The Tempest

Act III, Scene ii

Another part of the island.

[Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO]

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.

TRINCULO:
Servant-monster! the folly of this island! 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.

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 drown'd 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 my standard.

TRINCULO:
Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.

STEPHANO:
We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.

TRINCULO:
Nor go neither; but you'll lie like dogs and yet say
nothing neither.

STEPHANO:
Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a good moon-calf.

CALIBAN:
How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.
I'll not serve him; he's not valiant.

TRINCULO:
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 to-day? Wilt thou tell a 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 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 indignity.

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

STEPHANO:
Marry, will I. kneel and repeat it; I will stand,
and so shall Trinculo.

[Enter ARIEL, invisible]

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

ARIEL:
Thou liest.

CALIBAN:
Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou: 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.

TRINCULO:
Why, I said nothing.

STEPHANO:
Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.