Prospero's Books Page #6

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whose heads stood in their breasts?

You are three men of sin,

whom Destiny, that hath to instrument this lower world and what is in't,

the never-surfeited sea hath caus'd to belch up you;

and on this island where man doth not inhabit

you 'mongst men being most unfit to live.

I have made you mad;

And even with such-like valour

men hang and drown their proper selves.

You fools! I and my fellows Are ministers of Fate;

the elements of whom your swords are temper'd may as well wound

the loud winds, or with bemock'd-at stabs Kill the still-closing waters,

as diminish one dowle that's in my plume;

my fellow-ministers Are like invulnerable.

If you could hurt, your swords are

now too massy for your strengths

and will not be uplifted.

But remember- for that's my business to you

that you three From Milan did supplant good Prospero;

Thee of thy son, Alonso, They have bereft;

and do pronounce by me ling'ring perdition,

worse than any death can be at once,

shall step by step attend you and your ways;

whose wraths to guard you from- which here,

in this most desolate isle, else falls upon your heads

is nothing but heart's sorrow,

and a clear life ensuing.

O, it is monstrous, monstrous!

Me thought the billows spoke, and told me of it;

The winds did sing it to me;

and the thunder, That deep and dreadful organ-pipe,

pronounc'd The name of Prospero;

it did bass my trespass.

Therefore my son i' th' ooze is bedded;

and I'll seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,

and with him there lie mudded.

seek him deeper than e'er plummet sounded,

and with him there lie mudded.

Bravely the figure of this harpy hast thou perform'd, my Ariel;

a grace it had, devouring.

Of my instruction hast thou nothing

bated in what thou hadst to say;

so, with good life

and observation strange,

my meaner ministers

Their several kinds have done.

My high charms work, and these mine enemies

are all knit up in their distractions.

They now are in my pow'r;

If I have too austerely punish'd you,

your compensation makes amends;

for have given you here

a third of mine own life,

or that for which I live;

who once again I tender to thy hand.

All thy vexations were but my trials of thy love,

and thou hast strangely stood the test;

O Ferdinand!

Do not smile at me that I boast her off,

for thou shalt find she will outstrip all praise,

and make it halt behind her.

as my gift, and thine own

acquisition wort'hily purchas'd,

take my daughter.

But if thou dost break her

virgin-knot before...

...all sanctimonious ceremonies may

with full and holy rite be minist'red,

no sweet aspersion shall the heavens

let fall to make this contract grow;

but barren hate, sour-ey'd disdain, and discord,

...shall bestrew the union of your bed

with weeds so loathly...

...that you shall hate it both.

This is a blackened and thumbed volume

whose illustrations leave small ambiguity

as to the book's content.

Therefore take heed,

as Hymen's lamps shall light you.

As I hope for quiet days, fair issue, and long life,

With such love as 'tis now,

...the murkiest den, the most opportune place,

the strong'st suggestion...

...our worser genius can, shall never

melt mine honour into lust,

to take away the edge of that day's celebration,

when I shall think or Phoebus' steeds

are founder'd or night kept chain'd below.

Fairly spoke.

Sit, then, and talk with her;

she is thine own.

What, Ariel!

my industrious servant, Ariel!

Ariel! Thou and thy meaner fellows

your last service did worthily perform;

and I must use you in such another trick.

Go bring the rabble, o'er whom I give thee pow'r,

incite them to quick motion;

for I must bestow upon the eyes of this

young couple some vanity of mine art;

Before you can say 'come' and 'go,'

This book drums against the bookcase shelf and

because it is always bursting of own volition,

has to be held down with a brass weight.

It describes how the eye changes its shape

when looking at great distances,

and how laughter changes the face.

it explains how ideas chase one another in the memory

and where thought goes when it is finished with.

codified and explained in animated drawings,

are all the possibilities for dance in the human body.

...will be here with...

...mop and mow.

Dearly, my delicate Ariel.

Do not approach till thou dost hear me call.

Ceres,

most bounteous lady,

Now, Ariel, come.

thy rich leas of wheat,

rye, barley,

vetches, oats, and pease;

Thy turfy mountains,

where live nibbling sheep,

and flat meads thatch'd with stover,

them to keep;

and thy broom groves,

Whose shadow

the dismissed bachelor loves...

This is a large book.

It is bound in a shining yellow cloth that,

when polished, gleams like brass.

It is a compendium of mythologies

with all their variants and alternative tellings;

cycle after cycle of interconnecting tales of

gods and men from all the known world,

from the icy North to the deserts of Africa,

with explanatory readings and symbolic interpretations.

...bids thee leave these

and with her

sovereign grace...

Look thou be true; do not give dalliance

too much the rein;

the strongest oaths are

straw to th' fire i' th' blood.

Be more abstemious, or else good night your vow!

Hail,

many-coloured messenger,

that ne'er Dost disobey

the wife of Jupiter;

Who, with thy saffron wings,

upon my flow'rs

Diffusest honey drops,

refreshing show'rs;

And with each end of thy blue bow

dost crown

My bosky acres

and my unshrubb'd down,

Rich scarf to my proud earth

why hath thy Queen

Summon'd me hither

to this short-grass'd green?

A contract of true love to celebrate,

And some donation freely to estate

On the blest lovers.

Tell me, heavenly bow,

If Venus or her son,

as thou dost know,

Do now attend the Queen?

Of her society Be not afraid.

I met her Deity Cutting the clouds towards Paphos,

and her son Dove-drawn with her.

Here thought they to have done some

wanton charm upon this man and maid,

whose vows are that no bed-rite shall be paid

till Hymen's torch be lighted;

but in vain. Mars's hot minion is return'd again;

Her waspish-headed son has broke his arrows,

swears he will shoot no more,

but play with sparrows, and be a boy right out.

but play with sparrows, and be a boy right out.

Highest Queen of State,

Great Juno, comes;

I know her by her gait.

How does my bounteous sister?

Go with me

to bless this twain,

that they may prosperous be,

And honour'den in their issue.

Honour,

riches,

marriage-blessing,

long continuance,

and increasing,

hourly joys be still upon you!

Juno sings her blessings on you.

Juno sings her blessings on you.

Earth's increase, foison plenty,

barns and gamers never empty;

Vines with clust'ring bunches growing,

plants with goodly burden bowing;

Spring come to you at the farthest,

in the very end of harvest!

Scarcity and want shall shun you,

Ceres' blessing so is on you.

Come, temperate nymphs,

and help to celebrate

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