Prospero chastises Ariel for protesting and reminds him of the horrible fate from which he was rescued. Before Prospero came to the island, a witch named Sycorax imprisoned Ariel in a tree. Sycorax died, leaving Ariel trapped until Prospero arrived and freed him.

What does Prospero say about Sycorax?

In The Tempest, Prospero describes Sycorax as an ancient and foul witch native to Algiers, and banished to the island for practising sorcery "so strong / That [she] could control the Moon".

Did Prospero kill Caliban's mother?

In The Tempest, Caliban seems to be angry that he no longer has a mother. Caliban was born to Sycorax, the witch who resided on the island before Prospero arrived. Once on the island, Prospero despised the witch and killed her, taking Caliban as his slave.