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Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Tom Bishop
Not Peer Reviewed
1990
Enter Helicanus, to him 2. Saylers.
1.Say. Where is Lord Helicanus? hee can resolue you,
O here he is Sir, there is a barge put off from Metaline and
in it is Lysimachus the Gouernour, who craues to come a-
boord, what is your will?
1995Helly. That hee haue his, call vp some Gentlemen.
2.Say. Ho Gentlemen, my Lord calls.
Enter two or three Gentlemen.
1.Gent. Doeth your Lordship call?
Helli. Gentlemen there issome of worth would come
2000aboord, I pray greet him fairely.
Enter Lysimachus.
Hell. Sir, this is the man that can in ought you would
resolue you.
Lys. Hayle reuerent Syr, the Gods preserue you.
2005Hell. And you to out-liue the age I am, and die as I
would doe.
Li. You wish mee well, beeing on shore, honoring of
Neptunes triumphs, seeing this goodly vessell ride before
vs, I made to it, to knowe of whence you are.
2010Hell. First what is your place?
Ly. I am the Gouernour of this place you lie before.
Hell. Syr our vessell is of Tyre, in it the King, a man,
who for this three moneths hath not spoken to anie one,
nor taken sustenance, but to prorogue his griefe.
2015Li. Vpon what ground is his distemperature?
Hell Twould be too tedious to repeat, but the mayne
griefe springs frõ the losse of a beloued daughter & a wife.
Li. May wee not see him?
Hell. You may, but bootlesse. Is your sight, see will not
2020speake to any, yet let me obtaine my wish.
Lys. Behold him, this was a goodly person.
Hell. Till the disaster that one mortall wight droue him
to this.
Lys. Sir King all haile, the Gods preserue you, haile
2025royall sir.
Hell. It is in vaine, he will not speake to you.
Lord. Sir we haue a maid in Metiliue, I durst wager would
win some words of him.
Lys. Tis well bethought, she questionlesse with her sweet
2030harmonie, and other chosen attractions, would allure and
make a battrie through his defend parts, which now are
midway stopt, shee is all happie asthe fairest of all, and her
fellow maides, now vpon the leauie shelter that abutts a-
gainst the Islands side.
2035Hell. Sure all effectlesse, yet nothing weele omit that
beares recoueries name. But since your kindnesse wee haue
stretcht thus farre, let vs beseech you, that for our golde
we may prouision haue , wherein we are not destitute for
want, but wearie for the stalenesse.
2040Lys. O sir, a curtesie, which if we should denie, the most
iust God for euery graffe would send a Caterpillar, and so
inflict our Prouince: yet once more let mee intreate to
knowe at large the cause of your kings sorrow.
Holl. Sit sir, I will recount it to you, but see I am pre-
2045uented.
Lys. O hee'rs the Ladie that I sent for,
Welcome faire one, ist not a goodly present?
Hell. Shee's a gallant Ladie.
Lys. Shee's such a one, that were I well assurde
2050Came of a gentle kinde, and noble stocke, I do wish
No better choise, and thinke me rarely to wed,
Faire on all goodnesse that consists in beautie,
Expect euen here, where is a kingly patient,
If that thy prosperous and artificiall fate,
2055Can draw him but to answere thee in ought,
Thy sacred Physicke shall receiue such pay,
As thy desires can wish.
Mar. Sir I willvse my vtmost skill in his recouerie, pro-
uided that none but I and my companion maid be suffered
2060to come neere him.
Lys. Come, let vs leaue her, and the Gods make her pro-
sperous.
The Song.
Lys. Marke he your Musicke?
Mar. No nor lookt on vs.
2065Lys. See she will speake to him.
Mar. Haile sir, my Lord lend eare.
Per. Hum, ha.
Mar. I am a maid, my Lorde, that nere before inuited
eyes, but haue beene gazed on like a Comet:She speaks
2070my Lord, that may be, hath endured a griefe might equall
yours, if both were iustly wayde, though wayward fortune
did maligne my state, my deriuation was from ancestors,
who stood equiuolent with mightie Kings, but time hath
rooted out my parentage, and to the world, and augward
2075casualties, bound me in seruitude, I will desist, but there is
something glowes vpon my cheek, and whispers in mine
eare, go not till he speake.
Per. My fortunes, parentage, good parentage, to equall
mine, was it not thus, what say you?
2080Mari. I sed my Lord, if you did know my parentage,
you would not do me violence.
Per. I do thinke so, pray you turne your eyes vpon me,
your like something that, what Countrey women heare of
these shewes?
2085Mar. No, nor of any shewes, yet I was mortally brought
forth, and am no other then I appeare.
Per. I am great with woe, and shall deliuer weeping: my
dearest wife was like this maid, and sucha one my daugh-
ter might haue beene: My Queenes square browes, her
2090stature to an inch , as wandlike-straight, as siluer voyst,
her eyes as Iewell-like, and caste as richly, in pace an o-
ther Iuno. Who starues the eares shee feedes, and makes
them hungrie, the more she giues them speech, Where doe
you liue?
2095Mar. Where I am but a straunger from the decke, you
may discerne the place.
Per. Where were you bred? and how atchieu'd you these
indowments which you make more rich to owe?
Mar. If I should tell my hystorie, it would seeme like
2100lies disdaind in the reporting.
Per. Prethee speake, falsnesse cannot come from thee,
for thou lookest modest as iustice, & thou seemest a Pallas
for the crownd truth to dwell in, I wil beleeue thee & make
senses credit thy relation, to points that seeme impossible,
2105for thou lookest like one I loued indeede: what were thy
friends? didst thou not stay when I did push thee backe,
which was when I perceiu'd thee that thou camst from
good discending.
Mar. So indeed I did.
Per. Report thy parentage, I think thou saidst thou hadst
2110beene tost from wrong to iniurie, and that thou thoughts
thy griefs mightequall mine, if both were opened.
Mar. Some such thing I sed, and sed no more, but what
my thoughts did warrant me was likely.
Per. Tell thy storie, if thine considered proue the thou-
2115sand part of my enduraunce, thou art a man, and I haue
suffered like a girle, yet thou doest looke like patience,
gazing on Kings graues, and smiling extremitie out of
act, what were thy friends? howe lost thou thy name,
my most kinde Virgin? recount I doe beseech thee, Come
2120sit by mee.
Mar. My name is Marina.
Per. Oh I am mockt, and thou by some insenced God
sent hither to make the world to laugh at me.
Mar. Patience good sir: or here Ile cease.
2125Per. Nay Ile be patient: thou little knowst howe thou
doest startle me to call thy selfe Marina.
Mar. The name was giuen mee by one that had some
power, my father, and a King.
Per. How, a Kings daughter, and cald Marina?
2130Mar. You sed you would beleeue me, but not to bee a
troubler of your peace, I will end here.
Per. But are you flesh and bloud?
Haue you a working pulse, and are no Fairie?
Motion well, speake on, where were you borne?
2135And wherefore calld Marina?
Mar. Calld Marina, for I was borne at sea.
Plr. At sea, what mother?
Mar. My mother was the daughter of a King, who died
the minute I was borne, as my good Nurse Licherida hath
2140oft deliuered weeping.
Per. O stop there a little, this is the rarest dreame
That ere duld sleepe did mocke sad fooles withall,
This cannot be my daughter, buried, well, where were you
bred? Ile heare you more too'th bottome of your storie,
2145and neuer interrupt you.
Mar. You scorne, beleeue me twere best I did giue ore.
Per. I will beleeue you by the syllable of what you shall
deliuer, yet giue me leaue, how came you in these parts?
where were you bred?
2150Mar. The King my father did in Tharsus leaue me,
Till cruel Cleon with his wicked wife,
Did seeke to murther me: and hauing wooed a villaine,
To attempt it, who hauing drawne to doo't,
A crew of Pirats came and rescued me,
2155Brought me to Metaline,
But good sir whither wil you haue me? why doe you weep?
It may be you thinke mee an imposture, no good fayth: I
am the dsughter to King Pericles, if good king Pericles be.
Hell. Hoe, Hellicanus?
2160Hel. Calls my Lord.
Per. Thou art a graue and noble Counseller,
Most wise in generall, tell me if thou canst, what this mayde
is, or what is like to bee , that thus hath made mee
weepe.
2165Hel. I know not, but heres the Regent sir of Metaline,
speakes nobly of her.
Lys. She neuer would tell her parentage,
Being demaunded, that she would sit still and weepe.
Per. Oh Hellicanus, strike me honored sir, giue mee a
2170gash, put me to present paine, least this great sea of ioyes ru-
shing vpon me, ore-beare the shores of my mortalitie, and
drowne me with their sweetnesse: Oh come hither,
thou that begetst him that did thee beget,
Thou that wast borne at sea, buried at Tharsus,
2175And found at sea agen, O Hellicanus,
Downe on thy knees, thanke the holie Gods as loud
As thunder threatens vs, this is Marina.
What was thy mothers name? tell me, but that
for truth can neuer be confirm'd inough,
2180Though doubts did euer sleepe.
Mar. Frist sir, I pray what is your title?
Per. I am Pericles of Tyre, but tell mee now my
Drownd Queenes name, as in the rest you sayd,
Thou hast beene God-like perfit, the heir of kingdomes,
2185And an other like to Pericles thy father.
Ma. Is it no more to be your daughter, then to say, my
mothers name was Thaisa, Thaisa was my mother, who did
end the minute I began.
Pe. Now blessing on thee, rise th'art my child.
2190Giue me fresh garments, mine owne Hellicanus, shee is not
dead at Tharsus as shee should haue beene by sauage Cleon,
she shall tell thee all, when thou shalt kneele, and iustifie in
knowledge, she is thy verie Princes, who is this?
Hel. Sir, tis the gouernor of Metaline, who hearing of
2195your melancholie state, did come to see you.
Per. I embrace you, giue me my robes.
I am wilde in my beholding, O heauens blesse my girle,
But harke what Musicke tell, Hellicanus my Marina,
Tell him ore point by point, for yet he seemes to doat.
2200How sure you are my daughter, but what musicke?
Hel My Lord I heare none.
Per. None, the Musicke of the Spheres, list my Marina.
Lys. It is not good to crosse him, giue him way.
Per. Rarest sounds, do ye not heare?
2205Lys. Musicke my Lord? I heare.
Per. Most heauenly Musicke.
It nips me vnto listning, and thicke slumber
Hangs vpon mine eyes, let me rest.
Lys. A Pillow for his head, so leaue him all.
2210Well my companion friends, if this but answere to my iust
beliefe, Ile well remember you.
Diana.
Dia. My Temple stands in Ephesus,
Hie thee thither, and doe vppon mine Altar sacrifice,
2215There when my maiden priests are met together before the
people all, reueale how thou at sea didst loose thy wife, to
mourne thy crosses with thy daughters, call, & giue them
repetition to the like, or performe my bidding, or thou li-
uest in woe: doo't, and happie, by my siluer bow, awake and
2220tell thy dreame.
Per. Celestiall Dian, Goddesse Argentine,
I will obey thee Hellicanus.
Hell. Sir.
Per. My purpose was for Tharsus, there to strike,
The inhospitable Cleon, but I am for other seruice first,
2225Toward Ephesus turne our blowne sayles,
Eftsoones Ile tell thee why, shall we refresh vs sir vpon your
shore , and giue you golde for such prouision as our in-
tents will neede.
Lys Sir, with all my heart, and when you come a shore,
2230I haue another sleight.
Per. You shall preuaile were it to wooe my daughter, for
it seemes you haue beene noble towards her.
Lys. Sir, lend me your arme.
Per. Come my Marina.
2235
Exeunt.