Текст книги "William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition"

Автор книги: William Shakespeare

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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.

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’t.

PERICLES

What I have been, I have forgot to know,

But what I am, want teaches me to think on:

A man thronged up with cold; my veins are chill,

And have no more of life than may suffice

To give my tongue that heat to crave your help,

Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,

For that I am a man, pray see me buried.

He falls down

MASTER Die, quotha? Now, gods forbid’t an I have a gown here! To Pericles, lifting him up from the ground Come, put it on, keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we’ll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo’er puddings and flapjacks, 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 crave.

SECOND FISHERMAN But crave? Then I’ll turn craver too, an so I shall scape whipping.

PERICLES Why, are all 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 beadle.

MASTER Thine office, knave—

SECOND FISHERMAN Is to draw up the other nets. I’ll go.

Exit with Third Fisherman

PERICLES (aside)

How well this honest mirth becomes their labour!

MASTER ⌈seating himself by Pericles⌉ Hark you, sir, do you know where ye are?

PERICLES Not well.

MASTER Why, I’ll tell you. This is called Pentapolis, and our king the good Simonides.

PERICLES

’The good Simonides’ do you call him?

MASTER Ay, sir, and he deserves so to be called for his peaceable reign and good government.

PERICLES

He is a happy king, since from his subjects

He gains the name of good by his government.

How far is his court distant from this shore?

MASTER Marry, sir, some 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 tourney for her love.

PERICLES

Were but my fortunes answerable

To my desires I could wish to make one there.

MASTER O, sir, things must be as they may, and what a man cannot get himself, he may lawfully deal for with his wife’s soul.

Enter the other 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 out.

Before help comes, up comes their prize

Ha, bots on’t, ’tis come at last, and ’tis turned to a

rusty armour.

PERICLES

An armour, friends? I pray you let me see it.

(Aside) Thanks, fortune, yet that after all thy crosses

Thou giv‘st me somewhat to repair my losses,

And though it was mine own, part of my heritage

Which my dead father did bequeath to me

With this strict charge ev’n as he left his life:

‘Keep it, my Pericles; it hath been a shield

‘Twixt me and death,’ and pointed to this brace,

‘For that it saved me, keep it. In like necessity,

The which the Gods forfend, the same may defend thee.’

It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it,

Till the rough seas that spares not any man

Took it in rage, though calmed have giv’n’t again.

I thank thee for’t. My shipwreck now’s no ill,

Since I have here my father gave in ’s will.

MASTER What mean you, sir?

PERICLES

To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth,

For it was sometime target 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 sov’reign’s court,

Where with’t I may appear a gentleman.

And if that ever my low fortune’s better,

I’ll pay your bounties, till then rest your debtor.

MASTER Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?

PERICLES

I’ll show the virtue I have learned in arms.

MASTER Why, d‘ye take it, and the gods give thee good on’t!

SECOND FISHERMAN Ay, but hark you, my friend, ’twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters. There are certain condolements, certain vails. I hope, sir, if you thrive, you’ll remember from whence you had this.

PERICLES Believe’t, I will.

By your furtherance I’m clothed in steel,

And spite of all the rapture of the sea

This jewel holds his building on my arm.

Unto thy value I will mount myself

Upon a courser whose delightsome steps

Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.

Only, my friends, I yet am unprovided

Of a pair of bases.

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 equal to my will,

This day I’ll rise, or else add ill to ill.

Exeunt with nets and armour

Sc. 6

Sennet.

Enter King Simonides and Thaisa, with Lords in attendance,

and sit on two thrones

KING SIMONIDES

Are the knights ready to begin the triumph?

FIRST LORD They are, my liege,

And stay your coming to present themselves.

KING SIMONIDES

Return them we are ready; and our daughter,

In honour of whose birth these triumphs are,

Sits here like beauty’s child, whom nature gat

For men to see and, seeing, wonder at. Exit one

THAISA

It pleaseth you, my father, to express

My commendations great, whose merit’s less.

KING SIMONIDES

It’s fit it should be so, for princes are

A model which heav’n makes like to itself.

As jewels lose their glory if neglected,

So princes their renown, if not respected.

’Tis now your office, daughter, to entertain

The labour of each knight in his device.

THAISA

Which, to preserve mine honour, I’ll perform.

Flourish. The first knight passes by richly armed, and his page before him, bearing his device on his shield, delivers it to the Lady Thaisa

KING SIMONIDES

Who is the first that doth prefer himself?

THAISA

A knight of Sparta, my renowned father,

And the device he bears upon his shield

Is a black Ethiop reaching at the sun.

The word, Lux tua vita mihi.

She presents it to the King

KING SIMONIDES

He loves you well that holds his life of you.

He returns it to the page, who exits with the first knight.

Flourish.The second knight passes byrichly armed, and his page before him, bearing his device on his shield, delivers it to the Lady Thaisa

Who is the second that presents himself?

THAISA

A prince of Macedon, my royal father,

And the device he bears upon his shield

An armed knight that’s conquered by a lady.

The motto thus: Piùe per dolcezza che per forza.

she presents it to the King

KING SIMONIDES

You win him more by lenity than force.

He returns it to the page, who exits with the second knight.

Flourish.The third knight passes by

richly armed, and his page before him, bearing his device on his shield, delivers it to the Lady Thaisa

And what’s the third?

THAISA

The third of Antioch,

And his device a wreath of chivalry.

The word, Me pompae provexit apex.

She presents it to the King

KING SIMONIDES

Desire of renown he doth devise,

The which hath drawn him to this enterprise.

He returns it to the page, who exits with the third knight.

Flourish. The fourth knight passes by richly armed, and his page before him, bearing his device on his shield, delivers it to the Lady Thaisa

What is the fourth?

THAISA

A knight of Athens bearing

A burning torch that’s turned upside down.

The word, Qui me alit me extinguit.

She presents it to the King

KING SIMONIDES

Which shows that beauty hath this power and will,

Which can as well inflame as it can kill.

⌈He returns it to the page, who exits with the fourth knight.⌉

⌈Flourish.⌉ The fifth Knight passes by ⌈richly armed, and his page before him, bearing his device on his shield, delivers it to the Lady Thaisa⌉

And who the fifth?

THAISA The fifth, a prince of Corinth,

Presents an hand environèd with clouds,

Holding out gold that’s by the touchstone tried.

The motto thus: Sic spectanda fides.

⌈She presents it to the King⌉

KING SIMONIDES

So faith is to be looked into.

⌈He returns it to the page, who exits with the fifth knight.⌉

⌈Flourish.l The sixth knight, Pericles, in a rusty armour, who, having neither page to deliver his shield nor shield to deliver, presents his device unto the Lady Thaisa

And what’s the sixth and last, the which the knight

himself

With such a graceful courtesy delivereth?

THAISA

He seems to be a stranger, but his present is

A withered branch that’s only green at top.

The motto, In hac spe vivo.

KING SIMONIDES

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 show

Can any way speak in his just commend,

For by his rusty outside he appears

T’have practised more the whipstock than the lance.

SECOND LORD

He well may be a stranger, for he comes

Unto an honoured triumph strangely furnished.

THIRD LORD

And on set purpose let his armour rust

Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

KING SIMONIDES

Opinion’s but a fool, that makes us scan

The outward habit for the inward man.

⌈Cornetts⌉

But stay, the knights are coming. We will withdraw

Into the gallery. ⌈Exeunt⌉

⌈Cornetts and⌉ great shouts ⌈within⌉, and all cry

‘The mean knight!’