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Act 5, Scene 2
Pericles Translation Act 5, Scene 3
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.
PERICLES
Praise Diana! I'm doing what you asked: I'll tell the whole story here. I'm the king of Tyre. I left my country because I was afraid for my life, and married Thaisa in Pentapolis. She died giving birth to our daughter, Marina, at sea. Marina is still a virgin like you, Diana! Cleon took care of her in Tarsus, but when she was fourteen years old he tried to murder her. Luckily, she came to Mytilene, where, when I arrived, by good fortune she was brought aboard my ship and, by recounting her story, she made it clear she was my daughter.
THAISA
Voice and favour!You are, you are—O royal Pericles!
THAISA
I recognize that voice! You're, you're—oh, Pericles!
Faints
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PERICLES
What means the nun? she dies! help, gentlemen!
PERICLES
What did that nun say? Is she dead? Help her, gentlemen!
CERIMON
Noble sir,If you have told Diana's altar true,This is your wife.
CERIMON
Sir, if you've told the truth just now at Diana's altar, this is your wife.
PERICLES
Reverend appearer, no;I threw her overboard with these very arms.
PERICLES
Sir, it can't be. I threw her overboard with my own hands.
CERIMON
Upon this coast, I warrant you.
CERIMON
Near this coast, I bet.
PERICLES
'Tis most certain.
PERICLES
Exactly.
CERIMON
Look to the lady; O, she's but o'erjoy'd. Early in blustering morn this lady was Thrown upon this shore. I oped the coffin, Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and placed her Here in Diana's temple.
CERIMON
[To the nuns] Take care of the lady, she's just overexcited.
[To PERICLES] Early one morning, this woman washed up on shore. I opened the coffin, found some expensive jewels inside, revived her, and made her a nun here in Diana's temple.
PERICLES
May we see them?
PERICLES
Can we see the jewels?
CERIMON
Great sir, they shall be brought you to my house,Whither I invite you. Look, Thaisa is recovered.
CERIMON
Of course, come to my house and I'll bring them to you. Look, Thaisa woke up.
THAISA
O, let me look! If he be none of mine, my sanctity Will to my sense bend no licentious ear, But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord, Are you not Pericles? Like him you spake, Like him you are: did you not name a tempest, A birth, and death?
THAISA
Let me look! If he's not my husband, my religious spirit won't let me get excited just by hearing; I'm inclined not to believe, having not seen.
[She comes face to face with PERICLES] Oh, sir, are you Pericles? You spoke just like him, and you look just like him . . . did you mention a storm, a birth, and a death?
PERICLES
The voice of dead Thaisa!
PERICLES
The voice of Thaisa, who's dead!
THAISA
That Thaisa am I, supposed deadAnd drown'd.
THAISA
I am Thaisa, who you thought was dead and drowned.
PERICLES
Immortal Dian!
PERICLES
Immortal Diana!
THAISA
Now I know you better.When we with tears parted Pentapolis,The king my father gave you such a ring.
THAISA
Now I recognize you. When we left Pentapolis, my father, the king, gave you this ring.
Shows a ring
PERICLES
This, this: no more, you gods! your present kindness Makes my past miseries sports: you shall do well, That on the touching of her lips I may Melt and no more be seen. O, come, be buried A second time within these arms.
PERICLES
This, this—no more, gods! All this goodness makes the past pain seem like nothing. You'll do well if, when I kiss her, I melt and am never seen again! Oh, come and let me hold you. [PERICLES and THAISA embrace]
MARINA
My heartLeaps to be gone into my mother's bosom.
MARINA
My heart jumps at the thought of being able to hug my own mother.
Kneels to THAISA
PERICLES
Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa;Thy burden at the sea, and call'd MarinaFor she was yielded there.
PERICLES
Look who kneels here! This is your daughter, Thaisa, called "Marina" for the sea because that's where she was born.
THAISA
Blest, and mine own!
THAISA
Bless you, daughter!
HELICANUS
Hail, madam, and my queen!
HELICANUS
I salute you, my queen!
THAISA
I know you not.
THAISA
I don't know you.
PERICLES
You have 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 have named him oft.
PERICLES
Do you remember me saying that, when I left Tyre, I left an old friend behind? Do you remember his name? I've mentioned it many times.
THAISA
'Twas Helicanus then.
THAISA
It was Helicanus back then.
PERICLES
Still confirmation: Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he. Now do I long to hear how you were found; How possibly preserved; and who to thank, Besides the gods, for this great miracle.
PERICLES
More confirmation! Give him a hug, Thaisa, this is Helicanus. Now I want to know how you were found, how you survived, and who I should thank (besides the gods) for this miracle.
THAISA
Lord Cerimon, my lord; this man,Through whom the gods have shown their power; that canFrom first to last resolve you.
THAISA
Thank Lord Cerimon, dear, this man through whom the gods have shown their power. He can tell you everything from beginning to end.
PERICLES
Reverend sir, The gods can have no mortal officer More like a god than you. Will you deliver How this dead queen re-lives?
PERICLES
Sir, you're the nearest thing to a god that a man can be. Can you explain how my queen came back to life?
CERIMON
I will, my lord. Beseech you, first go with me to my house, Where shall be shown you all was found with her; How she came placed here in the temple; No needful thing omitted.
CERIMON
I can, sir. But first, let's go into my house, where I can show you everything we found with her. We'll explain how she came here to the temple, and we won't leave anything out.
PERICLES
Pure Dian, bless thee for thy vision! I Will offer night-oblations to thee. Thaisa, This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter, Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now, This ornament 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.
PERICLES
Diana, bless your perfect plan! I will make a sacrifice to you tonight. Thaisa, this is Lysimachus, who's engaged to your daughter and is about to marry her in Pentapolis. And now, I'll shave off this long beard that I've grown for the last fourteen years. I'll look young again for your wedding day, Marina.
THAISA
Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, sir,My father's dead.
THAISA
Lord Cerimon has received trustworthy letters saying my father's dead.
PERICLES
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: Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign. Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay To hear the rest untold: sir, lead's the way.
PERICLES
May the gods bless his soul. We'll go to Pentapolis to celebrate their wedding, and we'll stay there to rule that kingdom for the rest of our lives. Marina and Lysimachus will rule in Tyre.
[To CERIMON] Lord Cerimon, we'll stay here until we hear the rest of the story! Sir, lead the way.
Exeunt
