The Tempest: Act 3, Scene 2
Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO,
and TRINCULO.
STEPHANO
1
Tell not me; when the butt is out, we will drink
1. when the butt is out: when the wine cask is empty.
2
water; not a drop before: therefore bear up, and 3
board 'em. Servant-monster, drink to me.
2-3. bear up and board 'em: sail into the wind and climb aboard; i.e., drink up.
TRINCULO
4
Servant-monster! the folly of this island! They 5
say there's but five upon this isle: we are three 6
of them; if th' other two be brained like us, the 7
state totters.
STEPHANO
8
Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes 9
are almost set in thy head.
8-9. set in thy head: i.e., glazed over. In the next line Trinculo will make a joke by taking this common phrase literally.
TRINCULO
10
Where should they be set else? he were a brave
10. brave: good-looking. Trinculo is being sarcastic.
11
monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.
STEPHANO
12
My man-monster hath drown'd his tongue in sack:
12. sack: a popular kind of white wine.
13
for my part, the sea cannot drown me; I swam, ere I 14
could recover the shore, five and thirty leagues off 15
and on. By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, 16
monster, or my standard.
16. standard: standard-bearer. Trinculo will make a joke by using the word to mean "something that stands up."
TRINCULO
17
Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.
STEPHANO
18
We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.
18. run: i.e., run from the enemy.
TRINCULO
19
Nor go neither; but you'll lie like dogs and yet say
19. go: walk. lie: (1) lie down; (2) tell lies.
20
nothing neither.
STEPHANO
21
Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a 22
good moon-calf.
CALIBAN
23
How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe. 24
I'll not serve him; he's not valiant.
TRINCULO
25
Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case to25. case: fit condition.
26
justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed fish thou,
27
was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much 28
sack as I today? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, 29
being but half a fish and half a monster?
CALIBAN
30
Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my 31
lord?
TRINCULO
32
'Lord' quoth he! That a monster should be 33
such a natural!
33. natural: idiot, simpleton. Trinculo's joke is that the unnatural monster is a great "natural."
CALIBAN
34
Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee.
STEPHANO
35
Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head: if you 36
prove a mutineer,the next tree! The poor monster's 37
my subject and he shall not suffer indignity.
CALIBAN
38
I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to 39
hearken once again to the suit I made to thee?
STEPHANO
40
Marry, will I. Kneel and repeat it. I will stand,
40. Marry: indeed.
41
and so shall Trinculo.
Enter ARIEL, invisible.
CALIBAN
42
As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, 43
A sorcerer, that by his cunning hath 44
Cheated me of the island.
ARIEL
45
Thou liest.
CALIBAN
Artist: Edwin Austin Abbey
45
Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou! 46
I would my valiant master would destroy thee! 47
I do not lie.
STEPHANO
48
Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale, by 49
this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.
TRINCULO
50
Why, I said nothing.
STEPHANO
51
Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.
CALIBAN
52
I say, by sorcery he got this isle; 53
From me he got it. If thy greatness will 54
Revenge it on him,for I know thou darest, 55
But this thing dare not,
55. this thing: i.e., Trinculo.
STEPHANO
56
That's most certain.
CALIBAN
57
Thou shalt be lord of it and I'll serve thee.
STEPHANO
58
How now shall this be compassed?
58.compassed: carried out.
59
Canst thou bring me to the party?
CALIBAN
60
Yea, yea, my lord: I'll yield him thee asleep,
60. I'll yield him thee asleep: I'll bring you to him when he's asleep.
61
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his bead.
ARIEL
62
Thou liest; thou canst not.
CALIBAN
63
What a pied ninny's this! Thou scurvy patch!63. pied ninny: fool in motley. this i.e., Trinculo. Ariel is invisible, and Caliban thinks it is Trinculo who said "Thou liest." scurvy patch: scabby fool.
64
I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows 65
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone 66
He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him 67
Where the quick freshes are.
67. quick freshes: fresh-water running springs.
STEPHANO
68
Trinculo, run into no further danger: 69
interrupt the monster one word further, and, 70
by this hand, I'll turn my mercy out o' doors 71
and make a stock-fish of thee.
71. stock-fish: dried cod, so stiff it had to be pounded into a powder before cooking.
TRINCULO
72
Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther 73
off.
STEPHANO
74
Didst thou not say he lied?
ARIEL
75
Thou liest.
STEPHANO
76
Do I so? take thou that.
[Beats Trinculo.]
77
As you like this, give me the lie another time.
77. As . . . time: i.e., if you like the beating I'm giving you, tell me that I lie again, and I'll give you another beating.
TRINCULO
78
I did not give the lie. Out o' your 79
wits and bearing too? A pox o' your bottle!
78-79. Out . . . too?: i.e., do you realize that you are thinking and acting crazy?
80
this can sack and drinking do. A murrain on
80. murrain: plague.
81
your monster, and the devil take your fingers!
CALIBAN
82
Ha, ha, ha!
STEPHANO
83
Now, forward with your tale.
[To Trinculo.]
84
Prithee, stand farther off.
CALIBAN
85
Beat him enough: after a little time 86
I'll beat him too.
STEPHANO
86
Stand farther. Come, proceed.
CALIBAN
87
Why, as I told thee, 'tis a custom with him, 88
I' th' afternoon to sleep: there thou mayst brain him, 89
Having first seized his books, or with a log 90
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
90. paunch: stab in the belly.
91
Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember
91. wezand: windpipe.
92
First to possess his books; for without them 93
He's but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
93. sot: fool, blockhead.
94
One spirit to command: they all do hate him 95
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books. 96
He has brave utensils,for so he calls them
96. utensils: household furnishings, implements, vessels.
97
Which when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
97. withal: with.
98
And that most deeply to consider is 99
The beauty of his daughter; he himself100
Calls her a nonpareil: I never saw a woman,
100. nonpareil: one having no equal.
101
But only Sycorax my dam and she;
101. dam: mother.
102
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax103
As great'st does least.
STEPHANO
103
Is it so brave a lass?
103. brave: beautiful.
CALIBAN
104
Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant.
104. become thy bed: beautify your bed.
105
And bring thee forth brave brood.105. brave brood: good-looking children.
STEPHANO
106
Monster, I will kill this man: his daughter and I107
will be king and queensave our graces!and108
Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou109
like the plot, Trinculo?
TRINCULO
110
Excellent.
STEPHANO
111
Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee; but,112
while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.
CALIBAN
113
Within this half hour will he be asleep:114
Wilt thou destroy him then?
STEPHANO
114
Ay, on mine honor.
ARIEL
115
This will I tell my master.
CALIBAN
116
Thou makest me merry; I am full of pleasure:117
Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch
117. troll the catch: sing the round.
118
You taught me but while-ere?
118. but while-ere: a short time ago.
STEPHANO
119
At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any
119. I will do reason: I will satisfy a reasonable request.
120
reason. Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.
Sings.
121
Flout 'em and scout 'em
121. Flout: deride. scout: jeer at.
122
And scout 'em and flout 'em123
Thought is free.
CALIBAN
124
That's not the tune.
Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.
STEPHANO
125
What is this same?
TRINCULO
126
This is the tune of our catch, played by the127
picture of Nobody.
STEPHANO
128
If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness:129
if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list.
129. take't as thou list: do as you please; i.e., whatever you do, I'm ready to fight back.
TRINCULO
130
O, forgive me my sins!
STEPHANO
131
He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee. Mercy
132
upon us!
CALIBAN
133
Art thou afeard?
STEPHANO
134
No, monster, not I.
CALIBAN
135
Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
135. noises: musical sounds.
136
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not.136. airs:tunes.
137
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments138
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices139
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,140
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,141
The clouds methought would open and show riches142
Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,143
I cried to dream again.
STEPHANO
144
This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall145
have my music for nothing.
CALIBAN
146
When Prospero is destroyed.
STEPHANO
147
That shall be by and by: I remember the story.147. by and by: soon enough. the story: i.e., Caliban's story about how easy it would be for Stephano to kill Prospero and take Miranda for his Queen.
TRINCULO
148
The sound is going away; let's follow it, and149
after do our work.
STEPHANO
150
Lead, monster; we'll follow. I would I could see151
this tabourer; he lays it on.151. he lays it on: he is playing excellently.
TRINCULO
152
Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano.
Exeunt.