act iii, scene ii
SCENE II.

_Another part of the island._

  _Enter CALIBAN, STEPHANO, and TRINCULO._

_Ste._ 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.

_Trin._ Servant-monster! the folly of this island! They
say there's but five upon this isle: we are three of them; if        5
th' other two be brained like us, the state totters.

_Ste._ Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee: thy eyes
are almost set in thy head.

_Trin._ Where should they be set else? he were a brave
monster indeed, if they were set in his tail.                       10

_Ste._ 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 my
standard.                                                           15

_Trin._ Your lieutenant, if you list; he's no standard.

_Ste._ We'll not run, Monsieur Monster.

_Trin._ Nor go neither; but you'll lie, like dogs, and
yet say nothing neither.

_Ste._ Moon-calf, speak once in thy life, if thou beest a           20
good moon-calf.

_Cal._ How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.
I'll not serve him, he is not valiant.

_Trin._ Thou liest, most ignorant monster: I am in case
to justle a constable. Why, thou debauched fish, thou, was          25
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?

_Cal._ Lo, how he mocks me! wilt thou let him, my lord?

_Trin._ 'Lord,' quoth he! That a monster should be                  30
such a natural!

_Cal._ Lo, lo, again! bite him to death, I prithee.

_Ste._ 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.                         35

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

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

  _Enter ARIEL, invisible._

_Cal._ As I told thee before, I am subject to a tyrant, a           40
sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island.

_Ari._ Thou liest.

_Cal._           Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou:
I would my valiant master would destroy thee!
I do not lie.

_Ste._ Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in's tale, by          45
this hand, I will supplant some of your teeth.

_Trin._ Why, I said nothing.

_Ste._ Mum, then, and no more. Proceed.

_Cal._ I say, by sorcery he got this isle;
From me he got it. If thy greatness will                            50
Revenge it on him,--for I know thou darest,
But this thing dare not,--

_Ste._ That's most certain.

_Cal._ Thou shalt be lord of it, and I'll serve thee.

_Ste._ How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou                  55
bring me to the party?

_Cal._ Yea, yea, my lord: I'll yield him thee asleep,
Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.

_Ari._ Thou liest; thou canst not.

_Cal._ What a pied ninny's this! Thou scurvy patch!                 60
I do beseech thy Greatness, give him blows,
And take his bottle from him: when that's gone,
He shall drink nought but brine; for I'll not show him
Where the quick freshes are.

_Ste._ Trinculo, run into no further danger: interrupt the          65
monster one word further, and, by this hand, I'll turn my
mercy out o' doors, and make a stock-fish of thee.

_Trin._ Why, what did I? I did nothing. I'll go farther
off.

_Ste._ Didst thou not say he lied?                                  70

_Ari._ Thou liest.

_Ste._ Do I so? take thou that. [_Beats him._] As you
like this, give me the lie another time.

_Trin._ I did not give the lie. Out o' your wits, and
hearing too? A pox o' your bottle! this can sack and                75
drinking do. A murrain on your monster, and the devil
take your fingers!

_Cal._ Ha, ha, ha!

_Ste._ Now, forward with your tale. --Prithee, stand farther
off.                                                                80

_Cal._ Beat him enough: after a little time,
I'll beat him too.

_Ste._ Stand farther. Come, proceed.

_Cal._ 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                        85
Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,
Or cut his wezand with thy knife. Remember
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                         90
As rootedly as I. Burn but his books.
He has brave utensils,--for so he calls them,--
Which, when he has a house, he'll deck withal.
And that most deeply to consider is
The beauty of his daughter; he himself                              95
Calls her a nonpareil: I never saw a woman,
But only Sycorax my dam and she;
But she as far surpasseth Sycorax
As great'st does least.

_Ste._                Is it so brave a lass?

_Cal._ Ay, lord; she will become thy bed, I warrant,               100
And bring thee forth brave brood.

_Ste._ 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?                                                          105

_Trin._ Excellent.

_Ste._ Give me thy hand: I am sorry I beat thee; but,
while thou livest, keep a good tongue in thy head.

_Cal._ Within this half hour will he be asleep:
Wilt thou destroy him then?

_Ste._                    Ay, on mine honour.                      110

_Ari._ This will I tell my master.

_Cal._ Thou makest me merry; I am full of pleasure:
Let us be jocund: will you troll the catch
You taught me but while-ere?

_Ste._ At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any              115
reason. --Come on. Trinculo, let us sing.      [_Sings._

  Flout 'em and scout 'em, and scout 'em and flout 'em;
  Thought is free.

_Cal._ That's not the tune.

  [_Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe._

_Ste._ What is this same?                                          120

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

_Ste._ If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness:
if thou beest a devil, take't as thou list.

_Trin._ O, forgive me my sins!                                     125

_Ste._ He that dies pays all debts: I defy thee. Mercy
upon us!

_Cal._ Art thou afeard?

_Ste._ No, monster, not I.

_Cal._ Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,                  130
Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometime voices,
That, if I then had waked after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,                   135
The clouds methought would open, and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.

_Ste._ This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I
shall have my music for nothing.                                   140

_Cal._ When Prospero is destroyed.

_Ste._ That shall be by and by: I remember the story.

_Trin._ The sound is going away; let's follow it, and
after do our work.

_Ste._ Lead, monster; we'll follow. I would I could see            145
this taborer; he lays it on.

_Trin._ Wilt come? I'll follow, Stephano.    [_Exeunt._


  Notes: III, 2.

  SCENE II. Another...] Theobald. The other... Pope.
  Enter ...] Enter S. and T. reeling, Caliban following with a bottle.
    Capell. Enter C. S. and T. with a bottle. Johnson.]
  8: _head_] F1. _heart_ F2 F3 F4.
  13, 14: _on. By this light, thou_] _on, by this light thou_ Ff.
    _on, by this light. --Thou_ Capell.
  25: _debauched_] _debosh'd_ Ff.
  37: _to the suit I made to thee_] _the suit I made thee_ Steevens,
    who prints all Caliban's speeches as verse.
  60: Johnson conjectured that this line was spoken by Stephano.
  68: _farther_] F1 _no further_ F2 F3 F4.
  72: [Beats him.] Rowe.
  84: _there_] _then_ Collier MS.
  89: _nor_] _and_ Pope.
  93: _deck_] _deck't_ Hanmer.
  96: _I never saw a woman_] _I ne'er saw woman_ Pope.
  99: _great'st does least_] _greatest does the least_ Rowe.
  115, 116:] Printed as verse in Ff.
  115: _any_] F1. _and_ F2 F3 F4.
  117: _scout 'em, and scout 'em_] Pope. _cout 'em and skowt 'em_ Ff.
  125: _sins_] _sin_ F4.
  132: _twangling_] _twanging_ Pope.
  133: _sometime_] F1. _sometimes_ F2 F3 F4.
  137: _that_] om. Pope.
  147: Trin. _Will come? I'll follow, Stephano_] Trin. _Wilt come?_
    Ste. _I'll follow._ Capell. Ste. _... Wilt come?_
    Trin. _I'll follow, Stephano._ Ritson conj.




sparknotes
Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano continue to drink and wander about the island. Stephano now refers to Caliban as "servant monster" and repeatedly orders him to drink. Caliban seems happy to obey. The men begin to quarrel, mostly in jest, in their drunkenness. Stephano has now assumed the title of Lord of the Island and he promises to hang Trinculo if Trinculo should mock his servant monster. Ariel, invisible, enters just as Caliban is telling the men that he is "subject to a tyrant, a sorcerer, that by his cunning hath cheated me of the island" . Ariel begins to stir up trouble, calling out, "Thou liest" . Caliban cannot see Ariel and thinks that Trinculo said this. He threatens Trinculo, and Stephano tells Trinculo not to interrupt Caliban anymore. Trinculo protests that he said nothing. Drunkenly, they continue talking, and Caliban tells them of his desire to get revenge against Prospero. Ariel continues to interrupt now and then with the words, "Thou liest." Ariel's ventriloquizing ultimately results in Stephano hitting Trinculo. While Ariel looks on, Caliban plots against Prospero. The key, Caliban tells his friends, is to take Prospero's magic books. Once they have done this, they can kill Prospero and take his daughter. Stephano will become king of the island and Miranda will be his queen. Trinculo tells Stephano that he thinks this plan is a good idea, and Stephano apologizes for the previous quarreling. Caliban assures them that Prospero will be asleep within the half hour. Ariel plays a tune on his flute and tabor-drum. Stephano and Trinculo wonder at this noise, but Caliban tells them it is nothing to fear. Stephano relishes the thought of possessing this island kingdom "where I shall have my music for nothing" . Then the men decide to follow the music and afterward to kill Prospero.
Analysis As we have seen, one of the ways in which The Tempest builds its rich aura of magical and mysterious implication is through the use of doubles: scenes, characters, and speeches that mirror each other by either resemblance or contrast. This scene is an example of doubling: almost everything in it echoes Act II, scene i. In this scene, Caliban, Trinculo, and Stephano wander aimlessly about the island, and Stephano muses about the kind of island it would be if he ruled it--"I will kill this man . His daughter and I will be King and Queen . . . and Trinculo and thyself  shall be viceroys" --just as Gonzalo had done while wandering with Antonio and Sebastian in Act II, scene i. At the end of Act III, scene ii, Ariel enters, invisible, and causes strife among the group, first with his voice and then with music, leading the men astray in order to thwart Antonio and Sebastian's plot against Alonso. The power-hungry servants Stephano and Trinculo thus become rough parodies of the power-hungry courtiers Antonio and Sebastian. All four men are now essentially equated with Caliban, who is, as Alonso and Antonio once were, simply another usurper. But Caliban also has a moment in this scene to become more than a mere usurper: his striking and apparently heartfelt speech about the sounds of the island. Reassuring the others not to worry about Ariel's piping, Caliban says: The isle is full of noises,Sounds and sweet airs, that give delight and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instrumentsWill hum about mine ears, and sometime 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 richesReady to drop upon me, that, when I waked,I cried to dream again. In this speech, we are reminded of Caliban's very close connection to the island--a connection we have seen previously only in his speeches about showing Prospero or Stephano which streams to drink from and which berries to pick . After all, Caliban is not only a symbolic "native" in the colonial allegory of the play. He is also an actual native of the island, having been born there after his mother Sycorax fled there. This ennobling monologue--ennobling because there is no servility in it, only a profound understanding of the magic of the island--provides Caliban with a moment of freedom from Prospero and even from his drunkenness. In his anger and sadness, Caliban seems for a moment to have risen above his wretched role as Stephano's fool. Throughout much of the play, Shakespeare seems to side with powerful figures such as Prospero against weaker figures such as Caliban, allowing us to think, with Prospero and Miranda, that Caliban is merely a monster. But in this scene, he takes the extraordinary step of briefly giving the monster a voice. Because of this short speech, Caliban becomes a more understandable character, and even, for the moment at least, a sympathetic one.