The Tempest: Act 3, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 2 of The Tempest from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Caliban, Stephano, and Trinculo. STEPHANO, to Trinculo 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. TRINCULO Servant monster? The folly of this island! 5 They say there’s but five upon this isle; we are three of them. If th’ other two be brained like us, the state totters. STEPHANO Drink, servant monster, when I bid thee. Thy eyes are almost set in thy head. 10 Caliban drinks. TRINCULO Where should they be set else? He were a brave monster indeed if they were set 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 15 leagues off and on, by this light.—Thou shalt be my lieutenant, monster, or my standard. TRINCULO Your lieutenant, if you list. He’s no standard. STEPHANO We’ll not run, Monsieur Monster. 20 TRINCULO Nor go neither. But you’ll lie like dogs, and yet say nothing neither. STEPHANO Mooncalf, speak once in thy life, if thou be’st a good mooncalf. CALIBAN How does thy Honor? Let me lick thy shoe. I’ll 25 not serve him; he is not valiant.	Caliban is with Trinculo and Stephano, and they're all still pretty drunk. Stephano promises that Caliban will be lieutenant on his island, and Caliban promises to lick Stephano's shoe. Fair trade. But Caliban says he won't serve Trinculo because Trinculo isn't brave.
TRINCULO Thou liest, most ignorant monster. I am in case to justle a constable. Why, thou debauched fish, thou! Was there ever man a coward that hath drunk so much sack as I today? Wilt thou tell a 30 monstrous lie, being but half a fish and half a monster? CALIBAN Lo, how he mocks me! Wilt thou let him, my lord? TRINCULO “Lord,” quoth he? That a monster should be 35 such a natural! CALIBAN Lo, lo again! Bite him to death, I prithee. 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 40 indignity. CALIBAN I thank my noble lord. Wilt thou be pleased to harken once again to the suit I made to thee? STEPHANO Marry, will I. Kneel and repeat it. I will stand, and so shall Trinculo. 45 Enter Ariel, invisible. CALIBAN, kneeling As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.	Trinculo and Caliban get into a little tiff, and Caliban demands that Stephano defend him against Trinculo. Caliban then reminds his two new friends of what he told them earlier: he has been subject to the tyrant sorcerer Prospero, who has wrongfully stolen the island from him.
ARIEL, in Trinculo’s voice Thou liest. CALIBAN, to Trinculo Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, 50 thou. He stands. I would my valiant master would destroy thee. I do not lie. STEPHANO Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in ’s tale, by this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth. 55 TRINCULO Why, I said nothing. STEPHANO Mum then, and no more. Trinculo stands aside. Proceed. CALIBAN I say by sorcery he got this isle; From me he got it. If thy Greatness will, 60 Revenge it on him, for I know thou dar’st, But this thing dare not. STEPHANO That’s most certain. CALIBAN Thou shalt be lord of it, and I’ll serve thee. STEPHANO How now shall this be compassed? Canst 65 thou bring me to the party? CALIBAN Yea, yea, my lord. I’ll yield him thee asleep, Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head. ARIEL, in Trinculo’s voice Thou liest. Thou canst not.	Meanwhile, the invisible Ariel has entered, and whispers things like "thou liest!" Seeing no one, Caliban and Stephano think Trinculo is the one whispering, even though he denies it.
CALIBAN What a pied ninny’s this!—Thou scurvy patch!— 70 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 Where the quick freshes are. STEPHANO Trinculo, run into no further danger. Interrupt 75 the monster one word further, and by this hand, I’ll turn my mercy out o’ doors and make a stockfish of thee. TRINCULO Why, what did I? I did nothing. I’ll go farther off. 80 STEPHANO Didst thou not say he lied? ARIEL, in Trinculo’s voice Thou liest. STEPHANO Do I so? Take thou that. He beats Trinculo. As you like this, give me the lie another time. TRINCULO I did not give the lie! Out o’ your wits and 85 hearing too? A pox o’ your bottle! This can sack and drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers! CALIBAN Ha, ha, ha!	Ariel continues to interrupt Caliban's tale—in Trinculo's voice—and calls Stephano a liar, too (in Trinculo's voice). This leads Stephano to beat Trinculo, much to Caliban's delight.
STEPHANO Now forward with your tale. To Trinculo. 90 Prithee, stand further off. CALIBAN Beat him enough. After a little time I’ll beat him too. STEPHANO Stand farther. Trinculo moves farther away. Come, proceed. 95 CALIBAN 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 100 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— 105 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; 110 But she as far surpasseth Sycorax As great’st does least.	With Trinculo standing off to the side now, Caliban instructs Stephano how to kill Prospero and gain power over the island. Caliban will lead them to Prospero's favorite afternoon nap spot. If they steal his books, Prospero will be powerless, and then they can nail him in the head, or something.
STEPHANO Is it so brave a lass? CALIBAN Ay, lord, she will become thy bed, I warrant, And bring thee forth brave brood. 115 STEPHANO 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? TRINCULO Excellent. 120 STEPHANO Give me thy hand. I am sorry I beat thee. But while thou liv’st, keep a good tongue in thy head. CALIBAN Within this half hour will he be asleep. Wilt thou destroy him then? 125 STEPHANO Ay, on mine honor.	Caliban promises that all the pretty linens and things in Prospero's house will belong to them, and, best of all, Stephano can have the beautiful Miranda, who will "become thy bed, and bring thee forth brave brood" after they've murdered her father. Not cute.
ARIEL, aside This will I tell my master. CALIBAN Thou mak’st me merry. I am full of pleasure. Let us be jocund. Will you troll the catch You taught me but whilere? 130 STEPHANO At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason.—Come on, Trinculo, let us sing. Sings. "Flout ’em and cout ’em And scout ’em and flout ’em! Thought is free." 135 CALIBAN That’s not the tune.	Of course, Ariel's been listening, and will be telling Prospero of this plan, but the three drunkards don't know that. Caliban is so happy with the plan that he wants to celebrate. He asks Stephano to sing the song he was singing before. Stephano starts to sing, but Caliban tells him it's not the right song.
Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe. STEPHANO What is this same? TRINCULO This is the tune of our catch played by the picture of Nobody. STEPHANO, to the invisible musician If thou be’st a 140 man, show thyself in thy likeness. If thou be’st a devil, take ’t as thou list. TRINCULO O, forgive me my sins! STEPHANO He that dies pays all debts.—I defy thee!— Mercy upon us! 145	Ariel starts playing the correct tune, which freaks out Trinculo and Stephano. They're frightened by the song that comes from nowhere, and start asking for forgiveness from Heaven.
CALIBAN Art thou afeard? STEPHANO No, monster, not I. 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 150 Will hum about mine ears, and sometimes voices 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 155 I cried to dream again. STEPHANO This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for nothing. CALIBAN When Prospero is destroyed. STEPHANO That shall be by and by. I remember the 160 story. TRINCULO The sound is going away. Let’s follow it, and after do our work. STEPHANO Lead, monster. We’ll follow.—I would I could see this taborer. He lays it on. Wilt come? 165 TRINCULO I’ll follow, Stephano. They exit.	Caliban reassures them that the island is full of sweet noises, and gives a sweet speech about the magic of wonder and dreams. The three...friends? plotters? drunkards? fools? We're not quite sure how best to characterize these guys, but they all agree to follow the song, which they hope will lead them to Prospero, so they can do their awful deed.