The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (626 page)

I fear was a madness that had come over me: this demands
An if this be at all, a most strange story.

A very strange story, if this is really happening.
Thy dukedom I resign and do entreat

I will leave your dukedom and ask
Thou pardon me my wrongs. But how should Prospero

You to forgive my crimes. But how could Prospero
Be living and be here?

Be alive and be here on this island?

PROSPERO

First, noble friend,

First, noble friend,
Let me embrace thine age, whose honour cannot

Let me embrace your old body, whose honor cannot
Be measured or confined.

Be measured or limited.

GONZALO

Whether this be

Whether this is real
Or be not, I'll not swear.

Or not, I cannot tell.

PROSPERO

You do yet taste

You do still feel
Some subtilties o' the isle, that will not let you

Some of the effects of the island, that will not let you
Believe things certain. Welcome, my friends all!

Believe things for certain. Welcome, all my friends!

[Aside to SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO] But you, my brace of lords, were I so minded,

[Aside to SEBASTIAN and ANTONIO] But you, my pair of lords, If I wanted to
I here could pluck his highness' frown upon you

I could bring down his highness’ anger on you now
And justify you traitors: at this time

And prove you to be traitors: right now
I will tell no tales.

I will not tell him of it.

SEBASTIAN

[Aside] The devil speaks in him.

[Aside] The devil speaks through him.

PROSPERO

No.

No.
For you, most wicked sir, whom to call brother

For you, wicked man, who if I called you my brother
Would even infect my mouth, I do forgive

It would make my mouth sick, I forgive you
Thy rankest fault; all of them; and require

Your most serious mistakes; all of them; and demand
My dukedom of thee, which perforce, I know,

My dukedom from you, which without a choice, I know,
Thou must restore.

You must give back to me.

ALONSO

If thou be'st Prospero,

If you are Prospero.
Give us particulars of thy preservation;

Tell us the details of your escape;
How thou hast met us here, who three hours since

How you found us here, who three hours ago
Were wreck'd upon this shore; where I have lost—

Were ship wrecked on this island; where I have lost—
How sharp the point of this remembrance is!—

How painful the memory of it is!—
My dear son Ferdinand.

My dear son Ferdinand.

PROSPERO

I am woe for't, sir.

I am sorry for it, sir.

ALONSO

Irreparable is the loss, and patience

The loss is beyond repair, and even Patience
Says it is past her cure.

Says that she can’t cure it.

PROSPERO

I rather think

I think that
You have not sought her help, of whose soft grace

You have not really asked for her help, from whose good will
For the like loss I have her sovereign aid

I have her supreme assistance with my similar loss
And rest myself content.

And I can rest calm.

ALONSO

You the like loss!

You had a similar loss!

PROSPERO

As great to me as late; and, supportable

As great to me as it is recent; and, to make
To make the dear loss, have I means much weaker

The dear loss bearable, I have many less resources
Than you may call to comfort you, for I

Than you can call to comfort you, for I
Have lost my daughter.

Have lost my daughter.

ALONSO

A daughter?

A daugher?
O heavens, that they were living both in Naples,

Oh, heavens, if only they were both living in Naples
The king and queen there! that they were, I wish

As the king and queen! So that they could be, I wish
Myself were mudded in that oozy bed

I was myself drowned in the depths of the sea
Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?

Where my son lies. When did you lose your daughter?

PROSPERO

In this last tempest. I perceive these lords

In that last storm. I can see that these lords
At this encounter do so much admire

Are so astonished of this encounter
That they devour their reason and scarce think

That they destroy their common sense and hardly think
Their eyes do offices of truth, their words

That their eyes to see the truth, their words
Are natural breath: but, howsoe'er you have

Are spoken from instinct: but, however you have
Been justled from your senses, know for certain

Been knocked away from your senses, know for certain
That I am Prospero and that very duke

That I am Prospero, and the very same duke
Which was thrust forth of Milan, who most strangely

Who was cast out of Milan, who very strangely
Upon this shore, where you were wreck'd, was landed,

Landed on this shore, where you were wrecked,
To be the lord on't. No more yet of this;

To be the lord of the island. I will tell you no more of this yet;
For 'tis a chronicle of day by day,

Because it is a very long story,
Not a relation for a breakfast nor

Not a tale to be told over breakfast, or
Befitting this first meeting. Welcome, sir;

Fit for this first meeting. Welcome, sir;
This cell's my court: here have I few attendants

This little cell is my palace: here I have a few servants
And subjects none abroad: pray you, look in.

And no subject anywhere else: please, look inside.
My dukedom since you have given me again,

Since you have given me my dukedom back,
I will requite you with as good a thing;

I will reward you with something just as good;
At least bring forth a wonder, to content ye

Or at least show you a miracle to satisfy
As much as me my dukedom.

You as much as my dukedom did me.

Here PROSPERO discovers FERDINAND and MIRANDA playing at chess

MIRANDA

Sweet lord, you play me false.

Sweet husband, you are cheating.

FERDINAND

No, my dear'st love,

No, my dearest love,
I would not for the world.

I wouldn’t do that for the world.

MIRANDA

Yes, for a score of kingdoms you should wrangle,

Yes, you could argue for twenty kingdoms
And I would call it, fair play.

And I would defend you, calling it fair play.

ALONSO

If this prove

If this turns out to be
A vision of the Island, one dear son

A vision from the Island, my dear son
Shall I twice lose.

I will lose for a second time.

SEBASTIAN

A most high miracle!

A very mighty miracle!

FERDINAND
(seeing ALONSO)

Though the seas threaten, they are merciful;

Though the seas may be menacing, they are also merciful;
I have cursed them without cause.

I have cursed them for taking my father without cause.

Kneels

ALONSO

Now all the blessings

Now may all the blessings
Of a glad father compass thee about!

Of a happy father surround you!
Arise, and say how thou camest here.

Stand up, and tell me how you came to be here.

MIRANDA

O, wonder!

Oh, miracle!
How many goodly creatures are there here!

How many good men are here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,

How beautiful mankind is! Oh, what a brave new world,
That has such people in't!

That has such people in it!

PROSPERO

'Tis new to thee.

It is only new to you.

ALONSO

What is this maid with whom thou wast at play?

Who is this lady that you were playing chess with?
Your eld'st acquaintance cannot be three hours:

You cannot have known anyone here for more than three hours:
Is she the goddess that hath sever'd us,

Is she the goddess that tore us apart
And brought us thus together?

And brought us together again?

FERDINAND

Sir, she is mortal;

Sir, she is human;
But by immortal Providence she's mine:

But by God, she is now my wife:
I chose her when I could not ask my father

I chose her when I could not ask my father
For his advice, nor thought I had one. She

For his advice, nor did I even think that I had a father anymore. She
Is daughter to this famous Duke of Milan,

Is the daughter of this famous Duke of Milan,
Of whom so often I have heard renown,

Who I have heard talked of so often,
But never saw before; of whom I have

But had never seen before; from whom I have
Received a second life; and second father

Received a second chance at life; and a second father
This lady makes him to me.

By marriage with his daughter.

ALONSO

I am hers:

And I am her second father:
But, O, how oddly will it sound that I

But, oh, how strange it will sound for me
Must ask my child forgiveness!

To ask my child for forgiveness@

PROSPERO

There, sir, stop:

It’s fine, sir, no need:
Let us not burthen our remembrance with

We don’t need to burden our memories with
A heaviness that's gone.

A sorrow that’s passed.

GONZALO

I have inly wept,

I have wept inwardly,
Or should have spoke ere this. Look down, you god,

Or I would have spoken up earlier. God, look down
And on this couple drop a blessed crown!

And grant this couple a holy crown!
For it is you that have chalk'd forth the way

For you are the one who has marked out the path
Which brought us hither.

That brought us here.

ALONSO

I say, Amen, Gonzalo!

Well said, Gonzalo, Amen!

GONZALO

Was Milan thrust from Milan, that his issue

Was the Duke of Milan cast out of Milan, so that his offspring
Should become kings of Naples? O, rejoice

Would become kings of Naples? Oh, celebrate
Beyond a common joy, and set it down

More than just a common joy, and bring it down
With gold on lasting pillars: In one voyage

In gold as a lasting monument: In one trip
Did Claribel her husband find at Tunis,

Has Claribel found her husband in Tunis,
And Ferdinand, her brother, found a wife