William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (492 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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HELICANUS
And you, sir, to outlive the age I am,
And die as I would do.
And die as I would do.
LYSIMACHUS You wish me well.
I am the governor of Mytilene;
Being on shore, honouring of Neptune’s triumphs,
Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us,
I made to it to know of whence you are.
Being on shore, honouring of Neptune’s triumphs,
Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us,
I made to it to know of whence you are.
HELICANUS
Our vessel is of Tyre, in it our king,
A man who for this three months hath not spoken
To anyone, nor taken sustenance
But to prorogue his grief.
A man who for this three months hath not spoken
To anyone, nor taken sustenance
But to prorogue his grief.
LYSIMACHUS
Upon what ground grew his distemp’rature?
HELICANUS
’Twould be too tedious to tell it over,
But the main grief springs from the precious loss
Of a belovèd daughter and a wife.
But the main grief springs from the precious loss
Of a belovèd daughter and a wife.
LYSIMACHUS
May we not see him?
HELICANUS
See him, sir, you may,
But bootless is your sight. He will not speak
To any.
To any.
LYSIMACHUS Let me yet obtain my wish.
HELICANUS
Behold him.
Helicanus draws a curtain, revealing Pericles lying upon a couch with a long overgrown beard, diffused hair, undecent nails on his fingers, and attired in sack-cloth
This was a goodly person
Till the disaster of one mortal night
Drove him to this.
LYSIMACHUS (to
Pericles
)
Pericles
)
Sir, King, all hail. Hail, royal sir.
⌈
Pericles shrinks himself down upon his pillow
⌉
HELICANUS
It is in vain. He will not speak to you.
LORD OF MYTILENE
Sir, we have a maid in Mytilene I durst wager
Would win some words of him.
Would win some words of him.
LYSIMACHUS ’Tis well bethought.
She questionless, with her sweet harmony
And other choice attractions, would alarum
And make a batt‘ry through his deafened ports,
Which now are midway stopped. She in all happy,
As the fair’st of all, among her fellow maids
Dwells now i’th’ leafy shelter that abuts
Against the island’s side. Go fetch her hither.
And other choice attractions, would alarum
And make a batt‘ry through his deafened ports,
Which now are midway stopped. She in all happy,
As the fair’st of all, among her fellow maids
Dwells now i’th’ leafy shelter that abuts
Against the island’s side. Go fetch her hither.
⌈
Exit Lord
⌉
HELICANUS
Sure, all effectless; yet nothing we’ll omit
That bears recov’ry’s name. But since your kindness
We have stretched thus far, let us beseech you
That for our gold we may provision have,
Wherein we are not destitute for want,
But weary for the staleness.
That bears recov’ry’s name. But since your kindness
We have stretched thus far, let us beseech you
That for our gold we may provision have,
Wherein we are not destitute for want,
But weary for the staleness.
LYSIMACHUS O sir, a courtesy
Which if we should deny, the most just gods
For every graft would send a caterpillar,
And so inflict our province. Yet once more
Let me entreat to know at large the cause
Of your king’s sorrow.
For every graft would send a caterpillar,
And so inflict our province. Yet once more
Let me entreat to know at large the cause
Of your king’s sorrow.
HELICANUS Sit, sir. I will recount it.
⌈
Enter Lord with Marina and another maid
⌉
But see, I am prevented.
LYSIMACHUS
O, here’s the lady that I sent for.—
Welcome, fair one.—Is’t not a goodly presence? HELICANUS She’s a gallant lady.
LYSIMACHUS
She’s such a one that, were I well assured
Came of gentle kind or noble stock, I’d wish
No better choice to think me rarely wed.—
Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
Expect e’en here, where is a kingly patient;
If that thy prosperous and artificial feat
Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,
Thy sacred physic shall receive such pay
As thy desires can wish.
Came of gentle kind or noble stock, I’d wish
No better choice to think me rarely wed.—
Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
Expect e’en here, where is a kingly patient;
If that thy prosperous and artificial feat
Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,
Thy sacred physic shall receive such pay
As thy desires can wish.
MARINA Sir, I will use
My utmost skill in his recure, provided
That none but I and my companion maid
Be suffered to come near him.
That none but I and my companion maid
Be suffered to come near him.
LYSIMACHUS (to the others) Let us leave her,
And the gods prosper her. ⌈
The
men stand
aside
⌉
The
men stand
aside
⌉
The Song
LYSIMACHUS ⌈
coming forward
⌉ Marked he your music? ⌈MAID⌉
coming forward
⌉ Marked he your music? ⌈MAID⌉
No, nor looked on us.
LYSIMACHUS (to the others) See, she will speak to him.
MARINA (to Pericles)
Hail, sir; my lord, lend ear.
PERICLES Hmh, ha!
⌈
He
roughly repulses
her
⌉
MARINA I am a maid,
My lord, that ne‘er before invited eyes,
But have been gazed on like a comet. She speaks,
My lord, that maybe hath endured a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weighed.
Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors
Who stood equivalent with mighty kings,
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and awkward casualties
Bound me in servitude. (Aside) I will desist.
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear ‘Stay till he speak.’
But have been gazed on like a comet. She speaks,
My lord, that maybe hath endured a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weighed.
Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors
Who stood equivalent with mighty kings,
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and awkward casualties
Bound me in servitude. (Aside) I will desist.
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear ‘Stay till he speak.’
PERICLES
My fortunes, parentage, good parentage,
To equal mine? Was it not thus? What say you?
To equal mine? Was it not thus? What say you?
MARINA
I said if you did know my parentage,
My lord, you would not do me violence.
My lord, you would not do me violence.
PERICLES
I do think so. Pray you, turn your eyes upon me.
You’re like something that—what countrywoman?
Here of these shores?
You’re like something that—what countrywoman?
Here of these shores?
MARINA No, nor of any shores,
Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am
No other than I seem.
No other than I seem.
PERICLES ⌈
aside
⌉
aside
⌉
I am great with woe, and shall deliver weeping.
My dearest wife was like this maid, and such
My daughter might have been. My queen’s square
brows,
Her stature to an inch, as wand-like straight,
As silver-voiced, her eyes as jewel-like,
And cased as richly, in pace another Juno,
Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them
hungry
The more she gives them speech.—Where do you live?
My dearest wife was like this maid, and such
My daughter might have been. My queen’s square
brows,
Her stature to an inch, as wand-like straight,
As silver-voiced, her eyes as jewel-like,
And cased as richly, in pace another Juno,
Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them
hungry
The more she gives them speech.—Where do you live?
MARINA
Where I am but a stranger. From the deck
You may discern the place.
You may discern the place.
PERICLES
Where were you bred, And how achieved you these endowments which You make more rich to owe?
MARINA If I should tell My history, it would seem like lies Disdained in the reporting.
PERICLES Prithee speak.
Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look‘st
Modest as justice, and thou seem’st a palace
For the crowned truth to dwell in. I will believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation
To points that seem impossible. Thou show‘st
Like one I loved indeed. What were thy friends?
Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back—
Which was when I perceived thee—that thou cam’st
From good descending?
Modest as justice, and thou seem’st a palace
For the crowned truth to dwell in. I will believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation
To points that seem impossible. Thou show‘st
Like one I loved indeed. What were thy friends?
Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back—
Which was when I perceived thee—that thou cam’st
From good descending?
MARINA So indeed I did.
PERICLES
Report thy parentage. I think thou said‘st
Thou hadst been tossed from wrong to injury,
And that thou thought’st thy griefs might equal mine,
If both were opened.
Thou hadst been tossed from wrong to injury,
And that thou thought’st thy griefs might equal mine,
If both were opened.
MARINA Some such thing I said,
And said no more but what my circumstance
Did warrant me was likely.
Did warrant me was likely.
PERICLES Tell thy story.
If thine considered prove the thousandth part
Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I
Have suffered 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.
Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I
Have suffered 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.
She sits
MARINA
My name, sir, is Marina.
PERICLES
O, I am mocked,
And thou by some incensed god sent hither
To make the world to laugh at me.
To make the world to laugh at me.
MARINA Patience, good sir,
Or here I’ll cease.
PERICLES
Nay, I’ll be patient.
Thou little know’st how thou dost startle me
To call thyself Marina.
To call thyself Marina.
MARINA
The name
Was given me by one that had some power:
My father, and a king.
My father, and a king.
PERICLES
How, 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.
PERICLES
But are you flesh and blood?
Have you a working pulse and are no fairy?
Motion as well? Speak on. Where were you born,
And wherefore called Marina?
Motion as well? Speak on. Where were you born,
And wherefore called Marina?
MARINA
Called Marina
For I was born at sea.
PERICLES At sea? What mother?
MARINA
My mother was the daughter of a king,
Who died when I was born, as my good nurse
Lychorida hath oft recounted weeping.
Who died when I was born, as my good nurse
Lychorida hath oft recounted weeping.
PERICLES
O, stop there a little! ⌈
Aside
⌉ This is the rarest dream
That e’er dulled sleep did mock sad fools withal.
This cannot be my daughter, buried. Well.
(To Marina) Where were you bred? I’ll hear you more
to th’ bottom
Of your story, and never interrupt you.
Aside
⌉ This is the rarest dream
That e’er dulled sleep did mock sad fools withal.
This cannot be my daughter, buried. Well.
(To Marina) Where were you bred? I’ll hear you more
to th’ bottom
Of your story, and never interrupt you.
MARINA
You will scarce believe me. ‘Twere best I did give o’er.
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?
Of what you shall deliver. Yet give me leave.
How came you in these parts? Where were you bred?
MARINA
The King my father did in Tarsus leave me,
Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,
Did seek to murder me, and wooed a villain
To attempt the deed; who having drawn to do’t,
A crew of pirates came and rescued me.
To Mytilene they brought me. But, good sir,
What will you of 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.
Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,
Did seek to murder me, and wooed a villain
To attempt the deed; who having drawn to do’t,
A crew of pirates came and rescued me.
To Mytilene they brought me. But, good sir,
What will you of 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.
PERICLES
rising
Ho, Helicanus!
risingHo, Helicanus!Other books
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