Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.
PERICLES.
I embrace you.
Give me my robes. I am wild in my beholding.
O heavens bless my girl! But, hark, what music?
Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him
O’er, point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,
How sure you are my daughter. But, what music?
HELICANUS.
My lord, I hear none.
PERICLES.
None!
The music of the spheres! List, my Marina.
LYSIMACHUS.
It is not good to cross him; give him way
PERICLES.
Rarest sounds! Do ye not hear?
LYSIMACHUS.
My lord, I hear.
[Music.]
PERICLES.
Most heavenly music!
It nips me unto listening, and thick slumber
Hangs upon mine eyes: let me rest.
[Sleeps.]
LYSIMACHUS.
A pillow for his head:
So, leave him all. Well, my companion friends,
If this but answer to my just belief,
I’ll well remember you.
[Exeunt all but Pericles.]
[Diana appears to Pericles as in a vision.]
DIANA.
My temple stands in Ephesus: hie thee thither,
And do upon mine altar sacrifice.
There, when my maiden priests are met together,
Before the people all,
Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife:
To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter’s, call
And give them repetition to the life.
Or perform my bidding, or thou livest in woe:
Do it, and happy; by my silver bow!
Awake, and tell thy dream.
[Disappears.]
PERICLES.
Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,
I will obey thee. Helicanus!
[Re-enter Helicanus, Lysimachus, and Marina.]
HELICANUS.
Sir?
PERICLES.
My purpose was for Tarsus, there to strike
The inhospitable Cleon; but I am
For other service first: toward Ephesus
Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I’ll tell thee why
[To Lysimachus.]
Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,
And give you gold for such provision
As our intents will need?
LYSIMACHUS.
Sir,
With all my heart; and when you come ashore,
I have another suit.
PERICLES.
You shall prevail,
Were you to woo my daughter; for it seems
You have been noble towards her.
LYSIMACHUS.
Sir, lend me your arm.
PERICLES.
Come, my Marina.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE II. Enter Gower, before the temple of Diana at Ephesus.
GOWER.
Now our sands are almost run;
More a little, and then dumb.
This, my last boon, give me,
For such kindness must relieve me,
That you aptly will suppose
What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What minstrelsy, and pretty din,
The regent made in Mytilene
To greet the king. So he thrived,
That he is promised to be wived
To fair Marina; but in no wise
Till he had done his sacrifice,
As Dian bade: whereto being bound,
The interim, pray you, all confound.
In feather’d briefness sails are fill’d,
And wishes fall out as they’re will’d.
At Ephesus, the temple see,
Cur king and all his company.
That he can hither come so soon,
Is by your fancy’s thankful doom.
[Exit.]
SCENE III. The temple of Diana at Ephesus; Thaisa standing near the altar, as high priestess; a number of Virgins on each side; Cerimon and other inhabitants of Ephesus attending.
[Enter Pericles, with his train; Lysimachus, Helicanus, Marina, and a Lady.]
PERICLES.
Hail, Dian! to perform thy just command,
I here confess myself the king of Tyre;
Who, frighted from my country, did wed
At Pentapolis the fair Thaisa.
At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child call’d Marina; who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery. She at Tarsus
Was nursed with Cleon; who at fourteen years
He sought to murder: but her better stars
Brought her to Mytilene; ‘gainst whose shore
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us,
Where by her own most clear remembrance, she
Made known herself my daughter.
THAISA.
Voice and favour!
You are, you are — O royal Pericles!
[Faints.]
PERICLES.
What means the nun? she dies! help, gentlemen!
CERIMON.
Noble sir,
If you have told Diana’s altar true,
This is your wife.
PERICLES.
Reverend appearer, no;
I threw her overboard with these very arms.
CERIMON.
Upon this coast, I warrant you.
PERICLES.
‘Tis most certain.
CERIMON.
Look to the lady; O, she’s but o’er-joy’d.
Early in blustering morn this lady was
Thrown upon this shore. I oped the coffin,
Found there