The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

  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 till the 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.

  Well, my lord, since you have given me permission to speak,

  I shall speak freely. You fear Antiochus,

  with justification, I think, you fear the tyrant,

  who either with open war or private treachery

  will have you killed.

  So, my lord, go travelling for a while,

  until his rage and anger are forgotten,

  or he dies.

  Hand over your power to anybody; if you choose me,

  I will be as faithful as day is to light.

  PERICLES

  I do not doubt thy faith;

  But should he wrong my liberties in my absence?

  I don't doubt your loyalty;

  but what if he tries to overthrow me in my absence?

  HELICANUS

  We'll mingle our bloods together in the earth,

  From whence we had our being and our birth.

  Then our blood will run into the earth,

  from which we came.

  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 show'dst a subject's shine, I a true prince.

  Exeunt

  Then I shall turn my back on Tyre, and I shall

  journey to Tarsus, where I'll expect to hear from you;

  I'll act according to what your letters say.

  The responsibility I had, and have, for my subjects' welfare

  I hand over to you who is wise enough to bear it.

  I'll take your loyalty at your word, not ask you to swear an oath:

  anyone who would break one would certainly break both:

  but in our different spheres we'll be so diligent and careful,

  that until the end of time people will say

  that you were a magnificent subject, and I was a true prince.

  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

  So, this is Tyre, and this is the court. This is where I

  must kill King Pericles; if I don't, I am certain

  to be hanged at home: it's dangerous. Well, I saw

  that he was a wise man, and could keep a secret;

  when he was asked what he wanted from the king, he said

  that he wanted to know none of his secrets: I see

  now he had a reason for it; because if a king tells a man

  to do evil, he's bound by the words of his oath

  to do it! Hush! Here come the 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.

  You do not need, my fellow lords of Tyre,

  to question me any further about your king's departure:

  he has entrusted me with his sealed orders,

  and that's enough proof that he's gone travelling.

  THALIARD

  [Aside] How! the king gone!

  What! The king has 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--

  If you want further information

  as to why he would leave without

  your loving agreement, I'll enlighten you.

  When he was at Antioch–

  THALIARD

  [Aside] What from Antioch?

  What about 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.

  Royal Antiochus–I don't know why–

  was angry with him, or at least he thought so:

  and fearful that he had erred or sinned

  he is doing a penance to show his regret;

  so he has taken up the life of a sailor,

  for whom death is an ever present threat.

  THALIARD

  [Aside] Well, I perceive

  I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;

  But since he's gone, the king's ears it must please:

  He 'scaped the land, to perish at the sea.

  I'll present myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre!

  Well, I can see

  that I won't be hanged now, although I would've been;

  since he's gone, the King will be pleased to hear

  that he is fled the land to die at sea.

  I'll introduce myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre!

  HELICANUS

  Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.

  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.

  I have come from him

  with a message for Prince Pericles;

  but since I landed here I have learnt

  that your lord has taken himself off on an unknown journey,

  so I must take my message back from where 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

  There's no reason for us to want it,

  as it is addressed to our master, not to us:

  but, before you leave, we would like

  our friend from Antioch to feast in Tyre.

  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 forget our own?

  My Dionyza, shall we rest here,

  and by telling stories of others' sorrows,

  see if that will help 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 t
o 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.

  That would be blowing up the fire to try and put it out;

  if you try to dig up one mountain

  the rubble will make another, higher.

  Oh my sad lord, this is what our sorrows are like;

  at the moment they just are what they are,

  but like trees, once they are pruned, they'll get bigger.

  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.

  Oh Dionyza,

  who wants food and will not say he wants it,

  or can hide his hunger until he starves?

  Our tongues and sorrows broadcast

  our sadness into the air; our eyes weep,

  until our tongues get fresh breath to make them louder;

  so that if the gods sleep while their creatures are in need

  they can be woken to give them comfort.

  So I'll talk about our sorrows, which we have had for several years,

  and if you can't speak then back me up with your tears.

  DIONYZA

  I'll do my best, sir.

  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 wondered 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.

  This Tarsus, over which I rule,

  the city that was blessed by plenty,

  with streets almost paved with gold;

  towers which reached so high they kissed the clouds,

  which strangers never saw without being amazed by;

  whose men and women were so haughty and decorated,

  and they saw their image in all the others:

  their tables were well stocked, pleasing to the eye,

  and they loved the luxury more than the food;

  all poverty was hated, and they were so proud,

  that they would disdain to ask for help.

  DIONYZA

  O, 'tis too true.

  Alas, that's 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?

  Just see what heaven can do! Since the change in fortunes,

  these mouths, which only recently didn't bother to praise

  the earth, sea and air, even though they gave

  such a great quantity of riches,

  as houses become rundown through lack of use,

  they are now starved through lack of use;

  those mouths which less than two summers ago

  needed fancy foods to get them excited

  would now be happy with bread and they beg for it;

  those mothers who thought that nothing was too good

  to feed their babies with, are now ready

  to eat the little darlings that they loved.

  Hunger is hitting so hard, that man and wife

  draw lots to see who will die first to help the other live.

  Here you can see a lord, and there a lady weeping;

  many are dying, but those who see them fall

  have hardly enough strength left to bury them.

  Isn't this true?

  DIONYZA

  Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it.

  Our cheeks and sunken eyes show it.

  CLEON

  O, let those cities that of plenty's cup

  And her prosperities so largely taste,

  With their superfluous riots, hear these tears!

  The misery of Tarsus may be theirs.

  Enter a Lord

  Oh let those cities that are prospering

  and who enjoy all the fruits of plenty,

  with wasteful indulgence, hear these tears!

  One day the fate of Tarsus might be theirs.

  Lord

  Where's the lord governor?

  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.

  Here.

  Tell us the bad news which has brought you rushing here,

  because we know you cannot have any good.

  Lord

  We have descried, upon our neighbouring shore,

  A portly sail of ships make hitherward.

  We have spotted, from the shore,

  a great fleet of ships coming this way.

  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,

  Hath 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.

  I was expecting this.

  Sorrows never come singly,

  there is always another one following;

  this is the case here: some neighbouring country,

  taking advantage of our misfortune,

  has loaded those ships with their forces

  to beat us down, when we are on our knees already;

  they want to triumph over me,

  which would not bring anyone any glory.

  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.

  We don't have to fear that, by the look

  of the white flags they are flying, they have come in peace,

  as helpers, not as enemies.

  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?
<
br />   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.

  You speak like an innocent:

  the fairest face hides the filthiest plans.

  But whatever they're bringing here,

  why should we be afraid?

  One can't get lower than the ground, and we are halfway there.

  Go and tell their general that we are waiting for him here,

  to learn why he comes, and from where he comes,

  and what he wants.

  Lord

  I go, my lord.

  Exit

  I will go, my lord.

  CLEON

  Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist;

  If wars, we are unable to resist.

  Enter PERICLES with Attendants

  Peace is welcome, if peace is what he intends;

  if he wants war, we cannot fight him.

  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.

  Lord governor, for that's what we hear you are,

  don't let our ships and the number of forces

  be like a warning fire to cause you alarm.

  We heard of your misery as far away as Tyre,

  and have seen the desolation in your streets: