Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Hel. Gentlemen,

There is some of worth would come aboard: I pray you,

To greet them fairly.

[The GENTLEMEN and the two SAILORS descend and go on board the Barge.

Enter, from thence, LYSIMACHUS and LORDS;

Enter, from the Barge, LORD, MARINA, and a young LADY.

Lys. Ob here is

The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one!
Is't not a goodly presence?
Hel A gallant lady.

Lys. She's such, that were I well assur'd she

came

the Tyrian GENTLEMEN, and the two SAI-Of gentle kind, and noble stock, I'd wish

LORS.

Tyr. Sail. Sir,

This is the man that can, in aught you would, Resolve you.

Lys. Hail, reverend Sir! the gods preserve you!

Hel. And you, Sir, to out-live the age I am,

And die as I would do.

Lys. You wish me well.

No better choice, and think me rarely wed.
Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
Expect even here, where is a kingly patient
If that thy prosperous-artificial feat
Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,
Thy sacred physic shall receive such pay
As thy desires can wish.

Mar. Sir, I will use

My utmost kill in his recovery,

Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's tri- Provided none but I and my companion

[blocks in formation]

To any one, nor taken sustenance, But to prorogue his grief.

[ocr errors]

Lys. Upon what ground is his distemperature ?

Hel. Sir, it would be too tedious to repeat; But the main grief of all, springs from the loss Of a beloved daughter and a wife.

Lys. May we not see him, then?
Hel. You may indeed, Sir

But bootless is your sight; he will not speak
To any.

Lys. Yet, let me obtain my wish.
Hel. Behold him, Sir: [PERICLES discovered.]
this was a goodly person,

Till the disaster, that, one mortal † night,
Drove him to this.

Lys. Sir, king, all hail! the gods preserve you! Hail,

Hail, royal Sir !

Hel. It is in vain : he will not speak to you. 1 Lord. Sir, we have a maid in Mitylene, I

[blocks in formation]

Be suffer'd to come near him.
Lys. Come, let us leave her,
And the gods make her prosperous !

[MARINA sings

Lys. Mark'd be your music?
Mar. No, nor look'd on us.
Lys. See, she will speak to him.
Mar. Hail, Sir! my lord, lend ear :-
Per. Hum! ha!

Mar. I am a maid,

My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,
But have been gaz'd on, comet-like:

speaks

she

My lord, that, may be, hath endur'd a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.
Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors

Who stood equivalent with mighty kings:
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and awkward casualties
Bound me in servitude.-I will desist;
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear, Go not till he speak.
[A side.
My fortunes-parentage—good paren
tage-

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look ́st] A crew of pirates came and resca'd me ;
Modest as justice, and thou seem'st a palace Brought me to Mitylene. But now, good Sir,
For the crown'd truth to dwell in: Pil believe Whither will you have me? Why do you weep!
It may be,

thee,

[blocks in formation]

If thine, consider'd, prove the thousandth part
Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I
Have suffer'd like girl: yet thou dost look
Like Patience, gazing on kings' graves, and
smiling
Extremity out of act.
How lost thou them?
virgin?

What were thy friends?
Thy name, my most kind

Recount, I do beseech thee: come, sit by me.
Mar. My name, Sir, is Marina.
Per. Oh! I am mock'd,

And thou by some incensed god sent hither
To make the world laugh at me.

Mar. Patience, good Sir,

Or here I'll cease.

Per. Nay, I'll be patient :

Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me, To call thyself Marina.

Mar. The name, Marina,

Was given me by one that had some power; My father, and a king.

Per. How! a king's daughter?

And call'd Marina ?

Mar. You said you would believe me; But, not to be a troubler of your peace,

I will end here.

[blocks in formation]

Per. At sea ?-thy mother?

Where were

You think me an impostor: no, good faith;
I am the daughter to king Pericles,
If good king Pericles be.

[merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus, (Not dead at Tharsus, as she should have been, By savage Cleon,) she shall tell thee all; When thon shalt kneel and justify in knowledge,

She is thy very princess.-Who is this?

Hel. Sir, 'tis the governor of Mityleue, Who, hearing of your melancholy state, Did come to see you.

Per. I embrace you, Sir.

Mar. My mother was the daughter of a king; Give me my robes-I am wild in my beholding.

Who died the very minute I was born,

As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft
Deliver'd weeping.

Per. Oh! stop there a little!

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be.
My daughter's buried. [As.de.] Well-where
were you bred?

P'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,

And never interrupt yon.

Mar. You'll scarce believe me: 'twere best I

did give o'er.

[blocks in formation]

O heavens bless my girl! But bark, what

music?

[blocks in formation]

SCENE II-The same. PERICLES on the Wears yet thy silver livery..
Deck asleep: DIANA appearing to him as
vin a vision.

Was nurs'd with Cleon: whom at fourteen

Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thither,

And do upon mine altar sacrifice.

years

He sought to murder: but her better stars'
Brought her to Mitylene; against whose shore
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard

us,

There, when my maiden priests are met to-where, by her own most clear remembrance, she

gether,

Before the people all,

Reveal how thon at sea didst lose thy wife :

To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's call,
And give them repetition to the life.

Perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe :
Do't, and be happy, by my silver bow."
Awake, and tell thy dream.

[DIANA disappears.
Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,
I will obey thee!-Helicanus !

Enter LYSINACHUS, HELICANUS, and

Hel. Sir.

MARINA.

Made known herself my daughter.
Thai. Voice and favour!—

You are you are-O royal Pericles !

If

[She faints.

Per. What means the woman? she dies! help,

gentlemen!

Cer. Noble Sir.

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;-Oh! she's but o'erjoy'd.

Per. My parpose was for Tharsus, there to Early, one blust'ring morn, this lady was

strike

The inhospitable Cleon; but I am

For other service first: toward Ephesus

Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee [To HELICANUS.

why.-

Shall we refresh us, Sir, upon your shore,
And give you gold for such provision
As our intents will need?

Thrown on this shore. I op'd the coffin, and Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and plac'd her

Here in Diana's temple.

Per. May we see them?

[ocr errors]

Cer. Great Sir, they shall be brought you to

my house,

Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is

Lys. With all my heart, Sir; and, when you Recover'd. come ashore,

I have another suit.

Per. You shall prevail,

Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems
You have been noble towards her.
Lys. Sir, lend your arm.

Per. Come, my Marina.

[Exeunt.

[blocks in formation]

Gow. Now our sands are almost run;

More a little, and then done.

This, as my last boon, give me,
(For such kindness must relieve me,)
That you aptly will suppose

• What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What minstrelsy, and pretty din,
The regent made in Mitylin,

To greet the king. So he has thriv'd,
That he is promis'd to be wiv'd
To fair Marina; but in no wise,
Till he had done his sacrifice,
As Dian bade: whereto being bound,
The interim, pray you, all confound.
In feather'd briefness sails are fill'd,
And wishes fall out as they're will'd.
At Ephesus, the temple see,
Our king, and all his company.
That he can hither come so soon,
Is by your fancy's thankful boon.

[blocks in formation]

Thai. Ob! 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 speak,
Like him you are: Did you not name a tem
pest,

A birth, and death?

Per. The voice of dead Thaisa!

Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead,
And drown'd. ‡

Per. Immortal Dian!

Thai. Now I know you better.

When we with tears parted Pentapolis,

The king, my father, gave you such a ring.

[Shows a ring.

Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your present kindness

Makes my past miseries sport: You shall do

well,

That on the touching of her lips I may
Melt, and no

buried

more be seen. O come, be

A second time within these arms.
Mar. My heart

Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom.

[Kneels to THAISA.

Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy

flesh, Thaisa;

Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina,
For she was yielded there.

Thai. Bless'd and mine own!

Hel. Hail, madam, and my queen!

Thai. I know you not.

Per. 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 nam'd him oft.

Thai. 'Twas Helicanus then.

LYSI

and

a

Per. Still confirmation:

Now do I long to hear how you were found;

Embrace him, dear Thaisa: this is he.

Per. Hail Dian! to perform thy just com- How possibly preserv'd; and whom to thank,

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now,
This ornament that makes me look so dismal,
Will 1, my lov'd Marina, 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, that my father's dead.

Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay, To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way. [Exeunt.

Enter GOWER.

[ocr errors]

Gow. In Antioch, 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 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 :
In reverend Cerimon there well appears,
The worth that learned charity aye wears.
For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fame
Had spread their cursed deed, and honour'd

name

Of Pericles, to rage the city turn;
That him and his they in his palace burn.

Per. Heavens make a star of him! Yet there,The gods for murder seemed so conteut

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.

I. e. His beard.

To punish them; although not done, but meaat So on your patience ever more attending, New joy wait on you! Here our play has ending. [Exit GOWER.

• 1. e. The king of Antioch.

HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK.

as

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

THIS tragedy is supposed to have been written in 1596. The principal incidents were probably drawn from a dramatic piece by one Thomas Ryd, and from a Historie of Hamblet, in black letter, adopted by Belleforest in his collection of novels (published 1564) from the narrative of Saxo-Grammaticus, the old Danish historian. The play has long been accounted a first-rate dramatic production, for, with some egregious blunders, it con tains a variety of unparalleled beauties. As originally written, it consumed four hours in the representation; persons, in Shakspeare's time, visiting the theatre so early as four o'clock, and regarding the quality less than the quantity obtained for their money: this will excuse some of those trifling interlocutions which yet remain. Perhaps none of our poet's undertakings have been subjected to so much erudite and ingenious criticism as this; and none, certainly, after its most severe exercise, have been left with so much to approve. For although it has been observed, with some appearance of justice, that in the management of the piece, Shakspeare has been rather unfortunate, all its most striking circumstances arising so early in the formation, not to leave him room for a conclusion suitable to the importance of its beginning;" yet this defect is amply recompensed by the sublimity of conception, the didactic morality of sentiment, the pathetic intenseness of feeling, the power and comprehensiveness of diction, and the delightful diversity of character, which are displayed in almost every scene. Indeed, were each drama of Shakspeare to be characterized by the particular quality which distinguishes it from the rest, the praise of variety must especially be given to the tragedy of Hamlet; as it is interchangeably contrasted" with merriment that includes judicious and instructive observations; and with solemnity not strained by peetical violence above the natural sentiments of man." To those, however, who are mentally capable of appreciating its excellences as a play, the charm of perusing it in the closet will probably be greater than the delight of witnessing its exhibition; since it is rich in the treasures of contemplative and philosophical speculation; divested of the glare and bustle which captivate or bewilder the senses; whilst the principal character, though furnished with abundant materials, is almost the only support of the piece, and seldom meets with a representative in whom the beauties of the original are effectively embodied. Of the plot it may be observed, that it teems with slaughter, and is justly obnoxious to criticism in many of its parts; but the catastrophe is certainly its most disgusting feature, and can only be tolerated by the known partiality of an English audience for a multiplicity of deaths and bloodshed. “The manner of Hamlet's death (says Dr. Johnson) is not very happily produced; for the exchange of weapons is rather an expedient of necessity, than a stroke of art."

CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

FRANCISCO, a Soldier.

HAMLET, Son to the former, and Nephew to REYNALDO, Servant to Polonius.

the present King.

POLONIUS, Lord Chamberlain.

[blocks in formation]

A CAPTAIN.-An AMBASSADOR.
GHOST of Hamlet's Father.

FORTINBRAS, Prince of Norway.

GERTRUDE, Queen of Denmark, and Mother of Hamlet.

OPHELIA, Daughter of Polonius.

Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Players, Grave-diggers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, Elsinore.

[blocks in formation]
« ZurückWeiter »