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 upto steer or sail towards a place., 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-calfA deformed or foolish creature supposedly produced under the moon’s influence; an abusive name for Caliban., 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 debosheddebauched, dissolute or corrupted by vice. fish thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I today?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 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, 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 his 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 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 mayst 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 goneHe shall drink nought but brine; for I’ll not show himWhere the quick freshesswift-flowing streams of fresh water. 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-fishcod or similar fish dried hard without salt. 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.
STEPHANO
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 murrainA deadly infectious disease of cattle, also invoked as a curse. 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 himI’ th’ afternoon to sleep: there thou mayst brain him,Having first seiz’d his books; or with a logBatter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,Or cut his wezandThe windpipe or throat. with thy knife. RememberFirst to possess his books; for without themHe’s but a sot, as I am, nor hath notOne spirit to command: they all do hate himAs 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 isThe beauty of his daughter; he himselfCalls her a nonpareil: I never saw a womanBut only Sycorax my dam and she;But she as far surpasseth SycoraxAs 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 liv’st, 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 catchYou taught me but while-ere?
STEPHANO
At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason. Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.
STEPHANO
Sings.
STEPHANO
Flout ’em and coutto know or understand. ’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 NobodyA traditional comic representation of Nobody, an absurd figure signifying a person of no account..
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 instrumentsWill 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 richesReady 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.
Exeunta stage direction meaning that two or more characters leave the stage..