The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

But for this virgin that doth prop it up,
Would sink, and overwhelm you all. Away!
Erit LYSIMACHUS.
Boult. How's this? We must take another
course with you. If your peevish chastity, which
is not worth a breakfast in the cheapest country
under the cope, shall undo a whole household,
let me be gelded like a spaniel. Come your

Re-enter BAWD.

Bawd. How now! what's the matter? Boult. Worse and worse, mistress: she has here spoken holy words to the lord Lysimachus.

Bawd. Oh! abominable!

Boult. She makes our profession as it were to stink afore the face of the gods.

Bawd. Marry, hang her up for ever! Boult. The nobleman would have dealt with her like a nobleman, and she sent him away as cold as a snowball; saying his prayers too.

Bawd. Boult, take her away; use her at thy pleasure; crack the glass of her virginity, and make the rest malleable.

Boult. An if she were a thornier piece of ground than she is, she shall be ploughed. Mar. Hark, bark, you gods!

Bawd. She conjures : away with her. Would she had never come within my doors! Marry Will you not hang you! She's born to undo us. go the way of women-kind? Marry come up, my dish of chastity with rosemary and bays! [Exit BAWD. Boult. Come. mistress; come your way with

me.

I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars.

Boult. But can you teach all this you speak of ?

Mar. Prove that I cannot, take me home
again,

And prostitute me to the basest groom
That doth frequent your house.

Boult. Well, I will see what I can do for thee: if I can place thee, I will.

Mar. But, amongst honest women? Boult. 'Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst them. But since my master and mistress have bought you, there's no going but by their consent; therefore I will make them acquainted with your purpose, and I doubt not but I shall find them tractable enough. Come, I'll do for thee what I can come your ways. [Exeunt.

ACT V.

Enter GoWER.

Gow. Marina thus the brothel 'scapes, and
chances

Into an honest house, our story says.
She sings like one immortal, and she dances
As goddess-like to her admired lays :
Deep clerks she dumbs; and with her neeld
composes

Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or
berry ;

That even her art sisters the natural roses :
Her inkle, silk, twine with the rubied cherry:
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her; and her gain
Here we her
She gives the cursed bawd.

place;

And to her father turn our thoughts again. Mar. Whither would you have me? We there him Boult. To take from you the jewel you hold Where we left him, on the sea. ost; Whence, driven before the winds, he is arriv’d Here where his daughter dwells; and on this

so dear.

Mar. Pr'ythee tell me one thing first.
Boult. Come now, your one thing.

Mar. What canst thou wish thine enemy to be?

Boult. Why, I could wish him to be my master, or rather, my mistress.

Mar. Neither of these are yet so bad as thou

art

Since they do better thee in their command. Thou hold'st a place, for which the pained'st fiend

coast

Suppose him now at anchor. The city striv'd God Neptune's annual feast to keep: from whence

Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,

His banners sable, trimm'd with rich expense;
And to him in his barge with fervour hies.
In your supposing once more put your sight;
Of heavy Pericles think this the bark:
Where, what is done in action, more, if might,

Of hell would not in reputation change :
Thou'rt the damn'd door-keeper to every coy- Shall be discover'd; please you, sit, and hark.

strel +

That hither comes enquiring for his tib;
To the choleric fisting of each rogue thy ear
Is liable; thy very food is such

As hath been belch'd on by infected lungs.

Boult. What would you have me? go to the wars, would you? where a man may serve seven years for the loss of a leg, and have not money enough in the end to buy him a wooden

one ?

Mar. Do any thing but this thon doest.
Empty

Old receptacles, common sewers, of filth;
Serve by indenture to the comman hangman;
Any of these ways are better yet than this:
For that which thou professest, a baboon,
Could he but speak, would own a name too

dear.

Oh! that the gods would safely from this place
Deliver me! Here, here is gold for thee.
If that thy master would gain aught by me,
Proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and
dance,

With other virtues, which I'll keep from

boast;

And I will undertake all these to teach.

[Exit.

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 Ty-
rian Vessel, the other to the Barge; to them
HELICANUS.

Tyr. Sail. Where's the lord Helicanus? he
can resolve you.
[To the SAILOR of Mitylene.

Oh! here he is.-
Sir, there's a barge put off from Mitylene.
And in it is Lysimachus the governor,
What is your
Who craves to come aboard.

Mar. Sir, I will use

My utmost skill in his recovery,

Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's tri- Provided none but I and my companion

Hel. Sir,

Our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king;

A man, who for this three months hath not spoken

To any one, nor taken sustenance,
But to prorogue his grief.

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, then?
Hel. You may indeed, Sir

But bootless is your sight: he will not speak
To any.

Lys. Yet, let me obtain my wish.
Hel. Behold him, Sir: [PERICLES discovered.]
this was a goodly person,

Till the disaster, that, one mortal † night,
Drove him to this.

Lys. Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you! Hail,

Hail, royal Sir !

Hel. It is in vain: he will not speak to you. 1 Lord. Sir, we have a maid in Mitylene, I durst wager,

Would win some words of him.

Lys. 'Tis well bethought.

She, questionless, with her sweet harmony
And other choice attractions, would allure,
And make a battery through his deafen'd
parts, t

Which now are midway stopp'd:
She, all as bappy as of all the fairest,
Is, with her fellow-maidens, now within
The leafy shelter that abuts against
The island's side.

He whispers one of the attendant LORDS,-
Exit LORD, in the Barge of LYSI

Be suffer'd to come near him.
Lys. Come, let us leave her,

And the gods make her prosperous!

[MARINA sings

Lys. Mark'd be your music?
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, comet-like:

speaks

she

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 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.
[Aside.

Per. My fortunes-parentage-good paren

tage

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.

I pray you, turn your eyes again upon me.— You are like something that-What countrywoman?

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 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 ?

Mar. Where I am but a stranger: from the

deck

You may discern the place.

Per. Where were you bred ?

And how achiev'd you these endowments,

which

You make more rich to owe?

Mar. Should I tell my history.

"Twould seem like lies disdain'd in the report

ing. Per. Pr'ythee speak:

• Possess.

Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look st | A crew of pirates came and rescu'd me;
Modest as justice, and thou seem'st a palace
For the crown'd truth to dwell in: I'll believe
thee,

Brought me to Mitylene. But now, good Sir,
Whither will you have me? Why do you weep!
It may be,

And make my senses credit thy relation,
To points that seem impossible; for thou I am the daughter to king Pericles,

You think me an impostor: no, good faith;

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.
How lost thou them?
virgin?

What were thy friends?
Thy name, my most kind

Recount, I do beseech thee: come, sit by me.
Mar. My name, Sir, is Marina.
Per. Oh! I am mock'd,

And thou by some incensed god sent hither
To make the world laugh at me.

Mar. Patience, good Sir,

Or here I'll cease.

Per. Nay, I'll be patient:

Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me,
To call thyself Marina.

Mar. The name, Marina,

Was given me by one that had some power;
My father, and a king.

Per. How! a king's daughter?

And call'd Marina ?

If good king Pericles be.
Per. Ho, Helicanus!

Hel. Calls my gracious lord?

Per. Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,
Most wise in general: Tell me, if thou caust,
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 would never tell
Her parentage, being demanded that,
She would sit still and weep.

Per. O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd Sir;
Give me a gash, put me to present paiu;
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me,
O'erbear the shores of my mortality,
And drown me with their sweetness.

hither,

O come

Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus,
(Not dead at Tharsus, as she should have been,
By savage Cleon,) she shall tell thee all;
When thou shalt kneel and justify in know.
ledge,

She is thy very princess.-Who is this?
Hel. Sir, 'tis the governor of Mitylene,
Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.

Per. I embrace you, Sir.

Mar. My mother was the danghter of a king; Give me my robes-I am wild in my beholding.

Who died the very minute I was born,

As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft
Deliver'd weeping.

Per. Oh! stop there a little!

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be.
My daughter's 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'er.

Per. 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 ?

Mar. The king, my father, did in Tharsus

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,

1. e. No puppet dressed up to deceive me. +1 will believe every word you say.

O heavens bless my girl! But hark, what

music?

SCENE II-The same.-PERICLES on the Deck asleep: DIANA appearing to him as in a vision.

Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; bie thee thither,

And do upon mine altar sacrifice.

She at Tharsus

Wears yet thy silver livery.
Was nurs'd with Cleon: whom at fourteen
years

He sought to murder: but her better stars
Brought her to Mitylene; against whose shore
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard

us,

There, when my maiden priests are met to- Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she

gether,

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.
Perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe :
Do't, and be happy, by my silver bow.
Awake, and tell thy dream.

[DIANA disappears.
Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,
I will obey thee !-Helicanus !

Enter LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, and

Hel. Sir.

MARINA.

Made known herself my daughter.
Thai. Voice and favour!-

You are you are-O royal Pericles!

[She faints.

Per. What means the woman? she dies! help, gentlemen!

Cer. Noble Sir.

If you have told Diana's altar true,
This is your wife.

Per. Reverend appearer, no:

I threw her o'erboard with these very arms,
Cer. Upon this coast, I warrant you.
Per. 'Tis most certain.

Cer. Look to the lady;-Oh! she's but o'er
joy'd.

Per. My purpose was for Tharsus, there to Early, one blust'ring morn, this lady was

strike

The inhospitable Cleon; but I am

For other service first toward Ephesus
Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee
[To HELICANUS.

why.

Shall we refresh us, Sir, upon your shore,
And give you gold for such provision

As our intents will need?

Thrown on this shore. I op'd the coffin, and Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and plac'd her

Here in Diana's temple.

Per. May we see them?

Cer. Great Sir, they shall be brought you to my house,

Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is

Lys. With all my heart, Sir; and, when you Recover'd. come ashore,

I have another suit.

Per. You shall prevail,

Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems
You have been noble towards her.

Lys. Sir, lend your arm.

Per. Come, my Marina.

[Exeunt.

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Thai. Oh! let me look!

If he be none of mine, my sanctity
Will to my sense + bend no licentious ear.
But curb it, spite of seeing. O my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you speak,
Like him you are: Did you not name a tem-
pest,

A birth, and death?

Per. The voice of dead Thaisa!

Thai. That Thaisa am 1, supposed dead,
And drown'd. ‡

Per. Immortal Dian!

Thai. Now I know you better.

When we with tears parted Pentapolis,

The king, my father, gave you such a ring.

[Shows a ring.

Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your present kindness

Makes my past miseries sport: You shall do

well,

That on the touching of her lips I may
Melt, and no

buried

more be seen. O come, be

A second time within these arms.

Per. Hail Dian! to perform thy just com- How possibly preserv'd; and whom to thank,

mand,

I here confess myself the king of Tyre;

Who, frighted from my country, did wed

The fair Thaisa, at Pentapolis.

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth

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

Per. Reverend Sir,

The gods can have no mortal officer

More like a god than you. Will you deliver How this dead queen re-lives?

Cer. I will, my lord.

Beseech you, first go with me to my house,

Where shall be shown you all was found with her;

How she came placed here within the temple; No needful thing omitted.

Per. Pure Diana!

I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer
My night oblations to thee. Thaisa,

This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter,

Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now,
This ornament⚫ that makes me look so dismal,
Will I, my lov'd Marina, clip to form;
And what this fourteen years no razor touch'd,
To grace thy marriage-day, I'll beautify.
Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good
credit,

Sir, that my father's dead.

Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there,

my queen,

We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Will in that kingdom spend our following days; Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign.

1. a. His beard.

Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay, To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exeunt.

Enter GOWER.

Gow. In Antioch, and his daughter, you have heard

Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen (Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,)

Virtue preserv'd from fell destruction's blast, Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last.

In Helicanus may you well descry

A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty:
In reverend Cerimon there well appears,
The worth that learned charity aye wears.
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread their cursed deed, and honour'd

name

Of Pericles, to rage the city turn;
That him and his they in his palace burn.
The gods for murder seemed so content
To punish them; although not done, but meaat
So on your patience ever more attending,
New joy wait on you! Here our play has end-
ing.
[Exit GOWER.

1. c. The king of Antioch.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare, Volume 9