Pericles
Page 10
roots of shame and iniquity. O, you have heard something of
my power, and so stand aloof for more serious wooing! But I
protest to thee, pretty one, my authority shall not see thee78, or
else look friendly upon thee. Come, bring me to some private
place. Come, come.
MARINA If you were born to honour, show it now81,
If put upon you, make the judgement good82
That thought you worthy of it.
LYSIMACHUS How’s this? How’s this? Some more, be sage84.
MARINA For me
That am a maid, though most ungentle fortune
Have placed me in this sty87, where, since I came,
Diseases have been sold dearer than physic88.
That the gods
Would set me free from this unhallowed place,
Though they did change me to the meanest91 bird
That flies i’th’purer air!
LYSIMACHUS I did not think thou couldst have spoke so well,
Ne’er dreamt thou couldst!
Had I brought hither a corrupted mind,
Gives gold
Thy speech had altered it. Hold, here’s gold for thee:
Persevere in that clear97 way thou goest
And the gods strengthen thee!
MARINA The good gods preserve you.
LYSIMACHUS For me be you thoughten100, that I came
With no ill intent, for to me the very doors
And windows savour102 vilely. Fare thee well —
Thou art a piece of virtue103, and I doubt not
But thy training104 hath been noble.
Gives gold
Hold, here’s more gold for thee.
A curse upon him, die he like a thief
That robs thee of thy goodness. If thou dost
Hear from me it shall be for thy good.
[Enter Bolt]
BOLT I beseech your honour, one piece for me?
LYSIMACHUS Avaunt, thou damned doorkeeper110!
Your house, but for this virgin that doth prop it111,
Would sink and overwhelm you. Away!
[Exit]
BOLT How’s this? We must take another course113 with you!
If your peevish114 chastity, which is not worth a breakfast in
the cheapest country under the cope115, shall undo a whole
household, let me be gelded like a spaniel116. Come your ways.
MARINA Whither would you have me117?
BOLT I must have your maidenhead taken off, or the
common hangman shall execute it119. Come your ways, we’ll
have no more gentlemen driven away. Come your ways, I say.
Enter bawds [Bawd and Pander]
BAWD How now, what’s the matter?
BOLT Worse and worse, mistress. She has here spoken
holy words to the Lord Lysimachus.
BAWD O, abominable!
BOLT He makes our profession as it were to stink afore the
face of the gods.
BAWD Marry, hang her up for ever!
BOLT The nobleman would have dealt with her like a128
nobleman, and she sent him away as cold as a snowball,
saying his prayers, too.
BAWD Bolt, take her away, use her at thy pleasure: crack131
the glass of her virginity and make the rest malleable.
BOLT An if she were a thornier piece of ground133 than she
is, she shall be ploughed134.
MARINA Hark, hark you gods!
BAWD She conjures136! Away with her, would she had never
come within my doors. Marry, hang you! She’s born to undo
us. Will you not go the way of womankind? Marry, come up138,
my dish of chastity with rosemary and bays139!
[Exeunt Bawd and Pander]
BOLT Come, mistress, come your way with me.
MARINA Whither wilt thou have me?
BOLT To take from you the jewel142 you hold so dear.
MARINA Prithee, tell me one thing first.
BOLT Come now, your one thing144?
MARINA What canst thou wish thine enemy to be145?
BOLT Why, I could wish him to be my master, or rather my
mistress.
MARINA Neither of these are so bad as thou art,
Since they do better thee in their command149.
Thou hold’st a place for which the painèd’st150 fiend
Of hell would not in reputation change151:
Thou art the damned doorkeeper152 to every
Coistrel that comes inquiring for his Tib153.
To the choleric fisting of every rogue154
Thy ear is liable, thy food is such155
As hath been belched on by infected lungs.
BOLT What would you have me do? Go to the wars,
would you? Where a man may serve seven years for the loss158
of a leg, and have not money enough in the end to buy him
a wooden one?
MARINA Do anything but this thou dost. Empty
Old receptacles or common shores162 of filth,
Serve by indenture163 to the common hangman:
Any of these ways are yet better than this,
For what thou professest a baboon165, could he speak,
Would own a name too dear166. O, that the gods
Would safely deliver me from this place!
Here, here’s gold for thee. If that thy master would gain
Gives gold
By me, proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance,
With other virtues170 which I’ll keep from boast,
And will undertake all these to teach.
I doubt not but this populous city will
Yield many scholars.
BOLT But can you teach all this you speak of?
MARINA Prove that I cannot, take me home again
And prostitute me to the basest groom176
That doth frequent your house.
BOLT Well, I will see what I can do for thee.
If I can place thee, I will.
MARINA But amongst honest180 women.
BOLT Faith, my acquaintance lies little181 amongst them.
But since my master and mistress hath bought you, there’s
no going but by their consent. Therefore I will make them
acquainted with your purpose, and I doubt not but I shall
find them tractable185 enough. Come, I’ll do for thee what I can.
Exeunt
Come your ways186.
[Act 5 Chorus]
running scene 20
Enter Gower
GOWER Marina thus the brothel scapes, and chances
Into an honest house, our story says.
She sings like one immortal, and she dances3
As goddess-like to her admirèd lays4.
Deep clerks she dumbs, and with her nee’le5 composes
Nature’s own shape of bud, bird, branch or berry,
That even her art sisters7 the natural roses,
Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied8 cherry.
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her, and her gain
She gives the cursèd bawd. Here we her place,
And to her father turn our thoughts again,
Where we left him on the sea. We there him lost,
Whence, driven before the winds, he is arrived
Here where his daughter dwells, and on this coast
Suppose him now at anchor. The city strived
God Neptune’s annual feast to keep, from whence
Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,
His banners sable19, trimmed with rich expense,
And to him in his barge with fervour hies20.
In your supposing21 once more put your sight
Of heavy Pericles: think this his bark22,
Where what is done in action, more if might23,
Shall be discovered, please you sit and hark.
Exit
[Act 5 Scene 1]
running scene 21
Enter Helicanus, to him two Sailors
One of Tyre and one of Mytilene
To Sailor of Mytilene
SAILOR OF TYRE Where is Lord Helicanus? He can resolve1 you—
O, here he is.—
To Helicanus
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 Of Tyre
FIRST GENTLEMAN Doth your lordship call?
HELICANUS Gentlemen, there is some of worth9 would come aboard.
I pray, greet him fairly10.
Enter Lysimachus And a Lord
To Lysimachus
SAILOR OF MYTILENE Sir,
This is the man that can in aught you would12
Resolve you.
LYSIMACHUS Hail, reverent14 sir, the gods preserve you.
HELICANUS And you, to outlive the age I am
And die as I would do16.
LYSIMACHUS You wish me well.
Being on shore, honouring of Neptune’s triumphs18,
Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us,
I made to it, to know of whence you are.
HELICANUS First, what is your place21?
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 this24 three months hath not spoken
To anyone, nor taken sustenance
But to prorogue26 his grief.
LYSIMACHUS Upon what ground is his distemperature27?
HELICANUS ’Twould be too tedious28 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 bootless32 is your sight: he will
Not speak to any.
LYSIMACHUS Yet let me obtain my wish.
Reveals Pericles
HELICANUS Behold him. This was a goodly person.
Till the disaster that one mortal36 night
Drove him to this.
To Pericles
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 allure45
And make a battery through his deafened parts,
Which now are midway stopped47,
She is all happy48 as the fairest of all,
And with her fellow maid is now upon
The leafy shelter that abuts against
The island’s side.
[Exit Lord]
HELICANUS Sure all effectless52, yet nothing we’ll omit
That bears recovery’s name53. 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 gods
For every graft60 would send a caterpillar
And so inflict61 our province. Yet once more
Let me entreat to know at large62 the cause
Of your king’s sorrow.
HELICANUS Sit, sir, I will recount it to you—
[Enter Lord with Marina and her companion]
But see, I am prevented.
LYSIMACHUS O, here’s the lady that I sent for!—
Welcome, fair one— is’t not a goodly present67?
HELICANUS She’s a gallant68 lady.
LYSIMACHUS She’s such a one that, were I well assured
Came of a gentle kind and noble stock70,
I’d wish no better choice, and think me rarely wed71.
Fair one, all goodness that consists72 in beauty
Expect even here, where is a kingly patient.
If that thy prosperous and artificial feat74
Can draw him but to answer thee in aught75,
Thy sacred physic76 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 suffered80
To come near him.
LYSIMACHUS Come, let us leave her, and the gods make her
prosperous.
The Song83
All men except Pericles stand aside while Marina sings
Comes forward
LYSIMACHUS Marked he84 your music?
MARINA No, nor looked on us.
Steps back
LYSIMACHUS See, she will speak to him.
MARINA Hail, sir! My lord, lend ear.
Pushes Marina away
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 maybe hath endured a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weighed93.
Though wayward Fortune did malign my state94,
My derivation was from ancestors
Who stood equivalent with mighty kings,
But time hath rooted out97 my parentage,
And to the world and awkward casualties98
Aside
Bound me in servitude.— I will desist,
But there is something glows100 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?107
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 deliver112 weeping.
My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one
My daughter might have been. My queen’s square brows114,
Her stature to an inch, as wand-like straight115,
As silver-voiced, her eyes as jewel-like,
And cased as richly, in pace another Juno117,
Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them hungry118
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.
PERI
CLES Where were you bred?
And how achieved you these endowments which
You make more rich to owe124?
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 look’st
Modest as justice, and thou seem’st a palace129
For the crowned truth to dwell in. I will believe thee
And make senses credit thy relation131
To132 points that seem impossible, for thou look’st
Like one I loved indeed. What were thy friends133?
Did’st thou not say when I did push thee back —
Which was when I perceived thee — that thou cam’st
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 opened141.
MARINA Some such thing I said,