Who stood equivalent with mighty kings: Aside. You would not do me violence. I do think so. Mar. No, nor of any shores : Per. I am great with wo, and shall deliver weep- My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one brows; Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st Some such thing indeed I said, and said no more but what my thoughts Did warrant me was likely. Per. Tell thy story; Per. Call'd Marina, At sea? Thy mother? Per. I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story, Mar. You'll scarce believe me; 'twere best I did Per. I will believe you by the syllable me; Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife, You think me an impostor; no, good faith; Hel. Calls my gracious lord? Lys. She would never tell Per. O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd sir; And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither, Recount, I do beseech thee; come, sit by me. Mar. (2) i. e. No puppet dressed up to deceive me. 3 M Though doubts did ever sleep. Mar. What is your title? First, sir, I pray, Per. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now (As in the rest thou hast been godlike perfect,) My drown'd queen's name, thou art the heir of kingdoms, And another life to Pericles thy father. Mar. 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. Per. Now, blessing on thee, rise; thou art my child. Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus, Hel. Sir, 'tis the governor of Mitylene, Per. sir. I embrace you, Give me my robes; I am wild in my beholding. 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 doubt, How sure you are my daughter.-But what music? Hel. My lord, I hear none. Per. None? The music of the spheres: list, my Marina. Lys. It is not good to cross him; give him way. Per. Rarest sounds! Do ye not hear? Lys. Music? my lord, I hear Per. Most heavenly music: It nips me unto list'ning, and thick slumber Hangs on mine eye-lids; let me rest. [He sleeps. Lys. A pillow for his head; [The curtain before the pavilion of Pericles So leave him all.-Well, my companion-friends, [Exeunt Lysimachus, Helicanus, Marina, SCENE II.-The same. Pericles on the deck asleep; Diana appearing to him as in a vision. Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thither, And do upon mine altar sacrifice. There, when my maiden 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, call, Awake, and tell thy dream. [Diana disappears. I will obey thee!-Helicanus ! Enter Lysimachus, Helicanus, and Marina. Sir. Enter Gower, before the temple of Diana at Gow. Now our sands are almost run; (For such kindness must relieve me,) That you aptly will suppose What pageantry, what feats, what shows, To greet the king. So he has thriv'd, [Exit. SCENE III-The temple of Diana at Ephesus: Thaisa standing near the altar, as high-priestess; a number of virgins on each side; Cerimon and other inhabitants of Ephesus attending. Enter Pericles, with his train; Lysimachus, Helicanus, Marina, and a lady. Per. Hail Dian; to perform thy just command, I here confess myself the king of Tyre; Who, frighted from my country, did wed The fair Thaísa, at Pentapolis. At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth A maid-child call'd Marina; who, O goddess, Wears yet thy silver livery. She at Tharsus Was nurs'd with Cleon; whom at fourteen years He sought to murder: but her better stars Brought her to Mitylene; against whose shore Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us, Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she Made known herself my daughter. Thai. Voice and favour! Per. Reverend appearer, no; I threw her o'erboard with these very arms. (5) i. e. Pericles. (6) Confound here signifies to consume. (7) i. e. Her white robe of innocence. Here in Diana's temple. Per. May we see them? Cer. Great sir, they shall be brought you to my Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is Thai. O, let me look! If he be none of mine, my sanctity Per. The voice of dead Thaisa! Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead, And drown'd. Per. Immortal Dian! I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Now I know you better.-To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exe. When we with tears parted Pentapolis, Makes my past miseries sport: You shall do well, Mar. My heart Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom. [Kneels to Thaisa. Per. Look, who kneels here! "Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa; Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina, Bless'd and mine own! I know you not. Per. You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre, I left behind an ancient substitute. Can you remember what I call'd the man? Enter Gower. Gow. In Antioch,3 and his daughter, you have Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: : That this tragedy has some merit, it were vain to deny but that it is the entire composition of Shakspeare, is more than can be hastily granted. I shall not venture, with Dr. Farmer, to determine that the hand of our great poet is only visible in the last act, for I think it appears in several passages dispersed over each of these divisions. I find it difficult, however, to persuade myself that he was the original fabricator of the plot, or the author of every dialogue, chorus, &c. STEEVENS. The story is of great antiquity; and is related by various ancient authors in Latin, French, and English. (1) Sensual passion, (2) i. e. His beard. (3) i. e. The king of Antioch. (4) Ever. I THOUGHT, the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwall. Glo. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weigh'd, that curiosity! in neither can make choice of either's moiety.2 Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. Kent. I cannot conceive you. Enter Lear, Cornwall, Albany, Goneril, Regan, Cordelia, and Attendants. Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster. Glo. I shall, my liege. [Exe. Glo. and Edm. Lear. Mean-time we shall express our darker4 purpose. Give me the map there.-Know, that we have divided, In three, our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intents And you, our no less loving son of Albany, Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed; and had, in- Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, deed, sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a hus-Long in our court have made their amorous soband for her bed. Do you smell a fault? Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper.3 Glo. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged.-Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund? Edm. No, my lord. journ, And here are to be answer'd.-Tell me, my daughters, (Since now we will divest us, both of rule, Gon. Sir, I Do love you more than words can wield the matter, Glo. My lord of Kent: remember him hereaf- Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty; ter as my honourable friend. Edm. My services to your lordship. Beyond what can be valued, rich or rare; Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you As much as child e'er lov'd, or father found. better. Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again:-The king is coming. [Trumpets sound within. A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable; Beyond all manner of so much I love you. Cor. What shall Cordelia do? Love, and be silent. [Aside. Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line to this, (4) More secret. (5) Determined resolution. |