The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (576 page)

MARINA

So indeed I did.

I did indeed.

PERICLES

Report thy parentage. I think thou said'st

Thou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury,

And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine,

If both were open'd.

Tell me of your ancestry. I think you said

that you had been thrown from bad to worse,

and that you thought your grief might equal mine,

if they were compared.

MARINA

Some such thing

I said, and said no more but what my thoughts

Did warrant me was likely.

I said something

like that, and I was only saying what I thought

was probably the case.

PERICLES

Tell thy story;

If thine consider'd prove the thousandth part

Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I

Have suffer'd like a girl: yet thou dost look

Like Patience gazing on kings' graves, and smiling

Extremity out of act. What were thy friends?

How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind virgin?

Recount, I do beseech thee: come, sit by me.

Tell me your story;

if your sufferings are one thousandth of mine

then you are a man, and I

have suffered like a girl: and yet you look

like the statues of Patience gazing on the graves of kings,

making the worst things melt away with your smile. What was your family?

How did you lose them? What is your name, my sweet girl?

Tell me, I beg you: come and sit down by me.

MARINA

My name is Marina.

My name is Marina.

PERICLES

O, I am mock'd,

And thou by some incensed god sent hither

To make the world to laugh at me.

Oh, I am mocked,

and some angry God has sent you here

to make the world laugh at me.

MARINA

Patience, good sir,

Or here I'll cease.

Be calm, good sir,

or I won't speak.

PERICLES

Nay, I'll be patient.

Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me,

To call thyself Marina.

I will be calm.

You have no idea how much you startled me,

calling yourself Marina.

MARINA

The name

Was given me by one that had some power,

My father, and a king.

The name

was given to me by a powerful man,

my father, who was a king.

PERICLES

How! a king's daughter?

And call'd Marina?

What's that! A king's daughter?

And called Marina?

MARINA

You said you would believe me;

But, not to be a troubler of your peace,

I will end here.

You said that you would believe me;

but I won't disturb your peace any more,

I'll stop here.

PERICLES

But are you flesh and blood?

Have you a working pulse? and are no fairy?

Motion! Well; speak on. Where were you born?

And wherefore call'd Marina?

But are you flesh and blood?

Do you have a pulse? You are not a spirit?

You are not a statue! Good; speak on. Where were you born?

And why are you called Marina?

MARINA

Call'd Marina

For I was born at sea.

I was called Marina

because I was born at sea.

PERICLES

At sea! what mother?

 At sea! Who was your mother?

MARINA

My mother was the daughter of a king;

Who died the minute I was born,

As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft

Deliver'd weeping.

My mother was the daughter of the King;

she died in childbirth,

as my good nurse Lychordia had often

tearfully told me.

PERICLES

O, stop there a little!

Aside

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep

Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be:

My daughter's buried. Well: where were you bred?

I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,

And never interrupt you.

Oh, just pause for a moment!

This is the strangest dream that stupid sleep

ever used to mock sad fools: this cannot be:

my daughter is in her grave. Well: where were you brought up?

I want to hear more, right to the end,

and I won't interrupt you.

MARINA

You scorn: believe me, 'twere best I did give o'er.

You don't believe me: it would be best for me to stop.

PERICLES

I will believe you by the syllable

Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave:

How came you in these parts? where were you bred?

I shall believe you through hearing

what you have to say. But, excuse me:

how did you come to these parts? Where were you brought up?

MARINA

The king my father did in Tarsus leave me;

Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,

Did seek to murder me: and having woo'd

A villain to attempt it, who having drawn to do't,

A crew of pirates came and rescued me;

Brought me to Mytilene. But, good sir,

Whither will you have me? Why do you weep?

It may be,

You think me an impostor: no, good faith;

I am the daughter to King Pericles,

If good King Pericles be.

The king, my father, left me in Tarsus;

until cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,

tried to murder me:  they had persuaded

a villain to try it, and he had already drawn his sword

when a crew of pirates came and rescued me;

they brought me to Mytilene. But, good sir,

what do you want from me? Why do you weep?

It may be,

that you think I am an impostor: I swear I'm not;

I am the daughter of King Pericles,

if good King Pericles still lives.

PERICLES

Ho, Helicanus!

Helicanus, come here!

HELICANUS

Calls my lord?

You called, my lord?

PERICLES

Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,

Most wise in general: tell me, if thou canst,

What this maid is, or what is like to be,

That thus hath made me weep?

You are a serious and noble counsellor,

with great wisdom in all things: tell me, if you can,

who this girl is, or what she may be,

that has made me weep like this.

HELICANUS

I know not; but

Here is the regent, sir, of Mytilene

Speaks nobly of her.

I do not know; but

here is the regent, sir, of Mytilene

who speaks very well of her.

LYSIMACHUS

She would never tell

Her parentage; being demanded that,

She would sit still and weep.

She would never say

who her parents were; when she was asked,

she would sit down and weep.

PERICLES

O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd 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. O, come hither,

Thou that beget'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.

What was thy mother's name? tell me but that,

For truth can never be confirm'd enough,

Though doubts did ever sleep.

Oh Helicanus, strike me, honoured sir;

cut me, give me a pain to take my mind off

this great sea of joy which is rushing over me,

in case it should swamp the shores of my life,

and drown me with its sweetness. Oh, come here,

you who have given new life to the one who gave you life;

you who was born at sea, buried at Tarsus,

and found at sea again! Oh Helicanus,

get down on your knees! Thank the holy gods as loud

as thunder: this is Marina.

What was your mother's name? If you can just tell me that,

for there can never be enough proof of truth,

even when there is no doubt.

MARINA

First, sir, I pray,

What is your title?

First, sir, I must ask you,

what is your title?

PERICLES

I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now

My drown'd queen's name, as in the rest you said

Thou hast been godlike perfect,

The heir of kingdoms and another like

To Pericles thy father.

I am Pericles of Tyre: but now tell me

the name of my drowned queen, as everything else you've said

has been divinely perfect, showing you

to be the heir of kingdoms and of the same blood

as Pericles your father.

MARINA

Is it no more to be your daughter than

To say my mother's name was Thaisa?

Thaisa was my mother, who did end

The minute I began.

Is all I have to do to be your daughter

to say that my mother's name was Thaisa?

Thaisa was my mother, who died

the minute I came to life.

PERICLES

Now, blessing on thee! rise; thou art my child.

Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus;

She is 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?

Now, blessings upon you! Rise; you are my child.

Bring me fresh clothes. This is my child, Helicanus;

she was not killed at Tarsus, as she should have been,

by the wicked Cleon: she will tell you everything;

then you shall kneel, satisfied in the knowledge

that she is truly your princess. Who is this?

HELICANUS

Sir, 'tis the governor of Mytilene,

Who, hearing of your melancholy state,

Did come to see you.

Sir, this is the governor of Mytilene,

who, hearing of your melancholy state,

came to see you.

PERICLES