The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (615 page)

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 lives
Ten leagues beyond man's life; she that from Naples

Ten leagues away from civilized life; she who
Can 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 chins
Be rough and razorable; she that from whom

Become rough and ready to shave; she who we travelled away from when
We 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 come
In 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 regions
There is some space.

There is some space.

ANTONIO

A space whose every cubit

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

Seems to ask, ‘How will Claribel
Measure 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 death
That now hath seized them; why, they were no worse

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

Than they are now. There are those who can rule Naples
As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate

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

As thoroughly and unnecessarily
As this Gonzalo; I myself could make

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

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

The mind that I do! What a sleep this would be
For 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 pleasure
Tender your own good fortune?

Regard you own good fortune?

SEBASTIAN

I remember

I remember
You 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 servants
Were 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 feel
This deity in my bosom: twenty consciences,

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

That would stand between me and Milan, may they be frozen
And 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 put
This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who

This ancient mouthful, this Sir Prudence, who
Should 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 that
We 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 stroke
Shall 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 danger
That 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 conspiracy
His 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 angels
Preserve 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 bellowing
Like 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 roar
Of 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 opened
I 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 further
For 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 up
From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall and make him

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

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