And will no longer have it be delayed. Soft, here he comes;-I must dissemble it. Enter PERICLES. Per. All fortune to the good Simonides! Sim. To you as much, sir! I am beholden to you, For your sweet music this last night. My ears, I do protest, were never better fed With such delightful, pleasing harmony. Per. It is your grace's pleasure to commend; Not my desert. Sim. Sir, you are music's master. Per. The worst of all her scholars, my good lord. Sim. Let me ask one thing. What do you think, sir, of My daughter? Per. Per. As a fair day in summer; wondrous fair. Sim. She thinks not so; peruse this writing else. A letter that she loves the knight of Tyre! 'Tis the king's subtlety to have my life. O, seek not to entrap, my gracious lord, A stranger, and distressed gentleman, [Aside. That never aimed so high, to love your daughter, Sim. Thou hast bewitched my daughter, and thou A villain. Per. art By the gods, I have not, sir. Ay, traitor, sir. Per. Even in his throat (unless it be the king) That calls me traitor, I return the lie. Sim. Now, by the gods, I do applaud his courage. [Aside. Per. My actions are as noble as my thoughts, I came unto your court for honor's cause, This sword shall prove his honor's enemy. Here comes my daughter; she can witness it. Enter THAISA. Per. Then as you are as virtuous as fair, Who takes offence at that would make me glad. I am glad of it with all my heart. you; I'll bring you in subjection.— [Aside.] I'll tame Will you, not having my consent, bestow [Aside. Hear, therefore, mistress; frame your will to mine, And you, sir, hear you.-Either be ruled by me, Or I will make you-man and wife.— Nay, come; your hands and lips must seal it too.— And being joined, I'll thus your hopes destroy;— And for a further grief,-God give you joy! What, are you both pleased? Thai. Yes, if you love me, sir. Per. Even as my life, my blood that fosters it.'1 Both. Yes, please your majesty. [Exeunt. ACT III. Enter GOWER. Gower. Now sleep yslaked hath the rout; 2 With your fine fancies quaintly eche; * Dumb Show. Enter PERICLES and SIMONIDES at one door, with Attendants: a Messenger meets them, kneels, and gives PERICLES a letter. PERICLES shows it to SIMONIDES; the Lords kneel to the former. Then 1 The quarto of 1619 reads: 2 Eke out. "Even as my life or blood that fosters it." 3 The lords kneel to Pericles, because they are now, for the first time, informed by this letter, that he is king of Tyre. enter THAISA with child, and LYCHORIDA. SIMONIDES shows his daughter the letter; she rejoices; she and PERICLES take leave of her father, and depart. Then SIMONIDES, &c. retire. Gow. By many a dearn and painful perch1 That horse, and sail, and high expense, Can stead the quest. At last from Tyre, (Fame answering the most strong inquire,) To the court of king Simonides Are letters brought; the tenor these: The crown of Tyre; but he will none. Come not home in twice six moons, He, obedient to their dooms, Will take the crown. The sum of this, Brought hither to Pentapolis, Y-ravished the regions round, And every one with claps 'gan sound. Who dreamed, who thought of such a thing? Their vessel shakes 1 Dearn signifies lonely, solitary. A perch is a measure of five yards and a half. 2 i. e. help, befriend, or assist the search. 3 i. e. to suppress: opprimere. On Neptune's billow; half the flood 3 This stage, the ship, upon whose deck [Exit. SCENE I. Enter PERICLES, on a ship at sea. Per. Thou god of this great vast, rebuke these surges, 1 An exclamation equivalent to well-a-day. 2 "The further consequences of this storm I shall not describe; what ensues may be conveniently exhibited in action; but action could not well have displayed all the events that I have now related." 3 It is clear, from these lines, that when the play was originally performed, no attempt was made to exhibit either a sea or a ship. 4 It should be remembered that Pericles is supposed to speak from the deck. Lychorida, on whom he calls, is supposed to be in the cabin beneath. This great vast" is "this wide expanse." This speech is exhibited in so strange a form in the old editions, that it is here given to enable the reader to judge in what a corrupt state it has come down to us, and be induced to treat the attempts to restore it to integrity with indulgence: "The God of this great vast, rebuke these surges, Which wash both heaven and hell; and thou that hast |