Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Through Line Number
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • Title: Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)
  • Editor: Tom Bishop

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Tom Bishop
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

    1990Enter 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 is some 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 as the 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 will vse 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 such a 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 might equall 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.
    2235Exeunt.
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC