SCENE II. Another part of the island. The Tempest  Shakespeare homepage  |  The Tempest  | Act 3, Scene 2 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE II. Another part of the island. 

 Enter CALIBAN, 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's 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 a 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 pleased 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, a 

 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's tale, by 

 this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth. 

 TRINCULO  Why, I said nothing. 

 STEPHANO  Mum, then, and no more. 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 darest, 

 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 mayst knock a nail into his bead. 

 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. 



 Beats TRINCULO  As you like this, give me the lie another time. 

 TRINCULO  I did not give the lie. Out o' your 

 wits and bearing 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 farther 

 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 mayst brain him, 

 Having first seized 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 makest 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 tabour 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 sometime voices 

 That, if I then had waked 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 waked, 

 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 tabourer; he lays it on. 

 TRINCULO  Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano. 



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