The Tempest

"Human nature is intractable stuff, hard jagged stuff, the kind of stuff that dreams are wrecked on."

"I have great comfort from this fellow. Methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows."

"A pox o' your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!"

"All lost! to prayers, to prayers! All lost!"

"Now would I give a thousand furlongs of sea for an acre of barren ground — long heath, brown furze, anything. The wills above be done, but I would fain die a dry death."

"Miranda: If by your art, my dearest father, you have Put the wild waters in this roar, allay them. The sky, it seems, would pour down stinking pitch, But that the sea, mounting to the welkin's cheek, Dashes the fire out. O, I have suffered With those that I saw suffer! A brave vessel, Who had, no doubt, some noble creatures in her, Dash'd all to pieces! O, the cry did knock Against my very heart! Poor souls, they perish'd! Had I been any god of power, I would Have sunk the sea within the earth, or e'er It should the good ship so have swallow'd, and The fraughting souls within her. Prospero: Be collected; No more amazement; tell your piteous heart There's no harm done. Miranda: O, woe the day! Prospero: No harm. I have done nothing but in care of thee — Of thee, my dear one! thee, my daughter."

"Miranda: You have often Begun to tell me what I am; but stopp'd, And left me to a bootless inquisition, Concluding, Stay; not yet. Prospero: The hour's now come; The very minute bids thee ope thine ear."

"What see'st thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time?"

"The government I cast upon my brother, And to my state grew stranger, being transported And rapt in secret studies."

"I, thus neglecting worldly ends, all dedicated To closeness, and the bettering of my mind"

"Like one Who having unto truth, by telling of it, Made such a sinner of his memory, To credit his own lie."

"My library Was dukedom large enough."

"Knowing I lov’d my books, he furnish’d me, From mine own library, with volumes that I prize above my dukedom."

"Know thus far forth: By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune — Now my dear lady — hath mine enemies Brought to this shore; and by my prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star, whose influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes Will ever after droop."

"All hail, great master! grave sir, hail! I come To answer thy best pleasure; be't to fly, To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride On the curl'd clouds. To thy strong bidding task Ariel, and all his quality."

"Ferdinand, With hair up-staring, — then like reeds, not hair, — was the first man that leapt; cried Hell is empty, And all the devils are here."

"From the still-vex'd Bermoothes."

"I will be correspondent to command, And do my spriting gently."

"Caliban: As wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd With raven's feather from unwholesome fen, Drop on you both! a south-west blow on ye, And blister you all o'er! Prospero: For this, be sure, to-night thou shalt have cramps, Side-stitches that shall pen thy breath up; urchins Shall, for that vast of night that they may work, All exercise on thee; thou shalt be pinch'd As thick as honeycomb, each pinch more stinging Than bees that made 'em."

"This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother, Which thou tak'st from me. When thou cam'st first, Thou strok'st me and made much of me, wouldst give me Water with berries in't, and teach me how To name the bigger light, and how the less, That burn by day and night; and then I lov'd thee, And show'd thee all the qualities o' the isle, The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile. Curs'd be I that did so! All the charms Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you! For I am all the subjects that you have, Which first was mine own king."

"You taught me language, and my profit on't Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you, For learning me your language!"

"If thou neglect'st, or dost unwillingly What I command, I'll rack thee with old cramps, Fill all thy bones with aches, make thee roar, That beasts shall tremble at thy din."

"Come unto these yellow sands, And then take hands; Curt'sied when you have and kiss'd, The wild waves whist, Foot it featly here and there, And, sweet sprites, the burden bear."

"Full fathom five thy father lies; Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls that were his eyes; Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange. Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell: Ding-dong. Hark! now I hear them — Ding-dong, bell."

"The fringed curtains of thine eye advance, And say what thou seest yond."

"This Is the third man that e'er I saw; the first That e'er I sigh'd for."

"There’s nothing ill can dwell in such a temple: If the ill spirit have so fair a house, Good things will strive to dwell with ’t."

"My spirits, as in a dream, are all bound up. My father's loss, the weakness which I feel, The wreck of all my friends, nor this man's threats, To whom I am subdu'd, are but light to me, Might I but through my prison once a day Behold this maid. All corners else o' th' earth Let liberty make use of; space enough Have I in such a prison."

"Gonzalo: Here is everything advantageous to life. Antonio: True; save means to live."

"Alonso: You cram these words into mine ears against The stomach of my sense. Would I had never Married my daughter there! for, coming thence, My son is lost; and, in my rate, she too, Who is so far from Italy remov'd I ne'er again shall see her. O thou mine heir Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish Hath made his meal on thee? Francesco: Sir, he may live: I saw him beat the surges under him, And ride upon their backs; he trod the water, Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted The surge most swol'n that met him; his bold head 'Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oar'd Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke To the shore, that o'er his wave-worn basis bow'd, As stooping to relieve him; I not doubt He came alive to land."

"Sebastian: Well, I am standing water. Antonio: I'll teach you how to flow."

"We all were sea-swallow'd, though some cast again: And, by that destiny, to perform an act, Whereof what's past is prologue, what to come In yours and my discharge."

"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, 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."

"They will take suggestion as a cat laps milk."

"Thy case, dear friend, 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."

"While you here do snoring lie, Open-ey'd Conspiracy His time doth take. If of life you keep a care, Shake off slumber, and beware. Awake, awake!"

"All the infections that the sun sucks up From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me, And yet I needs must curse; but they'll nor pinch, Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i' the mire, Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark Out of my way, unless he bid 'em; but For every trifle are they set upon me; Sometime like apes, that moe and chatter at me, And after, bite me; then like hedgehogs, which Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I All wound with adders, who, with cloven tongues, Do hiss me into madness."

"A very ancient and fish-like smell."

"Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows."

"The master, the swabber, the boatswain, and I, The gunner, and his mate, Lov'd Mall, Meg, and Marian, and Margery, But none of us car'd for Kate; For she had a tongue with a tang, Would cry to a sailor Go hang! She lov'd not the savour of tar nor of pitch, Yet a tailor might scratch her where'er she did itch. Then to sea, boys, and let her go hang! This is a scurvy tune too; but here's my comfort. [Drinks]"

"Stephano: Here; swear then how thou escapedst. Trinculo: Swam ashore man, like a duck; I can swim like a duck, I'll be sworn. Stephano: Here, kiss the book. Though thou canst swim like a duck, thou art made like a goose."

"Caliban: Hast thou not dropp'd from heaven? Stephano: Out o' th' moon, I do assure thee; I was the Man i' th' Moon, when time was. Caliban: I have seen thee in her, and I do adore thee. My mistress show'd me thee, and thy dog and thy bush."

"I prithee, be my god."

"There be some sports are painful, and their labour Delight in them sets off; some kinds of baseness Are nobly undergone; and most poor matters Point to rich ends. This my mean task Would be as heavy to me as odious, but The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead, And makes my labours pleasures."

"Full many a lady I have ey'd with best regard; and many a time The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage Brought my too diligent ear; for several virtues Have I lik'd several women, never any With so full soul, but some defect in her Did quarrel with the noblest grace she ow'd, And put it to the foil; but you, O you, So perfect and so peerless, are created Of every creature's best!"

"Miranda: Do you love me? Ferdinand: O heaven! O earth! Bear witness to this sound, And crown what I confess with kind event, If I speak true! If hollowly, invert What best is boded me to mischief! I, Beyond all limit of what else i' the world Do love, prize, honour you."

"Ferdinand: Wherefore weep you? Miranda: At mine unworthiness, that dare not offer What I desire to give, and much less take What I shall die to want."

"I am your wife, if you will marry me; If not, I'll die your maid. To be your fellow You may deny me; but I'll be your servant, Whether you will or no."

"Ferdinand: Here ’s my hand. Miranda: And mine, with my heart in ’t."

"Servant-monster! the folly of this island! They say there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if th' other two be brain'd like us, the state totters."