The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 497

Enter ARIEL

ARIEL. What would my potent master? Here I am.

PROSPERO. Thou and thy meaner fellows your last service Did worthily perform; and I must use you In such another trick. Go bring the rabble, O'er whom I give thee pow'r, here to this place.

Incite them to quick motion; for I must Bestow upon the eyes of this young couple Some vanity of mine art; it is my promise, And they expect it from me.

ARIEL. Presently?

PROSPERO. Ay, with a twink.

ARIEL. Before you can say 'come' and 'go,'

And breathe twice, and cry 'so, so,'

Each one, tripping on his toe, Will be here with mop and mow.

Do you love me, master? No?

PROSPERO. Dearly, my delicate Ariel. Do not approach Till thou dost hear me call.

ARIEL. Well! I conceive. Exit PROSPERO. Look thou be true; do not give dalliance Too much the rein; the strongest oaths are straw To th' fire i' th' blood. Be more abstemious, Or else good night your vow!

FERDINAND. I warrant you, sir, The white cold virgin snow upon my heart Abates the ardour of my liver.

PROSPERO. Well!

Now come, my Ariel, bring a corollary, Rather than want a spirit; appear, and pertly.

No tongue! All eyes! Be silent. [Soft music]

Enter IRIS

IRIS. Ceres, most bounteous lady, thy rich leas Of wheat, rye, barley, vetches, oats, and pease; Thy turfy mountains, where live nibbling sheep, And flat meads thatch'd with stover, them to keep; Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims, Which spongy April at thy hest betrims, To make cold nymphs chaste crowns; and thy broom groves, Whose shadow the dismissed bachelor loves, Being la.s.s-lorn; thy pole-clipt vineyard; And thy sea-marge, sterile and rocky hard, Where thou thyself dost air-the Queen o' th' sky, Whose wat'ry arch and messenger am I, Bids thee leave these; and with her sovereign grace, Here on this gra.s.s-plot, in this very place, To come and sport. Her peac.o.c.ks fly amain.

[JUNO descends in her car]

Approach, rich Ceres, her to entertain.

Enter CERES

CERES. Hail, many-coloured messenger, that ne'er Dost disobey the wife of Jupiter; Who, with thy saffron wings, upon my flow'rs Diffusest honey drops, refres.h.i.+ng show'rs; And with each end of thy blue bow dost crown My bosky acres and my unshrubb'd down, Rich scarf to my proud earth-why hath thy Queen Summon'd me hither to this short-gra.s.s'd green?

IRIS. A contract of true love to celebrate, And some donation freely to estate On the blest lovers.

CERES. Tell me, heavenly bow, If Venus or her son, as thou dost know, Do now attend the Queen? Since they did plot The means that dusky Dis my daughter got, Her and her blind boy's scandal'd company I have forsworn.

IRIS. Of her society Be not afraid. I met her Deity Cutting the clouds towards Paphos, and her son Dove-drawn with her. Here thought they to have done Some wanton charm upon this man and maid, Whose vows are that no bed-rite shall be paid Till Hymen's torch be lighted; but in vain.

Mars's hot minion is return'd again; Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows, Swears he will shoot no more, but play with sparrows, And be a boy right out. [JUNO alights]

CERES. Highest Queen of State, Great Juno, comes; I know her by her gait.

JUNO. How does my bounteous sister? Go with me To bless this twain, that they may prosperous be, And honour'd in their issue. [They sing]

JUNO. Honour, riches, marriage-blessing, Long continuance, and increasing, Hourly joys be still upon you!

Juno sings her blessings on you.

CERES. Earth's increase, foison plenty, Barns and gamers never empty; Vines with cl.u.s.t'ring bunches growing, Plants with goodly burden bowing; Spring come to you at the farthest, In the very end of harvest!

Scarcity and want shall shun you, Ceres' blessing so is on you.

FERDINAND. This is a most majestic vision, and Harmonious charmingly. May I be bold To think these spirits?

PROSPERO. Spirits, which by mine art I have from their confines call'd to enact My present fancies.

FERDINAND. Let me live here ever; So rare a wond'red father and a wise Makes this place Paradise.

[JUNO and CERES whisper, and send IRIS on employment]

PROSPERO. Sweet now, silence; Juno and Ceres whisper seriously.

There's something else to do; hush, and be mute, Or else our spell is marr'd.

IRIS. You nymphs, call'd Naiads, of the wind'ring brooks, With your sedg'd crowns and ever harmless looks, Leave your crisp channels, and on this green land Answer your summons; Juno does command.

Come, temperate nymphs, and help to celebrate A contract of true love; be not too late.

Enter certain NYMPHS

You sun-burnt sicklemen, of August weary, Come hither from the furrow, and be merry; Make holiday; your rye-straw hats put on, And these fresh nymphs encounter every one In country footing.

Enter certain REAPERS, properly habited; they join with the NYMPHS in a graceful dance; towards the end whereof PROSPERO starts suddenly, and speaks, after which, to a strange, hollow, and confused noise, they heavily vanish

PROSPERO. [Aside] I had forgot that foul conspiracy Of the beast Caliban and his confederates Against my life; the minute of their plot Is almost come. [To the SPIRITS] Well done; avoid; no more!

FERDINAND. This is strange; your father's in some pa.s.sion That works him strongly.

MIRANDA. Never till this day Saw I him touch'd with anger so distemper'd.

PROSPERO. You do look, my son, in a mov'd sort, As if you were dismay'd; be cheerful, sir.

Our revels now are ended. These our actors, As I foretold you, were all spirits, and Are melted into air, into thin air; And, like the baseless fabric of this vision, The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces, The solemn temples, the great globe itself, Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve, And, like this insubstantial pageant faded, Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff As dreams are made on; and our little life Is rounded with a sleep. Sir, I am vex'd; Bear with my weakness; my old brain is troubled; Be not disturb'd with my infirmity.

If you be pleas'd, retire into my cell And there repose; a turn or two I'll walk To still my beating mind.

FERDINAND, MIRANDA. We wish your peace. Exeunt PROSPERO. Come, with a thought. I thank thee, Ariel; come.

Enter ARIEL

ARIEL. Thy thoughts I cleave to. What's thy pleasure?

PROSPERO. Spirit, We must prepare to meet with Caliban.

ARIEL. Ay, my commander. When I presented 'Ceres.'

I thought to have told thee of it; but I fear'd Lest I might anger thee.

PROSPERO. Say again, where didst thou leave these varlets?

ARIEL. I told you, sir, they were red-hot with drinking; So full of valour that they smote the air For breathing in their faces; beat the ground For kissing of their feet; yet always bending Towards their project. Then I beat my tabor, At which like unback'd colts they p.r.i.c.k'd their ears, Advanc'd their eyelids, lifted up their noses As they smelt music; so I charm'd their cars, That calf-like they my lowing follow'd through Tooth'd briers, sharp furzes, p.r.i.c.king goss, and thorns, Which ent'red their frail s.h.i.+ns. At last I left them I' th' filthy mantled pool beyond your cell, There dancing up to th' chins, that the foul lake O'erstunk their feet.

PROSPERO. This was well done, my bird.

Thy shape invisible retain thou still.

The trumpery in my house, go bring it hither For stale to catch these thieves.

ARIEL. I go, I go. Exit PROSPERO. A devil, a born devil, on whose nature Nurture can never stick; on whom my pains, Humanely taken, all, all lost, quite lost; And as with age his body uglier grows, So his mind cankers. I will plague them all, Even to roaring.

Re-enter ARIEL, loaden with glistering apparel, &c.

Come, hang them on this line.

[PROSPERO and ARIEL remain, invisible]

Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO, all wet

CALIBAN. Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not Hear a foot fall; we now are near his cell.

STEPHANO. Monster, your fairy, which you say is a harmless fairy, has done little better than play'd the Jack with us.

TRINCULO. Monster, I do smell all horse-p.i.s.s at which my nose is in great indignation.

STEPHANO. So is mine. Do you hear, monster? If I should take a displeasure against you, look you- TRINCULO. Thou wert but a lost monster.

CALIBAN. Good my lord, give me thy favour still.

Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to Shall hoodwink this mischance; therefore speak softly.

All's hush'd as midnight yet.

TRINCULO. Ay, but to lose our bottles in the pool!

STEPHANO. There is not only disgrace and dishonour in that, monster, but an infinite loss.

TRINCULO. That's more to me than my wetting; yet this is your harmless fairy, monster.

STEPHANO. I will fetch off my bottle, though I be o'er ears for my labour.

CALIBAN. Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here, This is the mouth o' th' cell; no noise, and enter.

Do that good mischief which may make this island Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban, For aye thy foot-licker.

STEPHANO. Give me thy hand. I do begin to have b.l.o.o.d.y thoughts.

TRINCULO. O King Stephano! O peer! O worthy Stephano!

Look what a wardrobe here is for thee!

CALIBAN. Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.

TRINCULO. O, ho, monster; we know what belongs to a frippery. O King Stephano!

STEPHANO. Put off that gown, Trinculo; by this hand, I'll have that gown.

TRINCULO. Thy Grace shall have it.