"We are merely cheated of our lives by drunkards."
This was suggested to the poet by the recorded incident of part of the crew of the Sea-Venture having undertaken to drown their despair in drunkenness.
| "Farewell, my wife and children! Farewell, brother! | |
| Ant. | Let's all sink with the king. |
| Seb. | Let's take leave of him." |
These answer to the leave-taking of the Sea-Venture's crew. Jordan, in his narrative, says: "It is reported that this land of Bermudas, with the islands about it, are enchanted and kept by evil and wicked spirits," etc. Shakespeare accordingly employs Prospero, Ariel, and Caliban to personate this fabled enchantment of the island. Ariel's task is, at Prospero's bidding—
"To fly,
To swim, to dive into the fire, to ride
On the curled clouds."
The tempest, in which the ship was wrecked, is thus described by Ariel:—
"I boarded the king's ship; now on the beak,
Now in the waist, the deck, in every cabin,
I flamed amazement: sometimes I'd divide,
And burn in many places; on the top-mast,
The yards, and bowsprit, would I flame distinctly,
Then meet and join; Jove's lightnings, the precursors
O' the dreadful thunder-claps, more momentary
And sight-outrunning were not; the fire, and cracks
Of sulphurous roaring, the most mighty Neptune
Seemed to besiege, and make his bold waves tremble."
Again:—
"Not a soul
But felt a fever of the mad and played
Some tricks of desperation."
The almost miraculous escape of all from the very jaws of impending death, is thus alluded to by Ariel in her report to Prospero:—