The Tempest | Page 8

didst prevent
me; I had peopl'd else This isle with Calibans.
PROSPERO. Abhorred slave, Which any print of goodness wilt not
take, Being capable of all ill! I pitied thee, Took pains to make thee
speak, taught thee each hour One thing or other: when thou didst not,
savage, Know thine own meaning, but wouldst gabble like A thing
most brutish, I endow'd thy purposes With words that made them

known: but thy vile race, Though thou didst learn, had that in't which
good natures Could not abide to be with; therefore wast thou
Deservedly confin'd into this rock, who hadst Deserv'd more than a
prison.
CALIBAN. You taught me language, and my profit on't Is, I know how
to curse: the red plague rid you, For learning me your language!
PROSPERO. Hag-seed, hence! Fetch us in fuel; and be quick, thou 'rt
best, To answer other business. Shrug'st thou, malice? If thou neglect'st,
or dost unwillingly What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps,
Fill all thy bones with aches; make thee roar, That beasts shall tremble
at thy din.
CALIBAN. No, pray thee.-- [Aside] I must obey. His art is of such
power, It would control my dam's god, Setebos, And make a vassal of
him.
PROSPERO. So, slave: hence!
[Exit CALIBAN]
[Re-enter ARIEL invisible, playing and singing; FERDINAND
following]
[ARIEL'S SONG.]
Come unto these yellow sands, And then take hands: Curtsied when
you have, and kiss'd,-- The wild waves whist,-- Foot it featly here and
there; And, sweet sprites, the burden bear. Hark, hark! [Burden: Bow,
wow, dispersedly.] The watch dogs bark: [Burden: Bow, wow,
dispersedly.] Hark, hark! I hear The strain of strutting Chanticleer [Cry,
Cock-a-diddle-dow.]
FERDINAND. Where should this music be? i' th' air or th' earth? It
sounds no more;--and sure it waits upon Some god o' th' island. Sitting
on a bank, Weeping again the king my father's wrack, This music crept
by me upon the waters, Allaying both their fury and my passion, With
its sweet air: thence I have follow'd it,-- Or it hath drawn me
rather,--but 'tis gone. No, it begins again.
[ARIEL sings] Full fathom five thy father lies: Of his bones are coral
made: Those are pearls that were his eyes: Nothing of him that doth
fade But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell: [Burden: Ding-dong.] Hark! now I
hear them--ding-dong, bell.
FERDINAND. The ditty does remember my drown'd father. This is no

mortal business, nor no sound That the earth owes:--I hear it now above
me.
PROSPERO. The fringed curtains of thine eye advance, And say what
thou seest yond.
MIRANDA. What is't? a spirit? Lord, how it looks about! Believe me,
sir, It carries a brave form:--but 'tis a spirit.
PROSPERO. No, wench; it eats and sleeps, and hath such senses As we
have, such; this gallant which thou see'st Was in the wrack; and but he's
something stain'd With grief,--that beauty's canker,--thou mightst call
him A goodly person: he hath lost his fellows And strays about to find
'em.
MIRANDA. I might call him A thing divine; for nothing natural I ever
saw so noble.
PROSPERO. [Aside] It goes on, I see, As my soul prompts it.--Spirit,
fine spirit! I'll free thee Within two days for this.
FERDINAND. Most sure, the goddess On whom these airs
attend!--Vouchsafe, my prayer May know if you remain upon this
island; And that you will some good instruction give How I may bear
me here: my prime request, Which I do last pronounce, is,--O you
wonder!-- If you be maid or no?
MIRANDA. No wonder, sir; But certainly a maid.
FERDINAND. My language! Heavens!-- I am the best of them that
speak this speech, Were I but where 'tis spoken.
PROSPERO. How! the best? What wert thou, if the King of Naples
heard thee?
FERDINAND. A single thing, as I am now, that wonders To hear thee
speak of Naples. He does hear me; And, that he does, I weep: myself
am Naples, Who with mine eyes,--never since at ebb,--beheld The King,
my father wrack'd.
MIRANDA. Alack, for mercy!
FERDINAND. Yes, faith, and all his lords, the Duke of Milan, And his
brave son being twain.
PROSPERO. [Aside.] The Duke of Milan, And his more braver
daughter could control thee, If now 'twere fit to do't.--At the first sight
[Aside.] They have changed eyes;--delicate Ariel, I'll set thee free for
this!--[To FERDINAND] A word, good sir: I fear you have done
yourself some wrong: a word.

MIRANDA. [Aside.] Why speaks my father so ungently? This Is the
third man that e'er I saw; the first That e'er I sigh'd for; pity move my
father To be inclin'd my way!
FERDINAND. [Aside.] O! if a virgin, And your affection not gone
forth, I'll make