The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  PERICLES

  Thou speak‘st like a physician, Helicanus,

  That ministers a potion unto me

  That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself.

  Attend me, then. I went to Antioch,

  Where, as thou know’st, against the face of death

  I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty

  From whence an issue I might propagate,

  As children are heav‘n’s blessings: to parents,

  objects;

  Are arms to princes, and bring joys to subjects.

  Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder,

  The rest—hark in thine ear—as black as incest,

  Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father

  Seemed not to strike, but smooth. But thou know’st

  this,

  ‘Tis time to fear when tyrants seems to kiss;

  Which fear so grew in me I hither fled

  Under the covering of careful night,

  Who seemed my good protector, and being here

  Bethought me what was past, what might succeed.

  I knew him tyrannous, and tyrants’ fears

  Decrease not, but grow faster than the years.

  And should he doubt—as doubt no doubt he doth—

  That I should open to the list’ning air

  How many worthy princes’ bloods were shed

  To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope,

  To lop that doubt he’ll fill this land with arms,

  And make pretence of wrong that I have done him,

  When all for mine—if I may call—offence

  Must feel war’s blow, who spares not innocence;

  Which love to all, of which thyself art one,

  Who now reproved’st me for’t—

  HELICANUS

  Alas, sir.

  PERICLES

  Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks,

  Musings into my mind, with thousand doubts,

  How I might stop this tempest ere it came,

  And, finding little comfort to relieve them,

  I thought it princely charity to grieve them.

  HELICANUS

  Well, my lord, since you have giv’n me leave to speak,

  Freely will I speak. Antiochus you fear,

  And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant,

  Who either by public war or private treason

  Will take away your life.

  Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while,

  Till that his rage and anger be forgot,

  Or destinies do cut his thread of life.

  Your rule direct to any; if to me,

  Day serves not light more faithful than I’ll be.

  PERICLES I do not doubt thy faith,

  But should he in my absence wrong thy liberties?

  HELICANUS

  We’ll mingle our bloods together in the earth

  From whence we had our being and our birth.

  PERICLES

  Tyre, I now look from thee then, and to Tarsus

  Intend my travel, where I’ll hear from thee,

  And by whose letters I’ll dispose myself.

  The care I had and have of subjects’ good

  On thee I lay, whose wisdom’s strength can bear it.

  I’ll take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath;

  Who shuns not to break one will sure crack both.

  But in our orbs we’ll live so round and safe

  That time of both this truth shall ne’er convince:

  Thou showed’st a subject’s shine, I a true prince.

  Exeunt

  Sc. 3 Enter Thaliart

  THALIART So this is Tyre, and this the court. Here must I kill King Pericles, and if I do it and am caught I am like to be hanged abroad, but 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 comes the lords of Tyre.

  Enter Helicanus and Aeschines, with other lords

  HELICANUS

  You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre,

  Further to question of your King’s departure.

  His sealed commission left in trust with me

  Does speak sufficiently he’s gone to travel.

  THALIART (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’ll give some light unto you.

  Being at Antioch—

  THALIART (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 erred or sinned,

  To show his sorrow he’d correct himself;

  So puts himself unto the ship-man’s toil,

  With whom each minute threatens life or death.

  THALIART (aside)

  Well, I perceive I shall not be hanged now,

  Although I would.

  But since he’s gone, the King’s ears it must please

  He scaped the land to perish on the seas.

  I’ll present myself.—Peace to the lords of Tyre.

  Lord Thaliart am I, of Antioch.

  ⌈HELICANUS⌉

  Lord Thaliart of Antioch is welcome.

  THALIART

  From King Antiochus I come

  With message unto princely Pericles,

  But since my landing I have understood

  Your lord’s betook himself to unknown travels.

  Now my message must return from whence it came.

  HELICANUS

  We have no reason to enquire 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

  Sc. 4 Enter Cleon, the Governor of Tarsus, with Dionyza his wife, and others

  CLEON

  My Dionyza, shall we rest us here

  And, by relating tales of others’ griefs,

  See if ’twill teach us to forget 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, e’en such our griefs are;

  Here they’re but felt and seen with midges’ eyes,

  But like to groves, being topped 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 our sorrows dictate to sound deep

  Our woes into the air, our eyes to weep

  Till lungs fetch breath that may proclaim them louder,

  That, if heav’n slumber while their creatures want,

  They may awake their helps to comfort them.

  I’ll then discourse our woes, felt sev’ral years,

  And, wanting breath to speak, help me with tears.

  DIONYZA As you think best, sir.

  CLEON

  This Tarsus o‘er which I have the government,

  A city o’er whom plenty held full hand,

  For riches strewed herself ev’n in the streets,

  Whose tow‘rs bore heads so high they kissed the clouds,

  And strangers ne’er beheld but wondered at,

  Whose men and dames so jetted and adorned

  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 scorned, and pride so great


  The name of help grew odious to repeat.

  DIONYZA O, ’tis too true.

  CLEON

  But see what heav’n can do by this our change.

  Those 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 nuzzle up their babes

  Thought naught 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 weeping stands a lord, there lies a lady dying,

  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 superfluous riots, heed these tears!

  The misery of Tarsus may be theirs.

  Enter a ⌈fainting⌉Lord of Tarsus ⌈slowly⌉

  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 t’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 neighbour nation,

  Taking advantage of our misery,

  Hath stuffed these hollow vessels with their power

  To beat us down, the which are down already,

  And make a conquest of unhappy men,

  Whereas no glory’s got to overcome.

  LORD

  That’s the least fear, for by the semblance

  Of their white flags displayed they bring us peace,

  And come to us as favourers, not foes.

  CLEON

  Thou speak‘st like him’s untutored to repeat;

  Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.

  But bring they what they will and what they can,

  What need we fear?

  Our grave’s the low’st, and we are half-way there.

  Go tell their gen’ral we attend him here

  To know for what he comes, and whence he comes.

  LORD I go, my lord. Exit

  CLEON

  Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist;

  If wars, we are unable to resist.

  Enter ⌈the Lord again conducting⌉ Pericles with attendants

  PERICLES (to Cleon)

  Lord Governor, for so we hear you are,

  Let not our ships and number of our men

  Be like a beacon fixed t’amaze your eyes.

  We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre,

  Since entering your unshut gates have witnessed

  The widowed desolation of your streets;

  Nor come we to add sorrow to your hearts,

  But to relieve them of their heavy load;

  And these our ships, you happily may think

  Are like the Trojan horse was fraught within

  With bloody veins importing overthrow,

  Are stored with corn to make your needy bread,

  And give them life whom hunger starved half dead.

  ALL OF TARSUS ⌈falling⌉on their knees and weeping⌉

  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 me, my 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 heav’n 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 a while,

  Until our stars that frown lend us a smile. Exeunt

  Sc. 5 Enter Gower

  GOWER

  Here have you seen a mighty king

  His child, iwis, to incest bring;

  A better prince and benign lord

  Prove awe-full both in deed and word.

  Be quiet then, as men should be,

  Till he hath passed necessity.

  I’ll show you those in trouble’s 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

  His statue build 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, all the train with them. Enter at another door a gentleman with a letter to Pericles. Pericles shows the letter to Cleon. Pericles gives the messenger a reward, and knights him. Exeunt with their trains Pericles at one door and Cleon at another

  Good Helicane that stayed at home,

  Not to eat honey like a drone

  From others’ labours, for that he strive

  To killen bad, keep good alive,

  And to fulfil his prince’ desire

  Sent word of all that haps in Tyre;

  How Thaliart came full bent with sin

  And hid intent to murdren him,

  And that in Tarsus was not best

  Longer for him to make his rest.

  He deeming 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

  Makes such unquiet that the ship

  Should house him safe is wrecked and split,

  And he, good prince, having all lost,

  By waves from coast to coast is tossed.

  All perishen of man, of pelf,

  Ne aught escapend but himself,

  Till fortune, tired with doing bad,

  Threw him ashore to give him glad.

  [Enter Pericles wet and half-naked]

  And here he comes. What shall be next

  Pardon old Gower; this ’longs the text. Exit

  [Thunder and lightning]

  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 seas hath cast me on the rocks,

  Washed me from shore to shore, and left my 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 wat’ry grave,

  Here to have death in peace is all he’ll crave.

  He sits.Enter two poor Fishermen: one the Master, the other his man

  MASTER calling What ho, Pitch!

  SECOND FISHERMAN calling Ha, come and bring away the nets.

  MASTER calling What, Patchbreech, I say!

  Enter a Third rough Fisherman with a hood upon
his head and a filthy leathern pelt upon his back, unseemly clad, and homely to behold. He brings nets to dry and repair

  THIRD FISHERMAN What say you, master?

  MASTER Look how thou stirrest now. Come away, or I’ll fetch th’ with a wanion.

  THIRD FISHERMAN Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.

  MASTER 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 porpoise 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.

  MASTER 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’th’ land, who never leave gaping till they 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 subject of the sea

  These fishers tell th’infirmities of men,

  And from their wat’ry empire recollect

  All that may men approve or men detect!

  Coming forward Peace be at your labour, honest

  fishermen.

  SECOND FISHERMAN Honest, good fellow? What’s that? If it be a day fits you, scratch’t 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 hath made the ball

  For them to play upon, entreats you pity him.

  He asks of you that never used to beg.

  MASTER No, friend, cannot you beg? Here’s them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working.