Lys. A pillow for his head; [The Curtain before the Pavilion of PERICLES is closed. So leave him all.-Well, my companion-friends 25, If this but answer to my just belief, I'll well remember you. [Exeunt LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, MARINA, and attendant Lady. PERICLES on the Deck asleep; DIANA appearing to him as in a Vision1. Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thither, And do upon mine altar sacrifice. There, when my maiden priests are met together, Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife; Perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe: 25 Malone would give these lines to Marina, readingWell, my companion-friend.' Observing that a lady had entered with her, and Marina says, I will use my utmost skill in the recovery of Pericles, Steevens contends for the text as it stands, remarking that 'Lysimachus is much in love with Marina, and supposing himself to be near the gratification of his wishes, with a generosity common to noble natures on such occasions, is desirous to make his friends and companions partakers of his happiness.' 1 This vision appears to be founded on a passage in Gower. 2 In the old copy we have here like for life again. The passage appears to mean:- Draw such a picture as shall prove itself to have been copied from real, not from pretended calamities; such a one as shall strike the hearers with all the lustre of conspicuous truth.' Do't, and be happy, by my silver bow. Awake, and tell thy dream. [DIANA disappears. Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine3, I will obey thee!-Helicanus! Enter LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, and MARINA. Hel. Sir. Per. My purpose was for Tharsus, there to strike The inhospitable Cleon; but I am For other service first: toward Ephesus 4 Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee why. [To HELICANUS. Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore, And give you gold for such provision As our intents will need? Lys. With all my heart, sir; and when you 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. Gow. Now our sands are almost run; More a little, and then done5. This, as my last boon, give me (For such kindness must relieve me), 3 i. e. regent of the silver moon. In the language of alchemy, which was well understood when this play was written, Luna or Diana means silver, as Sol does gold. 4 That is, our swollen sails.' So in Antony and Cleopatra: A vent upon her arm, and something blown.' 5 The old copy reads dum. And in the last line of this chorus doom instead of boon. That you aptly will suppose What pageantry, what feats, what shows, The regent made in Mitylin, To greet the king. So he has thriv'd, SCENE III. [Exit. The Temple of DIANA at Ephesus: THAISA standing near the Altar, as High Priestess; a number of Virgins on each side; CERIMON and other Inhabitants of Ephesus attending. Enter PERICLES, with his Train; LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, MARINA, and a Lady. Per. Hail Dian! to perform thy just command, I here confess myself the king of Tyre; Who, frighted from my country, did wed At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth 6 i. e. Pericles. 7 Confound here signifies to consume. ་ He did confound the best part of an hour King Henry V. Wears yet thy silver livery1. She at Tharsus Was nurs'd with Cleon; whom at fourteen years He sought to murder: but her better stars Brought her to Mitylene: against whose shore Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us, Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she Made known herself my daughter. Thai. Voice and favour! You are you are- -O royal Pericles 2 !— If [She faints. Per. What means the woman? she dies! help, gentlemen! Cer. Noble sir, you have told Diana's altar true, This is 1 i. e. her white robe of innocence, as being yet under the protection of the goddess of chastity. 2 The similitude between this scene and the discovery in the last act of The Winter's Tale will strike every reader. In the fragment of the Old Metrical Romance, formerly in Dr. Farmer's possession, mentioned in the Preliminary Remarks, this is told with simplicity and pathos. I lay it before the reader as a philological curiosity :— The whiles he expounede thus hys lyf My mayst' that taugt me all my good'- Per. Reverend appearer, no; I threw her overboard with these very arms. Cer. Upon this coast, I warrant you. 'Tis most certain. Cer. Look to the lady;-O, she's but o'erjoy'd! Early, one blust'ring morn, this lady was 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 3. Per. May we see them? Cer. Great sir, they shall be brought you to my house *, Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is Thai. O, let me look! If he be none of mine, my sanctity Will to my sense 5 bend no licentious ear, Per. The voice of dead Thaisa! Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead, And drown'do. Per. Immortal Dian! 3 The same situation occurs again in the Comedy of Errors, where Ægeon loses his wife at sea, and finds her at last in a nunnery. 4 This circumstance bears some resemblance to the meeting of Leontes and Hermione in The Winter's Tale. The office of Cerimon is not unlike that of Paulina.、 5 Sense is here used for sensual passion. 6 Drown'd in this instance does not signify suffocated by water, but overwhelmed in it. Thus Knolles, History of the Turks Galleys might be drowned in the harbour with the great ordnance, before they could be rigged.' |