caliban lines

CALIBAN: All the infections that the sun sucks up

From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall and make him

By inchmeal 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’ th’ 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,

Sometimes like apes, that mow 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.

Lo, now, lo!

Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me

For bringing wood in slowly. I’ll fall flat.

Perchance he will not mind me.

STEPHANO: This is a scurvy tune too. But here’s my comfort.

CALIBAN  Do not torment me! O!

STEPHANO Stephano breathes at’ nostrils.

CALIBAN The spirit torments me. O!

STEPHANO If I can recover him

and keep him tame and get to Naples with him,

he’s a present for any emperor that ever trod on

neat’s leather.

CALIBAN  Do not torment me, prithee. I’ll bring my

wood home faster.

STEPHANO He shall pay for him that

hath him, and that soundly.

CALIBAN Thou dost me yet but little hurt. Thou wilt

anon; I know it by thy trembling. Now Prosper

works upon thee.

STEPHANO Prithee, do not turn me about. My stomach

is not constant.

CALIBAN (aside) These be fine things, an if they be not

sprites. That’s a brave god and bears celestial liquor.

I will kneel to him.

STEPHANO: I made of the bark of a tree with mine own hands,

since I was cast ashore.

CALIBAN  I’ll swear upon that bottle to be thy true

subject, for the liquor is not earthly.

STEPHANO How now,

mooncalf, how does thine ague?

CALIBAN  Hast thou not dropped 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 showed me thee, and thy dog, and thy

bush.

TRINCULO A most poor, credulous monster!

—Well drawn, monster, in good sooth!

CALIBAN  I’ll show thee every fertile inch o’ th’ island,

and I will kiss thy foot. I prithee, be my god.

TRINCULO  By this light, a most perfidious and drunken

monster. When ’s god’s asleep, he’ll rob his bottle.

CALIBAN  I’ll kiss thy foot. I’ll swear myself thy subject.

TRINCULO  —but that the poor monster’s in drink. An

abominable monster.

CALIBAN 

I’ll show thee the best springs. I’ll pluck thee berries.

I’ll fish for thee and get thee wood enough.

A plague upon the tyrant that I serve.

I’ll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee,

Thou wondrous man.

TRINCULO  A most ridiculous monster, to make a wonder

of a poor drunkard.

CALIBAN

I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow,

And I with my long nails will dig thee pignuts,

Show thee a jay’s nest, and instruct thee how

To snare the nimble marmoset. I’ll bring thee

To clustering filberts, and sometimes I’ll get thee

Young scamels from the rock. Wilt thou go with me?

STEPHANO Fellow Trinculo, we’ll

fill him by and by again.

CALIBAN sings drunkenly 

Farewell, master, farewell, farewell.

TRINCULO  A howling monster, a drunken monster.

CALIBAN ⌜sings⌝ 

No more dams I’ll make for fish,

Nor fetch in firing

At requiring,

Nor scrape trenchering, nor wash dish.

’Ban, ’ban, Ca-caliban

Has a new master. Get a new man.

Freedom, high-day! High-day, freedom! Freedom,

high-day, freedom!