Act 2, Scene 2

Original Text

*Another part of the island. Enter Caliban with a burden of wood. A noise of thunder heard.* CALIBAN. All the infections that the sun sucks up From bogs, fens, flats, on Prosper fall, and make him By inch-meal a disease! His spirits hear me, And yet I needs must curse. But they'll nor pinch, Fright me with urchin-shows, pitch me i' the mire, Nor lead me, like a firebrand, in the dark Out of my way, unless he bid 'em: but For every trifle are they set upon me; Sometime like apes, that mow and chatter at me, And after bite me; then like hedgehogs, which Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount Their pricks at my footfall; sometime am I All wound with adders, who with cloven tongues Do hiss me into madness.

Modern English

*Another part of the island. Caliban enters carrying firewood. Thunder rumbles.* CALIBAN. May every disease the sun draws up from swamps and bogs and marshes fall on Prospero and eat him alive, inch by inch! His spirits can hear me, and I still have to curse him anyway. But they won't pinch me, scare me with goblin-tricks, throw me in the mud, or lead me astray in the dark like a will-o'-the-wisp unless he tells them to. But they torment me over the smallest things -- sometimes appearing as apes that make faces and chatter at me, then bite me. Other times as hedgehogs that roll across my barefoot path and stick up their quills as I step near. Sometimes I'm wrapped head to foot in snakes whose forked tongues hiss me into madness.

Original Text

*Enter Trinculo.* CALIBAN. Lo, now, lo! Here comes a spirit of his, and to torment me For bringing wood in slowly. I'll fall flat; Perchance he will not mind me. TRINCULO. Here's neither bush nor shrub, to bear off any weather at all, and another storm brewing; I hear it sing i' the wind: yond same black cloud, yond huge one, looks like a foul bombard that would shed his liquor.

Modern English

*Trinculo enters.* CALIBAN. Oh no, here we go! One of his spirits is coming to punish me for carrying wood too slowly. I'll lie flat -- maybe he won't notice me. TRINCULO. There's not a bush or shrub here to shelter under, and another storm's coming -- I can hear it howling in the wind. That huge black cloud over there looks like a bloated wine barrel about to burst.

Original Text

*Enter Stephano, singing: a bottle in his hand.* STEPHANO. I shall no more to sea, to sea, Here shall I die a-shore,-- This is a very scurvy tune to sing at a man's funeral: well, here's my comfort. *[Drinks.]*

Modern English

*Stephano enters, singing, bottle in hand.* STEPHANO. I'll go to sea no more, no more, Here I'll die on shore -- Pretty lousy song for a man's funeral. Well, here's something to cheer me up. *[Takes a drink.]*

Original Text

CALIBAN. I'll swear, upon that bottle, to be thy true subject; for the liquor is not earthly. CALIBAN. I'll show thee every fertile inch o' th' island; And I will kiss thy foot: I prithee, be my god.

Modern English

CALIBAN. I'll swear on that bottle to be your loyal subject -- because that liquor is not of this earth. CALIBAN. I'll show you every fertile spot on the island, and I'll kiss your foot. Please -- be my god.

Original Text

CALIBAN. I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow; And I with my long nails will dig thee pig-nuts; Show thee a jay's nest, and instruct thee how To snare the nimble marmoset; I'll bring thee To clustering filberts, and sometimes I'll get thee Young scamels from the rock. Wilt thou go with me?

Modern English

CALIBAN. Please, let me take you where the crab apples grow. With my long nails I'll dig up truffles for you, show you a jay's nest, teach you how to catch the quick little monkeys. I'll bring you to clusters of hazelnuts, and sometimes I'll fetch you young seabirds from the cliffs. Will you come with me?

Original Text

CALIBAN. *[sings drunkenly]* Farewell, master; farewell, farewell! No more dams I'll make for fish; Nor fetch in firing At requiring; Nor scrape trencher, nor wash dish: 'Ban, 'Ban, Cacaliban Has a new master:--get a new man. Freedom, hey-day! hey-day, freedom! freedom, hey-day, freedom! STEPHANO. O brave monster! Lead the way.

Modern English

CALIBAN. *[singing drunkenly]* Goodbye, master! Goodbye, goodbye! No more building dams to catch fish, No more hauling firewood on command, No more scrubbing plates or washing dishes: Ban, Ban, Caliban has got a new master -- go find yourself a new slave! Freedom, hooray! Hooray, freedom! Freedom, hooray, freedom! STEPHANO. What a brave monster! Lead the way.

The Tempest

Act 2, Scene 2

Act 2, Scene 2