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On board PERICLES' ship, off Mytilene. A close pavilion on deck, with a
curtain before it; PERICLES within it, reclined on a couch. A barge lying
beside the Tyrian vessel.
[Enter two Sailors, one belonging to the Tyrian vessel, the other to the
barge; to them HELICANUS]
TYRIAN SAILOR
Where is lord Helicanus? he can resolve you. O here he is, sir, there's a
barge put off from Mytilene, and in it is Lysimachus the governor, who
craves to come aboard, what is your will?
HELICANUS
That he have his, call up some gentlemen.
TYRIAN SAILOR
Ho, gentlemen, my lord calls.
[Enter two or three Gentlemen]
FIRST GENTLEMAN
Doth your lordship call?
HELICANUS
Gentlemen, there is some of worth would come aboard, I pray thee greet them
fairly.
[Enter LYSIMACHUS]
TYRIAN SAILOR
Sir, this is the man that can, in aught you would, resolve you.
LYSIMACHUS
Hail, reverend sir, the gods preserve you.
HELICANUS
And you to outlive the age I am, and die as I would do.
LYSIMACHUS
You wish me well; being on shore, honoring of Neptune's triumphs, seeing
this goodly vessel ride before us, I made to it, to know of whence you are.
HELICANUS
First, what is your place?
LYSIMACHUS
I am the governor of this place you lie before.
HELICANUS
Sir, our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king, a man, who for this three months
hath not spoken to anyone, nor taken sustenance, but to prorogue his grief.
LYSIMACHUS
Upon what ground is his distemperature?
HELICANUS
It would be too tedious to repeat, but the main grief springs from the loss
of a beloved daughter, and a wife.
LYSIMACHUS
May we not see him?
HELICANUS
You may, but bootless is your sight, he will not speak To any.
LYSIMACHUS
Let me obtain my wish.
HELICANUS
Behold him, this was a goodly person, till the disaster that one mortal
night drove him to this.
LYSIMACHUS
Sir king, all hail, the gods preserve you, hail, royal sir.
HELICANUS
It is in vain, he will not speak to you.
FIRST LORD
Sir, we have a maid in Mytilene, I durst wager would win some words of him.
LYSIMACHUS
'Tis well bethought, she questionless with her sweet harmony, and other
chosen attractions, would allure and make a battery through his deafened
parts, which now are midway stopped, she is all happy, as the fairest of
all, and with her fellow maids, now upon the leafy shelter that abuts
against the island's side.
[Whispers a Lord, who goes off in the barge of LYSIMACHUS]
HELICANUS
Sure all effectless, yet nothing we'll omit that bears recovery's name. But
since your kindness we have stretched thus far, let us beseech you, that for
our gold we may have provision, 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
graff would send a caterpillar, and so afflict 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 to you; but see, I am prevented.
[Enter, from the barge, Lord, with MARINA, and a young Lady]
LYSIMACHUS
,
, ,
,
O here's | the la|dy that | I sent | for.
<- , ,
, 2 ,
, ,
Wel||come fair | one: Is it | not a | goodly |
presence?
HELICANUS
,
, ,
She's a | gallant | lady. \\
LYSIMACHUS
, ,
, ,
,
She's such | a one,| that were | I well |
assured,
, ,
, ,
,
Came of | a gent|le kind | and nob|le stock,
,
x ,
, ,
I'd wish | no better | choice, and | think me
rarely wed.
T . T
T ,
, ,
Fair and all good|ness that | consists | in
beauty,
,
2 , , ,
, o
Expect | even here,| where is | a king|ly
pat|ient,
,
, ,
, , ,
If that | thy pros|perous | and art|ific|ial
fate, (hex with prev)
,
, ,
, ,
Can draw | him but | to ans|wer thee | in aught,
,
, , .
T T T
Thy sac|red phys|ic shall | receive such pay,
, ,
,
As thy | desires | can wish. \\
MARINA
Sir, I will use my utmost skill in his recovery, provided that none but I
and my companion maid, be suffered to come near him.
LYSIMACHUS
Come, let us leave her, and the gods make her prosperous.
[MARINA sings]
LYSIMACHUS
Marked he your music:
MARINA
No, nor looked on us.
LYSIMACHUS
See, she will speak to him.
MARINA
Hail, sir, my lord, lend ear.
PERICLES
Hum, ha.
MARINA
I am a maid, my lord, that nere before invited eyes, but have been gazed on
like a comet: she speaks, my lord, that may be, 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, I will desist, but there is something
glows upon my cheek, and whispers in mine ear, go not till he speak.
PERICLES
My fortunes, parentage, good parentage to equal mine; was it not thus, what
say you?
MARINA
I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage, 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?
MARINA
No, nor of any shores, yet I was mortally brought forth, and am no other
than I appear.
PERICLES
I am great with woe, and shall deliver weeping: my dearest wife was like
this maid, and such a one 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.
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 lookst modest as
Justice, and thou seemst 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, for thou lookst 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 camst from good descent.
MARINA
So indeed I did.
PERICLES
Report thy parentage, I think thou saidst thou hadst been tossed from wrong
to injury, and that thou thoughtst thy griefs might equal mine, if both were
opened.
MARINA
Some such thing I said, and said no more, but what my thoughts 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 thy name, my most kind virgin?
Recount I do beseech thee, come sit by me.
MARINA
My name is Marina.
PERICLES
Oh I am mocked, and thou by some incensed god sent hither 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 knowst how thou dost startle me to call
thyself Marina.
MARINA
The name was given me by one that had some power, 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? \\
, 2
, , ,
,
Have you a | working | pulse? And | are no |
fairy?
,
, T T
T ,
Motion?| Well speak^|on, where were | you born?
, ,
,
And where|fore called | Marin|a? \\
MARINA
,
, , ,
,
Called Ma|rina,| for I | was born | at sea.
PERICLES
,
, ,
At sea?| Who was | thy moth|er? \\
MARINA
My mother was the daughter of a king, who died the minute I was born, as my
good nurse Lychorida hath oft delivered weeping.
PERICLES
O stop there a little, this is the rarest dream
That ere dull sleep did mock sad fools withal,
This cannot be my daughter; buried! Well, where were you bred? I'll hear you
more to the bottom of your story and never interrupt you.
MARINA
You scorn, believe me 'twere best I did give ore.
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?
MARINA
, ,
, x ,
The king | my fath|er did | in Tarsus | leave me,
, ,
, , ,
Till cru|el Cle|on with | his wick|ed wife,
,
, 2 ,
2 ,
x
Did seek | to murd|er me: and | having wooed | a
villain ??
2 ,
, ,
, ,
To attempt | it, who | having | drawn to | do it,
,
, , ,
,
A crew | of pir|ates came | and res|cued me,
,
, ,
Brought me | to Myt|ilene. \\
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.
PERICLES
Ho, Helicanus?
HELICANUS
Calls my lord?
PERICLES
,
, , ,
,
Thou art | a grave | and nob|le couns|ellor,
,
, ,
, ,
, ,
Most wise | in gene|ral, tell | me if | thou
canst,| what this | maid is,
,
, , ,
, , oo
Or what | is like | to be,| that thus | hath made
| me weep?|
HELICANUS
I know not, but here's the regent, sir, of Mytilene, speaks nobly of her.
LYSIMACHUS
She would never tell her parentage,
Being demanded that, she would sit still and weep.
PERICLES
O Helicanus, strike me, honored sir, give me a gash, put me to present pain,
lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me, orebear the shores of my
mortality, and drown me with their sweetness: Oh come hither,
,
, ,
, ,
Thou that | begetst | him that | did thee | beget,
,
, ,
, 2 ,
Thou that | wast born | at sea,| buried at |
Tarsus,
, ,
, , x
And found | at sea | again:| O Hel|icanus,
, 2
T T . T ,
,
Down on thy | knees, thank the ho|ly gods,| as
loud
,
, , , 2 ,
As thunde|r threat|ens us;| this is Ma|rina.
,
, ,
, ,
What was | thy moth|er's name?| Tell me | but
that,
, ,
, , ,
For truth | can nev|er be | confirmed | enough,
, ,
,
Though doubts | did ev|er sleep. \\
MARINA
T T T
, , ,
First, sir, I | pray what / is your | title?
PERICLES
2 , ,
, , ,
I am Per|icles | of Tyre,| but tell | me now
,
, , 2
, ,
My drown|ed queen's | name, as in | the rest |
you said,
, 2
T T T ,
, ,
Thou hast been | godlike per|fect, the | heir of
| kingdoms,
, ,
, , ,
,
And an|other | like to | Peri|cles thy | father.
(hex with prev)
MARINA
Is it not 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.
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?
HELICANUS
Sir, 'tis the governor of Mytilene, who hearing of your melancholy, did come
to see you.
PERICLES
, ,
, , oo
I em|brace you:| give me | my robes;|
, ,
, , ,
, ,
I am | wild in | my be|holding.| Oh heav|en bless
| my girl.
,
, ,
, , ,
,
But hark,| what mus|ic's this | Heli|canus?| My
Ma|rina, (hept with prev)
, ,
, , ,
,
Tell him / ore point | by point,| for yet | he
seems | to doubt,
,
, ,
, ,
,
How sure | you are | my daught|er; but | where's
this | music? (hex with prev)
HELICANUS
,
, ,
My lord,| I hear | none. \\
PERICLES
,
, 2
, , 2
,
None? The | music | of the spheres,| list my
Ma|rina.
LYSIMACHUS
,
, ,
, ,
It is / not good | to cross | him, give | him
way.
PERICLES
,
, ,
__ oo
Rarest | sounds, do | ye not | hear?|
LYSIMACHUS
, ,
,
Music,| my lord,| I hear. \\
PERICLES
x
,
Most heaven|ly mus|ic, \\
,
, , ,
, ->
It nips | me un|to liste|ning, and / thick
slum||ber
,
, , ,
__
Hangs | upon | mine eyes,| let me | rest.
LYSIMACHUS
,
, , ,
,
A pil|low 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]
DIANA
My temple stands in Ephesus,
Hie thee thither, and do upon mine altar sacrifice. There when my maiden
priests are met together, before all the people reveal how thou at sea didst
lose thy wife, to mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's call, and give them
repetition to the like: or perform my bidding, or thou livest in woe: do it,
and happy by my silver bow; awake and tell thy dream.
[Enter HELICANUS, LYSIMACHUS, and MARINA]
PERICLES
,
, ,
, ,
Celes|tial Di|an, god|dess arg|entine,
, ,
, , o
I will | obey | thee: Hel|ican|us.
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, shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore, and give you gold
for such provision as our intents will need.
LYSIMACHUS
Sir, with all my heart, and when you come ashore, I have another suit.
PERICLES
You shall prevail, were it to woo my daughter, for it seems you have been
noble towards her.
LYSIMACHUS
Sir, lend me your arm.
PERICLES
Come, my Marina.
[Exeunt]