READ STUDY GUIDE: Act II, scene i |
|
Act II, Scene i:
Another part of the island
Another part of the island
| [Enter ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, ANTONIO, GONZALO, ADRIAN, FRANCISCO, and OTHERS] |
| GONZALO : |
| 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 : |
| Prithee, peace. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| He receives comfort like cold porridge. |
| ANTONIO : |
| The visitor will not give him o'er so. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Look, he's winding up the watch of his wit; by |
| and by it will strike. |
| GONZALO : |
| Sir,— |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| One: tell. |
| GONZALO : |
| When every grief is entertain'd that's offer'd, |
| Comes to the entertainer— |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| A dollar. |
| GONZALO : |
| Dolour comes to him, indeed: you have spoken |
| truer than you purposed. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| You have taken it wiselier than I meant you should. |
| GONZALO : |
| Therefore, my lord,— |
| ANTONIO : |
| Fie, what a spendthrift is he of his tongue! |
| ALONSO : |
| I prithee, spare. |
| GONZALO : |
| Well, I have done: but yet— |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| He will be talking. |
| ANTONIO : |
| Which, of he or Adrian, for a good wager, first |
| begins to crow? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| The old cock. |
| ANTONIO : |
| The cockerel. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Done. The wager? |
| ANTONIO : |
| A laughter. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| A match! |
| ADRIAN : |
| Though this island seem to be desert,— |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Ha, ha, ha! So, you're paid. |
| ADRIAN : |
| Uninhabitable, and almost inaccessible,— |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Yet— |
| ADRIAN : |
| Yet— |
| ANTONIO : |
| He could not miss it. |
| ADRIAN : |
| It must needs be of subtle, tender, and delicate |
| temperance. |
| ANTONIO : |
| Temperance was a delicate wench. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Ay, and a subtle; as he most learnedly delivered. |
| ADRIAN : |
| The air breathes upon us here most sweetly. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| As if it had lungs, and rotten ones. |
| ANTONIO : |
| Or, as 'twere perfum'd by a fen. |
| GONZALO : |
| Here is everything advantageous to life. |
| ANTONIO : |
| True; save means to live. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Of that there's none, or little. |
| GONZALO : |
| How lush and lusty the grass looks! how green! |
| ANTONIO : |
| The ground indeed is tawny. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| With an eye of green in't. |
| ANTONIO : |
| He misses not much. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| No; he doth but mistake the truth totally. |
| GONZALO : |
| But the rarity of it is,—which is indeed almost |
| beyond credit,— |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| As many vouch'd rarities are. |
| GONZALO : |
| That our garments, being, as they were, drenched |
| in the sea, hold notwithstanding their freshness and |
| glosses, being rather new-dyed than stain'd with salt |
| water. |
| ANTONIO : |
| If but one of his pockets could speak, would it |
| not say he lies? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report. |
| GONZALO : |
| 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 : |
| 'Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in our return. |
| ADRIAN : |
| Tunis was never graced before with such a paragon |
| to their queen. |
| GONZALO : |
| Not since widow Dido's time. |
| ANTONIO : |
| Widow! a pox o' that! How came that widow in? Widow Dido! |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| What if he had said, widower Aeneas too? |
| Good Lord, how you take it! |
| ADRIAN : |
| Widow Dido said you? You make me study of that; she was of |
| Carthage, not of Tunis. |
| GONZALO : |
| This Tunis, sir, was Carthage. |
| ADRIAN : |
| Carthage? |
| GONZALO : |
| I assure you, Carthage. |
| ANTONIO : |
| His word is more than the miraculous harp. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| He hath rais'd the wall, and houses too. |
| ANTONIO : |
| What impossible matter will he make easy next? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| I think he will carry this island home in his |
| pocket, and give it his son for an apple. |
| ANTONIO : |
| And, sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring |
| forth more islands. |
| ALONSO : |
| Ay. |
| ANTONIO : |
| Why, in good time. |
| GONZALO : |
| [To ALONSO.] 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 : |
| And the rarest that e'er came there. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido. |
| ANTONIO : |
| O! widow Dido; ay, widow Dido. |
| GONZALO : |
| Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as the first day I |
| wore it? I mean, in a sort. |
| ANTONIO : |
| That sort was well fish'd for. |
| GONZALO : |
| When I wore it at your daughter's marriage? |
| ALONSO : |
| 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 remov'd, |
| 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 : |
| 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 swoln that met him: his bold head |
| 'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oar'd |
| 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 : |
| No, no; he's gone. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss, |
| That would not bless our Europe with your daughter, |
| But rather lose her to an African; |
| Where she, at least, is banish'd from your eye, |
| Who hath cause to wet the grief on't. |
| ALONSO : |
| Prithee, peace. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| 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, for ever: 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 : |
| So is the dearest of the loss. |
| GONZALO : |
| 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 : |
| Very well. |
| ANTONIO : |
| And most chirurgeonly. |
| GONZALO : |
| It is foul weather in us all, good sir, |
| When you are cloudy. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Foul weather? |
| ANTONIO : |
| Very foul. |
| GONZALO : |
| Had I plantation of this isle, my lord,— |
| ANTONIO : |
| He'd sow 't with nettle-seed. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Or docks, or mallows. |
| GONZALO : |
| And were the king on't, what would I do? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| 'Scape being drunk for want of wine. |
| GONZALO : |
| I' the 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 : |
| Yet he would be king on't. |
| ANTONIO : |
| The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning. |
| GONZALO : |
| All things in common nature should produce |
| Without sweat or endeavour; 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 : |
| No marrying 'mong his subjects? |
| ANTONIO : |
| None, man: all idle; whores and knaves. |
| GONZALO : |
| I would with such perfection govern, sir, |
| To excel the golden age. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Save his Majesty! |
| ANTONIO : |
| Long live Gonzalo! |
| GONZALO : |
| And,—do you mark me, sir? |
| ALONSO : |
| Prithee, no more: thou dost talk nothing to me. |
| GONZALO : |
| 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 : |
| 'Twas you we laugh'd at. |
| GONZALO : |
| Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to |
| you; so you may continue, and laugh at nothing still. |
| ANTONIO : |
| What a blow was there given! |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| An it had not fallen flat-long. |
| GONZALO : |
| 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 : |
| We would so, and then go a-bat-fowling. |
| ANTONIO : |
| Nay, good my lord, be not angry. |
| GONZALO : |
| No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my |
| discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am |
| very heavy? |
| ANTONIO : |
| Go sleep, and hear us. |
| [All sleep but ALONSO, SEBASTIAN, and ANTONIO] |
| ALONSO : |
| 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 : |
| Please you, sir, |
| Do not omit the heavy offer of it: |
| It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth, |
| It is a comforter. |
| ANTONIO : |
| We two, my lord, |
| Will guard your person while you take your rest, |
| And watch your safety. |
| ALONSO : |
| Thank you. Wondrous heavy! |
| [ALONSO sleeps. Exit ARIEL.] |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| What a strange drowsiness possesses them! |
| ANTONIO : |
| It is the quality o' th' climate. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Why |
| Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not |
| Myself dispos'd to sleep. |
| ANTONIO : |
| 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 should'st be: The occasion speaks thee; and |
| My strong imagination sees a crown |
| Dropping upon thy head. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| What! art thou waking? |
| ANTONIO : |
| Do you not hear me speak? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| 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 : |
| Noble Sebastian, |
| Thou let'st thy fortune sleep—die rather: wink'st |
| Whiles thou art waking. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Thou dost snore distinctly: |
| There's meaning in thy snores. |
| ANTONIO : |
| I am more serious than my custom; you |
| Must be so too, if heed me: which to do |
| Trebles thee o'er. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Well, I am standing water. |
| ANTONIO : |
| I'll teach you how to flow. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Do so: to ebb, |
| Hereditary sloth instructs me. |
| ANTONIO : |
| 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 : |
| 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 : |
| 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 : |
| I have no hope |
| That he's undrown'd. |
| ANTONIO : |
| 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 doubts discovery there. Will you grant with me |
| That Ferdinand is drown'd? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| He's gone. |
| ANTONIO : |
| Then tell me, |
| Who's the next heir of Naples? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| Claribel. |
| ANTONIO : |
| 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 newborn 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 : |
| 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 : |
| A space whose every 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 : |
| Methinks I do. |
| ANTONIO : |
| And how does your content |
| Tender your own good fortune? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| I remember |
| You did supplant your brother Prospero. |
| ANTONIO : |
| 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 : |
| But, for your conscience,— |
| ANTONIO : |
| 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 for ever; 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 : |
| Thy case, dear friend, |
| Shall be my precedent: as thou got'st Milan, |
| I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword: one stroke |
| Shall free thee from the tribute which thou pay'st, |
| And I the king shall love thee. |
| ANTONIO : |
| And when I rear my hand, do you the like, |
| To fall it on Gonzalo. |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| O! but one word. |
| [They converse apart.] |
| [Music. Re-enter ARIEL, invisible.] |
| ARIEL : |
| 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 thee 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 : |
| Then let us both be sudden. |
| GONZALO : |
| Now, good angels |
| Preserve the King! |
| [They wake] |
| ALONSO : |
| Why, how now! Ho, awake! Why are you drawn? |
| Wherefore this ghastly looking? |
| GONZALO : |
| What's the matter? |
| SEBASTIAN : |
| 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 : |
| I heard nothing. |
| ANTONIO : |
| 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 : |
| Heard you this, Gonzalo? |
| GONZALO : |
| Upon mine honour, 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 : |
| Lead off this ground: and let's make further search |
| For my poor son. |
| GONZALO : |
| Heavens keep him from these beasts! |
| For he is, sure, i' th' island. |
| ALONSO : |
| Lead away. |
| [Exit with the others.] |
| ARIEL : |
| Prospero my lord shall know what I have done: |
| So, King, go safely on to seek thy son. |
| [Exit] |
|
|
||||
|
