Exeunt
[Act 2 Chorus]
running scene 4
Enter Gower
GOWER Here have you seen a mighty king
His child, iwis2, to incest bring,
A better prince3, and benign lord,
That will prove awful4 both in deed and word.
Be quiet then, as men should be,
Till he hath passed necessity6:
I’ll show you those in troubles reign7,
Losing a mite8, a mountain gain.
The good in conversation9,
To whom I give my benison10,
Is still at Tarsus, where each man
Thinks all is writ, he speken can12,
And to remember13 what he does
Build his statue to make him glorious14.
But tidings to the contrary15
Are brought your eyes, what need speak I?
Dumb show16
Enter at one door Pericles talking with Cleon, all the train16 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. Exit Pericles [with his Attendants] at one door, and Cleon at another [with his Attendants]
GOWER Good Helicane17 that stayed at home
Not to18 eat honey like a drone
From others’ labours: though he strive
To killen20 bad, keeps good alive.
And to fulfil his prince’ desire
Sends word of all that haps22 in Tyre:
How Thaliard came full bent23 with sin
And had intent to murder him,
And that in Tarsus was not best
Longer for him to make his rest.
He doing so27, put forth to seas,
Where when men been28 there’s seldom ease:
For now the wind begins to blow,
Thunder above and deeps below
Makes such unquiet, that the ship
Should32 house him safe is wracked and split,
And he, good prince, having all lost,
By waves from coast to coast is tossed.
All perishen of man, of pelf35,
Ne aught escapend36 but himself.
Till Fortune, tired with doing bad,
Threw him ashore, to give him glad38.
And here he comes: what shall be next,
Pardon old Gower, this ’longs40 the text. [Exit]
[Act 2 Scene 1]
running scene 5
Enter Pericles wet
PERICLES Yet cease your ire1, 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 breath6
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.
Enter three Fishermen
FIRST FISHERMAN What ho, Pilch12!
SECOND FISHERMAN Ha, come and bring away the nets.
FIRST FISHERMAN What, Patch-breech14, I say!
THIRD FISHERMAN What say you, master?
FIRST FISHERMAN Look how thou stirr’st now16! Come away, or I’ll
fetch th’ with a wanion17.
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-day21,
we could scarce help ourselves.
THIRD FISHERMAN Nay, master, said not I as much when I saw the
porpoise24 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 washed26. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in
the sea.
FIRST FISHERMAN Why, as men do a-land28: 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 fry30
before him, and, at last, devours them all at a mouthful.
Such whales have I heard on32 o’th’land, who never leave
gaping till they swallowed the whole parish: church, steeple,
bells and all.
Aside
PERICLES A pretty moral35.
THIRD FISHERMAN But master, if I had been the sexton36, I would
have been that day in the belfry37.
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 cast41
bells, steeple, church and parish up again! But if the good
King Simonides were of my mind—
Aside
PERICLES Simonides?
THIRD FISHERMAN We would purge the land of these drones that
rob the bee of her honey46.
Aside
PERICLES How from the finny subject47 of the sea
These fishers tell the infirmities of men,
And from their wat’ry empire recollect49
All that may men approve or men detect50.—
To Fishermen
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.
SECOND FISHERMAN ‘Honest’, good fellow? What’s that? If it be a
day fits you, search’t out of the calendar and nobody will
look after it54!
PERICLES May see the sea hath cast55 upon your coast —
SECOND FISHERMAN What a drunken knave was the sea to cast56
thee in our way!
PERICLES A man, whom both the waters and the wind
In that vast tennis-court59 hath made the ball
For them to play upon, entreats you pity him:
He asks of you that never used61 to beg.
FIRST FISHERMAN No, friend, cannot you beg? Here’s them62 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 nowadays unless thou canst fish for’t68.
PERICLES What I have been I have forgot to know,
But what I am, want teaches me to think on:
A man thronged up71 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 you75 see me burièd.
FIRST FISHERMAN ‘Die’, quotha? Now gods forbid’t, an76 I have a
Gives a gown to Pericles
gown here. Come, put it on, keep thee warm:
now, afore me78, a handsome fellow! Come, thou
shalt go home, and we’ll have flesh for holidays, fish for
fasting-days and, moreo’er, puddings and flapjacks80, 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 crave84.
SECOND FISHERMAN �
��But crave? Then I’ll turn craver85 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 beadle90. But, master, I’ll go draw up the net.
[Exeunt Second and Third Fishermen]
PERICLES How well this honest mirth becomes91 their labour!
FIRST FISHERMAN Hark you, sir, do you know where ye are?
PERICLES Not well.
FIRST FISHERMAN Why, I’ll tell you: this is called Pentapolis94, and
our king, the good Simonides.
PERICLES The good 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 by his government.
How far is his court distant from this shore?
FIRST FISHERMAN Marry102, sir, half a day’s journey. And I’ll tell
you, he hath a fair daughter, and tomorrow is her birthday,
and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the
world to joust and tourney105 for her love.
PERICLES Were my fortunes equal to my desires,
I could wish to make one107 there.
FIRST FISHERMAN O, sir, things must be as they may, and what a108
man cannot get he may lawfully deal for his wife’s soul.
Enter the two 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 out111.
They pull pieces of armour from the net
Ha, bots on’t112, ’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 crosses115
Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself.
And though it was mine own, part of my heritage117,
Which my dead father did bequeath to me
With this strict charge119 even as he left his life:
‘Keep it my Pericles, it hath been a shield
’Twixt me and death’ — and pointed to this brace121 —
‘For that it saved me, keep it: in like necessity122,
The which the gods protect thee from, may’t defend thee.’
It kept124 where I kept, I so dearly loved it,
Till the rough seas, that spares not any man,
Took it in rage, though calmed have given’t again126.
I thank thee for’t, my shipwreck now’s no ill
Since I have here my father128 gave in his will.
FIRST FISHERMAN What mean you, sir?
PERICLES To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth130,
For it was sometime target131 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’d guide me to your sovereign’s court,
Where with it I may appear a gentleman.
And if that ever my low fortune’s better
I’ll pay your bounties, till then rest137 your debtor.
FIRST FISHERMAN Why, wilt thou tourney138 for the lady?
PERICLES I’ll show the virtue139 I have borne in arms.
FIRST FISHERMAN Why, d’ye take it140, and the gods give thee good
on’t141!
Pericles puts on the armour
SECOND FISHERMAN Ay, but hark you, my friend, ’twas we that
made up this garment through the rough seams143 of the
waters. There are certain condolements, certain vails144: I hope,
sir, if you thrive you’ll remember from whence you had them.
PERICLES Believe’t, I will.
By your furtherance147 I am clothed in steel,
And spite of all the rapture148 of the sea
This jewel holds his building149 on my arm.
Unto thy value150 I will mount myself
Upon a courser151, whose delightful steps
Shall make the gazer152 joy to see him tread.
Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided
Of a pair of bases154 —
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 goad158 to my will,
This day I’ll rise, or else add ill to ill.
[Exeunt]
[Act 2 Scene 2]
Enter Simonides with attendance, and Thaisa
SIMONIDES Are the knights ready to begin the triumph1?
FIRST LORD They are, my liege,
And stay3 your coming to present themselves.
SIMONIDES Return4 them we are ready, and our daughter,
In honour of whose birth these triumphs are,
Sits here like beauty’s child, whom Nature gat6
For men to see and, seeing, wonder at.
[Exit an Attendant]
THAISA It pleaseth you, my royal father, to express8
My commendations great, whose merit’s less.
SIMONIDES It’s fit it should be so, for princes10 are
A model11 which heaven makes like to itself:
As jewels lose their glory if neglected,
So princes their renowns13 if not respected.
’Tis now your honour, daughter, to entertain14
The labour of each knight in his device15.
THAISA Which to preserve mine honour I’ll perform.
The First Knight passes by
His Attendant presents his shield to Thaisa?
SIMONIDES Who is the first that doth prefer17 himself?
THAISA A knight of Sparta18, my renownèd father,
And the device he bears upon his shield
Is a black Ethiop20 reaching at the sun,
The word: Lux tua vita mihi21.
SIMONIDES He loves you well that holds his life of22 you.
The Second Knight
Passes by and his Attendant presents his shield to Thaisa?
Who is the second that presents himself?
THAISA A prince of Macedon24, my royal father,
And the device he bears upon his shield
Is an armed knight that’s conquered by a lady.
The motto thus in Spanish: Piùe per dolcezza che per forza27.
The Third Knight
Passes by and his Attendant presents his shield to Thaisa
SIMONIDES And with the third?
THAISA The third, of Antioch,
And his device a wreath of chivalry30.
The word: Me pompae provexit apex31.
The Fourth Knight
Passes by and his Attendant presents his shield to Thaisa
SIMONIDES What is the fourth?
THAISA A burning torch that’s turnèd upside down,
The word: Qui me alit me extinguit34.
SIMONIDES Which shows that beauty hath his power and will,
Which can as well inflame as it can kill.
The Fifth Knight
Passes by and his Attendant presents his shield to Thaisa
THAISA The fifth, an hand environèd37 with clouds,
Holding out gold, that’s by the touchstone tried38:
The motto thus: Sic spe
ctanda fides39.
The Sixth Knight [Pericles]
Passes by, wearing the rusty armour He presents his own device39 to Thaisa
SIMONIDES And what’s the sixth and last, the which the knight
Himself with such a graceful courtesy delivered?
THAISA He seems to be a stranger, but his present42 is
A withered branch, that’s only green at top.
The motto: In hac spe vivo44.
SIMONIDES A pretty moral.
From the dejected state wherein he is
He hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish.
FIRST LORD He had need mean better than his outward show48
Can any way speak in his just commend:
For by his rusty outside he appears
To have practised more the whipstock51 than the lance.
SECOND LORD He well may be a stranger, for he comes
To an honoured triumph strangely furnishèd53.
THIRD LORD And on set purpose54 let his armour rust
Until this day, to scour55 it in the dust.
SIMONIDES Opinion’s but a fool that makes us scan56