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Speeches (Lines) for Caliban
in "Tempest"

Total: 50

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# Act, Scene, Line
(Click to see in context)
Speech text

1

I,2,460

[Within] There's wood enough within.

2

I,2,471

As wicked dew as e'er my mother brush'd
With raven's feather from unwholesome fen
Drop on you both! a south-west blow on ye
And blister you all o'er!

3

I,2,481

I must eat my dinner.
This island's mine, by Sycorax my mother,
Which thou takest from me. When thou camest first,
Thou strokedst me and madest much of me, wouldst give me
Water with berries in't, and teach me how
To name the bigger light, and how the less,
That burn by day and night: and then I loved thee
And show'd thee all the qualities o' the isle,
The fresh springs, brine-pits, barren place and fertile:
Cursed be I that did so! All the charms
Of Sycorax, toads, beetles, bats, light on you!
For I am all the subjects that you have,
Which first was mine own king: and here you sty me
In this hard rock, whiles you do keep from me
The rest o' the island.

4

I,2,501

O ho, O ho! would't had been done!
Thou didst prevent me; I had peopled else
This isle with Calibans.

5

I,2,517

You taught me language; and my profit on't
Is, I know how to curse. The red plague rid you
For learning me your language!

6

I,2,527

No, pray thee.
[Aside]
I must obey: his art is of such power,
It would control my dam's god, Setebos,
and make a vassal of him.

7

II,2,1082

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.
[Enter TRINCULO]
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.

8

II,2,1147

Do not torment me: Oh!

9

II,2,1155

The spirit torments me; Oh!

10

II,2,1162

Do not torment me, prithee; I'll bring my wood home faster.

11

II,2,1169

Thou dost me yet but little hurt; thou wilt anon, I
know it by thy trembling: now Prosper works upon thee.

12

II,2,1203

[Aside] These be fine things, an if they be
not sprites.
That's a brave god and bears celestial liquor.
I will kneel to him.

13

II,2,1213

I'll swear upon that bottle to be thy true subject;
for the liquor is not earthly.

14

II,2,1224

Hast thou not dropp'd from heaven?

15

II,2,1227

I have seen thee in her and I do adore thee:
My mistress show'd me thee and thy dog and thy bush.

16

II,2,1235

I'll show thee every fertile inch o' th' island;
And I will kiss thy foot: I prithee, be my god.

17

II,2,1239

I'll kiss thy foot; I'll swear myself thy subject.

18

II,2,1246

I'll show thee the best springs; I'll pluck thee berries;
I'll fish for thee and get thee wood enough.
A plague upon the tyrant that I serve!
I'll bear him no more sticks, but follow thee,
Thou wondrous man.

19

II,2,1253

I prithee, let me bring thee where crabs grow;
And I with my long nails will dig thee pignuts;
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?

20

II,2,1264

[Sings drunkenly]
Farewell master; farewell, farewell!

21

II,2,1267

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!

22

III,2,1418

How does thy honour? Let me lick thy shoe.
I'll not serve him; he's not valiant.

23

III,2,1425

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

24

III,2,1427

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

25

III,2,1431

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

26

III,2,1436

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

27

III,2,1439

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

28

III,2,1445

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

29

III,2,1450

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

30

III,2,1453

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

31

III,2,1456

What a pied ninny's this! Thou scurvy patch!
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.

32

III,2,1476

Ha, ha, ha!

33

III,2,1479

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

34

III,2,1482

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
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
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
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.

35

III,2,1500

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

36

III,2,1509

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

37

III,2,1513

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

38

III,2,1522

That's not the tune.

39

III,2,1531

Art thou afeard?

40

III,2,1533

Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises,
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,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me that, when I waked,
I cried to dream again.

41

III,2,1544

When Prospero is destroyed.

42

IV,1,1937

Pray you, tread softly, that the blind mole may not
Hear a foot fall: we now are near his cell.

43

IV,1,1947

Good my lord, give me thy favour still.
Be patient, for the prize I'll bring thee to
Shall hoodwink this mischance: therefore speak softly.
All's hush'd as midnight yet.

44

IV,1,1958

Prithee, my king, be quiet. Seest thou here,
This is the mouth o' the cell: no noise, and enter.
Do that good mischief which may make this island
Thine own for ever, and I, thy Caliban,
For aye thy foot-licker.

45

IV,1,1966

Let it alone, thou fool; it is but trash.

46

IV,1,1972

The dropsy drown this fool I what do you mean
To dote thus on such luggage? Let's alone
And do the murder first: if he awake,
From toe to crown he'll fill our skins with pinches,
Make us strange stuff.

47

IV,1,1988

I will have none on't: we shall lose our time,
And all be turn'd to barnacles, or to apes
With foreheads villanous low.

48

V,1,2333

O Setebos, these be brave spirits indeed!
How fine my master is! I am afraid
He will chastise me.

49

V,1,2351

I shall be pinch'd to death.

50

V,1,2370

Ay, that I will; and I'll be wise hereafter
And seek for grace. What a thrice-double ass
Was I, to take this drunkard for a god
And worship this dull fool!

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