian
36- Ha, ha, ha!
Antonio
37- So: you’re paid!
Adrian
38- Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible—
Sebastian
39- Yet—
Adrian
40- Yet—
Antonio
41- He could not miss’t.
Adrian
42- It must needs be of subtle, tender, and delicate temperance.
Antonio
43- Temperance was a delicate wench.
Sebastian
44- Ay, and a subtle, as he most learnedly deliver’d.
Adrian
45- The air breathes upon us here most sweetly.
Sebastian
46- As if it had lungs, and rotten ones.
Antonio
47- Or, as ’twere perfum’d by a fen.
Gonzalo
48- Here is every thing advantageous to life.
Antonio
49- True, save means to live.
Sebastian
50- Of that there’s none, or little.
Gonzalo
51- How lush and lusty the grass looks! How green!
Antonio
52- The ground indeed is tawny.
Sebastian
53- With an eye of green in’t.
Antonio
54- He misses not much.
Sebastian
55- No; he doth but mistake the truth totally.
Gonzalo
56 - 57- But the rarity of it is—which is indeed almost beyond
- credit—
Sebastian
58- As many vouch’d rarieties are.
Gonzalo
59 - 61- That our garments, being (as they were) drench’d in the sea,
- hold notwithstanding their freshness and glosses, being
- rather new dy’d than stain’d with salt water.
Antonio
62 - 63- If but one of his pockets could speak, would it not say he
- lies?
Sebastian
64- Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report.
Gonzalo
65 - 67- Methinks our garments are now as fresh as when we put them
- on first in Afric, at the marriage of the King’s fair
- daughter Claribel to the King of Tunis.
Sebastian
68- ’Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in our return.
Adrian
69 - 70- Tunis was never grac’d before with such a paragon to their
- queen.
Gonzalo
71- Not since widow Dido’s time.
Antonio
72- Widow? A pox o’ that! How came that widow in? Widow Dido!
Sebastian
73 - 74- What if he had said “widower Aeneas” too? Good Lord, how you
- take it!
Adrian
75 - 76- “Widow Dido,” said you? You make me study of that. She was
- of Carthage, not of Tunis.
Gonzalo
77- This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
Adrian
78- Carthage?
Gonzalo
79- I assure you, Carthage.
Antonio
80- His word is more than the miraculous harp.
Sebastian
81- He hath rais’d the wall, and houses too.
Antonio
82- What impossible matter will he make easy next?
Sebastian
83 - 84- I think he will carry this island home in his pocket, and
- give it his son for an apple.
Antonio
85 - 86- And sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring forth more
- islands.
Gonzalo
87- Ay.
Antonio
88- Why, in good time.
Gonzalo
89 - 91- Sir, we were talking that our garments seem now as fresh as
- when we were at Tunis at the marriage of your daughter, who
- is now queen.
Antonio
92- And the rarest that e’er came there.
Sebastian
93- Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido.
Antonio
94- O, widow Dido? Ay, widow Dido.
Gonzalo
95 - 96- Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as the first day I wore it?
- I mean, in a sort.
Antonio
97- That ‘sort’ was well fish’d for.
Gonzalo
98- When I wore it at your daughter’s marriage?
Alonso
99 - 106- You cram these words into mine ears against
- The stomach of my sense. Would I had never
- Married my daughter there! For coming thence,
- My son is lost and (in my rate) she too,
- Who is so far from Italy removed
- I ne’er again shall see her. O thou mine heir
- Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
- Hath made his meal on thee?
Francisco
107 - 116- Sir, he may live.
- I saw him beat the surges under him,
- And ride upon their backs. He trod the water,
- Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted
- The surge most swoll’n that met him. His bold head
- ’Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oared
- Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
- To th’ shore, that o’er his wave-worn basis bowed,
- As stooping to relieve him. I not doubt
- He came alive to land.
Alonso
117- No, no, he’s gone.
Sebastian
118 - 122- Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,
- That would not bless our Europe with your daughter,
- But rather loose her to an African,
- Where she, at least, is banish’d from your eye,
- Who hath cause to wet the grief on’t.
Alonso
123- Prithee peace.
Sebastian
124 - 131- You were kneel’d to, and importun’d otherwise
- By all of us, and the fair soul herself
- Weigh’d between loathness and obedience, at
- Which end o’ th’ beam should bow. We have lost your son,
- I fear forever. Milan and Naples have
- More widows in them of this business’ making
- Than we bring men to comfort them.
- The fault’s your own.
Alonso
132- So is the dear’st o’ th’ loss.
Gonzalo
133 - 136- My Lord Sebastian,
- The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness,
- And time to speak it in. You rub the sore,
- When you should bring the plaster.
Sebastian
137- Very well.
Antonio
138- And most chirurgeonly.
Gonzalo
139 - 140- It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
- When you are cloudy.
Sebastian
141- Fowl weather?
Antonio
142- Very foul.
Gonzalo
143- Had I plantation of this isle, my lord—
Antonio
144- He’d sow’t with nettle-seed.
Sebastian
145- Or docks, or mallows.
Gonzalo
146- And were the king on’t, what would I do?
Sebastian
147- Scape being drunk, for want of wine.
Gonzalo
148 - 157- I’ th’ commonwealth I would, by contraries,
- Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
- Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
- Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
- And use of service, none; contract, succession,
- Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;
- No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
- No occupation, all men idle, all;
- And women too, but innocent and pure;
- No sovereignty—
Sebastian
158- Yet he would be king on’t.
Antonio
159- The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning.
Gonzalo
160 - 165- All things in common nature should produce
- Without sweat or endeavor: treason, felony,
- Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine,
- Would I not have; but nature should bring forth,
- Of it own kind, all foison, all abundance,
- To feed my innocent people.
Sebastian
166- No marrying ’mong his subjects?
Antonio
167- None, man, all idle—whores and knaves.
Gonzalo
168 - 169- I would with such perfection govern, sir,
- T’ excel the golden age.
Sebastian
170- ’save his Majesty!
Antonio
171- Long live Gonzalo!
Gonzalo
172- And—do you mark me, sir?
Alonso
173- Prithee no more; thou dost talk nothing to me.
Gonzalo
174 - 176- I do well believe your Highness, and did it to minister
- occasion to these gentlemen, who are of such sensible and
- nimble lungs that they always use to laugh at nothing.
Antonio
177- ’Twas you we laugh’d at.
Gonzalo
178 - 179- Who, in this kind of merry fooling, am nothing to you; so
- you may continue, and laugh at nothing still.
Antonio
180- What a blow was there given!
Sebastian
181- And it had not fall’n flat-long.
Gonzalo
182 - 184- You are gentlemen of brave mettle; you would lift the moon
- out of her sphere, if she would continue in it five weeks
- without changing.
- Enter Ariel invisible, playing solemn music.
Sebastian
185- We would so, and then go a-batfowling.
Antonio
186- Nay, good my lord, be not angry.
Gonzalo
187 - 188- No, I warrant you, I will not adventure my discretion so
- weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?
Antonio
189- Go sleep, and hear us.
- All sleep except Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio.
Alonso
190 - 192- What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes
- Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts. I find
- They are inclin’d to do so.
Sebastian
193 - 196- Please you, sir,
- Do not omit the heavy offer of it.
- It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,
- It is a comforter.
Antonio
197 - 199- We two, my lord,
- Will guard your person while you take your rest,
- And watch your safety.
Alonso
200- Thank you. Wondrous heavy.
- Alonso sleeps.
- Exit Ariel.
Sebastian
201- What a strange drowsiness possesses them!
Antonio
202- It is the quality o’ th’ climate.
Sebastian
203 - 205- Why
- Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not
- Myself dispos’d to sleep.
Antonio
206 - 213- Nor I, my spirits are nimble.
- They fell together all, as by consent;
- They dropp’d, as by a thunder-stroke. What might,
- Worthy Sebastian, O, what might—? No more—
- And yet methinks I see it in thy face,
- What thou shouldst be. Th’ occasion speaks thee, and
- My strong imagination sees a crown
- Dropping upon thy head.
Sebastian
214- What? Art thou waking?
Antonio
215- Do you not hear me speak?
Sebastian
216 - 221- I do, and surely
- It is a sleepy language, and thou speak’st
- Out of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say?
- This is a strange repose, to be asleep
- With eyes wide open—standing, speaking, moving—
- And yet so fast asleep.
Antonio
222 - 224- Noble Sebastian,
- Thou let’st thy fortune sleep—die, rather; wink’st
- Whiles thou art waking.
Sebastian
225 - 226- Thou dost snore distinctly,
- There’s meaning in thy snores.
Antonio
227 - 229- I am more serious than my custom; you
- Must be so too, if heed me; which to do,
- Trebles thee o’er.
Sebastian
230- Well; I am standing water.
Antonio
231- I’ll teach you how to flow.
Sebastian
232 - 233- Do so. To ebb
- Hereditary sloth instructs me.
Antonio
234 - 239- O!
- If you but knew how you the purpose cherish
- Whiles thus you mock it! How, in stripping it,
- You more invest it! Ebbing men, indeed,
- Most often, do so near the bottom run
- By their own fear or sloth.
Sebastian
240 - 243- Prithee say on.
- The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim
- A matter from thee; and a birth, indeed,
- Which throes thee much to yield.
Antonio
244 - 251- Thus, sir:
- Although this lord of weak remembrance, this
- Who shall be of as little memory
- When he is earth’d, hath here almost persuaded
- (For he’s a spirit of persuasion, only
- Professes to persuade) the King his son’s alive,
- ’Tis as impossible that he’s undrown’d,
- As he that sleeps here swims.
Sebastian
252 - 253- I have no hope
- That he’s undrown’d.
Antonio
254 - 259- O, out of that no hope
- What great hope have you! No hope, that way, is
- Another way so high a hope that even
- Ambition cannot pierce a wink beyond,
- But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me
- That Ferdinand is drown’d?
Sebastian
260- He’s gone.
Antonio
261 - 262- Then tell me,
- Who’s the next heir of Naples?
Sebastian
263- Claribel.
Antonio
264 - 272- She that is Queen of Tunis; she that dwells
- Ten leagues beyond man’s life; she that from Naples
- Can have no note, unless the sun were post—
- The Man i’ th’ Moon’s too slow—till new-born chins
- Be rough and razorable; she that from whom
- We all were sea-swallow’d, though some cast again
- (And by that destiny) to perform an act
- Whereof what’s past is prologue, what to come
- In yours and my discharge.
Sebastian
273 - 276- What stuff is this? How say you?
- ’Tis true, my brother’s daughter’s Queen of Tunis,
- So is she heir of Naples; ’twixt which regions
- There is some space.
Antonio
277 - 288- A space whose ev’ry cubit
- Seems to cry out, “How shall that Claribel
- Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis,
- And let Sebastian wake.” Say this were death
- That now hath seiz’d them, why, they were no worse
- Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples
- As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate
- As amply and unnecessarily
- As this Gonzalo; I myself could make
- A chough of as deep chat. O that you bore
- The mind that I do! What a sleep were this
- For your advancement! Do you understand me?
Sebastian
289- Methinks I do.
Antonio
290 - 291- And how does your content
- Tender your own good fortune?
Sebastian
292 - 293- I remember
- You did supplant your brother Prospero.
Antonio
294 - 297- True.
- And look how well my garments sit upon me,
- Much feater than before. My brother’s servants
- Were then my fellows, now they are my men.
Sebastian
298- But, for your conscience?
Antonio
299 - 313- Ay, sir; where lies that? If ’twere a kibe,
- ’Twould put me to my slipper; but I feel not
- This deity in my bosom. Twenty consciences,
- That stand ’twixt me and Milan, candied be they,
- And melt ere they molest! Here lies your brother,
- No better than the earth he lies upon,
- If he were that which now he’s like—that’s dead,
- Whom I with this obedient steel, three inches of it,
- Can lay to bed forever; whiles you, doing thus,
- To the perpetual wink for aye might put
- This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who
- Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest,
- They’ll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;
- They’ll tell the clock to any business that
- We say befits the hour.
Sebastian
314 - 318- Thy case, dear friend,
- Shall be my president: as thou got’st Milan,
- I’ll come by Naples. Draw thy sword. One stroke
- Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest,
- And I the King shall love thee.
Antonio
319 - 321- Draw together;
- And when I rear my hand, do you the like,
- To fall it on Gonzalo.
Sebastian
322- O, but one word.
- They talk apart.
- Enter Ariel, invisible, with music and song.
Ariel
323 - 331- My master through his art foresees the danger
- That you, his friend, are in, and sends me forth
- (For else his project dies) to keep them living.
- Sings in Gonzalo’s ear.
- While you here do snoring lie,
- Open-ey’d conspiracy
- His time doth take.
- If of life you keep a care,
- Shake off slumber, and beware.
- Awake, awake!
Antonio
332- Then let us both be sudden.
Gonzalo
333 - 334- Waking.
- Now, good angels
- Preserve the King!
- Wakes Alonso.
Alonso
335 - 336- Why, how now, ho! Awake? Why are you drawn?
- Wherefore this ghastly looking?
Gonzalo
337- What’s the matter?
Sebastian
338 - 341- Whiles we stood here securing your repose,
- Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing
- Like bulls, or rather lions. Did’t not wake you?
- It struck mine ear most terribly.
Alonso
342- I heard nothing.
Antonio
343 - 345- O, ’twas a din to fright a monster’s ear,
- To make an earthquake; sure it was the roar
- Of a whole herd of lions.
Alonso
346- Heard you this, Gonzalo?
Gonzalo
347 - 352- Upon mine honor, sir, I heard a humming
- (And that a strange one too) which did awake me.
- I shak’d you, sir, and cried. As mine eyes open’d,
- I saw their weapons drawn. There was a noise,
- That’s verily. ’Tis best we stand upon our guard,
- Or that we quit this place. Let’s draw our weapons.
Alonso
353 - 354- Lead off this ground, and let’s make further search
- For my poor son.
Gonzalo
355 - 356- Heavens keep him from these beasts!
- For he is sure i’ th’ island.
Alonso
357- Lead away.
Ariel
358 - 359- Prospero my lord shall know what I have done.
- So, King, go safely on to seek thy son.
- Exeunt.