Excerpt from Pericles - anthology.

Excerpt from Pericles - anthology. Pericles exists only in a somewhat corrupted text, an unauthorized version probably "pirated" by Shakespeare's contemporaries--created from notes taken during performances and published in order to capitalize on its great popularity. The play is also thought by critics to have originally been a collaborative effort between Shakespeare and another author. Its central themes, however, are characteristic of the tragicomic romances of Shakespeare's late period. As in The Winter's Tale and The Tempest, the play focuses particularly on the relationship between father and daughter. Its backdrop of the sea further recalls the exotic atmosphere of The Tempest, while its concern with separation and reunion is reminiscent of Leontes' estrangement from and reconciliation with his wife and daughter in The Winter's Tale--although, unlike Leontes, Pericles is innocent of any blame for the separation. Here, in Act V, Scene 1, after a series of adventures, King Pericles, believing his wife and daughter to be dead, has fallen into a deep depression and has not spoken for three months. His ship comes to rest near Mytilene. There, he is welcomed by the governor, Lysimachus, who, hearing of the King's plight, introduces him to a girl whose beauty and virtue he believes may help to effect a cure. The cure is indeed successful, as the girl is discovered to be Pericles' long-lost daughter Marina. Pericles Act V, Scene 1 Enter Helicanus. To him, two Sailors, one of Tyre and one of Mytilene SAILOR OF TYRE (to Sailor of Mytilene) Where is Lord Helicanus? He can resolve you. O, here he is. Sir, there is 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. SAILOR OF TYRE. 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 greet him fairly. Exeunt Gentlemen Enter Lysimachus and Lords, with the Gentlemen SAILOR OF MYTILENE. (to LYSIMACHUS) 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, 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 spoken To anyone, nor taken sustenance But 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 loss Of a belovèd 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 draws a curtain revealing Pericles lying on a couch 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. 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 ports, Which now are midway stopped. 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 side. Exit Lord 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 provision have, 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 God For every graff would send a caterpillar, And so inflict 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 Lord, with Marina and her companion LYSIMACHUS. O, here's the 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 assured 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 beauty, Expect even here, where is a kingly patient, If that thy prosperous and artificial feat Can draw him but to answer thee in aught, Thy sacred physic 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. They withdraw Marina sings LYSIMACHUS (coming forward) Marked he your music? MARINA. No, nor looked on us. LYSIMACHUS (withdrawing) See, she will speak to him. MARINA. Hail, sir! My lord, lend ear. PERICLES. Hum, ha! He pushes her away 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 maybe 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. (Aside) 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 lookest Modest as justice, and thou seemest 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 lookest 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 camest From good descending? MARINA. So indeed I did. PERICLES. Report thy parentage. I think thou saidst Thou hadst been tossed from wrong to injury, And that thou thought'st 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 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 mocked, And thou by some incensèd 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 knowest 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? Have you a working pulse? And are no fairy? Motion as well? Speak on. Where were you born? And wherefore called Marina? MARINA. Called Marina For 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 oft Delivered weeping. PERICLES. 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! Well, where were you bred? I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story, And never interrupt you. MARINA. You scorn to believe me, 'Twere best I did give o'er. 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. The King my father did in Tarsus leave me, Till cruel Cleon with his wicked wife Did seek to murder me; And having wooed a 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, But here's the regent, sir, of Mytilene Speaks nobly of her. LYSIMACHUS. She never would tell Her parentage. Being demanded that, She would sit still and weep. PERICLES. O Helicanus, strike me, honoured 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 Tarsus, 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 confirmed enough, Though doubts did ever sleep. MARINA. First, sir, I pray, What is your title? PERICLES. I am Pericles of Tyre; but tell me now My drowned queen's name, as in the rest you said Thou hast been god-like perfect, and thou art The heir of kingdoms, and another life To Pericles thy father. MARINA. 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. 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 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 him O'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. Music, my lord? PERICLES. I hear most heavenly music. It nips me unto listening, and thick slumber Hangs upon mine eyes. Let me rest. He 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 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, call, And give them repetition to the life. Or perform my bidding, or thou livest in woe; Do't, and happy, by my silver bow. Awake, and tell thy dream. PERICLES (waking) Celestial Dian, goddess argentine, I will obey thee. Helicanus! Enter Helicanus, Lysimachus, and Marina HELICANUS. Sir? PERICLES. 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. (To Lysimachus) 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