PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ACT I.

CHORUS

SCENE I. Antioch. A room in the palace.

SCENE II. Tyre. A room in the palace.

SCENE III. Tyre. An ante-chamber in the Palace.

SCENE IV. Tarsus. A room in the Governor's house.

ACT II.

CHORUS

SCENE I. Pentapolis. An open place by the sea-side.

SCENE II. The same. A public way, or platform leading to the lists.

SCENE III. The same. A hall of state: a banquet prepared.

SCENE IV. Tyre. A room in the Govenor's house.

SCENE V. Pentapolis. A room in the palace.

ACT III.

CHORUS

SCENE I.

SCENE II. Ephesus. A room in Cerimon's house.

SCENE III. Tarsus. A room in CLEON'S house.

SCENE IV. Ephesus. A room in CERIMON'S house.

ACT IV.

CHORUS

SCENE I. Tarsus. An open place near the sea-shore.

SCENE II. Mytilene. A room in a brothel.

SCENE III. Tarsus. A room in CLEON'S house.

SCENE IV.

SCENE V. Mytilene. A street before the brothel.

SCENE VI. The same. A room in the brothel.

ACT V.

CHORUS

SCENE I. On board PERICLES' ship, off Mytilene.

SCENE II. Enter GOWER, before the temple of DIANA at Ephesus.

SCENE III. The temple of DIANA at Ephesus

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Antiochus, King Of Antioch.

Pericles, Prince Of Tyre.

Helicanus, Escanes,  Two Lords Of Tyre.

Simonides, King Of Pentapolis.

Cleon, Governor Of Tarsus.

Lysimachus, Governor Of Mytilene.

Cerimon, A Lord Of Ephesus.

Thaliard, A Lord Of Antioch.

Pfiilemon, Servant To Cerimon.

Leonine, Servant To Dionyza.

Marshal.

A Pandar.

Boult, His Servant.

The Daughter Of Antiochus.

Dionyza, Wife To Cleon.

Thaisa, Daughter To Simonides.

Marina, Daughter To Pericles And Thaisa.

Lychorida, Nurse To Marina.

A Bawd.

Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Sailors, Pirates, Fishermen, And

Messengers.

Diana.

Gower, As Chorus.

SCENE:  Dispersedly in various countries.

PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE

ACT I.

CHORUS

[Enter GOWER.]

[Before the palace of Antioch.]

(1) To sing a song that old was sung,

From ashes ancient Gower is come;

Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear, and please your eyes.

It hath been sung at festivals,

On ember-eves and holy-ales;

And lords and ladies in their lives

Have read it for restoratives:

The purchase is to make men glorious;

(10) Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.

If you, born in these latter times,

When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,

And that to hear an old man sing

May to your wishes pleasure bring,

I life would wish, and that I might

Waste it for you, like taper-light.

This Antioch, then, Antiochus the Great

Built up, this city, for his chiefest seat;

The fairest in all Syria,

(20) I tell you what mine authors say:

This king unto him took a fere,

Who died and left a female heir,

So buxom, so blithe, and full of face,

As heaven had lent her all his grace;

With whom the father liking took,

And her to incest did provoke:

Bad child; worse father! to entice his own

To evil should be done by none:

But custom what they did begin

(30) Was with long use account no sin.

The beauty of this sinful dame

Made many princes thither frame,

To seek her as a bed-fellow,

In marriage-pleasures play-fellow:

Which to prevent he made a law,

To keep her still, and men in awe,

That whoso ask'd her for his wife,

His riddle told not, lost his life:

So for her many a wight did die,

(40) As yon grim looks do testify.

What now ensues, to the judgement your eye

I give, my cause who lest can justify.

[Exit.]

SCENE I. Antioch. A room in the palace.

[Enter ANTIOCHUS, PRINCE PERICLES, and FOLLOWERS.]

(1) ANTIOCHUS. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large received

The danger of the task you undertake.

PERICLES. I have, Antiochus, and, with a soul

Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,

Think death no hazard in this enterprise.

ANTIOCHUS. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride,

For the embracements even of Jove himself;

At whose conception, till Lucina reign'd,

Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,

(10) The senate-house of planets all did sit,

To knit in her their best perfections.

[Music. Enter the DAUGHTER OF ANTIOCHUS.]

PERICLES See where she comes, apparell'd like the spring,

Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king

Of every virtue gives renown to men!

Her face the book of praises, where is read

Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence

Sorrow were ever razed, and testy wrath

Could never be her mild companion.

You gods that made me man, and sway in love,

(20) That have inflamed desire in my breast

To taste the fruit of yon celestal tree,

Or die in the adventure, be my helps,

As I am son and servant to your will,

To compass such a boundless happiness!

ANTIOCHUS. Prince Pericles, --

PERICLES. That would be son to great Antiochus.

ANTIOCHUS. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,

With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;

For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:

(30) Her face, like heaven, enticeth thee to view

Her countless glory, which desert must gain;

And which, without desert, because thine eye

Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.

Yon sometimes famous princes, like thyself,

Drawn by report, adventurous by desire,

Tell thee, with speechless tongues and semblance pale,

That without covering, save yon field of stars,

Here they stand Martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars;

And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist

(40) For going on death's net, whom none resist.

PERICLES. Antiochus, I thank thee, who hath taught

My frail mortality to know itself,

And by those fearful objects to prepare

This body, like to them, to what I must;

For death remember'd should be like a mirror,

Who tells us life 's but breath, to trust it error.

I'll make my will then, and, as sick men do

Who know the world, see heaven, but, feeling woe,

Gripe not at earthly joys as erst they did;

(50) So I bequeath a happy peace to you

And all good men, as every prince should do;

My riches to the earth from whence they came;

But my unspotted fire of love to you.

[To the DAUGHTER OF ANTIOCHUS.]

Thus ready for the way of life or death,

I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus.

ANTIOCHUS. Scorning advice, read the conclusion, then:

Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed,

As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed.

DAUGHTER. Of all say'd yet, mayst thou prove prosperous!

(60) Of all say'd yet, I wish thee happiness!

PERICLES Like a bold champion, I assume The lists,

Nor ask advice of any other thought

But faithfulness and courage.

[He reads the riddle.]

I am no viper, yet I feed

On mother's flesh which did me breed.

I sought a husband, in which labour

I found that kindness in a father:

He's father, son, and husband mild;

I mother, wife, and yet his child.

(70) How they may be, and yet in two,

As you will live, resolve it you.

Sharp physic is the last: but, O you powers

That give heaven countless eyes to view men's acts,

Why cloud they not their sights perpetually,

If this be true, which makes me pale to read it?

Fair glass of light, I loved you, and could still,

[Takes hold of the hand of the Princess.]

Were not this glorious casket stored with ill:

But I must tell you, now my thoughts revolt;

For he's no man on whom perfections wait

(80) That, knowing sin within, will touch the gate,

You are a fair viol, and your sense the strings;

Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,

Would draw heaven down, and all the gods to hearken;

But being play'd upon before your time,

Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime.

Good sooth, I care not for...