William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (493 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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HELICANUS (coming forward) Calls my lord?
PERICLES
Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,
Most wise in gen’ral. Tell me if thou canst
What this maid is, or what is like to be,
That thus hath made me weep.
Most wise in gen’ral. Tell me if thou canst
What this maid is, or what is like to be,
That thus hath made me weep.
HELICANUS
I know not.
But here’s the regent, sir, of Mytilene
Speaks nobly of her.
Speaks nobly of her.
LYSIMACHUS She would never tell
Her parentage. Being demanded that,
She would sit still and weep.
She would sit still and weep.
PERICLES
O Helicanus, strike me, honoured sir,
Give me a gash, put me to present pain,
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me
O‘erbear the shores of my mortality
And drown me with their sweetness! (To Marina) O,
Give me a gash, put me to present pain,
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me
O‘erbear the shores of my mortality
And drown me with their sweetness! (To Marina) O,
come hither,
⌈
Marina stands
⌉
Thou that begett’st him that did thee beget,
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus,
And found at sea again!—O Helicanus,
Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as loud
As thunder threatens us, this is Marina!
(To Marina) What was thy mother’s name? Tell me
but that,
For truth can never be confirmed enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep.
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus,
And found at sea again!—O Helicanus,
Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as loud
As thunder threatens us, this is Marina!
(To Marina) What was thy mother’s name? Tell me
but that,
For truth can never be confirmed enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep.
MARINA First, sir, I pray, What is your title?
PERICLES I am Pericles
Of Tyre. But tell me now my drowned queen’s name.
As in the rest thou hast been godlike perfect,
So prove but true in that, thou art my daughter,
The heir of kingdoms, and another life
To Pericles thy father.
As in the rest thou hast been godlike perfect,
So prove but true in that, thou art my daughter,
The heir of kingdoms, and another life
To Pericles thy father.
MARINA ⌈
kneeling
⌉ Is it no more
kneeling
⌉ Is it no more
To be your daughter than to say my mother’s name?
Thaisa was my mother, who did end
The minute I began.
Thaisa was my mother, who did end
The minute I began.
PERICLES
Now blessing on thee! Rise. Thou art my child.
⌈
Marina
stands. He kisses
her
⌉
⌈
To attendants
⌉ Give me fresh garments.—Mine own,
Helicanus!
Not dead at Tarsus, as she should have been
By savage Cleon. She shall tell thee all,
When thou shalt kneel and justify in knowledge
She is thy very princess. Who is this?
To attendants
⌉ Give me fresh garments.—Mine own,
Helicanus!
Not dead at Tarsus, as she should have been
By savage Cleon. She shall tell thee all,
When thou shalt kneel and justify in knowledge
She is thy very princess. Who is this?
HELICANUS
Sir, ’tis the governor of Mytilene,
Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.
Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.
PERICLES
(to Lysimachus
) I embrace you, sir.—
(to Lysimachus
) I embrace you, sir.—
Give me my robes.
⌈
He is attired in fresh robes
⌉
I am wild in my beholding.
O heavens, bless my girl!
⌈
Celestial music
⌉
But hark, what music?
Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him
O’er point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,
How sure you are my daughter. But what music?
O’er point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,
How sure you are my daughter. But what music?
HELICANUS My lord, I hear none.
PERICLES
None? The music of the spheres! List, my Marina.
LYSIMACHUS (
aside to the others
)
aside to the others
)
It is not good to cross him. Give him way.
PERICLES Rar’st sounds. Do ye not hear?
LYSIMACHUS Music, my lord?
PERICLES I hear most heav’nly music.
It raps me unto list’ning, and thick slumber
Hangs upon mine eyelids. Let me rest.
Hangs upon mine eyelids. Let me rest.
He sleeps
LYSIMACHUS
A pillow for his head.
⌈
To Marina and others
⌉ Companion friends,
If this but answer to my just belief
I’ll well remember you. So leave him all.
⌈
To Marina and others
⌉ Companion friends,
If this but answer to my just belief
I’ll well remember you. So leave him all.
Exeunt all but PericlesDiana
⌈
descends from the heavens
⌉
DIANA
My temple stands in Ephesus. Hie thee thither,
And do upon mine altar sacrifice.
There when my maiden priests are met together,
At large discourse thy fortunes in this wise:
With a full voice before the people all,
Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife.
To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter‘s, call
And give them repetition to the life.
Perform my bidding, or thou liv’st in woe;
Do’t, and rest happy, by my silver bow.
Awake, and tell thy dream.
And do upon mine altar sacrifice.
There when my maiden priests are met together,
At large discourse thy fortunes in this wise:
With a full voice before the people all,
Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife.
To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter‘s, call
And give them repetition to the life.
Perform my bidding, or thou liv’st in woe;
Do’t, and rest happy, by my silver bow.
Awake, and tell thy dream.
⌈
Diana ascends into the heavens
⌉
PERICLES
Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,
I will obey thee. (Calling) Helicanus!
I will obey thee. (Calling) Helicanus!
Enter Helicanus, Lysimachus, and Marina
HELICANUS Sir?
PERICLES
My purpose was for Tarsus, there to strike
Th’inhospitable Cleon, but I am
For other service first. Toward Ephesus
Turn our blown sails. Eftsoons I’ll tell thee why.
Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,
And give you gold for such provision
As our intents will need?
Th’inhospitable Cleon, but I am
For other service first. Toward Ephesus
Turn our blown sails. Eftsoons I’ll tell thee why.
Exit Helicanus
And give you gold for such provision
As our intents will need?
LYSIMACHUS
With all my heart, sir,
And when you come ashore I have a suit.
PERICLES
You shall prevail, were it to woo my daughter,
For it seems you have been noble towards her.
For it seems you have been noble towards her.
LYSIMACHUS
Sir, lend me your arm.
PERICLES
Come, my Marina.
⌈
Exit
Pericles with Lysimachus
at one
arm, Marina at the
other
⌉
Enter Gower
GOWER
Now our sands are almost run;
More a little, and then dumb.
This my last boon give me,
For such kindness must relieve me,
That you aptly will suppose
What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What minstrelsy and pretty din
The regent made in Mytilene
To greet the King. So well he thrived
That he is promised to be wived
To fair Marina, but in no wise
Till he had done his sacrifice
As Dian bade, whereto being bound
The int’rim, pray you, all confound.
In feathered briefness sails are filled,
And wishes fall out as they’re willed.
At Ephesus the temple see:
Our king, and all his company.
That he can hither come so soon
Is by your fancies’ thankful doom.
More a little, and then dumb.
This my last boon give me,
For such kindness must relieve me,
That you aptly will suppose
What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What minstrelsy and pretty din
The regent made in Mytilene
To greet the King. So well he thrived
That he is promised to be wived
To fair Marina, but in no wise
Till he had done his sacrifice
As Dian bade, whereto being bound
The int’rim, pray you, all confound.
In feathered briefness sails are filled,
And wishes fall out as they’re willed.
At Ephesus the temple see:
⌈
An
altar, Thaisa and other vestals are
revealed
⌉
⌈
Enter
Pericles, Marina, Lysimachus,
Helicanus,
Cerimon, with
attendants
⌉
Is by your fancies’ thankful doom.
⌈
Gower
stands
aside
⌉
PERICLES
Hail, Dian. To perform thy just command
I here confess myself the King of Tyre,
Who, frighted from my country, did espouse
The fair Thaisa
I here confess myself the King of Tyre,
Who, frighted from my country, did espouse
The fair Thaisa
⌈
Thaisa starts
⌉
at Pentapolis.
At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid child called Marina, who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver liv‘ry. She at Tarsus
Was nursed with Cleon, whom at fourteen years
He sought to murder, but her better stars
Bore her to Mytilene, ’gainst whose shore riding
Her fortunes brought the maid aboard our barque,
Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she
Made known herself my daughter.
A maid child called Marina, who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver liv‘ry. She at Tarsus
Was nursed with Cleon, whom at fourteen years
He sought to murder, but her better stars
Bore her to Mytilene, ’gainst whose shore riding
Her fortunes brought the maid aboard our barque,
Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she
Made known herself my daughter.
THAISA
Voice and favour—
You are, you are—O royal Pericles! She falls
PERICLES
What means the nun? She dies. Help, gentlemen!
CERIMON Noble sir,
If you have told Diana’s altar true,
This is your wife.
This is your wife.
PERICLES Reverend appearer, no.
I threw her overboard with these same arms.
CERIMON
Upon this coast, I warr’nt you.
PERICLES ’Tis most certain.
CERIMON
Look to the lady. O, she’s but o’erjoyed.
Early one blustering morn this lady
Was thrown upon this shore. I oped the coffin,
Found there rich jewels, recovered her, and placed her
Here in Diana’s temple.
Early one blustering morn this lady
Was thrown upon this shore. I oped the coffin,
Found there rich jewels, recovered her, and placed her
Here in Diana’s temple.
PERICLES May we see them?
CERIMON
Great sir, they shall be brought you to my house,
Whither I invite you. Look, Thaisa is
Recovered.
Whither I invite you. Look, Thaisa is
Recovered.
THAISA O, let me look upon him!
If he be none of mine, my sanctity
Will to my sense bend no licentious ear,
But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you spake,
Like him you are. Did you not name a tempest,
A birth and death?
Will to my sense bend no licentious ear,
But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you spake,
Like him you are. Did you not name a tempest,
A birth and death?
PERICLES The voice of dead Thaisa! THAISA That Thaisa
Am I, supposed dead and drowned.
PERICLES ⌈
taking Thaisa’s hand
⌉ Immortal Dian!
taking Thaisa’s hand
⌉ Immortal Dian!
THAISA Now I know you better.
When we with tears parted Pentapolis,
The King my father gave you such a ring.
The King my father gave you such a ring.
PERICLES
This, this! No more, you gods. Your present kindness
Makes my past miseries sports; you shall do well
That on the touching of her lips I may
Melt, and no more be seen.—O come, be buried
A second time within these arms.
Makes my past miseries sports; you shall do well
That on the touching of her lips I may
Melt, and no more be seen.—O come, be buried
A second time within these arms.
⌈
They embrace and kiss
⌉
MARINA (
kneeling to Thaisa
) My heart Leaps to be gone into my mother’s bosom.
kneeling to Thaisa
) My heart Leaps to be gone into my mother’s bosom.
PERICLES
Look who kneels here: flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa,
Thy burden at the sea, and called Marina
For she was yielded there.
Thy burden at the sea, and called Marina
For she was yielded there.
THAISA ⌈
embracing Marina
⌉ Blessed, and mine own! HELICANUS ⌈
kneeling
to
Thaisa
⌉
embracing Marina
⌉ Blessed, and mine own! HELICANUS ⌈
kneeling
to
Thaisa
⌉
Hail, madam, and my queen.
THAISA I know you not.
PERICLES
You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre,
I left behind an ancient substitute.
Can you remember what I called the man?
I left behind an ancient substitute.
Can you remember what I called the man?
I have named him oft.
THAISA ’Twas Helicanus then.
PERICLES Still confirmation.
Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he.
Now do I long to hear how you were found,
How possibly preserved, and who to thank—
Besides the gods—for this great miracle.
Now do I long to hear how you were found,
How possibly preserved, and who to thank—
Besides the gods—for this great miracle.
THAISA
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