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Literature Poetry Lit Terms Shakescleare

The Tempest 
Shakescleare Translation

 The Tempest Translation

Act 3, Scene 2 
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CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO enter.

STEPHANO
Tell not me. When the butt is out, we will drink water.
Not a drop before. Therefore bear up and board
'em.—Servant- monster, drink to me.

Don’t tell me that. When the wine barrel is

empty, we’ll drink water. But we won't drink
even a drop of water before then. Therefore,
raise the bottle and drink. 

[To CALIBAN] Servant-monster, drink a toast

to me.

TRINCULO
“Servant-monster?” The folly of this island. They say
5 there’s but five upon this isle. We are three of them.
If th' other two be brained like us, the state totters.

“Servant-monster?” What foolishness is

found on this island! They say there are just
five people on the island. We’re three of them.
If the other two are as crazy as us, our country
is going to collapse.

STEPHANO
Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee. Thy eyes are
almost set in thy head.

Drink when I tell you to, servant-monster.

Your eyes look sunk into your head.

TRINCULO
Where should they be set else? He were a brave monster
10 indeed, if they were set in his tail.

Where else should his eyes be sunk? He’d be

quite a remarkable monster if his eyes were
sunk in his tail.

STEPHANO
My man-monster hath drowned his tongue in sack. For my
part, the sea cannot drown me. I swam, ere I could
recover the shore, five and thirty leagues off and on.
By this light, thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or
15 my standard.

My servingman-monster is so drowned in the

wine he’s drunk that he can’t even talk. For my
part, not even the sea can drown me. Before I
reached the shore from the shipwreck, I swam
a hundred and five miles. Therefore, monster,
you’ll be my lieutenant, or my flag-bearer.

TRINCULO
Your lieutenant, if you list. He’s no standard.

Make him your lieutenant, please. He can

barely stand up straight, much less hold a
flag.

STEPHANO
We’ll not run, Monsieur Monster.

We’ll never run in our army, Sir Monster.

TRINCULO
Nor go neither. But you’ll lie like dogs, and yet say
nothing neither.

Or even walk. Instead you’ll lie there like

sleeping dogs and say nothing.

STEPHANO
20 Mooncalf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good
mooncalf.

Monster, if you want to be a good monster,

please say something.

CALIBAN
How does thy honor? Let me lick thy shoe.
[indicates TRINCULO] I’ll not serve him. He’s not
valiant.

How are you, my lord? Let me lick your shoe.

[He points to TRINCULO] I won’t serve him.
He’s not brave the way you are.

TRINCULO
25 [to CALIBAN] Thou liest, most ignorant monster. I am in
case to justle a constable. Why, thou deboshed fish,
thou, was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so
much sack as I today? Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie,
being but half a fish and half a monster?

[To CALIBAN] You’re lying, you most ignorant

monster. I’m so brave I would go brawl with a
police officer right now. Why, you drunk fish,
you: has any coward ever drunk as much wine
as I have today? Are you telling such
monstrous lies just because you’re half-fish,
half-monster?

CALIBAN
30 [to STEPHANO]
Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him, my lord?

[To STEPHANO] Look, he’s making fun of me!

Will you let him do that, my lord?

TRINCULO
“Lord,” quoth he? That a monster should be such a
natural!

“Lord,” he says? That monster is such an idiot!

CALIBAN
[to STEPHANO]
35 Lo, lo, again! Bite him to death, I prithee.

[To STEPHANO] Look, look, he’s mocking me

again! Please, bite him to death.

STEPHANO
Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head. If you prove
a mutineer, the next tree. The poor monster’s my
subject and he shall not suffer indignity.

Trinculo, if you don’t have anything nice to

say, don’t say anything at all. And if you don’t
listen to me, I’ll hang you from the next tree.
This poor monster is my loyal subject, and I
refuse to let him be insulted.

CALIBAN
I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to hearken
40 once again to the suit I made to thee?

Thank you, my noble lord. Now would you be

willing to listen once again to the request I
made to you before?

STEPHANO
Marry, will I. Kneel and repeat it. I will stand, and
so shall
Trinculo.

Indeed, I will. Kneel and repeat your request.

I’ll stand and listen, and so will Trinculo.

ARIEL enters, invisible.

CALIBAN
[kneeling] As I told thee before, I am subject to a
45 tyrant, a sorcerer that by his cunning hath cheated me
of the island.

[Kneeling] As I told you before, I’m enslaved to

a tyrant, a magician who used his magic to
steal the island from me.

ARIEL
Thou liest.

[Mimicking TRINCULO's voice]  You lie.

CALIBAN
[to TRINCULO] Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou! I
would my valiant master would destroy thee. I do not
50 lie.

[To TRINCULO] No you are lying, you joking

monkey, you! I wish my brave master would
kill you. I did not lie.

STEPHANO
Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in ’s tale, by
this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

Trinculo, if you interrupt his story again, I

swear by my hand, I’ll knock out some of your
teeth.

TRINCULO
Why, I said nothing.

But I didn’t say anything.

STEPHANO
Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.

Quiet, then, no more. Continue.

CALIBAN
55 I say, by sorcery he got this isle.
From me he got it. If thy greatness will
Revenge it on him—for I know thou darest,
But this thing dare not—

I was saying: he used magic to take over this

island. He took it from me. If your Highness
will take revenge on him—because I know
that you're brave enough to do it, though this
thing [He points to TRINCULO] wouldn't dare
—

STEPHANO
That’s most certain.

That’s obvious.

CALIBAN
60 Thou shalt be lord of it and I’ll serve thee.

You’ll be lord of the island, and I’ll serve you.

STEPHANO
How now shall this be compassed?
Canst thou bring me to th' party?

How can all this be accomplished? Can you

bring me to him?

CALIBAN
Yea, yea, my lord. I’ll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.

Yes, yes, my lord. I’ll take you to him when

he's asleep, then you can smash a nail into his
head.

ARIEL
65 Thou liest. Thou canst not.

[Mimicking TRINCULO's voice] You lie. You

can’t do that.

CALIBAN
What a pied ninny’s this! Thou scurvy patch!
I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows
And take his bottle from him. When that’s gone,
He shall drink naught but brine, for I’ll not show him
70 Where the quick freshes are.

What a motley fool he is! You are a wretched

fool! Please, your Highness, punch him a few
times and take his wine bottle away from him.
When he doesn't have that, he’ll drink nothing
but salt water—because I won't show him
where the freshwater springs are.

STEPHANO
Trinculo, run into no further danger. Interrupt the
monster one word further, and, by this hand, I’ll turn
my mercy out o' doors and make a stockfish of thee.

Trinculo, stop trying to cause trouble. If you

interrupt this monster one more time then, I
swear by my hand, I'll stop being nice and
beat you until you're as stiff as a piece of dried
fish.

TRINCULO
Why, what did I? I did nothing. I’ll go farther off.

Why, what did I do? I didn’t do anything. I

need to move away from you.

STEPHANO
75 Didst thou not say he lied?

Didn’t you just say that he lied?

ARIEL
Thou liest.

[Mimicking TRINCULO's voice] You lie.

STEPHANO
[to TRINCULO] Do I so? Take thou that.
[beatsTRINCULO]
As you like this, give me the lie another time.

[To TRINCULO] Oh, do I? Take that, then. [He

hits TRINCULO] There's more where that
came from if you say that I'm a liar again.

TRINCULO
80 I did not give the lie. Out o' your wits and hearing
too? A pox o' your bottle! This can sack and drinking
do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your
fingers!

I didn’t say you were a liar. Are you out of your

mind, and deaf, too? A curse on your wine
bottle! This is what drinking wine does to you.
May your monster get the plague, and you can
go to hell!

CALIBAN
Ha, ha, ha!

Ha, ha, ha!

STEPHANO
85 Now, forward with your tale.—Prithee, stand farther
off.

Now, continue with your story. Trinculo,

please, stand farther away.

CALIBAN
Beat him enough. After a little time,
I’ll beat him too.

Beat him up some more. After a little while, I’ll

beat him up too.

STEPHANO
Stand farther.—Come, proceed.

Stand even farther away, Trinculo.

[To CALIBAN] All right, continue.

CALIBAN
90 Why, as I told thee, ’tis a custom with him,
I' th' afternoon to sleep. There thou mayst brain him,
Having first seized his books; or with a log
Batter his skull; or paunch him with a stake;
Or cut his weasand with thy knife. Remember
95 First to possess his books, for without them
He’s but a sot, as I am, nor hath not
One spirit to command. They all do hate him
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.
He has brave utensils—for so he calls them—
100 Which when he has a house, he’ll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider is
The beauty of his daughter. He himself
Calls her a nonpareil. I never saw a woman,
But only Sycorax my dam and she.
105 But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great’st does least.

Well, as I told you, it’s his habit to take a nap

in the afternoon. That’s when you can smash
in his skull, after you’ve first stolen his books.
Or you could hit him on the head with a log.
Or stab him in the belly with a spear. Or cut
his throat with a knife. But remember to steal
his books first, because without them, he’s
just a fool like me, and won’t be able to
command even one spirit. The other spirits all
hate him as completely as I do. Burn
everything but his magic books. He has some
magnificent furniture and furnishings—at
least that’s how he describes them—that he
plans to use to furnish his house once he gets
one. The thing you should focus on though is
the beauty of his daughter. Prospero himself
says she has no equal. I never saw a woman
other than my mother, Sycorax. Miranda is so
much more beautiful than Sycorax that it’s like
comparing the most beautiful thing to the
least.

STEPHANO
Is it so brave a lass?

Is she really such a splendid girl?

CALIBAN
Ay, lord. She will become thy bed, I warrant.
And bring thee forth brave brood.

Yes, my lord. She’ll be a perfect fit for your

bed, and she’ll bear you some excellent
children.

STEPHANO
110 Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter and I will
be king and queen—save our graces!—and Trinculo and
thyself shall be viceroys. Dost thou like the plot,
Trinculo?

Monster, I will kill this man. His daughter and I

will be king and queen—God protect our royal
selves!—and you and Trinculo will be our
governors. Do you like that plan, Trinculo?

TRINCULO
Excellent.

Excellent.

STEPHANO
115 Give me thy hand. I am sorry I beat thee. But while
thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.

Give me your hand. I’m sorry I beat you up.

But for as long as you live, be more polite
when you speak.

CALIBAN
Within this half hour will he be asleep. Wilt thou
destroy him then?

In the next half an hour he’ll be asleep. Will

you kill him then?

STEPHANO
Ay, on mine honor.

Yes, I swear on my honor.

ARIEL
120 [aside] This will I tell my master.

[To himself] I’ll tell my master about this.

CALIBAN
Thou makest me merry. I am full of pleasure.
Let us be jocund. Will you troll the catch
You taught me but whilere?

You make me glad. I’m full of happiness. Let’s

have some fun. Will you sing the song you
taught me a short while ago?

STEPHANO
At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason.
125 Come on, Trinculo, let us sing.
[sings]
Flout 'em and scout 'em,
And scout 'em and flout 'em.
Thought is free.

Monster, whatever you ask for I'll do, so long

as it's reasonable. Come on, Trinculo, let’s
sing.
[Singing]
Mock 'em and shock 'em
And shock 'em and mock 'em.
Thought is free.

CALIBAN
130 That’s not the tune.

That’s not the song.

ARIEL plays the tune on a small drum and a flute.

STEPHANO
What is this same?

What is this song?

TRINCULO
This is the tune of our catch, played by the picture of
Nobody.

That’s the song you were singing, played by

nobody.

STEPHANO
If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness. If
135 thou beest a devil, take ’t as thou list.

If you’re a man who's playing that music,

show yourself. If you’re a devil, then you can
go to hell.

TRINCULO
O, forgive me my sins!

Oh, forgive me for all my sins!

STEPHANO
He that dies pays all debts.—I defy thee!—Mercy upon
us!

The man who dies pays the ultimate debt. I

defy you, devil! God bless us.

CALIBAN
Art thou afeard?

Are you scared?

STEPHANO
140 No, monster, not I.

No, monster, not me.

CALIBAN
Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices
145 That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again. And then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me, that when I waked
I cried to dream again.

Don’t be frightened. The island is full of

noises, sounds, and sweet music that will
delight you and not hurt you. Sometimes I
hear a thousand instruments playing in my
ears, and sometimes I hear voices that send
me back to sleep even if I had just woken up.
And once asleep again, I dream of clouds that
open up to show that they carry riches, which
will soon drop down on me like rain. So when
I woke up, I begged to dream again.

STEPHANO
150 This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall
have my music for nothing.

This will be a splendid kingdom for me to rule.

I'll get music played to me for free.

CALIBAN
When Prospero is destroyed.

Once you kill Prospero.

STEPHANO
That shall be by and by. I remember the story.

That will be done soon. I remember our plan.

TRINCULO
The sound is going away. Let’s follow it, and after do
155 our work.

The sound is going away. Let’s follow it, and

complete our plan after that.