SEBASTIAN What stuff is this! How say you? ‘Tis true, my brother’s daughter’s Queen of Tunis; So is she heir of Naples; ‘twixt which regions There is some space.

ANTONIO A space whose ev’ry cubit Seems to cry out ‘How shall that Claribel Measure us back to Naples? Keep in Tunis, And let Sebastian wake.’ Say this were death That now hath seiz’d them; why, they were no worse Than now they are. There be that can rule Naples As well as he that sleeps; lords that can prate As amply and unnecessarily As this Gonzalo; I myself could make A chough of as deep chat. O, that you bore The mind that I do! What a sleep were this For your advancement! Do you understand me? SEBASTIAN Methinks I do.

ANTONIO And how does your content Tender your own good fortune? SEBASTIAN I remember You did supplant your brother Prospero.

ANTONIO True.

And look how well my garments sit upon me, Much feater than before. My brother’s servants Were then my fellows; now they are my men.

SEBASTIAN But, for your conscienceANTONIO Ay, sir; where lies that? If ‘twere a kibe, ‘Twould put me to my slipper; but I feel not This deity in my bosom; twenty consciences That stand ‘twixt me and Milan, candied be they And melt, ere they molest! Here lies your brother, No better than the earth he lies upon, If he were that which now he’s like-that’s dead; Whom I with this obedient steel, three inches of it, Can lay to bed for ever; whiles you, doing thus, To the perpetual wink for aye might put This ancient morsel, this Sir Prudence, who Should not upbraid our course. For all the rest, They’ll take suggestion as a cat laps milk; They’ll tell the clock to any business that We say befits the hour.

SEBASTIAN Thy case, dear friend, Shall be my precedent; as thou got’st Milan, I’ll come by Naples. Draw thy sword. One stroke Shall free thee from the tribute which thou payest; And I the King shall love thee.

ANTONIO Draw together; And when I rear my hand, do you the like, To fall it on Gonzalo.

SEBASTIAN O, but one word. [They talk apart]

Re-enter ARIEL, invisible, with music and song ARIEL My master through his art foresees the danger That you, his friend, are in; and sends me forth For else his project dies-to keep them living.

[Sings in GONZALO’S ear] While you here do snoring lie, Open-ey’d conspiracy His time doth take. If of life you keep a care, Shake off slumber, and beware.

Awake, awake! ANTONIO Then let us both be sudden.