But the main grief of all springs from the loss Lys. May we not see him, then? Hel. You may, indeed, sir. But bootless is your sight; he will not speak To any. Lys. Yet, let me obtain my wish. Hel. Behold him, sir. [PERICLES discovered.'] This was a goodly person, Till the disaster, that, one mortal night,2 Drove him to this. Lys. Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you! Hail, Hail, royal sir! Hel. It is in vain; he will not speak to you. 1 Lord. Sir, we have a maid in Mitylene, I durst wager, Would win some words of him. 'Tis well bethought. Lys. And other choice attractions, would allure, And make a battery through his deafened parts,3 She is all happy as the fairest of all, And, with her fellow maids, is now upon [He whispers one of the attendant Lords.-Exit Hel. Sure all's effectless; yet nothing we'll omit 1 Few of the stage-directions, that have been given in this and the preceding acts, are found in the old copy. In the original representation, Pericles was probably placed in the back part of the stage, concealed by a curtain, which was here drawn open. The ancient narratives represented him as remaining in the cabin of his ship; but, as in such a situation Pericles would not be visible to the audience, a different stagedirection is now given. 2 The old copies read, "one mortal wight." The emendation is Malone's. Mortal is here used for deadly, destructive. 3 The old copy reads, "defend parts." Malone made the alteration. Steevens would read, " deafened ports." 4 This passage is as intelligible as many others in this play. "Upon a leafy shelter," appears to mean "Upon a spot which is sheltered." That bears recovery's name. But since your kindness, We have stretched thus far, let us beseech you further, That for our gold we may provision have, Wherein we are not destitute for want, But weary for the staleness. O sir, a courtesy, Lys. Hel. But see, I am prevented. Sit, sir, I will recount it. Enter, from the barge,2 Lord, MARINA, and a Young Lys. Lady. O, here is The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one! Is't not a goodly presence? Hel. A gallant lady. 3 Lys. She's such, that were I well assured she came Of gentle kind, and noble stock, I'd wish No better choice, and think me rarely wed. Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty Expect even here, where is a kingly patient. If that thy prosperous and artificial feat * Can draw him but to answer thee in aught, Thy sacred physic shall receive such pay As thy desires can wish. Mar. Sir, I will use My utmost skill in his recovery, 1 There can be but little doubt that the Poet wrote afflict. We have no example of to inflict, used by itself, for to punish. 2 It appears that when Pericles was originally performed, the audience were contented to behold vessels sailing in and out of port in their mind's eye only. 3 The quarto of 1609 reads: "Fair on all goodness that consists in beauty," &c. 4 The old copy has "artificial fate." The emendation is by Dr. Percy. Provided none but I and my companion Be suffered to come near him. Lys. And the gods make her prosperous! [MARINA sings. Lys. Come, let us leave her; Marked he your music? See, she will speak to him. Mar. No, nor looked on us. Lys. My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes, Who stood equivalent with mighty kings; [Aside. Per. My fortunes-parentage-good parentage— To equal mine?-was it not thus? what say you? Mar. I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage, You would not do me violence.2 Per. I do think so. I pray you, turn your eyes again upon me.— 1 Awkward is adverse. 2 This seems to refer to a part of the story that is made no use of in the present scene. Thus in Twine's translation:-" Then Appolonius fell in rage, and forgetting all courtesie, &c. rose up sodainly and stroke the maiden," &c. Pericles, however, afterwards says "Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back, (Which was when I perceived thee,) that thou cam'st 3 This passage is strangely corrupt in the old copies :- Mar. No, nor of any shores; Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am Per. I am great with woe, and shall deliver weeping. My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one My daughter might have been my queen's square brows; Her stature to an inch; as wand-like straight; And cased as richly; in pace another Juno; Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them hungry, The more she gives them speech.-Where do you live? Per. Where were you bred? Should I tell my history, Mar. Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st For the crowned truth to dwell in. I'll believe thee; To points that seem impossible; for thou look'st Mar. So indeed I did. Per. Report thy parentage. I think thou said'st Thou hadst been tossed from wrong to injury, And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine, If both were opened. something that, what country women heare of these shewes," &c. For the ingenious emendation, shores instead of shewes, as well as the regulation of the whole passage, Malone confesses his obligation to the earl of Charlemont. 1 The meaning is :-These endowments acquire additional grace from their owner. Mar. Some such thing, indeed, I said, and said no more but what my thoughts Tell thy story; Per. Have suffered like a girl; yet thou dost look Recount, I do beseech thee; come, sit by me. Per. And thou by some incensed god sent hither Mar. Or here I'll cease. Per. O, I am mocked, Patience, good sir, Nay, I'll be patient; Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me, To call thyself Marina. Mar. The name Marina Was given me by one that had some power; My father, and a king. Per. And called Marina? Mar. How! a king's daughter? You said you would believe me; But, not to be a troubler of your peace, I will end here. Per. But are you flesh and blood? Have you a working pulse? and are no fairy? 1 By her beauty and patient meekness, disarming Calamity, and preventing her from using her uplifted sword." Extremity (though not personified as here) is in like manner used for the utmost of human suffering in King Lear. 2 i. e. no puppet dressed up to deceive me. So in The Two Gentlemen of Verona : "O excellent motion! O exceeding puppet!" |