The action returns to King Alonso and his party in the third scene. Through the magical power of Prospero, they have been wandering aimlessly and unsuccessfully around the island in search of Ferdinand. The old counselor Gonzalo is especially exhausted and asks the king for permission to rest.
King Alonso is also tired and needs to rest.
Moreover, he is becoming resigned to his fate:
Even here I will put off my hope, and keep it No longer for my flatterer. (7-8)
Alonso personifies Hope as a flatterer, a teller of lies. He no longer believes that his son Ferdinand is alive. King Alonso is now a man without hope.
In an aside, Antonio (the Duke of Milan) tells Sebastian (Alonso’s brother) that he is glad that King Alonso is without hope. This confirms his own belief that Ferdinand is dead and that Sebastian can inherit the throne of Naples after they have killed Alonso. Antonio then reminds Sebastian that he should not even for a moment (“one repulse”: line 12) forget their treacherous plan to kill the king. Sebastian agrees, and the two men plot to kill the tired king that night.
At this point (after line 17) Prospero appears at an upper level of the stage, looking down upon Alonso and the others like an invisible god. Strange music is played, and Alonso and the others are enchanted by it.
The scene becomes even more wondrous and magical as Prospero’s airy spirits, wearing strange and fantastic costumes, bring forth a dining table and set an elaborate feast upon it. The spirits dance around the table and invite the king and his companions to eat. Then the spirits depart.
King Alonso questions whether or not the spirits are good, like guardian angels from heaven (“kind keepers”: line 20).
Sebastian also is uncertain about what he has seen, and he describes the spirits’ movements as a “living drollery” (21). The word drollery refers to a comic or clownish performance, but in this instance refers to a comic puppet show. Puppets are not alive, but Sebastian refers to the spirits as living puppets because of their fantastic and inhuman appearance. After having seen these astonishing spirits, Sebastian is ready to believe in any kind of magical creature, including unicorns and phoenixes (22-23).
Antonio agrees, and he refers to travel books of the time where the writers tell stories of the strange and mysterious beings that they have met. In books like The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, from the 14th century, the authors would also include illustrations of the strange and odd people that existed in far away lands. Since most people did not travel outside of their own country, many credulous individuals believed such tales.
The wiser Gonzalo observes that although these spirits that they have just seen have monstrous appearances, they behave in a kinder and gentler way then most humans do (lines 30-34). Although unheard by the men below, Prospero agrees with Gonzalo and adds that some humans (meaning Antonio and Sebastian specifically) “are worse than devils” (36).
King Alonso praises the performance of the spirits, but Prospero – in an aside unheard by the others – indicates that Alonso should hold his praise until the show is completely over (“praise in departing”: line 39). Prospero has more magic in store for them.
When asked if he will eat the delicious food left by the spirits, King Alonso refuses. He is fearful of the magical feast. Gonzalo, however, believes that the food is not dangerous. Again referring to the travel books (as noted above), Gonzalo also now believes such travel stories must be true even though he had previously found them to be unbelievable. Regarding these stories, Gonzalo deduces …
Which now we find Each putter out of five for one will bring us Good warrant of. (47-49)
Travelers to exotic lands could wager a sum of money (at five-to-one odds) that they could bring back evidence of reaching those lands. If they were successful, they would get paid five times the amount they wagered. During the Renaissance many travelers to far-away lands never reached their destinations. In fact, many did not survive such voyages. Gonzalo is arguing that he and the others are now successful travelers; and, as successful travelers, they will return home safely (as did the travelers who wrote those outlandish books). So, they should not fear the strange and exotic.
The hungry Alonso accepts his counselor arguments and agrees to start eating the magnificent feast left by the spirits.