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Act IScene IOn a ship at seaA tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard. Enter a Master and a Boatswain.MasterBoatswain!BoatswainHere, master: what cheer?MasterGood. Speak to the mariners: fall to’t, yarely, or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir. [Exit.] Enter Mariners.BoatswainHeigh, my hearts! cheerly, cheerly, my hearts! yare, yare! Take in the topsail. Tend to the Master’s whistle. Blow, till thou burst thy wind, if room enough!Enter Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand, Gonzalo, and others.AlonsoGood boatswain, have care. Where’s the Master? Play the men.BoatswainI pray now, keep below.AntonioWhere is the Master, Boson?BoatswainDo you not hear him? You mar our labour. Keep your cabins: you do assist the storm.GonzaloNay, good be patient.BoatswainWhen the sea is. Hence! What cares these roarers for the name of King? To cabin; silence! Trouble us not.GonzaloGood, yet remember whom thou hast aboard.BoatswainNone that I more love than myself. You are a counsellor; if you can command these elements to silence, and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more; use your authority: If you cannot, give thanks you have lived so long, and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap. Cheerly, good hearts! Out of our way, I say. [Exit.] GonzaloI have great comfort from this fellow: methinks he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows. Stand fast, good Fate, to his hanging: make the rope of his destiny our cable, for our own doth little advantage. If he be not born to be hanged, our case is miserable. [Exit.] Re-enter Boatswain.BoatswainDown with the topmast! yare! lower, lower! Bring her to try with main-course.A cry withinA plague upon this howling! they are louder than the weather or our office.Re-enter Sebastian, Antonio, and GonzaloYet again! What do you here? Shall we give o’er and drown? Have you a mind to sink?SebastianA pox o’ your throat, you bawling, blasphemous, incharitable dog!BoatswainWork you then.AntonioHang, cur! hang, you whoreson, insolent noisemaker! We are less afraid to be drowned than thou art.GonzaloI’ll warrant him for drowning; though the ship were no stronger than a nutshell and as leaky as an unstanched wench.BoatswainLay her a-hold, a-hold! Set her two courses off to sea again; lay her off.Enter Mariners wetMarinersAll lost! To prayers, to prayers! All lost!BoatswainWhat, must our mouths be cold?GonzaloThe king and prince at prayers! Let’s assist them, for our case is as theirs.SebastianI’m out of patience.AntonioWe are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards. This wide-chapp’d rascal—would thou mightst lie drowning the washing of ten tides!GonzaloHe’ll be hang’d yet, Though every drop of water swear against it And gape at widest to glut him.A confused noise within.Mercy on us!— We split, we split!—Farewell, my wife and children!— Farewell, brother!—We split, we split, we split!AntonioLet’s all sink with the king.SebastianLet’s take leave of him. [Exeunt Antonio and Sebastian] GonzaloNow would I give a thousand furlongs of sea, for an acre of barren ground: long heath, brown furze, any thing. The wills above be done! but I would fain die a dry death. [Exeunt]

Tales from Shakespeare: The Tempest

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William Shakespeare: The Tempest, Act V

  • William Shakespeare: The Tempest, Act V

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Current Events This Week: January 2023

African Americans by the Numbers

Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents

The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales

  • Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Current Events This Week: January 2023
  • African Americans by the Numbers
  • Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
  • The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales