And said no more but what my thoughts
Did warrant144 me was likely.
PERICLES Tell thy story.
If thine considered prove the thousand part
Of my endurance147, thou art a man, and I
Have suffered like a girl. Yet thou dost look
Like Patience149, gazing on kings’ graves and smiling
Extremity out of act150. What were thy friends?
How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind virgin?
Recount, I do beseech thee. Come, sit by me.
Sits
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 know’st 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?172 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 weeping180.
PERICLES O, stop there a little!
This is the rarest dream that e’er dulled182 sleep
Did mock sad fools withal183. This cannot be
My daughter, buried184. Well, where were you bred?
I’ll hear you more, to th’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 syllable188
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 wooed a villain
To attempt it, who having drawn194 to do’t,
A crew of pirates came and rescued me,
Brought me to Mytilene. But, good sir,
Whither will you have me197? Why do you weep? It may be
You think me an imposture. No, good faith198.
I am the daughter to King Pericles,
If good King Pericles be200.
Calls Helicanus, Lysimachus and Attendants come forward
PERICLES Ho, Helicanus!
HELICANUS Calls my lord?
PERICLES Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,
Most wise in general204. Tell me if thou canst,
What this maid is, or what is like205 to be,
That thus hath made me weep.
HELICANUS I know not,
But here’s the regent, sir, of Mytilene,
Speaks209 nobly of her.
LYSIMACHUS She never would tell
Her parentage, being demanded that,
She would sit still212 and weep.
To Lysimachus
PERICLES O, Helicanus, strike me!— Honoured sir,
Give me a gash! Put me to present214 pain,
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me
O’erbear216 the shores of my mortality,
To Marina
And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither,
Thou that beget’st218 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 us222: this is Marina!
What was thy mother’s name? Tell me but that,
For truth can never be confirmed enough
Though doubts did ever sleep225.
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, 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.
She rises
PERICLES Now blessing on thee! Rise, th’art my child.—
To Attendants
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 knowledge239
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.
To Lysimachus
PERICLES I embrace you.—
To Attendants
Give me my robes. I am wild in my beholding245.
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 doubt248
How sure249 you are my daughter. But what music?
HELICANUS My lord, I hear none.
PERICLES None?
The music of the spheres! List252, my Marina.
LYSIMACHUS It is not good to cross253 him, give him way.
PERICLES Rarest254 sounds, do ye not hear?
LYSIMACHUS Music, my lord? I hear.
PERICLES Most heavenly music.
It nips257 me unto list’ning, and thick slumber
Sleeps
Hangs upon mine eyes. Let me rest.
To Attendants
LYSIMACHUS A pillow for his head. So, leave him all.
Well, my companion friends,
If this but answer to my just belief261,
All except Pericles stand back
I’ll well remember262 you.
[Enter] Diana
DIANA My temple stands in Ephesus. Hie thee thither263
And do upon mine altar sacrifice.
There when my maiden265 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. Call268,
And give them repetition to the life269.
Perform my bidding, or thou liv’st in woe:
Do it, and happy, by my silver bow271.
Awake and tell thy dream.
[Exit Diana]
PERICLES Celestial Dian, goddess argentine273.
I will obey thee.— Helicanus!
Helicanus, Lysimachus and Marina come forward
HELICANUS Sir.
PERICLES My purpose was for276 Tarsus, there to strike
The inhospitable Cleon, but I am
For other service first. Toward Ephesus
Turn our blown sails, eftsoons279 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
[Act 5 Second Chorus]
running scene 22
Enter Gower
GOWER Now our sands are almost run,
More a little2, and then dumb.
This my last boon3 give me,
For such kindness must relieve me:
That you aptly5 will suppose
What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What minstrelsy, and pretty din7,
The regent made in Mytilene
To greet the king. So he thrived
That he is promised to be wived
To fair Marina, but in no wise11
Till he12 had done his sacrifice
As Dian bade, whereto being bound13,
The interim, pray you, all confound14.
In feathered briefness15 sails are filled,
And wishes fall out as they’re willed.
At Ephesus the temple see
Our king and all his company.
That he can hither come so soon,
Is by your fancies’ thankful doom20.
[Exit]
[Act 5 Scene 2]
running scene 23
[Enter Pericles, Marina, Lysimachus, Helicanus and Attendants, and Thaisa, Cerimon and the Priests of Diana]
PERICLES Hail Dian! To perform thy just1 command,
I here confess2 myself the King of Tyre,
Who frighted from my country did wed
At Pentapolis, the fair Thaisa.
At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child called Marina whom, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery7. She at Tarsus
Was nursed with Cleon, who at fourteen years
He sought to murder, but her better stars9
Brought her to Mytilene, against whose shore10
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us,
Where by her own most clear remembrance she
Made known herself my daughter.
THAISA Voice and favour14!
She faints
You are, you are, O royal Pericles!
PERICLES What means the nun? She dies — help, gentlemen!
CERIMON Noble sir, if you have told Diana’s altar true,
This is your wife.
PERICLES Reverend appearer19, no.
I threw her overboard with these very arms.
CERIMON Upon this coast, I warrant you.
PERICLES ’Tis most certain.
CERIMON Look to the lady. O, she’s but o’erjoyed.
Early one blustering morn this lady was
Thrown upon this shore. I oped the coffin,
Found there rich jewels, recovered her, and placed her
Here in Diana’s temple.
PERICLES May we see them?
CERIMON Great sir, they shall be brought you to my house,
Whither I invite you. Look, Thaisa is recovered.
Rises
THAISA O, let me look!
If he be none of mine, my sanctity32
Will to my sense bend no licentious33 ear,
But curb it, spite of seeing34. O my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you spake,
Like him you are. Did you not name a tempest,
A birth and death?
PERICLES The voice of dead Thaisa!
THAISA That Thaisa am I,
Supposèd dead and drowned.
PERICLES Immortal Dian!
THAISA Now I know you better.
When we with tears parted Pentapolis,
The king my father gave you such a ring.
Points to his ring
PERICLES This, this! No more, you gods, your present kindness
Makes my past miseries sports46! You shall do well
That on the touching of her lips I may melt
And no more be seen. O, come, be buried
Embraces her Kneels
A second time within these arms.
MARINA My heart
Leaps to be gone into my mother’s bosom.
PERICLES Look who kneels here, flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa,
Thy burden at the sea, and called Marina
For she was yielded54 there.
THAISA Blest, and mine own.
HELICANUS Hail, madam, and my queen.
THAISA I know you not.
PERICLES You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre,
I left behind an ancient substitute59.
Can you remember what I called the man?
I have named him oft.
THAISA ’Twas Helicanus then.
PERICLES Still confirmation.
They embrace
Embrace him, dear Thaisa, this is he.
Now do I long to hear how you were found,
How possibly preserved66, and who to thank,
Besides the gods, for this great miracle?
THAISA Lord Cerimon, my lord: this man
Through whom the gods have shown their power, that can
From first to last resolve you.
To Cerimon
PERICLES Reverend sir,
The gods can have no mortal officer72
More like a god than you, will you deliver
How this dead queen relives?
CERIMON I will, my lord,
Beseech you, first go with me to my house,
Where shall77 be shown you all was found with her,
How she came placèd78 here in the temple,
No needful thing omitted.
PERICLES Pure Dian,
I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer
Night oblations82 to thee. Thaisa,
This prince, the fair83 betrothèd of your daughter,
Shall marry her at Pentapolis,
And now this ornament85
Makes me look dismal will I clip to form86,
And what this fourteen years no razor touched
To grace thy marriage-day I’ll beautify.
THAISA Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit89,
Sir, my father’s dead.
PERICLES Heavens make a star of him! Yet there91 my queen,
We’ll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves
Will in that kingdom spend our following days.
Our son94 and daughter shall in Tyrus reign.
Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay95
To hear the rest untold96. Sir, lead’s the way.
[Exeunt]
[Epilogue]
[Enter Gower]
GOWER In Antiochus and his daughter you have heard
Of monstrous lust the due and just reward.
In Pericles, his queen and daughter seen,
Although assailed with fortune fierce and keen,
Virtue preserved from fell destruction’s blast,
Led on by heaven and crowned 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 learnèd charity aye wears.
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread his cursèd deed to th’honoured name
Of Pericles, to rage the city turn,
That him and his they in his palace burn.
The gods for murder seemèd so content
To punish, although not done, but meant.
So, on your patience evermore attending,
New joy wait on you. Here our play has ending.
[Exit]
TEXTUAL NOTES
Q = First Quarto text of 1609
Q2 = a correction introduced in the Second Quarto text of 1609
Q3 = a correction introduced in the Third Quarto text of 1611
Q4 = a correction introduced in the Fourth Quarto text of 1619
Q5 = a correction introduced in the Fifth Quarto text of 1630
F3 = a correction introduced in the Third Folio text, second issue, of 1664
F4 = a correction introduced in the Fourth Folio text of 1685
PA = a reading in George Wilkins’ novel, The Painfull Adventures of Pericles, Prince of Tyre (1608)
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
SD = stage direction
SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)
List of parts = Ed. Not in Q
Prologue 4 SH GOWER = Ed. Not in Q 6 holidays = Q. Sometimes emended to holy-ales 11 these = Q2. Q = those 30 account’ = Ed. Q = account’d 39 a = F3. Q = of