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Pericles - Act 3, scene 1
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Pericles - Act 3, scene 1Act 3, scene 1
⌜Scene 1⌝
Synopsis:
In the storm, Thaisa dies in giving birth and her body is cast into the sea. To save the baby, Pericles orders the ship to change course and sail to Tarsus.
Enter Pericles, a-shipboard.PERICLES
1117 The god of this great vast, rebuke these surges,
1118 Which wash both heaven and hell! And thou that hast
1119 Upon the winds command, bind them in brass,
1120 Having called them from the deep! O, still
1121 5 Thy deaf’ning dreadful thunders, gently quench
1122 Thy nimble sulfurous flashes.—O, how, Lychorida,
1123 How does my queen?—Then, storm, venomously
1124 Wilt thou spit all thyself? The seaman’s whistle
1125 Is as a whisper in the ears of death,
1126 10 Unheard.—Lychorida!—Lucina, O
1127 Divinest patroness and ⌜midwife⌝ gentle
1128 To those that cry by night, convey thy deity
1129 Aboard our dancing boat, make swift the pangs
1130 Of my queen’s travails!—Now, Lychorida!
Enter Lychorida, ⌜carrying an infant.⌝
LYCHORIDA
1131 15 Here is a thing too young for such a place,
1132 Who, if it had conceit, would die, as I
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1133
Am like to do. Take in your arms this piece1134 Of your dead queen.
PERICLES 1135 How? How, Lychorida?
LYCHORIDA
1136 20 Patience, good sir. Do not assist the storm.
1137 Here’s all that is left living of your queen,
1138 A little daughter. For the sake of it,
1139 Be manly and take comfort.
PERICLES 1140 O you gods!
1141 25 Why do you make us love your goodly gifts
1142 And snatch them straight away? We here below
1143 Recall not what we give, and therein may
1144 Use honor with you.
LYCHORIDA 1145 Patience, good sir,
1146 30 Even for this charge.⌜She hands him the infant.⌝
PERICLES, ⌜to the infant⌝ 1147 Now mild may be thy life,
1148 For a more blusterous birth had never babe.
1149 Quiet and gentle thy conditions, for
1150 Thou art the rudeliest welcome to this world
1151 35 That ever was prince’s child. Happy what follows!
1152 Thou hast as chiding a nativity
1153 As fire, air, water, earth, and heaven can make
1154 To herald thee from the womb.
1155 Even at the first, thy loss is more than can
1156 40 Thy portage quit, with all thou canst find here.
1157 Now the good gods throw their best eyes upon ’t.
Enter two Sailors.
FIRST SAILOR 1158 What courage, sir? God save you.
PERICLES
1159 Courage enough. I do not fear the flaw.
1160 It hath done to me the worst. Yet for the love
1161 45 Of this poor infant, this fresh new seafarer,
1162 I would it would be quiet.
FIRST SAILOR 1163 Slack the bowlines there!—Thou wilt not,
1164 wilt thou? Blow, and split thyself!
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SECOND SAILOR
1165
But searoom, an the brine and cloudy1166 50 billow kiss the moon, I care not.
FIRST SAILOR 1167 Sir, your queen must overboard. The sea
1168 works high, the wind is loud, and will not lie till
1169 the ship be cleared of the dead.
PERICLES 1170 That’s your superstition.
FIRST SAILOR 1171 55Pardon us, sir; with us at sea it hath been
1172 still observed, and we are strong in ⌜custom.⌝
1173 Therefore briefly yield ’er, ⌜for she must overboard
1174 straight.⌝
PERICLES 1175 As you think meet.—Most wretched queen!
LYCHORIDA 1176 60Here she lies, sir.
PERICLES
1177 A terrible childbed hast thou had, my dear,
1178 No light, no fire. Th’ unfriendly elements
1179 Forgot thee utterly. Nor have I time
1180 To give thee hallowed to thy grave, but straight
1181 65 Must cast thee, scarcely coffined, in ⌜the ooze,⌝
1182 Where, for a monument upon thy bones
1183 ⌜And e’er-remaining⌝ lamps, the belching whale
1184 And humming water must o’erwhelm thy corpse,
1185 Lying with simple shells.—O, Lychorida,
1186 70 Bid Nestor bring me spices, ink, and ⌜paper,⌝
1187 My casket and my jewels; and bid Nicander
1188 Bring me the satin coffin. Lay the babe
1189 Upon the pillow. Hie thee, whiles I say
1190 A priestly farewell to her. Suddenly, woman!
⌜Lychorida exits.⌝
SECOND SAILOR 1191 75Sir, we have a chest beneath the hatches,
1192 caulked and bitumed ready.
PERICLES
1193 I thank thee, mariner. Say, what coast is this?
SECOND SAILOR 1194 We are near Tarsus.
PERICLES 1195 Thither, gentle mariner.
1196 80 Alter thy course for Tyre. When canst thou reach it?
SECOND SAILOR 1197 By break of day if the wind cease.
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PERICLES
1198
O, make for Tarsus!1199 There will I visit Cleon, for the babe
1200 Cannot hold out to Tyrus. There I’ll leave it
1201 85 At careful nursing. Go thy ways, good mariner.
1202 I’ll bring the body presently.
⌜They⌝ exit.