The Tempest – Act 3 Scene 1

FERDINAND

There be some sports are painful, and their labour

Some sports are painful, but the effort needed

Delight in them sets off: some kinds of baseness

Brings great delight; and sometimes, menial tasks

Are nobly undergone and most poor matters

Are done without complaint, for tiresome jobs

Point to rich ends. This my mean task

End up being rewarding. This tough job

Would be as heavy to me as odious, but

Would be as tough for me as it is dull, but

The mistress which I serve quickens what's dead

The lady that I do it for relieves

And makes my labours pleasures: O, she is

The pain and makes it pleasurable. Oh, she is

Ten times more gentle than her father's crabbed,

Ten times more lovely than her father’s wicked

And he's composed of harshness. I must remove

And harsh. For he has forced me to remove

Some thousands of these logs and pile them up,

A thousand logs and pile them all up here,

Upon a sore injunction: my sweet mistress

Or else he’ll punish me: and my sweet lady

Weeps when she sees me work, and says, such baseness

Cries when she sees me work, and says such tasks

Had never like executor. I forget:

Have not been done by royals before. But focus:

But these sweet thoughts do even refresh my labours,

For with these thoughts I make the job seem easy,

Most busy lest, when I do it.

Especially when I’m busiest.

MIRANDA

Alas, now, pray you,

I beg you,

Work not so hard: I would the lightning had

Don’t work so hard: I wish that lightning had

Burnt up those logs that you are enjoined to pile!

Burnt up those logs that you’re ordered to stack!

Pray, set it down and rest you: when this burns,

Please, put it down and rest: when this log burns,

'Twill weep for having wearied you. My father

The log will cry for tiring you. My father

Is hard at study; pray now, rest yourself;

Is studying hard; please take a rest yourself now;

He's safe for these three hours.

We’re safe from him the next three hours.

FERDINAND

O most dear mistress,

Oh mistress,

The sun will set before I shall discharge

The sun will set before I have completed

What I must strive to do.

The task I have to do.

MIRANDA

If you'll sit down,

If you’ll sit down,

I'll bear your logs the while: pray, give me that;

I’ll lift some of your logs: please, give me that;

I'll carry it to the pile.

I’ll carry it to the pile.

FERDINAND

No, precious creature;

No, precious creature,

I had rather crack my sinews, break my back,

I’d rather pull my muscles, break my back,

Than you should such dishonour undergo,

Than have you do such shameful work yourself,

While I sit lazy by.

While, lazily, I’m sat here.

MIRANDA

It would become me

Well, it suits me

As well as it does you: and I should do it

As much as it does you; and I can do it

With much more ease; for my good will is to it,

With much more ease, because I want to do it,

And yours it is against.

Whilst you do not.

PROSPERO

Poor worm, thou art infected!

Poor thing, you are in love!

This visitation shows it.

This visit proves it.

MIRANDA

You look wearily.

You look really tired.

FERDINAND

No, noble mistress; 'tis fresh morning with me

No, lovely lady; I’m as fresh as morning

When you are by at night. I do beseech you –

When you’re near me at night. I have to ask you –

Chiefly that I might set it in my prayers –

Mainly so I can say it in my prayers –

What is your name?

What is your name?

MIRANDA

Miranda. – O my father,

Miranda. Oh, my father,

I have broke your hest to say so!

I’ve disobeyed you saying that!

FERDINAND

Admired Miranda!

Miranda!

Indeed the top of admiration! Worth

Surpassing admiration! You are worth

What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady

The greatest treasure in the world! Those ladies

I have eyed with best regard and many a time

I’ve seen and I’ve admired, and many times

The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage

Their softly spoken words have left me raptured

Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues

For I’m overattentive. Several strengths

Have I liked several women; never any

I have admired in several women; never

With so full soul, but some defect in her

Have they been perfect, for some defect in her

Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed

Has offset the distinguished features she had

And put it to the foil: but you, O you,

To cancel out her strengths. But you, oh you,

So perfect and so peerless, are created

So perfect and unrivalled, are created

Of every creature's best!

From every lady’s finest strengths!

MIRANDA

I do not know

I don’t know

One of my sex; no woman's face remember,

Another lady; I’ve not seen a woman,

Save, from my glass, mine own; nor have I seen

Except me in the mirror; nor have I seen

More that I may call men than you, good friend,

Another man except for you, good friend,

And my dear father: how features are abroad,

And my dear father. How outsiders look,

I am skilless of; but, by my modesty,

I’ve no idea; but I swear as a virgin –

The jewel in my dower, I would not wish

The purest gift to give you – I would not wish

Any companion in the world but you,

To marry anyone except for you,

Nor can imagination form a shape,

And nor can I imagine anybody,

Besides yourself, to like of. But I prattle

Except for you, to love. But I am gabbling

Something too wildly and my father's precepts

Too openly, and all my father’s orders

I therein do forget.

I have forgotten, saying that.

FERDINAND

I am in my condition

I am

A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;

A prince, Miranda; and, I think, a king –

I would, not so! – and would no more endure

I wish it wasn’t so! – and I’d no more

This wooden slavery than to suffer

Endure this log-work slavery than let

The flesh-fly blow my mouth. Hear my soul speak:

A fly breed in my mouth. But hear my heart speak:

The very instant that I saw you, did

The very moment I first saw you, then

My heart fly to your service; there resides,

I gave my heart to you; and there it lives,

To make me slave to it; and for your sake

So I’m a slave to you now; and for you,

Am I this patient log-man.

I am this patient log-man.

MIRANDA

Do you love me?

Do you love me?

FERDINAND

O heaven, O earth, bear witness to this sound

Oh heaven and earth, hear what I’m going to say

And crown what I profess with kind event

And kindly make what I declare come true

If I speak true! If hollowly, invert

If I am speaking truthfully! If not,

What best is boded me to mischief! I

Make all my future benefits turn bad!

Beyond all limit of what else i' the world

For, more than anything within the world,

Do love, prize, honour you.

I love and prize and honour you.

MIRANDA

I am a fool

I’m foolish

To weep at what I am glad of.

To cry at what I’m happy for.

PROSPERO

Fair encounter

That’s lovely

Of two most rare affections! Heavens rain grace

And rare when two loves meet! May heaven grant them

On that which breeds between 'em!

A happy path ahead!

FERDINAND

Wherefore weep you?

Why are you crying?

MIRANDA

At mine unworthiness that dare not offer

At feeling insufficient and not daring

What I desire to give, and much less take

To give you what I want, and much less taking

What I shall die to want. But this is trifling;

What I would die to have. But this is minor;

And all the more it seeks to hide itself,

And as I try to hide my feelings from you,

The bigger bulk it shows. Hence, bashful cunning!

My feelings just grow stronger. Don’t be shy, now!

And prompt me, plain and holy innocence!

And say it as you mean it, plain and honest!

I am your wife, if you will marry me;

I’ll be your wife, if you will marry me;

If not, I'll die your maid: to be your fellow

If not, I’ll die a virgin. As your wife,

You may deny me; but I'll be your servant,

You’re free to turn me down; but I will serve you,

Whether you will or no.

If you say yes or no.

FERDINAND

My mistress, dearest;

My dearest mistress,

And I thus humble ever.

I’ll serve you just the same.

MIRANDA

My husband, then?

So, you’re my husband?

FERDINAND

Ay, with a heart as willing

Yes, and with a keen heart

As bondage e'er of freedom: here's my hand.

As keen as slaves want freedom: here’s my hand.

MIRANDA

And mine, with my heart in't; and now farewell

And here’s mine with my heart in it; goodbye now,

Till half an hour hence.

Till half an hour from now.

FERDINAND

A thousand thousand!

A thousand goodbyes!

PROSPERO

So glad of this as they I cannot be,

I cannot be as glad of this as they are,

Who are surprised withal; but my rejoicing

For they’re surprised, but it’s my plan; I’m thrilled,

At nothing can be more. I'll to my book,

And can’t be happier. Now, to my magic,

For yet ere supper-time must I perform

For I’ve some work to do prior to supper

Much business appertaining.

About the love between them.