The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 493

ANTONIO. And most chirurgeonly.

GONZALO. It is foul weather in us all, good sir, When you are cloudy.

SEBASTIAN. Foul weather?

ANTONIO. Very foul.

GONZALO. Had I plantation of this isle, my lord- ANTONIO. He'd sow 't with nettle-seed.

SEBASTIAN. Or docks, or mallows.

GONZALO. And were the king on't, what would I do?

SEBASTIAN. Scape being drunk for want of wine.

GONZALO. I' th' commonwealth I would by contraries Execute all things; for no kind of traffic Would I admit; no name of magistrate; Letters should not be known; riches, poverty, And use of service, none; contract, succession, Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none; No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil; No occupation; all men idle, all; And women too, but innocent and pure; No sovereignty- SEBASTIAN. Yet he would be king on't.

ANTONIO. The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning.

GONZALO. All things in common nature should produce Without sweat or endeavour. Treason, felony, Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine, Would I not have; but nature should bring forth, Of it own kind, all foison, all abundance, To feed my innocent people.

SEBASTIAN. No marrying 'mong his subjects?

ANTONIO. None, man; all idle; wh.o.r.es and knaves.

GONZALO. I would with such perfection govern, sir, T' excel the golden age.

SEBASTIAN. Save his Majesty!

ANTONIO. Long live Gonzalo!

GONZALO. And-do you mark me, sir?

ALONSO. Prithee, no more; thou dost talk nothing to me.

GONZALO. I do well believe your Highness; and did it to minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are of such sensible and nimble lungs that they always use to laugh at nothing.

ANTONIO. 'Twas you we laugh'd at.

GONZALO. Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to you; so you may continue, and laugh at nothing still.

ANTONIO. What a blow was there given!

SEBASTIAN. An it had not fall'n flat-long.

GONZALO. You are gentlemen of brave mettle; you would lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would continue in it five weeks without changing.

Enter ARIEL, invisible, playing solemn music

SEBASTIAN. We would so, and then go a-bat-fowling.

ANTONIO. Nay, good my lord, be not angry.

GONZALO. No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?

ANTONIO. Go sleep, and hear us.

[All sleep but ALONSO, SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO]

ALONSO. What, all so soon asleep! I wish mine eyes Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts; I find They are inclin'd to do so.

SEBASTIAN. Please you, sir, Do not omit the heavy offer of it: It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth, It is a comforter.

ANTONIO. We two, my lord, Will guard your person while you take your rest, And watch your safety.

ALONSO. Thank you-wondrous heavy!

[ALONSO sleeps. Exit ARIEL]

SEBASTIAN. What a strange drowsiness possesses them!

ANTONIO. It is the quality o' th' climate.

SEBASTIAN. Why Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not Myself dispos'd to sleep.

ANTONIO. Nor I; my spirits are nimble.

They fell together all, as by consent; They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke. What might, Worthy Sebastian? O, what might! No more!

And yet methinks I see it in thy face, What thou shouldst be; th' occasion speaks thee; and My strong imagination sees a crown Dropping upon thy head.

SEBASTIAN. What, art thou waking?

ANTONIO. Do you not hear me speak?

SEBASTIAN. I do; and surely 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.

ANTONIO. n.o.ble Sebastian, Thou let'st thy fortune sleep-die rather; wink'st Whiles thou art waking.

SEBASTIAN. Thou dost snore distinctly; There's meaning in thy snores.

ANTONIO. I am more serious than my custom; you Must be so too, if heed me; which to do Trebles thee o'er.

SEBASTIAN. Well, I am standing water.

ANTONIO. I'll teach you how to flow.

SEBASTIAN. Do so: to ebb, Hereditary sloth instructs me.

ANTONIO. O, 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.

SEBASTIAN. 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.

ANTONIO. 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.

SEBASTIAN. I have no hope That he's undrown'd.

ANTONIO. O, out of that 'no hope'

What great hope have you! No hope that way is 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?

SEBASTIAN. He's gone.

ANTONIO. Then tell me, Who's the next heir of Naples?

SEBASTIAN. Claribel.

ANTONIO. She that is Queen of Tunis; she that dwells Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples Can have no note, unless the sun were post, The Man i' th' Moon's too slow, till newborn 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.

SEBASTIAN. 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 s.p.a.ce.

ANTONIO. A s.p.a.ce whose ev'ry cubit Seems to cry out 'How shall that Claribel Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis, And let Sebastian wake.' Say this were death That now hath seiz'd 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?

SEBASTIAN. Methinks I do.

ANTONIO. And how does your content Tender your own good fortune?

SEBASTIAN. I remember You did supplant your brother Prospero.

ANTONIO. True.

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.

SEBASTIAN. But, for your conscience- ANTONIO. Ay, sir; where lies that? If 'twere a kibe, '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.

SEBASTIAN. 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.

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

SEBASTIAN. O, but one word. [They talk apart]

Re-enter ARIEL, invisible, with music and song

ARIEL. 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]

While you here do snoring lie, Open-ey'd conspiracy His time doth take.

If of life you keep a care, Shake off slumber, and beware.

Awake, awake!

ANTONIO. Then let us both be sudden.

GONZALO. Now, good angels Preserve the King! [They wake]

ALONSO. Why, how now?-Ho, awake!-Why are you drawn?

Wherefore this ghastly looking?

GONZALO. What's the matter?

SEBASTIAN. Whiles we stood here securing your repose, Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing Like bulls, or rather lions; did't not wake you?

It struck mine ear most terribly.

ALONSO. I heard nothing.

ANTONIO. 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.

ALONSO. Heard you this, Gonzalo?

GONZALO. Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming, And that a strange one too, which did awake me; I shak'd you, sir, and cried; as mine eyes open'd, I saw their weapons drawn-there was a noise, That's verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard, Or that we quit this place. Let's draw our weapons.

ALONSO. Lead off this ground; and let's make further search For my poor son.

GONZALO. Heavens keep him from these beasts!

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

ALONSO. Lead away.