Act III, Scene ii:
Another part of the island

[Enter CALIBAN, with a bottle, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO.]

STEPHANO :

Tell not me:—when the butt is out we will drink

water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and board

'em.—Servant-monster, drink to me.

TRINCULO :

Servant-monster! The folly of this island! They

say there's but five upon this isle; we are three of

them; if th' other two be brained like us, the state

totters.

STEPHANO :

Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy

eyes are almost set in thy head.

TRINCULO :

Where should they be set else? He were a brave

monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.

STEPHANO :

My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in

sack: for my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere

I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty leagues, off

and on, by this light. Thou shalt be my lieutenant,

monster, or my standard.

TRINCULO :

Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.

STEPHANO :

We'll not run, Monsieur monster.

TRINCULO :

Nor go neither: but you'll lie like dogs, and

yet say nothing neither.

STEPHANO :

Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest

a good moon-calf.

CALIBAN :

How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.

I'll not serve him: he is not valiant.

TRINCULO :

Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case

to justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed fish thou,

was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack

as I to-day? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being but

half fish and half a monster?

CALIBAN :

Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?

TRINCULO :

'Lord' quoth he!—That a monster should be such

a natural!

CALIBAN :

Lo, lo again! bite him to death, I prithee.

STEPHANO :

Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if

you prove a mutineer, the next tree! The poor monster's

my subject, and he shall not suffer indignity.

CALIBAN :

I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleas'd to

hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?

STEPHANO :

Marry will I; kneel, and repeat it: I will stand,

and so shall Trinculo.

[Enter ARIEL, invisible]

CALIBAN :

As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant,

sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the

island.

ARIEL :

Thou liest.

CALIBAN :

Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou;

I would my valiant master would destroy thee;

I do not lie.

STEPHANO :

Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale,

by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

TRINCULO :

Why, I said nothing.

STEPHANO :

Mum, then, and no more.—[To CALIBAN]Proceed.

CALIBAN :

I say, by sorcery he got this isle;

From me he got it: if thy greatness will ,

Revenge it on him,—for I know, thou dar'st;

But this thing dare not,—

STEPHANO :

That's most certain.

CALIBAN :

Thou shalt be lord of it and I'll serve thee.

STEPHANO :

How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou

bring me to the party?

CALIBAN :

Yea, yea, my lord: I'll yield him thee asleep,

Where thou may'st knock a nail into his head.

ARIEL :

Thou liest: thou canst not.

CALIBAN :

What a pied ninny's this! Thou scurvy patch!—

I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,

And take his bottle from him: when that's gone

He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him

Where the quick freshes are.

STEPHANO :

Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the

monster one word further and, by this hand, I'll turn

my mercy out o' doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

TRINCULO :

Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther off.

STEPHANO :

Didst thou not say he lied?

ARIEL :

Thou liest.

STEPHANO :

Do I so? Take thou that.[Strikes TRINCULO.]As you

like this, give me the lie another time.

TRINCULO :

I did not give the lie:—out o' your wits and

hearing too?—A pox o' your bottle! this can sack and

drinking do.—A murrain on your monster, and the devil

take your fingers!

CALIBAN :

Ha, ha, ha!

STEPHANO :

Now, forward with your tale.—Prithee stand

further off.

CALIBAN :

Beat him enough: after a little time, I'll beat

him too.

STEPHANO :

Stand farther.—Come, proceed.

CALIBAN :

Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him

I' th' afternoon to sleep: there thou may'st brain him,

Having first seiz'd his books; or with a log

Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,

Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember

First to possess his books; for without them

He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not

One spirit to command: they all do hate him

As rootedly as I. Burn but his books;

He has brave utensils,—for so he calls them,—

Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal:

And that most deeply to consider is

The beauty of his daughter; he himself

Calls her a nonpareil: I never saw a woman

But only Sycorax my dam and she;

But she as far surpasseth Sycorax

As great'st does least.

STEPHANO :

Is it so brave a lass?

CALIBAN :

Ay, lord: she will become thy bed, I warrant,

And bring thee forth brave brood.

STEPHANO :

Monster, I will kill this man; his daughter and I

will be king and queen,—save our graces!—and Trinculo

and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou like the plot,

Trinculo?

TRINCULO :

Excellent.

STEPHANO :

Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee; but

while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.

CALIBAN :

Within this half hour will he be asleep;

Wilt thou destroy him then?

STEPHANO :

Ay, on mine honour.

ARIEL :

This will I tell my master.

CALIBAN :

Thou mak'st me merry: I am full of pleasure.

Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch

You taught me but while-ere?

STEPHANO :

At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any

reason. Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.

[Sings]

Flout 'em and scout 'em; and scout 'em and flout 'em:

Thought is free.

CALIBAN :

That's not the tune.

[ARIEL plays the tune on a Tabor and Pipe.]

STEPHANO :

What is this same?

TRINCULO :

This is the tune of our catch, played by the

picture of Nobody.

STEPHANO :

If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy

likeness: if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list.

TRINCULO :

O, forgive me my sins!

STEPHANO :

He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee.—Mercy

upon us!

CALIBAN :

Art thou afeard?

STEPHANO :

No, monster, not I.

CALIBAN :

Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises,

Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.

Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments

Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices,

That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep,

Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,

The clouds methought would open and show riches

Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd,

I cried to dream again.

STEPHANO :

This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I

shall have my music for nothing.

CALIBAN :

When Prospero is destroyed.

STEPHANO :

That shall be by and by: I remember the story.

TRINCULO :

The sound is going away: let's follow it, and

after do our work.

STEPHANO :

Lead, monster: we'll follow.—I would I could see

this taborer! he lays it on. Wilt come?

TRINCULO :

I'll follow, Stephano.

[Exeunt]