Pericles
Shakescleare Translation

Pericles Translation Act 4, Scene 1

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Enter DIONYZA and LEONINE

DIONYZA

Thy oath remember; thou hast sworn to do't: 'Tis but a blow, which never shall be known. Thou canst not do a thing in the world so soon, To yield thee so much profit. Let not conscience, Which is but cold, inflaming love i' thy bosom, Inflame too nicely; nor let pity, which Even women have cast off, melt thee, but be A soldier to thy purpose.

DIONYZA

Remember your promise: you've sworn to do it. It's just a little thing which no one will ever find out about. And you can count on being rewarded. Don't let your icy conscience thaw out with the heat of love. And don't let pity, which even women have nothing to do with, get the best of you—do just what I've told you to do.

LEONINE

I will do't; but yet she is a goodly creature.

LEONINE

I'll do it, but she is an innocent girl.

DIONYZA

The fitter, then, the gods should have her. Hereshe comes weeping for her only mistress' death.Thou art resolved?

DIONYZA

It's better, then, that the gods should have her. Here she comes, crying over Lychorida's death. Are you ready?

LEONINE

I am resolved.

LEONINE

I'm ready.

Enter MARINA, with a basket of flowers

MARINA

No, I will rob Tellus of her weed, To strew thy green with flowers: the yellows, blues, The purple violets, and marigolds, Shall as a carpet hang upon thy grave, While summer-days do last. Ay me! poor maid, Born in a tempest, when my mother died, This world to me is like a lasting storm, Whirring me from my friends.

MARINA

I'll take every flower Mother Earth has to offer, to decorate your grave with yellows, blues, purple violets, marigolds—all these will cover you as long as summer lasts. Poor me! When I was born (in a storm), my mother died; my whole life has been a continuous storm blowing me away from my friends.

DIONYZA

How now, Marina! why do you keep alone? How chance my daughter is not with you? Do not Consume your blood with sorrowing: you have A nurse of me. Lord, how your favour's changed With this unprofitable woe! Come, give me your flowers, ere the sea mar it. Walk with Leonine; the air is quick there, And it pierces and sharpens the stomach. Come, Leonine, take her by the arm, walk with her.

DIONYZA

Hello, Marina! Why are you alone? Why isn't my daughter with you? Don't make yourself sick with being so upset; I'll be your nurse now. Look how your situation has changed with this unfortunate loss! Come on, give me your flowers before the sea air wilts them. Walk with Leonine down by the shore. The air will do you some good; the wind is refreshing and makes your stomach strong. Come on, Leonine; take her by the arm, walk with her.

MARINA

No, I pray you;I'll not bereave you of your servant.

MARINA

No, please. I won't take your servant from you.

DIONYZA

Come, come; I love the king your father, and yourself, With more than foreign heart. We every day Expect him here: when he shall come and find Our paragon to all reports thus blasted, He will repent the breadth of his great voyage; Blame both my lord and me, that we have taken No care to your best courses. Go, I pray you, Walk, and be cheerful once again; reserve That excellent complexion, which did steal The eyes of young and old. Care not for me I can go home alone.

DIONYZA

Come, come! I love you and your father as if I were his own subject rather than a foreigner. We expect him to visit any day now, and when he does, what will he say when he finds our little princess in poor health? He'll wish he hadn't come so far, and he'll blame my husband and me for not taking care of you like we promised to do. Go, please. Walk, be happy, bring back those rosy cheeks we all love so much! Don't worry about me; I can go home alone.

MARINA

Well, I will go;But yet I have no desire to it.

MARINA

Well, I'll go even though I don't want to.

DIONYZA

Come, come, I know 'tis good for you.Walk half an hour, Leonine, at the least:Remember what I have said.

DIONYZA

Come, come! I know it's best for you. Walk half an hour, Leonine, at least. Remember what I said.

LEONINE

I warrant you, madam.

LEONINE

Of course, ma'am.

DIONYZA

I'll leave you, my sweet lady, for a while:Pray, walk softly, do not heat your blood:What! I must have a care of you.

DIONYZA

I'll leave you for a while, dear. Mind you, walk slowly and don't get too worked up! What? I have to take care of you!

MARINA

My thanks, sweet madam.

MARINA

Thanks, ma'am.

Exit DIONYZA

MARINA

Is this wind westerly that blows?

MARINA

Is that a west wind blowing?

LEONINE

South-west.

LEONINE

South-west.

MARINA

When I was born, the wind was north.

MARINA

When I was born, the wind was from the north.

LEONINE

Was't so?

LEONINE

Was it?

MARINA

My father, as nurse said, did never fear, But cried 'Good seaman!' to the sailors, galling His kingly hands, haling ropes; And, clasping to the mast, endured a sea That almost burst the deck.

MARINA

According to my nurse, my father wasn't afraid. He just called out to the sailors, "Good seamen!" and helped them, pulling the ropes with his own hands, and holding onto the mast to ride out the waves that almost broke the ship.

LEONINE

When was this?

LEONINE

When was this?

MARINA

When I was born: Never was waves nor wind more violent; And from the ladder-tackle washes off A canvas-climber. 'Ha!' says one, 'wilt out?' And with a dropping industry they skip From stem to stern: the boatswain whistles, and The master calls, and trebles their confusion.

MARINA

When I was born. The waves and wind were incredibly violent, washing a sailor straight out of the crow's nest. Another sailor said, "Ha! Will this ever end?" and they kept running around from the front to the back of the boat, the boatswain whistling, the master calling, and everything in complete chaos.

LEONINE

Come, say your prayers.

LEONINE

Say your prayers, now.

MARINA

What mean you?

MARINA

What do you mean?

LEONINE

If you require a little space for prayer, I grant it: pray; but be not tedious, For the gods are quick of ear, and I am sworn To do my work with haste.

LEONINE

If you need a little room to pray, I'll allow it, but don't take too long. The gods might listen, you know, and I swore I'd do my job quickly.

MARINA

Why will you kill me?

MARINA

Why would you want to kill me?

LEONINE

To satisfy my lady.

LEONINE

To satisfy Dionyza.

MARINA

Why would she have me kill'd? Now, as I can remember, by my troth, I never did her hurt in all my life: I never spake bad word, nor did ill turn To any living creature: believe me, la, I never kill'd a mouse, nor hurt a fly: I trod upon a worm against my will, But I wept for it. How have I offended, Wherein my death might yield her any profit, Or my life imply her any danger?

MARINA

Why would she want me killed? As far as I can remember, I've never done anything to hurt her in my life. I've never said a mean word or done a bad thing to a single living creature. Believe me, I never killed a mouse or even hurt a fly! Once I stepped on a worm on accident, and I cried. How have I offended her enough that she would want to kill me? How would she gain from my death? How is she threatened by my life?

LEONINE

My commissionIs not to reason of the deed, but do it.

LEONINE

My job isn't to debate the reason. It's just to do it.

MARINA

You will not do't for all the world, I hope. You are well favour'd, and your looks foreshow You have a gentle heart. I saw you lately, When you caught hurt in parting two that fought: Good sooth, it show'd well in you: do so now: Your lady seeks my life; come you between, And save poor me, the weaker.

MARINA

You won't do it for anything in the world, I hope. You're handsome; I can tell by your looks that you have a gentle heart. I saw you recently when you got hurt breaking up a fight, and really, it said a lot about your character. Do the right thing now! Your lady wants me dead; don't do it. Save poor me, the weaker one.

LEONINE

I am sworn,And will dispatch. [He seizes her]

LEONINE

I swore I would, so here we go . . . [He grabs MARINA]

Enter Pirates

FIRST PIRATE

Hold, villain!

FIRST PIRATE

Stop right there, you scoundrel!

LEONINE runs away

SECOND PIRATE

A prize! a prize!

SECOND PIRATE

Some booty! Some booty!

THIRD PIRATE

Half-part, mates, half-part.Come, let's have her aboard suddenly.

THIRD PIRATE

Let's split it equally, mates, equally. Come on, get her onboard. 

Exeunt Pirates with MARINA

Re-enter LEONINE

LEONINE

These roguing thieves serve the great pirate Valdes; And they have seized Marina. Let her go: There's no hope she will return. I'll swear she's dead, And thrown into the sea. But I'll see further: Perhaps they will but please themselves upon her, Not carry her aboard. If she remain, Whom they have ravish'd must by me be slain.

LEONINE

Those terrible thieves who've taken Marina serve the great pirate, Valdes. Let her go—there's not a chance of her coming back. I'll swear she's dead and that I threw her into the sea . . . actually, I'll follow along and see what happens. They might just have their way with her and not take her onboard. If she survives the assault, I'll have to kill her.

Exit