The moist star, upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands

The moist star, upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands

In William Shakespeare's play "The Tempest," the line "The moist star, upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands" is spoken by the character Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan who has been exiled to a remote island. This line is a reference to the planet Neptune, which was not discovered until long after Shakespeare's time, but is used here as a metaphor for the power and influence of the sea.