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,
26. deboshed: debauched. justle: jostle, stand up to.
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 queen—save 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.