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• Pericles Prince of Tyre: Dramatis PersonÆ.
• Act I.
• Scene I.—: Antioch. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene II.—: Tyre. a Room In the Palace.
• Scene III.—: The Same. an Antechamber In the Palace.
• Scene IV.—: Tarsus. a Room In the Governor’s House.
• Act II.
• Dumb Show.
• Scene I.—: Pentapolis. an Open Place By the Sea-side.
• Scene II.—: The Same. a Public Way. Platform Leading to the Lists. a Pavilion Near It, For the Reception of Theking, Princess, Ladies, Lords, &c.
• Scene III.—: The Same. a Hall of State. a Banquet Prepared.
• Scene IV.—: Tyre. a Room In the Governor’s House.
• Scene V.—: Pentapolis. a Room In the Palace.
• Act III.
• Dumb Show.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.—: Ephesus. a Room Incerimon’shouse.
• Scene III.—: Tarsus. a Room Incleon’shouse.
• Scene IV.—: Ephesus. a Room Incerimon’shouse.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.—: Tarsus. an Open Place Near the Sea-shore.
• Scene II.—: Mitylene. a Room In a Brothel.
• Scene III.—: Tarsus. a Room Incleon’shouse.
• Scene IV.—: Before the Monument Ofmarinaat Tarsus.
• Dumb Show.
• Scene V.—: Mitylene. a Street Before the Brothel.
• Scene VI.—: The Same. a Room In the Brothel.
• Act V.
• Scene I.—: On Boardpericles’ Ship, Off Mitylene. a Pavilion On Deck, With a Curtain Before It;pericleswithin It, Reclined On a Couch. a Barge Lying Beside the Tyrian Vessel.
• Scene II.—: Before the Temple Ofdianaat Ephesus.
• Scene III.—: The Temple Ofdianaat Ephesus;thaisastanding Near the Altar, As High Priestess; a Number of Virgins On Each Side;cerimonand Other Inhabitants of Ephesus Attending.

Scene I.

EnterPericles,on shipboard.

Per.

Thou God of this great vast, rebuke these surges,

Which wash both heaven and hell; and thou, that hast

Upon the winds command, bind them in brass,

Having call’d them from the deep. O! still

Thy deafening, dreadful thunders; gently quench

Thy nimble, sulphurous flashes. O! how Lychorida,

How does my queen? Thou stormest venomously;

Wilt thou spit all thyself? The seaman’s whistle

Is as a whisper in the ears of death,

Unheard. Lychorida! Lucina, O!

Divinest patroness, and midwife gentle

To those that cry by night, convey thy deity

Aboard our dancing boat; make swift the pangs

Of my queen’s travails!

EnterLychorida,with an Infant.

Now, Lychorida!

Lyc.

Here is a thing too young for such a place,

Who, if it had conceit, would die, as I

Am like to do: take in your arms this piece

Of your dead queen.

Per.

How, how, Lychorida!

Lyc.

Patience, good sir; do not assist the storm.

Here’s all that is left living of your queen,

A little daughter: for the sake of it,

Be manly, and take comfort.

Per.

O you gods!

Why do you make us love your goodly gifts,

And snatch them straight away? We here below,

Recall not what we give, and therein may

Use honour with you.

Lyc.

Patience, good sir,

Even for this charge.

Per.

Now, mild may be thy life!

For a more blust’rous birth had never babe:

Quiet and gentle thy conditions!

For thou art the rudeliest welcome to this world

That e’er was prince’s child. Happy what follows!

Thou hast as chiding a nativity

As fire, air, water, earth, and heaven can make,

To herald thee from the womb; even at the first

Thy loss is more than can thy portage quit,

With all thou canst find here. Now, the good gods

Throw their best eyes upon ’t!

Enter two Sailors.

First Sail.

What courage, sir? God save you!

Per.

Courage enough. I do not fear the flaw;

It hath done to me the worst. Yet for the love

Of this poor infant, this fresh-new sea-farer,

I would it would be quiet.

First Sail.

Slack the bolins there! thou wilt not, wilt thou? Blow, and split thyself.

Sec. Sail.

But sea-room, an the brine and cloudy billow kiss the moon, I care not.

First Sail.

Sir, you queen must overboard: the sea works high, the wind is loud, and will not lie till the ship be cleared of the dead.

Per.

That’s your superstition.

First Sail.

Pardon us, sir; with us at sea it hath been still observed, and we are strong in custom. Therefore briefly yield her, for she must overboard straight.

Per.

As you think meet. Most wretched queen!

Lyc.

Here she lies, sir.

Per.

A terrible child-bed hast thou had, my dear;

No light, no fire: the unfriendly elements

Forgot thee utterly; nor have I time

To give thee hallow’d to thy grave, but straight

Must cast thee, scarcely coffin’d, in the ooze;

Where, for a monument upon thy bones,

And aye-remaining lamps, the belching whale

And humming water must o’erwhelm thy corpse,

Lying with simple shells! O Lychorida!

Bid Nestor bring me spices, ink and paper,

My casket and my jewels; and bid Nicander

Bring me the satin coffer: lay the babe

Upon the pillow. Hie thee, whiles I say

A priestly farewell to her: suddenly, woman.

[ExitLychorida.

Sec. Sail.

Sir, we have a chest beneath the hatches, caulk’d and bitumed ready.

Per.

I thank thee. Mariner, say what coast is this?

Sec. Sail.

We are near Tarsus.

Per.

Thither, gentle mariner,

Alter thy course for Tyre. When canst thou reach it?

Sec. Sail.

By break of day, if the wind cease.

Per.

O! make for Tarsus.

There will I visit Cleon, for the babe

Cannot hold out to Tyrus; there I’ll leave it

At careful nursing. Go thy ways, good mariner;

I’ll bring the body presently.

[Exeunt.