The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (577 page)

I embrace you.

Give me my robes. I am wild in my beholding.

O heavens bless my girl! 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?

I embrace you.

Give me my robes. I'm almost mad with what I see.

O heavens bless my girl! But, listen, what's that music?

Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him

again, point by point, for he still seems to doubt

that you are definitely my daughter. But, what is that music?

HELICANUS

My lord, I hear none.

My Lord, I can hear none.

PERICLES

None!

The music of the spheres! List, my Marina.

None!

It's the music of the stars! Listen, my Marina.

LYSIMACHUS

It is not good to cross him; give him way.

It's not good to contradict him; let him run on.

PERICLES

Rarest sounds! Do ye not hear?

Amazing sounds! Can't you hear it?

LYSIMACHUS

My lord, I hear.

Music

My Lord, I hear it.

PERICLES

Most heavenly music!

It nips me unto listening, and thick slumber

Hangs upon mine eyes: let me rest.

Sleeps

Most heavenly music!

It forces me to listen, and heavy sleep

weighs down my eyelids: let me rest.

LYSIMACHUS

A pillow for his head:

So, leave him all. Well, my companion friends,

If this but answer to my just belief,

I'll well remember you.

Exeunt all but PERICLES

DIANA appears to PERICLES as in a vision

Put a pillow under his head:

so, let's all leave him. Well, my dear friends,

if all this is as true as I think,

you will be well rewarded.

DIANA

My temple stands in Ephesus: hie thee thither,

And do upon mine altar sacrifice.

There, when my maiden priests are met together,

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.

Or perform my bidding, or thou livest in woe;

Do it, and happy; by my silver bow!

Awake, and tell thy dream.

Disappears

My temple stands in Ephesus: go there,

and make a sacrifice at my altar.

There, when my virgin priests are gathered together,

in front of all the people,

reveal how you lost your wife at sea:

to mourn your misfortunes, with your daughter's,

repeat them all, word for word.

Do as I say, or you will live in sorrow;

do it and you will be happy; by my silver bow!

Wake up, and tell people your dream.

PERICLES

Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,

I will obey thee. Helicanus!

Re-enter HELICANUS, LYSIMACHUS, and MARINA

Heavenly Diana, silver goddess,

I shall obey you.  Helicanus!

HELICANUS

Sir?

Sir?

PERICLES

My purpose was for Tarsus, there to strike

The inhospitable Cleon; but I am

For other service first: toward Ephesus

Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee why.

To LYSIMACHUS

Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,

And give you gold for such provision

As our intents will need?

I meant to make for Tarsus, to attack

the evil Cleon; but I have

another job to do first; turn the ships

towards Ephesus; soon I'll tell you why.

Shall we take refreshment, sir, upon your shore,

and pay you for the provisions

we shall need for our plans?

LYSIMACHUS

Sir,

With all my heart; and, when you come ashore,

I have another suit.

Sir,

with all my heart; and, when you come ashore,

I have something to ask you.

PERICLES

You shall prevail,

Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems

You have been noble towards her.

If you want permission to woo my daughter

you shall succeed; for it seems

you have treated her nobly.

LYSIMACHUS

Sir, lend me your arm.

Sir, give me your arm.

PERICLES

Come, my Marina.

Exeunt

Come, my Marina.

Enter GOWER, before the temple of DIANA at Ephesus

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 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 interim, pray you, all confound.

In feather'd briefness sails are fill'd,

And wishes fall out as they're will'd.

At Ephesus, the temple see,

Our king and all his company.

That he can hither come so soon,

Is by your fancy's thankful doom.

Exit

Now our time is almost up;

a little more and then we'll be silent.

Please indulge me one more time,

be kind enough

to imagine

the pageantry, the exploits, the shows,

the songs, and happy music,

the regent ordered in Mytilene

to welcome the king. He had the fortune

to gain the promise that he should marry

fair Marina, although certainly not

until the sacrifice has been made

as Diana ordered: they are going there,

so please forget the interim.

The sails hoisted and are speeding,

and wishes will come to pass.

At Ephesus you can see the temple

and our king and all his company.

That he can get there so quickly

is thanks to your imaginations.

near the altar, as high priestess; a number of

Virgins on each side; CERIMON and other Inhabitants

of Ephesus attending.

Enter PERICLES, with his train; LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, MARINA, and a Lady

PERICLES

Hail, Dian! to perform thy just command,

I here confess myself the king of Tyre;

Who, frighted from my country, did wed

At Pentapolis the fair Thaisa.

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth

A maid-child call'd Marina; who, O goddess,

Wears yet thy silver livery. She at Tarsus

Was nursed with Cleon; who at fourteen years

He sought to murder: but her better stars

Brought her to Mytilene; 'gainst whose shore

Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us,

Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she

Made known herself my daughter.

Hail to you, Diana! To do as you have ordered,

I here reveal myself as king of Tyre;

who, fled from my country, married

the beautiful Thaisa at Pentapolis.

She died in childbirth at sea, but delivered

a girl child called Marina; who, oh goddess,

is still one of your virgins. She was brought up

at Tarsus by Cleon; when she was fourteen years

old he tried to murder her; but her lucky stars

brought her to Mytilene; when we arrived

at those shores, fate brought the girl onto my ship,

where, with the aid of her clear memories, she

proved herself to be my daughter.

THAISA

Voice and favour!

You are, you are--O royal Pericles!

Faints

Voice and face!

It's you, it's you–oh royal Pericles!

PERICLES

What means the nun? she dies! help, gentlemen!

What does the nun mean? She's dying! Help, gentlemen!

CERIMON

Noble sir,

If you have told Diana's altar true,

This is your wife.

Noble sir,

if you have told the truth at Diana's altar,

this is your wife.

PERICLES

Reverend appearer, no;

I threw her overboard with these very arms.

Reverend stranger, no;

I threw her overboard with these very arms.

CERIMON

Upon this coast, I warrant you.

In this sea, I am sure.

PERICLES

'Tis most certain.

Certainly.

CERIMON

Look to the lady; O, she's but o'erjoy'd.