The Tempest (I) (2010)

Ben Whishaw: Ariel

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Quotes 

• Prospera : Hast thou, spirit, perform'd to the point the tempest that I bade thee?

  Ariel : To every article. I boarded the king's ship. Now on the beak, now on the waist, the deck, in every cabin, I flamed amazement! Sometime I'd divide and burn in many places. The fire and cracks of sulfurous roaring the most mighty Neptune seem to besiege and make his bold waves tremble, yea, his dread trident shake!

  Prospera : My brave spirit! Who was so firm, so constant that this coil could not infect his reason?

  Ariel : Not a soul but felt a fever of the mad and play'd some tricks of desperation. The king's son, Ferdinand, with hair up-staring, was the first man that leap'd, cried, "Hell is empty and all the devils are here!"

  Prospera : Why, that's my spirit! But was not this nigh shore?

  Ariel : Close by, my master.

  Prospera : But are they, Ariel, safe?

  Ariel : Not a hair perish'd. On their sustaining garments, not a blemish, but fresher than before. And, as thou badest me, in troops I have dispersed them 'bout the isle. The king's son have I landed by himself, whom I left cooling of the air with sighs in an odd angle of the isle and sitting, his arms in this sad knot.

  Prospera : Of the king's ship, the mariners, say how thou has disposed.

  Ariel : Safely in harbor is the king's ship, in the deep nook, there she's hid. The mariners all under hatches stow'd, who with a charm I have left asleep.

• Ariel : Since thou dost give me pains, let me remember thee what thou hast promised, which is not yet perform'd me.

  Prospera : How now? Moody? What is't thou canst demand?

  Ariel : My liberty!

  Prospera : Before the time be out? No more!

  Ariel : I prithee, remember I have done thee worthy service. Thou didst promise to bate me a full year.

  Prospera : Dost thou forget from what a torment I did free thee?

  Ariel : No.

  Prospera : Thou dost.

  Ariel : I do not, ma'am.

  Prospera : Thou liest, malignant thing. Hast thou forgot the foul witch Sycorax? Hast thou forgot her?

  Ariel : No, ma'am.

  Prospera : Thou hast. Where was she born? Speak. Tell me.

  Ariel : Ma'am, in Algiers.

  Prospera : O, was she so? I must once in a month recount what thou hast been, which thou forget'st. This dam'd witch Sycorax, for mischiefs manifold and sorceries terrible to enter human hearing, from Algiers, thou know'st, was banish'd. Is not this true?

  Ariel : Aye, ma'am.

  Prospera : This blue-eyed hag was hither brought with child and here was left by the sailors. Thou, my slave, as thou report'st thyself, was then her servant, but for thou wast a spirit too delicate to act her earthy and abhorr'd commands, she did confine thee into a cloven pine, within which imprison'd thou didst painfully remain a dozen years, within which space she died and left thee there. Thou best know'st what a torment I did find thee in. Thy groans did make wolves howl and penetrate the breasts of ever angry bears. It was mine art, when I arrived and heard thee, that made gape the pine and let thee out.

  Ariel : I thank thee, master.

  Prospera : If thou more murmurest, I will rend an oak and peg thee in his knotty entrails 'til thou hast howl'd away twelve winters.

  Ariel : Pardon, master. I will be correspondent to command and do my spiriting gently.

  Prospera : Do so. And after two days I will discharge thee.