The Tempest, Act 3, Scene 3

By ’r lakin, I can go no further, sir; My old bones ache: here’s a maze trod, indeed, Through forth-rights and meanders! By your patience, I needs must rest me.

By Our Lady, I can go no further, sir. My old bones ache. This really has been a maze we have walked, through straight paths and winding ones! With your permission, I simply must rest.

Old lord, I cannot blame thee, Who am myself attach’d with weariness To th’ dulling of my spirits: sit down, and rest. Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it No longer for my flatterer: he is drown’d Whom thus we stray to find; and the sea mocks Our frustrate search on land. Well, let him go.

Old lord, I cannot blame you, since I myself am seized with a weariness that dulls my spirits. Sit down and rest. Right here I will lay aside my hope and keep it no longer to flatter me. He is drowned, the one we wander about to find, and the sea laughs at our useless search on land. Well, let him go.

[Aside to Sebastian.] I am right glad that he’s so out of hope. Do not, for one repulse, forgo the purpose That you resolv’d to effect.

[Aside to Sebastian.] I am very glad that he has given up hope like this. Do not, because of one setback, abandon the plan you resolved to carry out.

[Aside to Antonio.] The next advantage Will we take throughly.

[Aside to Antonio.] The next chance we get we will take completely.

[Aside to Sebastian.] Let it be tonight; For, now they are oppress’d with travel, they Will not, nor cannot, use such vigilance As when they are fresh.

[Aside to Sebastian.] Let it be tonight, because now that they are worn out with walking they will not, and cannot, keep as sharp a watch as when they are fresh.

[Aside to Antonio.] I say, tonight: no more.

[Aside to Antonio.] I say tonight. Say no more.

What harmony is this? My good friends, hark!

What music is this? My good friends, listen!

Marvellous sweet music!

Wonderfully sweet music!

Give us kind keepers, heavens! What were these?

Heavens, give us good guardian angels! What were these creatures?

A living drollery. Now I will believe That there are unicorns; that in Arabia There is one tree, the phoenix’ throne; one phoenix At this hour reigning there.

A puppet show come to life. Now I will believe that unicorns exist, and that in Arabia there is one tree that is the phoenix's throne, with one phoenix ruling there at this very hour.

I’ll believe both; And what does else want credit, come to me, And I’ll be sworn ’tis true: travellers ne’er did lie, Though fools at home condemn them.

I will believe both of those. And whatever else lacks belief, bring it to me and I will swear it is true. Travellers never lied, though fools who stay at home condemn them.

If in Naples I should report this now, would they believe me? If I should say, I saw such islanders,— For, certes, these are people of the island,— Who, though, they are of monstrous shape, yet, note, Their manners are more gentle, kind, than of Our human generation you shall find Many, nay, almost any.

If I were to report this in Naples now, would they believe me? If I said I saw such islanders — for certainly these are people of the island — who, though they have monstrous shapes, still, notice, have manners gentler and kinder than many, indeed almost any, you will find of our human race.

[Aside.] Honest lord, Thou hast said well; for some of you there present Are worse than devils.

[Aside.] Virtuous lord, you have spoken well, for some of you present here are worse than devils.

I cannot too much muse Such shapes, such gesture, and such sound, expressing— Although they want the use of tongue—a kind Of excellent dumb discourse.

I cannot wonder enough at such shapes, such gestures and such sounds, expressing — although they lack the use of speech — a kind of excellent silent conversation.

[Aside.] Praise in departing.

[Aside.] Save your praise for the end.

They vanish’d strangely.

They disappeared strangely.

No matter, since They have left their viands behind; for we have stomachs.— Will’t please you taste of what is here?

It does not matter, since they have left their food behind, and we have appetites. Would you like to taste what is here?

Not I.

Not I.

Faith, sir, you need not fear. When we were boys, Who would believe that there were mountaineers Dewlapp’d like bulls, whose throats had hanging at ’em Wallets of flesh? Or that there were such men Whose heads stood in their breasts? which now we find Each putter-out of five for one will bring us Good warrant of.

Honestly, sir, you need not be afraid. When we were boys, who would have believed that there were mountain dwellers with hanging folds of skin like bulls, with pouches of flesh dangling at their throats? Or that there were men whose heads were set in their chests? Which now we find any man who stakes money on a journey for fivefold return will give us good proof of.

I will stand to, and feed, Although my last, no matter, since I feel The best is past. Brother, my lord the duke, Stand to, and do as we.

I will step up and eat, even if it is my last meal — it does not matter, since I feel the best of my life is over. Brother, my lord the duke, step up and do as we do.

You are three men of sin, whom Destiny, That hath to instrument this lower world And what is in’t,—the never-surfeited sea Hath caused to belch up you; and on this island Where man doth not inhabit; you ’mongst men Being most unfit to live. I have made you mad; And even with such-like valour men hang and drown Their proper selves.

You are three men of sin, whom Destiny — which uses this lower world and everything in it as its agents — has made the never-satisfied sea vomit up, onto this island where no human lives, since you are the least fit of men to live among men. I have driven you mad; and with just such courage men hang and drown their own selves.

You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of Fate: the elements Of whom your swords are temper’d may as well Wound the loud winds, or with bemock’d-at stabs Kill the still-closing waters, as diminish One dowle that’s in my plume. My fellow-ministers Are like invulnerable. If you could hurt, Your swords are now too massy for your strengths, And will not be uplifted. But, remember— For that’s my business to you,—that you three From Milan did supplant good Prospero; Expos’d unto the sea, which hath requit it, Him and his innocent child: for which foul deed The powers, delaying, not forgetting, have Incens’d the seas and shores, yea, all the creatures, Against your peace. Thee of thy son, Alonso, They have bereft; and do pronounce, by me Ling’ring perdition,—worse than any death Can be at once,—shall step by step attend You and your ways; whose wraths to guard you from— Which here, in this most desolate isle, else falls Upon your heads,—is nothing but heart-sorrow, And a clear life ensuing.

You fools! I and my companions are servants of Fate. The elements your swords are forged from might just as well wound the loud winds, or with laughable stabs kill the waters that close up again, as cut off a single fibre of my feathers. My fellow servants are equally impossible to harm. Even if you could do damage, your swords are now too heavy for your strength, and will not be lifted. But remember — for that is my errand to you — that you three drove good Prospero from Milan, and put him out to the sea, which has paid it back, him and his innocent child. For that foul deed the powers, who delay but do not forget, have set the seas and shores, yes, all creatures, against your peace. Alonso, they have robbed you of your son; and they declare, through me, that a slow, lingering destruction — worse than any death that comes all at once — shall follow you and your paths step by step. And the only way to protect yourself from their anger, which otherwise falls on your heads here on this most desolate island, is heartfelt sorrow and a blameless life from now on.

[Aside.] Bravely the figure of this Harpy hast thou Perform’d, my Ariel; a grace it had, devouring. Of my instruction hast thou nothing bated In what thou hadst to say: so, with good life And observation strange, my meaner ministers Their several kinds have done. My high charms work, And these mine enemies are all knit up In their distractions; they now are in my power; And in these fits I leave them, while I visit Young Ferdinand,—whom they suppose is drown’d,— And his and mine lov’d darling.

[Aside.] You have played the part of this Harpy splendidly, my Ariel; there was a gracefulness in the way you swallowed up the feast. You left out nothing of my instructions in what you had to say. And with lively spirit and remarkable attention to detail, my lesser servants have each performed their separate roles. My powerful spells are working, and these enemies of mine are all bound fast in their madness. They are now in my power, and I leave them in these fits while I go to visit young Ferdinand — whom they believe is drowned — and his and my beloved darling.

I’ the name of something holy, sir, why stand you In this strange stare?

In the name of something holy, sir, why do you stand there with that strange stare?

O, it is monstrous! monstrous! Methought the billows spoke, and told me of it; The winds did sing it to me; and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ-pipe, pronounc’d The name of Prosper: it did bass my trespass. Therefore my son i’ th’ ooze is bedded; and I’ll seek him deeper than e’er plummet sounded, And with him there lie mudded.

Oh, it is monstrous, monstrous! I thought the waves spoke and told me about it; the winds sang it to me; and the thunder, that deep and dreadful organ-pipe, spoke the name of Prosper. It sounded out my sin in a bass voice. So my son lies buried in the mud of the sea, and I will look for him deeper than any sounding line has ever reached, and lie buried in the mud there with him.

But one fiend at a time, I’ll fight their legions o’er.

Let it be only one fiend at a time, and I will fight their whole armies, one after another.

I’ll be thy second.

I will be your second in the fight.

All three of them are desperate: their great guilt, Like poison given to work a great time after, Now ’gins to bite the spirits. I do beseech you That are of suppler joints, follow them swiftly And hinder them from what this ecstasy May now provoke them to.

All three of them are frantic. Their great guilt, like a poison designed to act a long time later, is now beginning to gnaw at their spirits. I beg you who have more flexible joints, follow them quickly and stop them from whatever this frenzy may now drive them to.

Follow, I pray you.

Follow, please.