Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

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.

Noble Sebastian,

Thou let'st thy fortune sleep-die, rather; wink'st
Whiles thou art waking.

Thou dost snore distinctly;

There's meaning in thy snores.
Ant. I am more serious than my custom : you
Must be so too, if heed me; which to do
Trebles thee o'er.

Seb.
Well, I am standing water.
Ant. I'll teach you how to flow.

Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

Ant.

Do so: to ebb
Hereditary sloth instructs me.

0,

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.

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.

220

230

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.

Seb.

That he's undrown'd.

Ant.

Seb. Ant.

Seb.

I have no hope

O, out of that 'no hope'

What great hope have you! no hope that way is 240
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?

He's gone.

Then, tell me,

Who's the next heir of Naples ?

Claribel.

Ant. She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells

Seb.

Ant.

Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples

Can have no note, unless the sun were post,—

250

The man i' the 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.

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.

A space whose every cubit
Seems to cry out, 'How shall that Claribel
Measure us back to Naples ? Keep in Tunis,

Ant.

And let Sebastian wake.' Say this were death 260
That now hath seized 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?

Seb. Methinks I do.
Tender your own good fortune ?

And how does your content

Seb.

Ant.

True:

I remember
You did supplant your brother Prospero.
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.
Seb. But, for your conscience.

Ant. Ay, sir; where lies that? if 'twere a kibe,

270

281

'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.

Seb.

Ant.

290

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 payest;
And I the king shall love thee.

Draw together;

And when I rear my hand, do you the like,
To fall it on Gonzalo.

Seb.

O, but one word. They talk apart.

Re-enter Ariel invisible.

Ari. 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.

300

While you here do snoring lie,
Open-eyed conspiracy

His time doth take.

If of life you keep a care,

Shake off slumber, and beware:
Awake, awake!

Ant. Then let us both be sudden.
Gon.

Preserve the king!

Now, good angels

[They wake.

Alon. Why, how now? ho, awake! - Why are you drawn?
Wherefore this ghastly looking?

Gon.
What's the matter?
Seb. Whiles we stood here securing your repose,

Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing

310

Alon.

Like bulls, or rather lions; did't not wake you ?
It struck mine ear most terribly.

I heard nothing.
Ant. 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.

Alon.
Heard you this, Gonzalo ?
Gon. Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,

And that a strange one too, which did awake me:
I shaked you, sir, and cried : as mine eyes open'd,
I saw their weapons drawn :- there was a noise, 320
That's verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard,
Or that we quit this place: let's draw our weapons.
Alon. Lead off this ground; and let's make further search
For my poor son.

Heavens keep him from these beasts!

Gon.
For he is, sure, i' th' island.

Alon.

Lead away.

Ari. Prospero my lord shall know what I have done :
So, king, go safely on to seek thy son.

Scene II.

Another part of the island.

[Exeunt.

Enter Caliban with a burden of wood. A noise
of thunder heard.

Cal. All the infections that the sun sucks up

From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him
By inch-meal a disease! his spirits hear me,
And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch,
Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i' the mire,