Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

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 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 pain;

Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me,

O'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 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 sleep.

Mar.

What is your title?

First, sir, I pray,

Per. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now (As in the rest thou hast been godlike perfect), My drown'd queen's name, thou art the heir of king.

doms,

And another life to Pericles thy father.

Mar. Is it no 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.

Per. Now, blessing on thee, rise; thou art my
child.

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 knowledge,
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.
Give me my robes; I am wild in my beholding.
O heavens bless my girl! But hark, what musick!-
Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him

O'er, point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,
How sure you are my daughter.-But what musick?
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 eye-lids; let me rest.

Lys. A pillow for his head;

[He sleeps.

[The curtain before the pavilion of Pericles
is closed.

So leave him all.-Well, my companion-friends,
If this but answer to my just belief,

I'll well remember you.

[Exeunt Lysimachus, Helicanus, Marina, and attendant Lady.

SCENE II.

The same.

Pericles on the deck asleep; Diana appearing to him as in a vision.

Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thi ther,

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 mouru 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 argentinet,

I will obey thee!-Helicanus !

Enter Lysimachus, Helicanus, and Marina.

Hel.

Sir.

Per. My purpose was for Tharsus, there to strike

The inhospitable Cleon; but I am

For other service first: toward Ephesus

Turn our blownt sails; eftsoons§ I'll tell thee why.

[To Helicanus.

Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,

And give you gold for such provision

As our intents will need?

Lys. With all my heart, sir; and when you come ashore,

I have another suit.

Repeat a lively narrative of your adventures. ti. e. Regent of the silver moon.

+ Swolleu.

§ Soon.

Per.

You shall prevail,

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

[blocks in formation]

Gow. Now our sands are almost run;

More a little, and then done.

This, as my last boon, give me

(For such kindness must relieve me),

That you aptly will suppose

What pageantry, what feats, what shows,

What minstrelsy, and pretty din,

The regent made in Mitylin,

To greet the king. So he has thriv'd,
That he is promis'd to be wiv'd
To fair Marina; but in no wise,
Till he had done his sacrifice,
As Dian bade: whereto being bound,
The interim, pray you, all confoundt.
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 boon.

i. e. Pericles.

+ Confound here signifies to consume.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

The temple of Diana at Ephesus: Thaisa standing near the altar, as high-priestess; a number of virgins on each side; Cerimon and other inhabitunts of Ephesus attending.

Enter Pericles, with his train; Lysimachus, Helicanus, Marina, and a Ludy.

Per. Hail Dian; to perform thy just command, I here confess myself the king of Tyre;

Who, frighted from my country, did wed

The fair Thaísa, at Pentapolis.

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child call'd Marina; who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery*. She at Tharsus
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,
Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she
Made known herself my daughter.

Voice and favour!

Thai.
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.

1

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;-O, she's but o'erjoy'd.

* i. e. Her white robe of innocence.

« ZurückWeiter »