That he can hither come so soon, Is by your fancies' thankful doom.(251) [Exit. SCENE II. 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. Per. 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. (252) At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth Thai. Voice and favour! You are, you are— O royal Pericles ! [Faints. Per. What means the nun ?(254) she dies! help, gentle men! Cer. Noble sir, If you have told Diana's altar true, This is your wife. Per. Reverend appearer, no; I threw her o'erboard with these very arms. Cer. Upon this coast, I warrant you. Per. 'Tis most certain. Cer. Look to the lady;-O, she's but o'erjoy'd.— Early in(255) blustering morn this lady was Thrown upon 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.-Look, Thaisa is Recover'd. Thai. O, let me look! If he be none of mine, my sanctity Per. The voice of dead Thaisa! And drown'd. Per. Immortal Dian! Thai. When we with tears parted Pentapolis, Now I know you better. The king my father gave you such a ring. [Shows a ring. Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your present kind ness Makes my past miseries sport: you shall do well, That on the touching of her lips I may Melt, and no more be seen.-O, come, be buried Mar. Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom. My heart [Kneels to Thaisa. Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa; Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina Per. You've 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've nam'd him oft. Thai. 'Twas Helicanus then. Per. Still confirmation : Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he. Thai. Lord Cerimon, my lord; this is the 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 Cer. I will, my lord. Where shall be shown you all was found with her; No needful thing omitted. Per. Pure Dian, (257) bless thee for thy vision! I Makes me look dismal will I clip to form; And what this fourteen years no razor touch'd, To grace thy marriage-day, I'll beautify. 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 way. [Exeunt. Enter GOWER. Gow. In Antiochus and his daughter you have heard Of monstrous lust the due and just reward: In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen, Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen, Virtue preserv'd(258) from fell destruction's blast, Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last : In Helicanus may you well descry A figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty: Had spread their cursed deed, and(259) honour'd name That him and his they in his palace burn; The gods for murder seemed so content To punish them, (261)—although not done, but meant. New joy wait on you! Here our play has ending. [Exit. i.e. gain, profit. (Here Steevens's emendation, "purpose," seems unnecessary.) The old eds. have "Peere" [and "Peer"]; a misprint for "Pheere," more correctly written "fere." P. 6. (4) "But custom what they did begin Was with long use account no sin." Is usually altered to "By custom," &c.; the modern editors perhaps not making sufficient allowance for the inaccurate style of the unknown author. -The old eds. have " account'd ["accounted," and "counted"] no sinne." P. 6. (5) "Bring in our daughter," The old eds. have "Musicke bring in," &c.; a stage-direction having here (as is frequently the case) crept into the text.-This "Music" (a puzzle to the modern editors) was evidently intended to accompany the entrance of the Daughter of Antiochus :-it was set down thus early in the prompter's book that the musicians might be in readiness. See note 5 on Romeo and Juliet, vol. vi. p. 475.-1865. Here Mr. Grant White and the Cambridge Editors (Globe Shakespeare) follow my arrangement. P. 6. (6) Not in the old eds. "the" P. 7. (7) "her mild companion.” i. e., as Mason rightly explains it, the companion of her mildness;-which I mention lest any one should suppose that "mild" is a misprint for "vild" (vile). |