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  • Title: Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Modern)
  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 (Modern)

    1965Enter Gower.
    Gower
    Marina thus the brothel scapes, and chances
    Into an honest house, our story says.
    She sings like one immortal, and she dances
    As goddess-like to her admirèd lays.
    1970Deep clerks she dumbs, and with her nee'le composes
    Nature's own shape of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
    That even her art sisters the natural roses,
    Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry,
    That pupils lacks she none of noble race
    1975Who pour their bounty on her, and her gain
    She gives the cursèd bawd. Here we her place,
    And to her father turn our thoughts again,
    Where we left him on the sea. We there him lost,
    Where, driven before the winds, he is arrived
    1980Here where his daughter dwells, and on this coast
    Suppose him now at anchor. The city strived
    God Neptune's annual feast to keep, from whence
    Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,
    His banners sable, trimmed with rich expense,
    1985And to him in his barge with fervor hies.
    In your supposing once more put your sight:
    Of heavy Pericles, think this his bark,
    Where what is done in action, more if might,
    Shall be discovered; please you sit and hark.
    Exit.