Shakespearefor Bharat
Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Act V · Scene I

On board PERICLES' ship, off Mytilene. A close

Hover a speech to translate it — or press play to hear it performed.

pavilion on deck, with a curtain before it; PERICLESwithin it, reclined on a couch. A barge lyingbeside the Tyrian vessel.

Enter two Sailors, one belonging to the Tyrian vessel, the other to the barge; to them HELICANUS

Tyrian Sailor
[To the Sailor of Mytilene] 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's some of worth would come aboard;I pray ye, greet them fairly.

The Gentlemen and the two Sailors descend, and go on board the barge

Enter, from thence, LYSIMACHUS and Lords; with the Gentlemen and the two Sailors

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, sir, to outlive the age I am,And die as I would do.
LYSIMACHUS
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.
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 spokenTo any one, nor taken sustenanceBut to prorogue his grief.
LYSIMACHUS
Upon what ground is his distemperature?
HELICANUS
'Twould be too tedious to repeat;But the main grief springs from the lossOf 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
Yet let me obtain my wish.
HELICANUS
Behold him.

PERICLES discovered

HELICANUS
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 harmonyAnd other chosen attractions, would allure,And make a battery through his deafen'd parts,Which now are midway stopp'd:She is all happy as the fairest of all,And, with her fellow maids is now uponThe leafy shelter that abuts againstThe island's side.

Whispers a Lord, who goes off in the barge of LYSIMACHUS

HELICANUS
Sure, all's effectless; yet nothing we'll omitThat bears recovery's name. But, since your kindnessWe have stretch'd thus far, let us beseech youThat for our gold we may provision have,Wherein we are not destitute for want,But weary for the staleness.
LYSIMACHUS
O, sir, a courtesyWhich if we should deny, the most just godsFor every graff would send a caterpillar,And so afflict our province. Yet once moreLet me entreat to know at large the causeOf your king's sorrow.
HELICANUS
Sit, sir, I will recount it to you:But, see, I am prevented.

Re-enter, from the barge, Lord, with MARINA, and a young Lady

LYSIMACHUS
O, here isThe 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 assuredCame of a gentle kind and noble stock,I'ld wish no better choice, and think me rarely wed.Fair one, all goodness that consists in bountyExpect even here, where is a kingly patient:If that thy prosperous and artificial featCan draw him but to answer thee in aught,Thy sacred physic shall receive such payAs thy desires can wish.
MARINA
Sir, I will useMy utmost skill in his recovery, ProvidedThat none but I and my companion maidBe suffer'd to come near him.
LYSIMACHUS
Come, let us leave her;And the gods make her prosperous!

MARINA sings

LYSIMACHUS
Mark'd he your music?
MARINA
No, nor look'd 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 ne'er before invited eyes,But have been gazed on like a comet: she speaks,My lord, that, may be, hath endured a griefMight equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.Though wayward fortune did malign my state,My derivation was from ancestorsWho stood equivalent with mighty kings:But time hath rooted out my parentage,And to the world and awkward casualtiesBound me in servitude.

Aside

MARINA
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 are like something that--What country-woman?Here of these shores?
MARINA
No, nor of any shores:Yet I was mortally brought forth, and amNo other than I appear.
PERICLES
I am great with woe, and shall deliver weeping.My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a oneMy 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-likeAnd 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 deckYou may discern the place.
PERICLES
Where were you bred?And how achieved you these endowments, whichYou make more rich to owe?
MARINA
If I should tell my history, it would seemLike lies disdain'd in the reporting.
PERICLES
Prithee, speak:Falseness cannot come from thee; for thou look'stModest as Justice, and thou seem'st a palaceFor the crown'd Truth to dwell in: I willbelieve thee,And make my senses credit thy relationTo points that seem impossible; for thou look'stLike 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 camestFrom good descending?
MARINA
So indeed I did.
PERICLES
Report thy parentage. I think thou said'stThou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury,And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine,If both were open'd.
MARINA
Some such thingI said, and said no more but what my thoughtsDid warrant me was likely.
PERICLES
Tell thy story;If thine consider'd prove the thousandth partOf my endurance, thou art a man, and IHave suffer'd like a girl: yet thou dost lookLike Patience gazing on kings' graves, and smilingExtremity 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.
MARINA
My name is Marina.
PERICLES
O, I am mock'd,And thou by some incensed god sent hitherTo 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.
MARINA
The nameWas given me by one that had some power,My father, and a king.
PERICLES
How! a king's daughter?And call'd 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! Well; speak on. Where were you born?And wherefore call'd Marina?
MARINA
Call'd MarinaFor I was born at sea.
PERICLES
At sea! what mother?
MARINA
My mother was the daughter of a king;Who died the minute I was born,As my good nurse Lychorida hath oftDeliver'd weeping.
PERICLES
O, stop there a little!

Aside

PERICLES
This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleepDid mock sad fools withal: this cannot be:My daughter's 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 o'er.
PERICLES
I will believe you by the syllableOf 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 having woo'dA villain to attempt it, who having drawn to do't,A crew of pirates came and rescued me;Brought me to Mytilene. 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 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?
HELICANUS
I know not; butHere is the regent, sir, of MytileneSpeaks nobly of her.
LYSIMACHUS
She would never tellHer parentage; being demanded that,She would sit still and weep.
PERICLES
O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd sir;Give me a gash, put me to present pain;Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon meO'erbear the shores of my mortality,And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither,Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget;Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus,And found at sea again! O Helicanus,Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as loudAs 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 sleep.
MARINA
First, sir, I pray,What is your title?
PERICLES
I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me nowMy drown'd queen's name, as in the rest you saidThou hast been godlike perfect,The heir of kingdoms and another likeTo Pericles thy father.
MARINA
Is it no more to be your daughter thanTo say my mother's name was Thaisa?Thaisa was my mother, who did endThe 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 knowledgeShe is thy very princess. Who is this?
HELICANUS
Sir, 'tis the governor of Mytilene,Who, hearing of your melancholy state,Did come to see you.
PERICLES
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 himO'er, point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,How sure you are my daughter. But, what music?
HELICANUS
My lord, I hear none.
PERICLES
None!The music of the spheres! List, my Marina.
LYSIMACHUS
It is not good to cross him; give him way.
PERICLES
Rarest sounds! Do ye not hear?
LYSIMACHUS
My lord, I hear.

Music

PERICLES
Most heavenly music!It nips me unto listening, and thick slumberHangs upon mine eyes: let me rest.

Sleeps

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

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, callAnd 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

PERICLES
Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,I will obey thee. Helicanus!

Re-enter HELICANUS, LYSIMACHUS, and MARINA

HELICANUS
Sir?
PERICLES
My purpose was for Tarsus, there to strikeThe inhospitable Cleon; but I amFor other service first: toward EphesusTurn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee why.

To LYSIMACHUS

PERICLES
Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,And give you gold for such provisionAs 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 seemsYou have been noble towards her.
LYSIMACHUS
Sir, lend me your arm.
PERICLES
Come, my Marina.

Exeunt

PERICLES
SCENE II:

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 supposeWhat pageantry, what feats, what shows,What minstrelsy, and pretty din,The regent made in MytileneTo greet the king. So he thrived,That he is promised to be wivedTo fair Marina; but in no wiseTill 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