You are, you are-O royal Pericles!Per. What means the woman'? she gentlemen! If Cer. Noble sir, you have told Diana's altar true, This is your wife. Per. Reverend appearer, no: I threw her overboard with these very arms. Per. [She faints. dies: help, "Tis most certain. Cer. Look to the lady.-O! she's but o'erjoy'd. Early in blust'ring morn this lady was Thrown on this shore. I op'd the coffin, Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and plac'd her Here, in Diana's temple. Per. May we see them? Cer. Great sir, they shall be brought you to my house, Whither I invite you. Thai. O, let me look! Look! Thaisa is recover'd. If he be none of mine, my sanctity Like him you are. A birth, and death? Per. The voice of dead Thaisa! Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead, and drown'd. Per. Immortal Dian! Thai. Now I know you better. When we with tears parted Pentapolis, The king, my father, gave you such a ring. [Shows a Ring. 1 What means the WOMAN?] So the quarto, 1619, and subsequent editions: the quarto, 1609, "What means the mum?" which may have been a misprint for nun: it would suit the measure better, and it would not be unprecedented to call a priestess of Diana a nun. Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your present kindness Makes my past miseries sports: you shall do well, Melt, and no more be seen. O! come, be buried 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, For she was yielded there. Thai. Bless'd, and mine own! I know you not. Hel. Hail, madam, and my queen! Thai. 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? I have nam'd him oft. Thai. "Twas Helicanus, then. Per. Still confirmation! Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he. Now do I long to hear how you were found, Thai. Lord Cerimon, my lord; this man Through whom the gods have shown their power; that can From first to last resolve you. Per. Reverend sir, The gods can have no mortal officer More like a god than you. Will you deliver How this dead queen re-lives? Cer. Beseech you, first go I will, my lord: with me to my house, Where shall be shown you all was found with her; Per. Pure Dian! bless thee for thy vision, Makes me look dismal, will I clip to form2; Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit; Sir, my father's dead. Per. Heavens, make a star of him! Yet there, my queen, We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves Will in that kingdom spend our following days: To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead's the way3. [Exeunt. 2 Enter GOWER. Gow. In Antiochus, and his daughter, you have Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen, And now, This ornament, Makes me look dismal, will I clip to form,] i. e. "My beard, that makes me look dismal, will I clip to form." Modern editors, under pretence of correcting the irregular verse, insert, among other words, "my lov'd Marina,” in this passage, without the slightest authority. How do we know that Shakespeare completed the metre in this way, or that he did purposely leave the line irregular and abrupt? 3 Sir, lead's the way.] i. e. "lead us the way;" a very common contraction, and found in all the old copies. Modern editors have printed, "Sir, lead the way." Virtue preserv'd' from fell destruction's blast, A figure of truth, of faith, and loyalty: That him and his they in his palace burn. New joy wait on you! Here our play has ending. 4 Virtue PRESERVED-] Old copies, " Virtue preferr'd." 5 The gods for murder seemed so CONTENT] So all the editions after the first of 1609, which reads to contend for "so content." In the next line, "them," which is wanting in the old copies, quarto and folio, was supplied by Malone. |