TPTT Pericles, Prince of Tyre: ACT II
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
[Prologue]
SCENE I. Pentapolis. An open place by the sea-side.
SCENE II. The same. A public way or platform leading to the lists. A pavilion by the side of it for the reception of King, Princess, Lords, &c.
SCENE III. The same. A hall of state: a banquet prepared.
SCENE IV. Tyre. A room in the Governor's house.
SCENE V. Pentapolis. A room in the palace.
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE I. Pentapolis. An open place by the sea-side.
Enter PERICLES, wet
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:
5     Alas, the sea hath cast me on the rocks,
      Wash'd me from shore to shore, and left me 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;
10    And having thrown him from your watery grave,
      Here to have death in peace is all he'll crave.
Enter three FISHERMEN
First Fisherman
      What, ho, Pilch!
Second Fisherman
      Ha, come and bring away the nets!
First Fisherman
      What, Patch-breech, I say!
Third Fisherman
15    What say you, master?
First Fisherman
      Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll
      fetch thee with a wanion.
Third Fisherman
      Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that
      were cast away before us even now.
First Fisherman
20    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
      porpus how he bounced and tumbled? they say
25    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.
First Fisherman
      Why, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the
      little ones: I can compare our rich misers to
30    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' the land, who never leave gaping
      till they've swallowed the whole parish, church,
35    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
40    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
45    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
50    These fishers tell the infirmities of men;
      And from their watery empire recollect
      All that may men approve or men detect!
      Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.
Second Fisherman
      Honest! good fellow, what's that? If it be a day
55    fits you, search 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
60    A man whom both the waters and the wind,
      In that vast tennis-court, have made the ball
      For them to play upon, entreats you pity him:
      He asks of you, that never used to beg.
First Fisherman
      No, friend, cannot you beg? Here's them in our
65    country 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
70    to be got now-a-days, 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 throng'd up with cold: my veins are chill,
      And have no more of life than may suffice
75    To give my tongue that heat to ask your help;
      Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,
      For that I am a man, pray see me buried.
First Fisherman
      Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here;
      come, put it on; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a
80    handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and
      we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for
      fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks,
      and thou shalt be welcome.
PERICLES
      I thank you, sir.
Second Fisherman
85    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, and so I
      shall 'scape whipping.
PERICLES
      Why, are all your beggars whipped, then?
Second Fisherman
90    O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your
      beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office
      than to be beadle. But, master, I'll go draw up the
      net.
Exit with Third Fisherman
PERICLES
      (Aside) How well this honest mirth becomes their labour!
First Fisherman
95    Hark you, sir, do you know where ye are?
PERICLES
      Not well.
First Fisherman
      Why, I'll tell you: this is called Pentapolis, and
      our king the good Simonides.
PERICLES
      The good King Simonides, do you call him.
First Fisherman
100   Ay, sir; and he deserves so to be called for his
      peaceable reign and good government.
PERICLES
      He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects
      the name of good by his government. How far is his
      court distant from this shore?
First Fisherman
105   Marry, sir, half a day's journey: and I'll tell
      you, he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her
      birth-day; and there are princes and knights come
      from all parts of the world to just and tourney for her love.
PERICLES
      Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish
110   to make one there.
First Fisherman
      O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man
      cannot get, he may lawfully deal for--his wife's soul.
Re-enter Second and Third 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
115   come out. 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.
      Thanks, fortune, yet, that, after all my crosses,
      Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself;
120   And though it was mine own, part of my heritage,
      Which my dead father did bequeath to me.
      With this strict charge, even as he left his life,
      'Keep it, my Pericles; it hath been a shield
      Twixt me and death;'--and pointed to this brace;--
125   'For that it saved me, keep it; in like necessity--
      The which the gods protect thee from!--may
      defend thee.'
      It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it;
      Till the rough seas, that spare not any man,
130   Took it in rage, though calm'd have given't again:
      I thank thee for't: my shipwreck now's no ill,
      Since I have here my father's gift in's will.
First Fisherman
      What mean you, sir?
PERICLES
      To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth,
135   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'ld guide me to your sovereign's court,
      Where with it I may appear a gentleman;
140   And if that ever my low fortune's better,
      I'll pay your bounties; till then rest your debtor.
First Fisherman
      Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?
PERICLES
      I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms.
First Fisherman
      Why, do 'e take it, and the gods give thee good on't!
Second Fisherman
145   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 it.
PERICLES
150   Believe 't, I will.
      By your furtherance I am 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
155   Upon a courser, whose delightful steps
      Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.
      Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided
      Of a pair of bases.
Second Fisherman
      We'll sure provide: thou shalt have my best gown to
160   make thee a pair; and I'll bring thee to the court myself.
PERICLES
      Then honour be but a goal to my will,
      This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill.
Exeunt
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