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Pericles - Act 4, scene 1
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Pericles - Act 4, scene 1Act 4, scene 1
⌜Scene 1⌝
Synopsis:
Dionyza’s hired murderer, Leonine, is prevented from murdering Marina by pirates, who carry her away to their ship.
Enter Dionyza with Leonine.DIONYZA
1448 Thy oath remember. Thou hast sworn to do ’t.
1449 ’Tis but a blow which never shall be known.
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119
1450
Thou canst not do a thing in the world so soon1451 To yield thee so much profit. Let not conscience,
1452 5 Which is but cold in flaming, thy bosom inflame
1453 Too nicely. Nor let pity, which even women
1454 Have cast off, melt thee; but be a soldier
1455 To thy purpose.
LEONINE 1456 I will do ’t; but yet
1457 10 She is a goodly creature.
DIONYZA 1458 The fitter, then,
1459 The gods should have her. Here she comes weeping
1460 For her only mistress’ death. Thou art resolved?
LEONINE 1461 I am resolved.
Enter Marina with a basket of flowers.
MARINA
1462 15 No, I will rob Tellus of her weed
1463 To strew thy green with flowers. The yellows, blues,
1464 The purple violets and marigolds
1465 Shall as a carpet hang upon thy grave
1466 While summer days doth last. Ay me, poor maid,
1467 20 Born in a tempest when my mother died,
1468 This world to me is ⌜as⌝ a lasting storm,
1469 Whirring me from my friends.
DIONYZA
1470 How now, Marina? Why do you keep alone?
1471 How chance my daughter is not with you?
1472 25 Do not consume your blood with sorrowing.
1473 Have you a nurse of me! Lord, how your favor ’s
1474 Changed with this unprofitable woe.
1475 Come, give me your flowers. ⌜O’er the sea marge⌝
1476 Walk with Leonine. The air is quick there,
1477 30 And it pierces and sharpens the stomach.—Come,
1478 Leonine,
1479 Take her by the arm. Walk with her.
MARINA 1480 No,
1481 I pray you, I’ll not bereave you of your servant.
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121
DIONYZA
1482
35Come, come.1483 I love the king your father and yourself
1484 With more than foreign heart. We every day
1485 Expect him here. When he shall come and find
1486 Our paragon to all reports thus blasted,
1487 40 He will repent the breadth of his great voyage,
1488 Blame both my lord and me that we have taken
1489 No care to your best courses. Go, I pray you,
1490 Walk, and be cheerful once again. Reserve
1491 That excellent complexion, which did steal
1492 45 The eyes of young and old. Care not for me.
1493 I can go home alone.
MARINA 1494 Well, I will go,
1495 But yet I have no desire to it.
DIONYZA 1496 Come, come,
1497 50 I know ’tis good for you.—Walk half an hour,
1498 Leonine, at the least. Remember
1499 What I have said.
LEONINE 1500 I warrant you, madam.
DIONYZA
1501 I’ll leave you, my sweet lady, for a while.
1502 55 Pray walk softly; do not heat your blood.
1503 What, I must have care of you.
MARINA 1504 My thanks, sweet madam.⌜Dionyza exits.⌝
1505 Is this wind westerly that blows?
LEONINE 1506 Southwest.
MARINA
1507 60 When I was born, the wind was north.
LEONINE 1508 Was ’t so?
MARINA
1509 My father, as nurse says, did never fear,
1510 But cried “Good seamen!” to the sailors,
1511 Galling his kingly hands haling ropes,
1512 65 And, clasping to the mast, endured a sea
1513 That almost burst the deck.
LEONINE 1514 When was this?
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123
MARINA
1515
When I was born.1516 Never was waves nor wind more violent,
1517 70 And from the ladder-tackle washes off
1518 A canvas-climber. “Ha!” says one, “Wolt out?”
1519 And with a dropping industry they skip
1520 From stern to stern. The Boatswain whistles, and
1521 The Master calls and trebles their confusion.
LEONINE 1522 75Come, say your prayers.
⌜He draws his sword.⌝
MARINA 1523 What mean you?
LEONINE
1524 If you require a little space for prayer,
1525 I grant it. Pray, but be not tedious, for
1526 The gods are quick of ear, and I am sworn
1527 80 To do my work with haste.
MARINA 1528 Why will you kill me?
LEONINE 1529 To satisfy my lady.
MARINA 1530 Why would she have me killed?
1531 Now, as I can remember, by my troth,
1532 85 I never did her hurt in all my life.
1533 I never spake bad word, nor did ill turn
1534 To any living creature. Believe me, la,
1535 I never killed a mouse, nor hurt a fly.
1536 I trod upon a worm against my will,
1537 90 But I wept for ’t. How have I offended
1538 Wherein my death might yield her any profit
1539 Or my life imply her any danger?
LEONINE 1540 My commission
1541 Is not to reason of the deed, but do ’t.
MARINA
1542 95 You will not do ’t for all the world, I hope.
1543 You are well-favored, and your looks foreshow
1544 You have a gentle heart. I saw you lately
1545 When you caught hurt in parting two that fought.
1546 Good sooth, it showed well in you. Do so now.
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125
1547
100 Your lady seeks my life. Come you between,1548 And save poor me, the weaker.
LEONINE 1549 I am sworn
1550 And will dispatch.⌜He seizes her.⌝
Enter Pirates.
FIRST PIRATE 1551 Hold, villain!⌜Leonine runs offstage.⌝
SECOND PIRATE 1552 105A prize, a prize!⌜He seizes Marina.⌝
THIRD PIRATE 1553 Half-part, mates, half-part. Come, let’s
1554 have her aboard suddenly.
⌜They⌝ exit, ⌜carrying Marina.⌝
Enter Leonine.
LEONINE
1555 These roguing thieves serve the great pirate Valdes,
1556 And they have seized Marina. Let her go.
1557 110 There’s no hope she will return. I’ll swear she’s dead,
1558 And thrown into the sea. But I’ll see further.
1559 Perhaps they will but please themselves upon her,
1560 Not carry her aboard. If she remain,
1561 Whom they have ravished must by me be slain.
He exits.