THE TEMPEST
19
Prospero.
Good wombs have borne bad sons. Now the condition.
This King of Naples, being an enemy
To me inveterate, hearkens my brother’s suit;
Which was, that he, in lieu o’ the premises
Of homage and I know not how much tribute,
Should presently extirpate me and mine
Out of the dukedom and confer fair Milan
With all the honours on my brother: whereon,
A treacherous army levied, one midnight
Fated to the purpose did Antonio open
The gates of Milan, and, i’ the dead of darkness,
The ministers for the purpose hurried thence
Me and thy crying self.
This King of Naples, being an enemy
To me inveterate, hearkens my brother’s suit;
Which was, that he, in lieu o’ the premises
Of homage and I know not how much tribute,
Should presently extirpate me and mine
Out of the dukedom and confer fair Milan
With all the honours on my brother: whereon,
A treacherous army levied, one midnight
Fated to the purpose did Antonio open
The gates of Milan, and, i’ the dead of darkness,
The ministers for the purpose hurried thence
Me and thy crying self.
Miranda.
Me and thy crying self. Alack, for pity!
I, not remembering how I cried out then,
Will cry it o’er again: it is a hint
That wrings mine eyes to 't.
I, not remembering how I cried out then,
Will cry it o’er again: it is a hint
That wrings mine eyes to 't.
Prospero.
That wrings mine eyes to 't. Hear a little further
And then I ’ll bring thee to the present business
Which now ’s upon ’s; without the which this story
Were most impertinent.
And then I ’ll bring thee to the present business
Which now ’s upon ’s; without the which this story
Were most impertinent.
Miranda.
If this might be a brother. Wherefore did they not
That hour destroy us?
That hour destroy us?
Prospero.
That hour destroy us? Well demanded, wench:
