Gon. I would with such perfection govern, sir, To excel the golden age.

Seb.

God save his majesty !

Ant. Long live Gonzalo !

Gon.

Alon.

And, do you mark me, sir?

Prithee, no more: thou dost talk no

thing to me.

171

Gon. 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.

Ant. 'Twas you we laughed at.

Gon. Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to you: so you may continue and laugh at nothing still.

Ant. What a blow was there given !
Seb. An it had not fallen flat-long.

180

Gon. 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.

XEnter
Enter ARIEL, invisible, playing solemn music.

Seb. We would so, and then go a bat-fowling.
Ant. Nay, good my lord, be not angry.

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

Ant.

Go sleep, and hear us.

190

[All sleep except Alon., Seb., and Ant. Alon. What! all so soon asleep? I wish mine

eyes

Would, with themselves, shut up my thoughts: I

find

They are inclined to do so.

Seb.

Please you, sir,

Do not omit the heavy offer of it:

It seldom visits sorrow; when it doth,

Will guard your person while you take your rest,

And watch your safety.

Alon,

Thank you.

Wondrous heavy.

[Alonso sleeps. Exit Ariel.

Seb. What a strange drowsiness possesses them! Ant. It is the quality o' the climate. Seb. Why 200 Doth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not

Myself disposed to sleep.

Ant. Nor I: my spirits are nimble.

They fell together all, as by consent;
They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke.

might,

What

Worthy Sebastian? O, what might ?—No more:— And yet methinks I see it in thy face

What thou shouldst be; the occasion speaks thee,

and

My strong imagination sees a crown

Dropping upon thy head.

Seb.

Ant.

Seb.

What! art thou waking?

Do you not hear me speak?

2II

I do; and surely It is a sleepy language, and thou speak'st Out of thy sleep. What is it thou dids'. say? This is a strange repose, to be asleep

With eyes wide open: standing, speaking, moving, And yet so fast asleep.

Ant.

Noble Sebastian,

Thou dost snore distinctly;

Thou let'st thy fortune sleep-die, rather; wink'st Whiles thou art waking.

Seb.

There's meaning in thy snores.

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

Seb.

Well, I am standing water. Ant. I'll teach you how to flow.

Seb.

Hereditary sloth instructs me.

Ant.

220

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.

Seb.

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.

230

Ant. Thus, sir: Although this lord of weak remembrance, this, Who shall be of as little memory

When he is earth'd, bath 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.

Seb.

That he's undrown'd.

Ant.

I have no hope

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,

241

But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me That Ferdinand is drown'd?

Ant. 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 postThe man i' the moon's too slow-till new born

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

251

Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come In yours and my discharge.

Seb.

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 space.

Ant. A space whose every 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 seized them; why, they were no

worse

261

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?
Seb. Methinks I do.

Ant.

And how does your content

Tender your own good fortune?

Seb.

I remember 270

You did supplant your brother Prospero.

Ant. 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. Seb. But, for your conscience?

Ant. 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,

281
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 forever; 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.

Seb.
Thy case, dear friend, 290
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.

Ant.

Draw together;

And when I rear my hand, do you the like,

To fall it on Gonzalo.

Re-enter ARIEL, invisible.

Ari. 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-eyed conspiracy

His time doth take.

If of life you keep a care,
Shake off slumber, and beware:
Awake, awake!

Ant. Then let us both be sudden.

Gon.

Preserve the king.

you drawn?

300

Alon. Why, how now? ho, awake! Why are

Wherefore this ghastly looking?

Gon.

What's the matter? Seb. 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.

Alon.

I heard nothing. Ant. 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.

Alon. Heard you this, Gonzalo? Gon. Upon mine honor, sir, I heard a humming, And that a strange one too, which did awake me: I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes open'd, I saw their weapons drawn: there was a noise, 320 That's verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard, Or that we quit this place: let's draw our weapons. Alon. Lead off this ground; and let's make further search

For my poor søn.

Gon. Heavens keep him from these beasts! For he is, sure, i' the island.

Alon.

Lead away.