ones.
Antonio
Or as ’twere perfumed by a fen.
Gonzalo
Here is everything advantageous to life.
Antonio
True; save means to live.
Sebastian
Of that there’s none, or little.
Gonzalo
How lush and lusty the grass looks! how green!
Antonio
The ground indeed is tawny.
Sebastian
With an eye of green in’t.
Antonio
He misses not much.
Sebastian
No; he doth but mistake the truth totally.
Gonzalo
But the rarity of it is—which is indeed almost beyond credit—
Sebastian
As many vouched rarities are.
Gonzalo
That our garments, being, as they were, drenched in the sea, hold notwithstanding their freshness and glosses, being rather new-dyed than stained with salt water.
Antonio
If but one of his pockets could speak, would it not say he lies?
Sebastian
Ay, or very falsely pocket up his report
Gonzalo
Methinks our garments are now as fresh as when we put them on first in Afric, at the marriage of the king’s fair daughter Claribel to the King of Tunis.
Sebastian
’Twas a sweet marriage, and we prosper well in our return.
Adrian
Tunis was never graced before with such a paragon to their queen.
Gonzalo
Not since widow Dido’s time.
Antonio
Widow! a pox o’ that! How came that widow in? widow Dido!
Sebastian
What if he had said “widower Aenea” too? Good Lord, how you take it!
Adrian
“Widow Dido” said you? you make me study of that: she was of Carthage, not of Tunis.
Gonzalo
This Tunis, sir, was Carthage.
Adrian
Carthage?
Gonzalo
I assure you, Carthage.
Sebastian
His word is more than the miraculous harp; he hath raised the wall and houses too.
Antonio
What impossible matter will he make easy next?
Sebastian
I think he will carry this island home in his pocket and give it his son for an apple.
Antonio
And, sowing the kernels of it in the sea, bring forth more islands.
Gonzalo
Ay.
Antonio
Why, in good time.
Gonzalo
Sir, we were talking that our garments seem now as fresh as when we were at Tunis at the marriage of your daughter, who is now queen.
Antonio
And the rarest that e’er came there.
Sebastian
Bate, I beseech you, widow Dido.
Antonio
O, widow Dido! ay, widow Dido.
Gonzalo
Is not, sir, my doublet as fresh as the first day I wore it? I mean, in a sort.
Antonio
That sort was well fished for.
Gonzalo
When I wore it at your daughter’s marriage?
Alonso
You cram these words into mine ears against
The stomach of my sense. Would I had never
Married my daughter there! for, coming thence,
My son is lost and, in my rate, she too,
Who is so far from Italy removed
I ne’er again shall see her. O thou mine heir
Of Naples and of Milan, what strange fish
Hath made his meal on thee?
Francisco
Sir, he may live:
I saw him beat the surges under him,
And ride upon their backs; he trod the water,
Whose enmity he flung aside, and breasted
The surge most swoln that met him; his bold head
‘Bove the contentious waves he kept, and oar’d
Himself with his good arms in lusty stroke
To the shore, that o’er his wave-worn basis bow’d,
As stooping to relieve him: I not doubt
He came alive to land.
Alonso
No, no, he’s gone.
Sebastian
Sir, you may thank yourself for this great loss,
That would not bless our Europe with your daughter,
But rather lose her to an African;
Where she at least is banish’d from your eye,
Who hath cause to wet the grief on’t.
Alonso
Prithee, peace.
Sebastian
You were kneel’d to and importuned otherwise
By all of us, and the fair soul herself
Weigh’d between loathness and obedience, at
Which end o’ the beam should bow. We have lost your son,
I fear, for ever: Milan and Naples have
More widows in them of this business’ making
Than we bring men to comfort them:
The fault’s your own.
Alonso
So is the dear’st o’ the loss.
Gonzalo
My lord Sebastian,
The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness
And time to speak it in: you rub the sore,
When you should bring the plaster.
Sebastian
Very well.
Antonio
And most chirurgeonly.
Gonzalo
It is foul weather in us all, good sir,
When you are cloudy.
Sebastian
Foul weather?
Antonio
Very foul.
Gonzalo
Had I plantation of this isle, my lord—
Antonio
He’d sow’t with nettle-seed.
Sebastian
Or docks, or mallows.
Gonzalo
And were the king on’t, what would I do?
Sebastian
’Scape being drunk for want of wine.
Gonzalo
I’ the commonwealth I would by contraries
Execute all things; for no kind of traffic
Would I admit; no name of magistrate;
Letters should not be known; riches, poverty,
And use of service, none; contract, succession,
Bourn, bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none;
No use of metal, corn, or wine, or oil;
No occupation; all men idle, all;
And women too, but innocent and pure;
No sovereignty;—
Sebastian
Yet he would be king on’t.
Antonio
The latter end of his commonwealth forgets the beginning.
Gonzalo
All things in common nature should produce
Without sweat or endeavour: treason, felony,
Sword, pike, knife, gun, or need of any engine,
Would I not have; but nature should bring forth,
Of its own kind, all foison, all abundance,
To feed my innocent people.
Sebastian
No marrying ’mong his subjects?
Antonio
None, man; all idle: whores and knaves.
Gonzalo
I would with such perfection govern, sir,
To excel the golden age.
Sebastian
God save his majesty!
Antonio
Long live Gonzalo!
Gonzalo
And—do you mark me, sir?
Alonso
Prithee, no more: thou dost talk nothing to me.
Gonzalo
I do well believe your highness; and did it to minister occasion to these gentlemen, who are of such sensible and nimble lungs that they always use to laugh at nothing.
Antonio
’Twas you we laughed at.
Gonzalo
Who in this kind of merry fooling am nothing to you: so you may continue and laugh at nothing still.
Antonio
What a blow was there given!
Sebastian
An it had not fallen flat-long.
Gonzalo
You are gentlemen of brave metal; you would lift the moon out of her sphere, if she would continue in it five weeks without changing.
Enter
Ariel, invisible, playing solemn music.
Sebastian
We would so, and then go a bat-fowling.
Antonio
Nay, good my lord, be not angry.
Gonzalo
No, I warrant you; I will not adventure my discretion so weakly. Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?
Antonio
Go sleep, and hear us.
All sleep except Alonso, Sebastian, and Antonio.
Alonso
What, all so
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