SCENE I.
On board Pericles' ship, off Mitylene. 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.
Tyr. Sail.
Where is the lord Helicanus? He can
resolve you. [To the Sailor of Mitylene]—O, here he is.
Sir, there is a barge put off from Mitylene, and in it
is Lysimachus the governor, who craves to come
aboard. What is your will?
Hell.
That he have his. Call up some gentlemen.
Tyr. Sail.
Ho, gentlemen! my lord calls.
Enter two Gentlemen.
1 Gent.
Doth your lordship call?
Hel.
Gentlemen, there is some one of worth would
come aboard; I pray, greet him fairly.
[The Gentlemen and the two Sailors descend, and go on board the barge.
Enter, from thence, Lysimachus attended; the Tyrian Gentlemen, and the two Sailors.
Tyr. Sail.
Sir, this is the man that can, in aught
you would, resolve you.
Lys.
Hail, reverend sir! The gods preserve you!
Hel.
And you, to out-live the age I am, and
Die as I would do.
Lys.
You wish me well.
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.
Hel.
First, what is your place?
Lys.
I am
The governor of this place you lie before.
Hel.
Sir, our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king;
-- 135 --
A man, who for this three months hath not spoken
To any one, nor taken sustenance,
But to prorogue his grief4 note
.
Lys.
Upon what ground is his distemperature?
Hel.
Sir, it would be too tedious to repeat;
But the main grief of all springs from the loss
Of a beloved daughter and a wife.
Lys.
May we not see him?
Hel.
You may, but bootless
Is your sight; he will not speak to any.
Lys.
Yet let me obtain my wish.
Hel.
Behold him, sir: [Pericles discovered5 note
.] this was a goodly person,
'Till the disaster that, one mortal night,
Drove him to this6 note
.
-- 136 --
Lys.
Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you! Hail,
Royal sir!
Hel.
It is in vain; he will not speak to you.
Lord.
Sir, we have a maid7 note in Mitylene, I durst
wager would win some words of him.
Lys.
'Tis well bethought.
She, questionless, with her sweet harmony
And other chosen attractions would allure,
And make a battery through his deafen'd parts8 note
,
Which now are mid-way stopp'd:
She is all happy as the fairest of all,
And, with her fellow-maids, is now upon
The leafy shelter that abuts against
The island's side9 note
.
[Whispers one of the attendant Lords.—Exit Lord in
the barge of Lysimachus1 note.
-- 137 --
Hel.
Sure all's effectless; yet nothing we'll omit
That bears recovery's name. But since your kindness
-- 138 --
We have stretch'd 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.
Lys.
O, sir, a courtesy,
Which if we should deny, the most just God
For every graff would send a caterpillar,
And so inflict our province2 note.—Yet once more
Let me entreat to know at large the cause
Of your king's sorrow.
Hel.
Sit, sir3 note, I will recount it to you;—but see,
I am prevented.
Enter, from the barge, Lord, Marina, and a young lady.
Lys.
O, here's the lady
That I sent for. Welcome, fair one! Is't not
A goodly presence4 note
?
Hel.
She's a gallant lady.
Lys.
She's such a one, that were I well assur'd
Came of a gentle kind, and noble stock,
I'd wish no better choice, and think me rarely wed.
Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
Expect even here5 note
, where is a kingly patient:
-- 139 --
If that thy prosperous and artificial fate6 note
Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,9Q1335
Thy sacred physick shall receive such pay
As thy desires can wish.
Mar.
Sir, I will use
My utmost skill in his recovery, provided
That none but I and my companion maid
Be suffer'd to come near him.
-- 140 --
Lys.
Come, let us leave her, and the gods make
her prosperous!
[Marina sings7 note
.
Lys.
Mark'd he your musick?
Mar.
No, nor look'd on us.
Lys.
See, she will speak to him.
Mar.
Hail, sir! my lord, lend ear.
Per.
Hum, ha!
Mar.
I am a maid,
My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,
But have been gaz'd on like a comet9Q1336: she speaks,
My lord, that, may be, hath endur'd a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.
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 aukward casualties8 note
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.
[Aside.
-- 141 --
Per.
My fortunes—parentage—good parentage—
To equal mine!—was it not thus? what say you?
Mar.
I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage,
You would not do me violence.
Per.
I do
Think so.—Pray you turn your eyes upon me.
You are like something, that—What country-woman?
Here of these shores9 note
?
Mar.
No, nor of any shores:
Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am
No other than I appear.
Per.
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-voic'd; her eyes as jewel-like,
And cas'd as richly1 note
: in pace another Juno2 note
;
-- 142 --
Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them hungry,
The more she gives them speech3 note
.—Where do you live?
Mar.
Where I am but a stranger: from the deck
You may discern the place.
Per.
Where were you bred?
And how atchiev'd you these endowments, which
You make more rich to owe4 note
?
Mar.
If I should tell my history, it would seem
Like lies disdain'd in the reporting.
Per.
Pr'ythee speak;
Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st
Modest as Iustice, and thou seem'st a palace
For the crown'd Truth to dwell in: I'll believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation,
To points that seem impossible; for thou look'st
Like one I lov'd indeed. What were thy friends?
Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back5 note,
-- 143 --
(Which was when I perceiv'd thee) that thou cam'st
From good descending?
Mar.
So indeed I did.
Per.
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.
Mar.
Some such thing indeed I said, and said no more
But what my thoughts did warrant me was likely.
Per.
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 girl6 note
: yet thou dost look
Like Patience, gazing on kings' graves7 note
, and smiling
Extremity out of act8 note
. What were thy friends?
How lost thou them?—Thy name, my most kind virgin?
Recount, I do beseech thee; come, sit by me9 note
.
-- 144 --
Mar.
My name is Marina.
Per.
O I am mock'd,
And thou by some incensed god sent hither
To make the world to laugh at me.
Mar.
Patience, good sir, or here I'll cease.
Per.
Nay, I'll be patient; thou little knowest
How thou dost startle me, to call thyself
Marina.
Mar.
The name was given me by one
That had some power; my father and a king.
Per.
How! a king's daughter, and call'd Marina?
Mar.
You said you would believe me;
But, not to be a troubler1 note of your peace,
I will end here.
Per.
But are you flesh and blood?
Have you a working pulse? and are no fairy?
Motion?—Well; speak on. Where were you born2 note
?
And wherefore call'd Marina?
-- 145 --
Mar.
Call'd Marina,
For I was born at sea.
Per
At sea? who was thy mother?
Mar.
My mother was the daughter of a king3 note
;
Who died the very minute I was born,
As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft
Deliver'd weeping.
Per.
O, stop there a little!
This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be
My daughter buried. [Aside] Well;—where were you bred?
I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,
And never interrupt you.
Mar.
You'll scarce believe me; 'twere best I did give o'er4 note
.
Per.
I will believe you by the syllable5 note
-- 146 --
Of what you shall deliver. Yet give me leave—
How came you in these parts? where were you bred?
Mar.
The king, my father, did in Tharsus leave me;
Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,
Did seek to murther me: and having woo'd
A villain to attempt it, who being drawn to do't6 note
,
A crew of pyrates came and rescued me;
Brought me to Mitylene. 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.
Per.
Ho, Helicanus!
Hel.
Calls my lord?
Per.
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?
Hel.
I know not; but
Here is the regent, sir, of Mitylene
Speaks nobly of her.
Lys.
She never would tell
Her parentage; being demanded that,
She would sit still and weep.9Q1337
Per.
O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd sir;
Give me a gash, put me to present pain;
-- 147 --
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me,
O'er-bear the shores of my mortality,
And drown me with their sweetness7 note
. O come hither,
Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget;
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tharsus,
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 sleep8 note.
Mar.
First, sir, I pray, what is your title?
Per.
I
Am Pericles of Tyre; but tell me now
My drown'd queen's name: as in the rest you said,
Thou hast been god-like-perfect9 note
, the heir of kingdoms,
And another like to Pericles thy father.
Mar.
Is it no more to be your daughter, than
-- 148 --
To say, my mother's name was Thaisa?
Thaisa was my mother, who did end
The minute I began1 note
.
Per.
Now, blessing on thee, rise; thou art my child.
Give me fresh garments. Mine own Helicanus,
She is not dead at Tharsus, 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?
Hel.
Sir, 'tis the governor of Mitylene,
Who, hearing of your melancholy state2 note
,
Did come to see you.
Per.
I embrace you. Give me
My robes; I am wild in my beholding.
O heavens bless my girl! But hark, what musick's this?
Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him3 note
O'er, point by point4 note
, for yet he seems to doubt5 note,
How sure you are my daughter.—But what musick?
-- 149 --
Hel.
My lord, I hear none.
Per.
None?
The musick of the spheres: list, my Marina.
Lys.
It is not good to cross him; give him way.
Per.
Rarest sounds!
Do ye not hear?
Lys.
Musick? My lord, I hear—
Per.
Most heavenly musick:
It nips me unto list'ning, and thick slumber
Hangs on mine eyes; let me rest6 note
.
[He sleeps.
Lys.
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 you7 note
.
[Exeunt Lysimachus, Helicanus, Marina, and attendant Lady.
-- 150 --
Edmond Malone [1780], Supplement to the edition of Shakspeare's plays published in 1778 By Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. In two volumes. Containing additional observations by several of the former commentators: to which are subjoined the genuine poems of the same author, and seven plays that have been ascribed to him; with notes By the editor and others (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10911].
