William Shakespeare - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Here, with a cup that’s stored unto the brim, —

As you do love, fill to your mistress’ lips, —

We drink this health to you.

KNIGHTS.

We thank your grace.

SIMONIDES.

Yet pause awhile:

Yon knight doth sit too melancholy,

As if the entertainment in our court

Had not a show might countervail his worth.

Note it not you, Thaisa?

THAISA.

What is it

To me, my father?

SIMONIDES.

O attend, my daughter:

Princes in this should live like god’s above,

Who freely give to every one that comes

To honour them:

And princes not doing so are like to gnats,

Which make a sound, but kill’d are wonder’d at.

Therefore to make his entrance more sweet,

Here, say we drink this standing-bowl of wine to him.

THAISA.

Alas, my father, it befits not me

Unto a stranger knight to be so bold:

He may my proffer take for an offence,

Since men take women’s gifts for impudence.

SIMONIDES.

How!

Do as I bid you, or you’ll move me else.

THAISA. [Aside]

Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.

SIMONIDES.

And furthermore tell him, we desire to know of him,

Of whence he is, his name and parentage.

THAISA.

The king my father, sir, has drunk to you.

PERICLES.

I thank him.

THAISA.

Wishing it so much blood unto your life.

PERICLES.

I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely.

THAISA.

And further he desires to know of you,

Of whence you are, your name and parentage.

PERICLES.

A gentleman of Tyre; my name, Pericles;

My education been in arts and arms;

Who, looking for adventures in the world,

Was by the rough seas reft of ships and men,

And after shipwreck driven upon this shore.

THAISA.

He thanks your grace; names himself Pericles,

A gentleman of Tyre,

Who only by misfortune of the seas

Bereft of ships and men, cast on this shore.

SIMONIDES.

Now, by the gods, I pity his misfortune,

And will awake him from his melancholy.

Come, gentlemen, we sit too long on trifles,

And waste the time, which looks for other revels.

Even in your armours, as you are address’d,

Will very well become a soldier’s dance.

I will not have excuse, with saying this,

Loud music is too harsh for ladies’ heads

Since they love men in arms as well as beds.

[The Knights dance.]

So, this was well ask’d, ‘twas so well perform’d.

Come, sir;

Here is a lady which wants breathing too:

And I have heard you nights of Tyre

Are excellent in making ladies trip;

And that their measures are as exceltent.

PERICLES.

In those that practise them they are, my lord.

SIMONIDES.

O, that’s as much as you would be denied

Of your fair courtesy.

[The Knights and Ladies dance.]

Unclasp, unclasp:

Thanks gentlemen, to all; all have done well.

[To Pericles.]

But you the you the best. Pages and lights to conduct

These knights unto their several lodging.

[To Pericles.]

Yours, sir,

We have given order to be next our own.

PERICLES.

I am at your grace’s pleasure.

SIMONIDES.

Princes, it is too late to talk of love;

And that’s the mark I know you level at:

Therefore each one betake him to his rest;

Tomorrow all for speeding do their best.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE IV. Tyre. A room in the Govenor’s house.

[Enter Helicanus and Escanes.]

HELICANUS.

No, Escanes, know this of me,

Antiochus from incest lived not free:

For which, the most high gods not minding longer

To withhold the vengeance that they had in store

Due to this heinous capital offence,

Even in the height and pride of all his glory,

When he was seated in a chariot

Of an inestimable value, and his daughter with him,

A fire from heavn came and shrivell’d up

Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk,

That all those eyes adored them ere their fall

Scorn now their hand should give them burial.

ESCANES.

‘Twas very strange

HELICANUS.

And yet but justice; for though

This king were great; his greatness was no guard.

To bar heaven’s shaft, but sin had his reward.

ESCANES.

‘Tis very true.

[Enter two or three Lords.]

FIRST LORD.

See, not a man in private conference

Or council has respect with him but he.

SECOND LORD.

It shall no longer grieve with out reproof.

THIRD LORD.

And cursed be he that will not second it.

FIRST LORD.

Follow me, then. Lord Helicane, a word.

HELICANE.

With me? and welcome: happy day, my lords.

FIRST LORD.

Know that our griefs are risen to the top,

And now at length they overflow their banks.

HELICANE.

Your griefs! for what? wrong not your prince your love.

FIRST LORD.

Wrong not yourself, then, noble Helicane;

But if the prince do live, let us salute him.

Or know what ground’s made happy by his breath.

If in the world he live, we’ll seek him there;

And be resolved he lives to govern us,

Or dead, give’s cause to mourn his funeral,

And leave us to our free election.

SECOND LORD.

Whose death indeed ‘s the strongest in our censure:

And knowing this kingdom is without a head, —

Like goodly buildings left without a roof

Soon fall to ruin, — your noble self,

That best know how to rulle and how to reign,

We thus submit unto, — our sovereign.

ALL.

Live, noble Helicane!

HELICANUS.

For honour’s cause, forbear your suffrages:

If that you love Prince Pericles, forbear.

Take I your wish, I leap into the seas,

Where’s hourly trouble for a minute’s ease.

A twelve month longer, let me entreat you to

Forbear the absence of your king;

If in which time expired, he not return,

I shall with aged patience bear your yoke.

But if I cannot win you to this love,

Go search like nobles, like noble subjects,

And in your search spend your adventurous worth;

Whom if you find, and win unto return,

You shall like diamonds sit about his crown.

FIRST LORD.

To wisdom he’s a fool that will not yield;

And since Lord Helicane enjoineth us,

We with our travels will endeavour us.

HELICANUS.

Then you love us, we you, and we’ll clasp hands:

When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE V. Pentapolis. A room in the palace.

Enter Simonides, reading a letter at one door: the Knights meet him.]

FIRST KNIGHT.]

Good morrow to the good Simonides.

SIMONIDES.

Knights, from my daughter this I let you know,

That for this twelvemonth she’ll not undertake

A married life.

Her reason to herself is only known,

Which yet from her by no means can I get.

SECOND KNIGHT.

May we not get access to her, my lord?

SIMONIDES.

‘Faith, by no means; she hath so strictly tied

Her to her chamber, that ‘tis impossible.

One twelve moons more she’ll wear Diana’s livery;

This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow’d,

And on her virgin honour will not break it.

THIRD KNIGHT.

Loath to bid farewell, we take our leaves.

[Exeunt Knights.]

SIMONIDES.

So,

They are well dispatch’d; now to my daughter’s letter:

She tells me here, she’ll wed the stranger knight.

Or never more to view nor day nor light.

‘Tis well, mistress; your choice agrees with mine;

I like that well: nay, how absolute she’s in it,