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Уильям Шекспир
Pericles, Prince of Tyre

SCENE III. Tyre. An ante-chamber in the Palace

[Enter Thaliard.]

 
THALIARD. So, this is Tyre, and this the court. Here must I Kill King Pericles; and if I do it not, I am sure to be hanged at home: 'tis dangerous. Well, I perceive he was a wise fellow, and had good discretion, that, being bid to ask what he would of the king, desired he might know none of his secrets: now do I see he had some reason for 't; for if a king bid a man be a villain, he's bound by the indenture of his oath to be one. Hush! here come the lords of Tyre.
 

[Enter Helicanus and Escanes, with other Lords of Tyre.]

HELICANUS

 
You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre,
Further to question me of your king's departure:
His seal'd commission, left in trust with me,
Doth speak sufficiently he 's gone to travel.
 

THALIARD. [Aside.]

 
How! the king gone!
 

HELICANUS

 
If further yet you will be satisfied,
Why, as it were unlicensed of your loves,
He would depart, I 'II give some light unto you.
Being at Antioch —
 

THALIARD. [Aside.]

 
What from Antioch?
 

HELICANUS

 
Royal Antiochus – on what cause I know not
Took some displeasure at him; at least he judged so:
And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd,
To show his sorrow, he 'ld correct himself;
So puts himself unto the shipman's toil,
With whom each minute threatens life or death.
 

THALIARD. [Aside.]

 
Well, I perceive
I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;
But since he 's gone, the king's seas must please
He 'scaped the land, to perish at the sea.
I 'll present myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre!
 

HELICANUS

 
Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.
 

THALIARD

 
From him I come
With message unto princely Pericles;
But since my landing I have understood
Your lord has betook himself to unknown travels,
My message must return from whence it came.
 

HELICANUS

 
We have no reason to desire it,
Commended to our master, not to us:
Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire,
As friends to Antioch, we may feast in Tyre.
 

[Exeunt.]

SCENE IV. Tarsus. A room in the Governor's house

[Enter Cleon, the governor of Tarsus, with Dionyza, and others.]

CLEON

 
My Dionyza, shall we rest us here,
And by relating tales of others' griefs,
See if 'twill teach us to forqet our own?
 

DIONYZA

 
That were to blow at fire in hope to quench it;
For who digs hills because they do aspire
Throws down one mountain to cast up a higher.
O my distressed lord, even such our griefs are;
Here they're but felt, and seen with mischief's eyes,
But like to groves, being topp'd, they higher rise.
 

CLEON

 
O Dionyza,
Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it,
Or can conceal his hunger till he famish?
Our tongues and sorrows do sound deep
Our woes into the air; our eyes do weep,
Till tongues fetch breath that may proclaim them louder;
That, if heaven slumber while their creatures want,
They may awake their helps to comfort them.
I'll then discourse our woes, felt several years,
And wanting breath to speak help me with tears.
 

DIONYZA

 
I'll do my best, sir.
 

CLEON

 
This Tarsus, o'er which I have the government,
A city on whom plenty held full hand,
For riches strew'd herself even in the streets;
Whose towers bore heads so high they kiss'd the clouds,
And strangers ne'er beheld but wonder'd at;
Whose men and dames so jetted and adorn'd,
Like one another's glass to trim them by:
Their tables were stored full, to glad the sight,
And not so much to feed on as delight;
All poverty was scorn'd, and pride so great,
The name of help grew odious to repeat.
 

DIONYZA

 
O, 'tis too true.
 

CLEON

 
But see what heaven can do! By this our change,
These mouths, who but of late, earth, sea, and air,
Were all too little to content and please,
Although they gave their creatures in abundance,
As houses are defiled for want of use,
They are now starved for want of exercise:
Those palates who, not yet two sumMers younger,
Must have inventions to delight the taste,
Would now be glad of bread, and beg for it:
Those mothers who, to nousle up their babes,
Thought nought too curious, are ready now
To eat those little darlings whom they loved.
So sharp are hunger's teeth, that man and wife
Draw lots who first shall die to lengthen life:
Here stands a lord, and there a lady weeping;
Here many sink, yet those which see them fall
Have scarce strength left to give them burial.
Is not this true?
 

DIONYZA

 
Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it.
 

CLEON

 
O, let those cities that of plenty's cup
And her prosperities so largely taste,
With their superflous riots, hear these tears!
The misery of Tarsus may be theirs.
 

[Enter a Lord.]

LORD

 
Where's the lord governor?
 

CLEON

 
Here.
Speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st in haste,
For comfort is too far for us to expect.
 

LORD

 
We have descried, upon our neighbouring shore,
A portly sail of ships make hitherward.
 

CLEON

 
I thought as much.
One sorrow never comes but brings an heir,
That may succeed as his inheritor;
And so in ours: some neighbouring nation,
Taking advantage of our misery,
Math stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power,
To beat us down, the which are down already;
And make a conquest of unhappy me,
Whereas no glory's got to overcome.
 

LORD

 
That's the least fear; for, by the semblance
Of their white flags display'd, they bring us peace,
And come to us as favourers, not as foes.
 

CLEON

 
Thou speak'st like him's untutor'd to repeat:
Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.
But bring they what they will and what they can,
What need we fear?
The ground's the lowest, and we are half way there.
Go tell their general we attend him here,
To know for what he comes, and whence he comes,
And what he craves.
 

LORD

 
I go, my lord.
 

[Exit.]

CLEON

 
Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist;
If wars, we are unable to resist.
 

[Enter Pericles with Attendants.]

PERICLES

 
Lord governor, for so we hear you are,
Let not our ships and number of our men
Be like a beacon fired to amaze your eyes.
We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre,
And seen the desolation of your streets:
Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears,
But to relieve them of their heavy load;
And these our ships, you happily may think
Are like the Trojan horse was stuff'd within
With bloody veins, expecting overthrow,
Are stored with corn to make your needy bread,
And give them life whom hunger starved half dead.
 

ALL

 
The gods of Greece protect you!
And we'll pray for you.
 

PERICLES

 
Arise, I pray you, rise:
We do not look for reverence, but for love,
And harbourage for ourself, our ships, and men.
 

CLEON

 
The which when any shall not gratify,
Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought,
Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves,
The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils!
Till when, – the which I hope shall ne'er be seen, —
Your grace is welcome to our town and us.
 

PERICLES

 
Which welcome we'll accept; feast here awhile,
Until our stars that frown lend us a smile.
 

[Exeunt.]

 

ACT II

[Enter Gower.]

GOWER

 
Mere have you seen a mighty king
His child, I wis, to incest bring;
A better prince and benign lord,
That will prove awful both in deed word.
Be quiet then as men should be,
Till he hath pass'd necessity.
I'll show you those in troubles reign,
Losing a mite, a mountain gain.
The good in conversation,
To whom I give my benison,
Is still at Tarsus, where each man
Thinks all is writ he speken can;
And, to remember what he does,
Build his statue to make him glorious:
But tidings to the contrary
Are brought your eyes; what need speak I?
 

DUMB SHOW

[Enter at one door Pericles talking with Cleon talking with CLEON; all the train with them. Enter at another door a Gentleman, with a letter to Pericles; Pericles shows the letter to Cleon; gives the Messenger a reward, and knights him. Exit Pericles at one door, and Cleon at another.]

 
Good Helicane, that stay'd at home.
Not to eat honey like a drone
From others' labours; for though he strive
To killen bad, keep good alive;
And to fulfil his prince' desire,
Sends word of all that haps in Tyre:
How Thaliard came full bent with sin
And had intent to murder him;
And that in Tarsus was not best
Longer for him to make his rest.
He, doing so, put forth to seas,
Where when men been, there's seldom ease;
For now the wind begins to blow;
Thunder above and deeps below
Make such unquiet, that the ship
Should house him safe is wreck'd and split;
And he, good prince, having all lost,
By waves from coast to coast is tost:
All perishen of man, of pelf,
Ne aught escapen but himself;
Till fortune, tired with doing bad,
Threw him ashore, to give him glad:
And here he comes. What shall be next,
Pardon old Gower, – this longs the text.
 

[Exit.]

SCENE I. Pentapolis. An open place by the sea-side

[Enter Pericles, wet.]

PERICLES

 
Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of heaven!
Wind, rain, and thunder, remember, earthly man
Is but a substance that must yield to you;
And I, as fits my nature, do obey you:
Alas, the sea hath cast me on the rocks,
Wash'd me from shore to shore, and left me breath
Nothing to think on but ensuing death:
Let it suffice the greatness of your powers
To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes;
And having thrown him from your watery grave,
Here to have death in peace is all he'll crave.
 

[Enter three Fishermen.]

FIRST FISHERMAN

 
What, ho, Pilch!
 

SECOND FISHERMAN

 
Ha, come and bring away the nets!
 

FIRST FISHERMAN

 
What, Patch-breech, I say!
 

THIRD FISHERMAN

 
What say you, master?
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wanion.
 
 
THIRD FISHERMAN. 'Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, when, well-a-day, we could scarce help ourselves.
 
 
THIRD FISHERMAN. Nay, master, said not I as much when I saw the porpus how he bounced and tumbled? they say they're half fish, half flesh: a plague on them, they ne'er come but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. Why, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; a' plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful. such whales have I heard on o' the land, who never leave gaping till they they've swallowed the whole parish, church, steeple, bells, and all.
 

PERICLES. [Aside.]

 
A pretty moral.
THIRD FISHERMAN. But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.
 

SECOND FISHERMAN

 
Why, man?
 
 
THIRD FISHERMAN. Because he should have swallowed me too; and when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells, that he should never have left, till he cast bells, steeple, church, and parish, up again. But if the good King Simonides were of my mind, —
 

PERICLES. [Aside.]

 
Simonides!
 
 
THIRD FISHERMAN. We would purge the land of these drones, that rob the bee of her honey.
 

PERICLES. [Aside.]

 
How from the finny subjec of the sea
These fishers tell the infirmities of men;
And from their watery empire recollect
All that may men approve or men detect!
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.
 
 
SECOND FISHERMAN. Honest! good fellow, what's that; If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look after it.
 

PERICLES

 
May see the sea hath cast upon your coast.
 

SECOND FISHERMAN

 
What a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee in our way!
 

PERICLES

 
A man whom both the waters and the wind,
In that vast tennis-court, have made the ball
For them to play upon, entreats you pity him;
He asks of you, that never used to beg.
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. No, friend, cannot you beg? Here's them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working.
 

SECOND FISHERMAN

 
Canst thou catch any fishes, then?
 

PERICLES

 
I never practised it.
 
 
SECOND FISHERMAN. Nay, then thou wilt starve, sure; for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst fish for 't.
 

PERICLES

 
What I have been I have forgot to know;
But what I am, want teaches me to think on:
A man throng'd up with cold: my veins are chill,
And have no more of life than may suffice
To give my tongue that heat to ask your help;
Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,
For that I am a man, pray see me buried.
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here; come, put it on; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks, and thou shalt be welcome.
 

PERICLES

 
I thank you, sir.
 

SECOND FISHERMAN

 
Hark you, my friend; you said you could not beg.
 

PERICLES

 
I did but crave.
 
 
SECOND FISHERMAN. But crave! Then I'll turn craver too, and so I shall 'scape whipping.
 

PERICLES

 
Why, are your beggars whipped, then?
 

SECOND FISHERMAN

 
O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were
whipped, I would wish no better office than to be beadle.
But, master, I'll go draw up the net.
 

[Exit with Third Fisherman.]

PERICLES. [Aside.]

 
How well this honest mirth becomes their 1abour!
 

FIRST FISHERMAN

 
Hark you, sir, do you know where ye are?
 

PERICLES

 
Not well.
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. Why, I'll tell you: this is called Pentapolis, and our king the good Simonides.
 

PERICLES

 
The good King Simonides, do you call him?
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. Ay, sir; and he deserves so to be called for his peaceable reign and good government.
 
 
PERICLES. He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects the name of good government. How far is his court distant from this shore?
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. Marry sir, half a day's journey: and I'll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her birth-day; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world to just and tourney for her love.
 
 
PERICLES. Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish to make one there.
 
 
FIRST FISHERMAN. O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for – his wife' soul.
 

[Re-enter Second and Third Fishermen, drawing up a net.]

 
SECOND FISHERMAN. Help, master, help! here's a fish hangs in the net, like a poor man's right in the law; 'twill hardly come out. Ha! bots on't, 'tis come at last, and 'tis turned to a rusty armour.
 

PERICLES

 
An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it.
Thanks, fortune, yet, that, after all my crosses,
Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself,
And though it was mine own, part of my heritage,
Which my dead father did bequeath to me,
With this strict charge, even as he left his life.
'Keep it, my Pericles; it hath been a shield
'Twixt me and death;' – and pointed to this brace; —
For that it saved me, keep it; in like necessity —
The which the gods protect thee from! – may defend thee.'
It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it;
Till the rough seas, that spare not any man,
Took it in rage, though calm'd have given't again:
I thank thee for 't: my shipwreck now's no ill,
Since I have here my father's gift in's will.
 

FIRST FISHERMAN

 
What mean you' sir?
 

PERICLES

 
To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth,
For it was sometime target to a king;
I know it by this mark. He loved me dearly,
And for his sake I wish the having of it;
And that you'ld guide me to your sovereign court,
Where with it I may appear a gentleman;
And if that ever my fortune's better,
I'll pay your bounties; till then rest your debtor.
 

FIRST FISHERMAN

 
Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?
 

PERICLES

 
I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms.
 

FIRST FISHERMAN

 
Why, do'e take it, and the gods give thee good on 't!
 
 
SECOND FISHERMAN. Ay, but hark you, my friend; 'twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters: there are certain condolements, certain vails. I hope, sir, if you thrive, you'll remember from whence you had it.
 

PERICLES

 
Believe't I will.
By your furtherance I am clothed in steel;
And, spite of all the rapture of the sea,
This jewel holds his building on my arm:
Unto thy value I will mount myself
Upon a courser, whose delightful steps
Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.
Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided
Of a pair of bases.
 
 
SECOND FISHERMAN. We'll sure provide: thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair; and I'll bring thee to the court myself.
 

PERICLES

 
Then honour be but a goal to my will,
This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill.
 

[Exeunt.]