The Tempest — Act 3, Scene 2

original text and modern English, side by side

Another part of the island · Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban, Ariel

Drunk on Stephano's wine, Caliban proposes that Stephano murder Prospero in his afternoon sleep, seize his books first, and take Miranda as his queen. Ariel, invisible, repeatedly calls out "Thou liest" in Trinculo's voice until Stephano beats Trinculo, then plays a tune that terrifies the men — prompting Caliban's speech about the island being full of sounds that give delight and hurt not. Ariel leads the conspirators off to tell Prospero everything.

Enter Caliban with a bottle, Stephano and Trinculo.

Stephano

Tell not me:—

Don't argue with me.

when the butt is out we will drink water; not a drop

before:

When the barrel's empty we'll drink water — not a drop before.

therefore bear up, and board ’em.

So keep your spirits up and let's charge them.

Servant-monster, drink to me.

Trinculo

Servant-monster!

The folly of this island!

What an absurd island.

They say there’s but five

upon this isle; we are three of them;

They say there are only five people on it; we're three of them.

if th’ other two be brained like

us, the state totters.

If the other two have brains as addled as ours, this state is in trouble.

Stephano

Drink, servant-monster, when I bid thee:

Drink, servant-monster, when I tell you to.

thy eyes are almost set in thy

head.

Your eyes are practically sunk into your skull.

Trinculo

Where should they be set else?

Where else would they be set?

He were a brave monster indeed, if they

were set in his tail.

He'd be a remarkable monster if they were set in his backside.

Stephano

My man-monster hath drown’d his tongue in sack:

My man-monster has drowned his tongue in wine.

for my part, the sea

cannot drown me;

As for me, the sea can't drown me:

I swam, ere I could recover the shore, five-and-thirty

leagues, off and on, by this light.

I swam thirty-five miles before I reached the shore, back and forth, I swear it.

Thou shalt be my lieutenant,

monster, or my standard.

You'll be my lieutenant, monster — or my standard-bearer.

Trinculo

Your lieutenant, if you list;

Lieutenant, if you like.

he’s no standard.

He can't stand up, let alone hold a standard.

Stephano

We’ll not run, Monsieur monster.

We won't run away, Monsieur Monster.

Trinculo

Nor go neither.

You won't walk, either.

But you’ll lie like dogs, and yet say nothing neither.

You'll lie there like dogs, and not say a word.

Stephano

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

Halfwit, speak once in your life, if you're any kind of decent halfwit.

Caliban

How does thy honour?

How is Your Honour?

Let me lick thy shoe.

Let me lick your shoe.

I’ll not serve him, he is

not valiant.

I won't serve him — he's no fighter.

Trinculo

Thou liest, most ignorant monster:

You're lying, you ignorant monster.

I am in case to justle a constable.

I'm in good enough shape to take on a constable.

Why, thou deboshed fish thou, was there ever man a coward that hath

drunk so much sack as I today?

You debauched fish, was there ever a coward who drank as much wine as I have today?

Wilt thou tell a monstrous lie, being

but half a fish and half a monster?

How dare you tell a monstrous lie when you're only half fish and half monster?

Caliban

Lo, how he mocks me!

Look how he's mocking me!

wilt thou let him, my lord?

Will you allow it, my lord?

Trinculo

“Lord” quoth he!

"Lord," he says!

That a monster should be such a natural!

Imagine a monster being such a simpleton!

Caliban

Lo, lo again!

There, again!

bite him to death, I prithee.

Bite him to death, please.

Stephano

Trinculo, keep a good tongue in your head:

Trinculo, keep a civil tongue in your head.

if you prove a mutineer, the

next tree!

If you turn out to be a mutineer, it's the nearest tree for you.

The poor monster’s my subject, and he shall not suffer

indignity.

The poor monster is my subject, and he won't be insulted.

Caliban

I thank my noble lord.

Thank you, my noble lord.

Wilt thou be pleas’d to hearken once again to

the suit I made to thee?

Would you be willing to listen again to the proposal I made you?

Stephano

Marry. will I.

I certainly would.

Kneel and repeat it.

Kneel down and repeat it.

I will stand, and so shall

Trinculo.

I'll stand, and so will 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.

As I told you before, I'm the subject of a tyrant, a sorcerer, who cheated me out of this island by trickery.

Ariel

Thou liest.

You're lying.

Caliban

Thou liest, thou jesting monkey, thou;

You're the liar, you mocking monkey.

I would my valiant master would destroy thee;

I wish my brave master would destroy you.

I do not lie.

I am not lying.

Stephano

Trinculo, if you trouble him any more in his tale, by this hand, I will

supplant some of your teeth.

Trinculo, if you interrupt his story once more, I swear by this hand I'll knock some of your teeth out.

Trinculo

Why, I said nothing.

But I said nothing.

Stephano

Mum, then, and no more.

Quiet, then, and not another word.

Proceed.

Go on.

Caliban

I say, by sorcery he got this isle;

From me he got it.

I say he got this island by sorcery — took it from me.

If thy greatness will,

Revenge it on him,—for I know thou dar’st;

But this thing dare not,—

If Your Greatness would take revenge on him for it — because I know you dare, and this creature doesn't —

Stephano

That’s most certain.

That's certainly true.

Caliban

Thou shalt be lord of it and I’ll serve thee.

— you'll be lord of it, and I'll serve you.

Stephano

How now shall this be compassed?

How do we manage it, then?

Canst thou bring me to the party?

Can you take me to him?

Caliban

Yea, yea, my lord:

Yes, yes, my lord.

I’ll yield him thee asleep,

Where thou mayst knock a nail into his head.

I'll hand him over to you asleep, and you can hammer a nail into his head.

Ariel

Thou liest.

You're lying.

Thou canst not.

You can't.

Caliban

What a pied ninny’s this!

What a motley-suited fool this is!

Thou scurvy patch!

You scabby clown!

I do beseech thy greatness, give him blows,

And take his bottle from him:

I beg you, Your Greatness, hit him, and take his bottle away.

when that’s gone

He shall drink nought but brine; for I’ll not show him

Where the quick freshes are.

Once that's gone he'll have nothing to drink but seawater, because I won't show him where the fresh springs run.

Stephano

Trinculo, run into no further danger:

Trinculo, don't push your luck any further.

interrupt the monster one word

further, and by this hand, I’ll turn my mercy out o’ doors, and make a

stock-fish of thee.

Interrupt the monster one more word and I swear by this hand I'll throw my mercy out the door and beat you flat as dried cod.

Trinculo

Why, what did I?

But what did I do?

I did nothing.

I’ll go farther off.

I'll move further off.

Stephano

Didst thou not say he lied?

Didn't you say he was lying?

Ariel

Thou liest.

You're lying.

Stephano

Do I so?

Do I?

Take thou that.

Take that.

Strikes Trinculo.

Stephano

As you like this, give me the lie another time.

If you like that, call me a liar again some time.

Trinculo

I did not give the lie.

I didn't call you a liar.

Out o’ your wits and hearing too?

Have you lost your mind and your hearing?

A pox o’ your

bottle!

Damn your bottle!

this can sack and drinking do.

This is what wine and drinking do.

A murrain on your monster, and

the devil take your fingers!

A plague on your monster, and the devil take your fingers!

Caliban

Ha, ha, ha!

Stephano

Now, forward with your tale.—

Now, get on with your story.

Prithee stand further off.

— You, please stand further off.

Caliban

Beat him enough:

Beat him properly.

after a little time,

I’ll beat him too.

Give it a while and I'll beat him too.

Stephano

Stand farther.—

Stand further off.

Come, proceed.

— Come on, go on.

Caliban

Why, as I told thee, ’tis a custom with him

I’ th’ afternoon to sleep:

As I was saying, he has a habit of sleeping in the afternoon.

there thou mayst brain him,

Having first seiz’d his books;

That's when you can smash his head in — but seize his books first.

or with a log

Batter his skull, or paunch him with a stake,

Or cut his wezand with thy knife.

Or batter his skull with a log, or gut him with a stake, or cut his throat with your knife.

Remember

First to possess his books;

Remember: get hold of his books first,

for without them

He’s but a sot, as I am, nor hath not

One spirit to command:

because without them he's as much of a fool as I am, and not a single spirit will obey him.

they all do hate him

As rootedly as I.

They all hate him as deeply as I do.

Burn but his books.

Just burn his books.

He has brave utensils,—for so he calls them,—

Which, when he has a house, he’ll deck withal.

He has fine equipment — that's what he calls it — which he'll furnish a house with when he has one.

And that most deeply to consider is

The beauty of his daughter;

And the thing most worth thinking about is how beautiful his daughter is.

he himself

Calls her a nonpareil:

He calls her one of a kind himself.

I never saw a woman

But only Sycorax my dam and she;

I've never seen a woman except my mother Sycorax and her,

But she as far surpasseth Sycorax

As great’st does least.

but she surpasses Sycorax as much as the greatest thing surpasses the smallest.

Stephano

Is it so brave a lass?

She's that fine a girl?

Caliban

Ay, lord, she will become thy bed, I warrant,

And bring thee forth brave brood.

Yes, my lord. She'll suit your bed, I guarantee it, and give you fine children.

Stephano

Monster, I will kill this man.

Monster, I'll kill this man.

His daughter and I will be king and

queen,—save our graces!—and Trinculo and thyself shall be viceroys.

His daughter and I will be king and queen — God save our majesties! — and you and Trinculo will be viceroys.

Dost thou like the plot, Trinculo?

How do you like the plan, Trinculo?

Trinculo

Excellent.

Stephano

Give me thy hand:

Shake my hand.

I am sorry I beat thee;

I'm sorry I hit you —

but while thou liv’st, keep a

good tongue in thy head.

but for as long as you live, keep a civil tongue in your head.

Caliban

Within this half hour will he be asleep.

He'll be asleep within the half hour.

Wilt thou destroy him then?

Will you destroy him then?

Stephano

Ay, on mine honour.

Yes, on my honour.

Ariel

This will I tell my master.

I'll tell my master about this.

Caliban

Thou mak’st me merry.

You've made me happy.

I am full of pleasure.

I'm full of joy.

Let us be jocund:

You taught me but while-ere?

Let's celebrate —

will you troll the catch

will you sing that round you taught me a while back?

Stephano

At thy request, monster, I will do reason, any reason.

At your request, monster, I'll do anything reasonable — anything at all.

Come on,

Trinculo, let us sing.

Come on, Trinculo, let's sing.

Sings.

Stephano

_Flout ’em and cout ’em,

and scout ’em and flout ’em:

Thought is free._

Mock them and jeer them, and jeer them and mock them: thought is free.

Caliban

That’s not the tune.

That's not the tune.

Ariel plays the tune on a tabor and pipe.

Stephano

What is this same?

What's this now?

Trinculo

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

That's the tune of our song, being played by Nobody himself.

Stephano

If thou beest a man, show thyself in thy likeness:

If you're a man, show yourself in your own shape.

if thou beest a

devil, take ’t as thou list.

If you're a devil, do as you please.

Trinculo

O, forgive me my sins!

Oh, forgive me my sins!

Stephano

He that dies pays all debts:

Death cancels every debt.

I defy thee.

I defy you.

Mercy upon us!

— Have mercy on us!

Caliban

Art thou afeard?

Are you frightened?

Stephano

No, monster, not I.

No, monster, not me.

Caliban

Be not afeard.

Don't be afraid.

The isle is full of noises,

Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.

This island is full of noises, sounds and sweet melodies that give pleasure and do no harm.

Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments

Will hum about mine ears;

Sometimes a thousand twanging instruments hum around my ears,

and sometimes voices,

That, if I then had wak’d after long sleep,

Will make me sleep again:

and sometimes voices that would send me back to sleep even if I'd only just woken from a long one.

and then, in dreaming,

The clouds methought would open and show riches

Ready to drop upon me;

And then, dreaming, I'd see the clouds open and show me riches about to fall on me —

that, when I wak’d,

I cried to dream again.

so that when I woke, I cried, wanting to dream again.

Stephano

This will prove a brave kingdom to me, where I shall have my music for

nothing.

This will make a fine kingdom for me — I'll get my music free.

Caliban

When Prospero is destroyed.

Once Prospero is destroyed.

Stephano

That shall be by and by:

That'll happen soon enough.

I remember the story.

I remember the plan.

Trinculo

The sound is going away.

The sound is moving away.

Let’s follow it, and after do our work.

Let's follow it, and do our job afterwards.

Stephano

Lead, monster: we’ll follow.

Lead on, monster — we'll follow.

I would I could see this taborer! he lays

it on.

I'd like to get a look at this drummer; he really lays into it.

Wilt come?

Are you coming?

Trinculo

I’ll follow, Stephano.

I'll follow you, Stephano.

Exeunt.

The Tempest Act 3, Scene 2 summary

Who appears in this scene

Stephano, Trinculo, Caliban, Ariel — Another part of the island.

Famous lines in The Tempest Act 3, Scene 2, explained

“Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises, / Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.” (line 122): In the middle of a drunken murder plot, Caliban gives the most beautiful speech in the play — comforting two frightened men by telling them the island's music is kind. It is decisive for how we read him: the creature Prospero calls a savage is the one who hears the island rather than trying to own it, and his dream of clouds opening to drop riches, followed by waking and crying to sleep again, is the play's saddest image of a life without hope.
“that, when I wak’d, / I cried to dream again” (line 129): Caliban's dreams are so much better than his waking life that waking up makes him weep. In four words the play states what enslavement has cost him — not just labour, but any future worth waking for — and it is the emotional counterweight to Prospero's grander speech about dreams in Act 4.
“Burn but his books.” (line 83): Caliban's tactical advice: kill Prospero, but seize the books first, because without them he is as powerless as anyone else and no spirit will obey him. It is the shrewdest observation anyone in the play makes about where Prospero's power actually sits, and it foreshadows Prospero's own decision in Act 5 to drown his book by choice.

Keep reading

About this translation: the original text follows the public-domain Project Gutenberg Globe edition; the modern English translation was written in-house for Polytranslator and is reviewed on an ongoing basis (last revised August 2026). Free to print and photocopy for classroom use. Cite as: “The Tempest, Act 3, Scene 2. Polytranslator side-by-side translation, polytranslator.com/shakespeare/the-tempest/act-3-scene-2.”

Studying the language itself? Our Shakespearean English course teaches thou/thee, the verbs, and the meter — free through Unit 2. Or try the Shakespearean English translator.