The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

We two, my lord,

  My lord, we twoWill guard your person while you take your rest,

  Will guard your person while you take tour rest,And watch your safety.

  And watch out for your safety.

  ALONSO

  Thank you. Wondrous heavy.

  Thank you. Wondrous sleep.

  ALONSO sleeps. Exit ARIEL

  SEBASTIAN

  What a strange drowsiness possesses them!

  What a strange sleepiness

  ANTONIO

  It is the quality o' the climate.

  It’s a characteristic of the climate.

  SEBASTIAN

  Why

  WhyDoth it not then our eyelids sink? I find not

  Does it not lower our eyelids then? I don’t findMyself disposed to sleep.

  Myself wanting to sleep.

  ANTONIO

  Nor I; my spirits are nimble.

  Neither do I; my spirits are lively.They fell together all, as by consent;

  They all fell asleep together, as if in agreement;They dropp'd, as by a thunder-stroke. What might,

  They dropped down is if thunder-stuck. What might that be,Worthy Sebastian? O, what might?--No more:--

  Worthy Sebastian? Oh, what might it be?—I’ll say no more:--And yet me thinks I see it in thy face,

  And yet I think I see it in your face,What thou shouldst be: the occasion speaks thee, and

  What you might be: the circumstance calls on you, andMy strong imagination sees a crown

  My strong imagination sees a crownDropping upon thy head.

  Dropping on to your head.

  SEBASTIAN

  What, art thou waking?

  What, are you awake?

  ANTONIO

  Do you not hear me speak?

  Don’t you hear me speaking?

  SEBASTIAN

  I do; and surely

  I do; and certainlyIt is a sleepy language and thou speak'st

  It’s a dream-like language and you’re speakingOut of thy sleep. What is it thou didst say?

  As if in your sleep. What did you say?This is a strange repose, to be asleep

  This is a strange rest, to be asleepWith eyes wide open; standing, speaking, moving,

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

  And still so fast asleep.

  ANTONIO

  Noble Sebastian,

  Noble Sebastian,Thou let'st thy fortune sleep--die, rather; wink'st

  You let you’re your fortune sleep—or die, rather; sleepingWhiles thou art waking.

  While you are awake.

  SEBASTIAN

  Thou dost snore distinctly;

  You’re certainly snoring;There's meaning in thy snores.

  There’s meaning in your snores.

  ANTONIO

  I am more serious than my custom: you

  I am more serious than usual: youMust be so too, if heed me; which to do

  Must be so too, if you follow me; which if you doTrebles thee o'er.

  Triples you.

  SEBASTIAN

  Well, I am standing water.

  Well, I am at a stand still

  ANTONIO

  I'll teach you how to flow.

  I’ll teach you how to rise up.

  SEBASTIAN

  Do so: to ebb

  Do so: to pull backHereditary sloth instructs me.

  My inherited laziness teach me.

  ANTONIO

  O,

  Oh,If you but knew how you the purpose cherish

  If you only know how you cherish the planWhiles thus you mock it! how, in stripping it,

  While you are making fun of it! How, in shredding it up,You more invest it! Ebbing men, indeed,

  You invest more into it! Retreating men, indeed,Most often do so near the bottom run

  Do so most often near the last stretchBy their own fear or sloth.

  From their own fear of laziness.

  SEBASTIAN

  Prithee, say on:

  Please, continue:The setting of thine eye and cheek proclaim

  The settled look of your eye and cheek proclaimA matter from thee, and a birth indeed

  An important matter from you, and indeed a birth rankWhich throes thee much to yield.

  Which tortures you a lot to reveal.

  ANTONIO

  Thus, sir:

  So, sir:Although this lord of weak remembrance, this,

  Although lord Gonzalo of the poor memory, heWho shall be of as little memory

  Who will have just as poor of a memoryWhen he is earth'd, hath here almost persuade,--

  When he is buried, has just almost persuaded,--For he's a spirit of persuasion, only

  Because he’s a man of persuasion, onlyProfesses to persuade,--the king his son's alive,

  Speaking in order to persuade,--the king that his son is alive,'Tis as impossible that he's undrown'd

  It’s as impossible that he didn’t drownAnd he that sleeps here swims.

  As it is for he who sleeps here is also swimming.

  SEBASTIAN

  I have no hope

  I have no hopeThat he's undrown'd.

  That he didn’t drown.

  ANTONIO

  O, out of that 'no hope'

  Oh, and from that ‘no hope’What great hope have you! no hope that way is

  What great hope you have! No hope in that way is inAnother way so high a hope that even

  Another way a hope so high that evenAmbition cannot pierce a wink beyond,

  Ambition cannot peak beyond,But doubt discovery there. Will you grant with me

  For fear of traveling there. Will you agree with meThat Ferdinand is drown'd?

  That Ferdinand has drowned?

  SEBASTIAN

  He's gone.

  He’s dead.

  ANTONIO

  Then, tell me,

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

  Who’s the next heir of Naples?

  SEBASTIAN

  Claribel.

  Claribel.

  ANTONIO

  She that is queen of Tunis; she that dwells

  She who is queen of Tunis; she who livesTen leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples

  Ten leagues away from civilized life; she whoCan have no note, unless the sun were post—

  Can have no information from Naples, unless the sun carried the letter--The man i' the moon's too slow--till new-born chins

  The man in the moon is too slow—until the time it takes for babies chinsBe rough and razorable; she that from whom

  Become rough and ready to shave; she who we travelled away from whenWe all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast again,

  We were all swallowed by the sea, though some were thrown out again,And by that destiny to perform an act

  And, because of that sequence of events, are now here to carry out an act Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come

  To which the past is only a prologue, what is to comeIn yours and my discharge.

  Is yours and my performance.

  SEBASTIAN

  What stuff is this! how say you?

  What is this! What are you saying?'Tis true, my brother's daughter's queen of Tunis;

  It’s true, my brother’s daughter is queen of Tunis;So is she heir of Naples; 'twixt which regions

  She is also heir of Naples; between the two regionsThere is some space.

  There is some space.

  ANTONIO

  A space whose every cubit

  A space whose every inchSeems to cry out, 'How shall that Claribel

  Seems to ask, ‘How will ClaribelMeasure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis,

  Trace us back to Naples? Stay in Tunis,And let Sebastian wake.' Say, this were death

  And let Sebastian wake.’ What if this were deathThat now hath seized them; why, they were no worse

  That has now seized them; why, they would be no worseThan now they are. There be that can rule Naples

  Than the
y are now. There are those who can rule NaplesAs well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate

  As well as the man who is sleeping; lords that can blatherAs amply and unnecessarily

  As thoroughly and unnecessarilyAs this Gonzalo; I myself could make

  As this Gonzalo; I myself could makeA chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore

  A crow of that kind of learned chatter. Oh, if only you hadThe mind that I do! what a sleep were this

  The mind that I do! What a sleep this would beFor your advancement! Do you understand me?

  For your advancement! Do you understand me?

  SEBASTIAN

  Methinks I do.

  I think I do.

  ANTONIO

  And how does your content

  And how does you pleasureTender your own good fortune?

  Regard you own good fortune?

  SEBASTIAN

  I remember

  I rememberYou did supplant your brother Prospero.

  That you displaced your brother Prospero.

  ANTONIO

  True:

  True:And look how well my garments sit upon me;

  And look how well my royal garb looks on me;Much feater than before: my brother's servants

  Much more well fitting than before: my brother’s servantsWere then my fellows; now they are my men.

  Were my companions then; now they are my servants.

  SEBASTIAN

  But, for your conscience?

  But what about your conscience?

  ANTONIO

  Ay, sir; where lies that? if 'twere a kibe,

  Yes, sir; where is that? If it were an inflammation on my heel,'Twould put me to my slipper: but I feel not

  It would force me to wear my slippers: but I don’t feelThis deity in my bosom: twenty consciences,

  This godliness in my heart: twenty consciencesThat stand 'twixt me and Milan, candied be they

  That would stand between me and Milan, may they be frozenAnd melt ere they molest! Here lies your brother,

  And melt away before they cause trouble! Here lies your brother,No better than the earth he lies upon,

  No better than the earth he’s lying on,If he were that which now he's like, that's dead;

  If he were that which he now appears to be—that would be dead—

  Whom I, with this obedient steel, three inches of it,

  I, with this obedient sword, three inches of it,Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus,

  Could put him to sleep for ever; while you, doing as I show you,To the perpetual wink for aye might put

  To the eternal eyes shutting for ever might putThis ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who

  This ancient mouthful, this Sir Prudence, whoShould not upbraid our course. For all the rest,

  Will not stand against our actions. For all the others,They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk;

  They’ll take a hint like a cat drinks up milk;They'll tell the clock to any business that

  They’ll tell the time on a clock to any matter thatWe say befits the hour.

  We say is fitting to the time.

  SEBASTIAN

  Thy case, dear friend,

  Your situation, dear friend,Shall be my precedent; as thou got'st Milan,

  Will be my guide; as you got Milan,I'll come by Naples. Draw thy sword: one stroke

  I’ll get Naples. Draw your sword: one strokeShall free thee from the tribute which thou payest;

  Will free you from the taxes which you pay;And I the king shall love thee.

  And as the king I will love you.

  ANTONIO

  Draw together;

  We’ll draw them together;And when I rear my hand, do you the like,

  And when I raise my hand, you do the same,To fall it on Gonzalo.

  To bring it down on Gonzalo.

  SEBASTIAN

  O, but one word.

  Oh, but one word.

  They talk apart

  Re-enter ARIEL, invisible

  ARIEL

  My master through his art foresees the danger

  My master though his magic foresees the dangerThat you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth—

  That you, his friend, are in; and he sends me here--For else his project dies--to keep them living.

  To keep him living—because otherwise his project will fail.

  Sings in GONZALO's ear

  While you here do snoring lie,

  While you lie here snoring,Open-eyed conspiracy

  Open-eyed conspiracyHis time doth take.

  Finds the right moment.If of life you keep a care,

  If you care to keep your life,Shake off slumber, and beware:

  Shake off this sleep, and beware:Awake, awake!

  Awake, awake!

  ANTONIO

  Then let us both be sudden.

  The let us both be quick.

  GONZALO

  Now, good angels

  Now, good angelsPreserve the king.

  Save the king.

  They wake

  ALONSO

  Why, how now? ho, awake! Why are you drawn?

  Why, what’s this? Hello, awake! Why are your swords drawn?Wherefore this ghastly looking?

  Why his frightened look?

  GONZALO

  What's the matter?

  What’s the matter?

  SEBASTIAN

  Whiles we stood here securing your repose,

  While we stood here guarding your rest,Even now, we heard a hollow burst of bellowing

  Just now, we heard an echoing burst of bellowingLike bulls, or rather lions: did't not wake you?

  Like bulls, or maybe lions: didn’t it wake you?It struck mine ear most terribly.

  It hit my ear terribly.

  ALONSO

  I heard nothing.

  I heard nothing.

  ANTONIO

  O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,

  Oh, it was a great noise that would frighten a monster’s ear,To make an earthquake! sure, it was the roar

  Or make an earthquake! I’m sure it was the roarOf a whole herd of lions.

  Of a whole herd of lions.

  ALONSO

  Heard you this, Gonzalo?

  Did you here this Gonzalo?

  GONZALO

  Upon mine honour, sir, I heard a humming,

  On my honor, sir, I heard a humming,And that a strange one too, which did awake me:

  And it was a strange one too, that did awaken me:I shaked you, sir, and cried: as mine eyes open'd,

  I shook you, sir, and cried out: as my eyes openedI saw their weapons drawn: there was a noise,

  I saw their weapons drawn: there was a noise,That's verily. 'Tis best we stand upon our guard,

  It’s true. It’s best we stand on our guard,Or that we quit this place; let's draw our weapons.

  Or that we leave this place; let’s draw our weapons.

  ALONSO

  Lead off this ground; and let's make further search

  Lead away from this ground; and let’s search furtherFor my poor son.

  For my poor son.

  GONZALO

  Heavens keep him from these beasts!

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

  For he is surely on the island.

  ALONSO

  Lead away.

  Lead the way.

  ARIEL

  Prospero my lord shall know what I have done:

  Propsero, my lord will know what I have done:So, king, go safely on to seek thy son.

  So, king, go safely to search for your son.

  Exeunt

  Another part of the island.

  Enter CALIBAN with a burden of wood. A noise of thunder heard

  CALIBAN

  All the infections that the sun sucks up

  All the diseases that the sun picks upFrom bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall and make him

  From bogs, marshes, swamps, on Prospero fall and make himBy inch-meal
a disease! His spirits hear me

  Inch by inch into a disease! His spirits hear meAnd yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch,

  But still I need to curse him. But they won’t pinch,Fright me with urchin--shows, pitch me i' the mire,

  Scare me with goblins, throw me in the mud,Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark

  Or lead me, like a torch, into the darkOut of my way, unless he bid 'em; but

  Out of my way, unless he tell them to: butFor every trifle are they set upon me;

  For every little thing they are set upon me;Sometime like apes that mow and chatter at me

  Sometimes like apes that grimace and chatter at meAnd after bite me, then like hedgehogs which

  And then bite me, and then like hedgehogs whichLie tumbling in my barefoot way and mount

  Like tumbling in the way of my bare get and jab

  Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I

  Their pines at my foot steps; sometimes I amAll wound with adders who with cloven tongues

  All wound up with snakes whose split tonguesDo hiss me into madness.

  Hiss me into madness.

  Enter TRINCULO

  Lo, now, lo!

  Look here, no!Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me

  Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment meFor bringing wood in slowly. I'll fall flat;

  For bring in the wood too slowly. I’ll fall flat on the ground;Perchance he will not mind me.

  Perhaps he won’t notice me.

  TRINCULO

  Here's neither bush nor shrub, to bear off

  There’s not a bush or a shrub to keep offany weather at all, and another storm brewing;

  Any weather at all, and another storm is brewing;I hear it sing i' the wind: yond same black

  I hear it singing in the wind: that very same blackcloud, yond huge one, looks like a foul

  Cloud, that huge one, looks like a dreadfulbombard that would shed his liquor. If it