Pericles, Prince of Tyre

SCENE III. 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.]

PERICLESHail, Dian! to perform thy just command,I here confess myself the king of Tyre;Who, frighted from my country, did wedAt Pentapolis the fair Thaisa.At sea in childbed died she, but brought forthA maid-child call'd Marina; who, O goddess,Wears yet thy silver livery. She at TarsusWas nursed with Cleon; who at fourteen yearsHe sought to murder: but her better starsBrought her to Mytilene; 'gainst whose shoreRiding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us,Where by her own most clear remembrance, sheMade known herself my daughter.THAISAVoice and favour!You are, you are – O royal Pericles!

[Faints.]

PERICLESWhat means the nun? she dies! help, gentlemen!CERIMONNoble sir,If you have told Diana's altar true,This is your wife.PERICLESReverend appearer, no;I threw her overboard with these very arms.CERIMONUpon this coast, I warrant you.PERICLES'Tis most certain.CERIMONLook to the lady; O, she's but o'er-joy'd.Early in blustering morn this lady wasThrown upon this shore. I oped the coffin,Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and placed herHere in Diana's temple.PERICLESMay we see them?CERIMONGreat sir, they shall be brought you to my house,Whither I invite you. Look, Thaisa isRecovered.THAISAO, let me look!If he be none of mine, my sanctityWill to my sense bend no licentious ear,But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord,Are you not Pericles? Like him you spake,Like him you are: did you not name a tempest,A birth, and death?PERICLESThe voice of dead Thaisa!THAISAThat Thaisa am I, supposed deadAnd drown'd.PERICLESImmortal Dian!THAISANow I know you better,When we with tears parted Pentapolis,The king my father gave you such a ring.

[Shows a ring.]

PERICLESThis, this: no more, you gods! your present kindnessMakes my past miseries sports: you shall do well,That on the touching of her lips I mayMelt and no more be seen. O, come, be buriedA second time within these arms.MARINAMy heartLeaps to be gone into my mother's bosom.

[Kneels to Thaisa.]

PERICLESLook, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa;Thy burden at the sea, and call'd MarinaFor she was yielded there.THAISABlest, and mine own!HELICANUSHail, madam, and my queen!THAISAI know you not.PERICLESYou have heard me say, when did fly from Tyre,I left behind an ancient substitute:Can you remember what I call'd the manI have named him oft.THAISA'Twas Helicanus then.PERICLESStill confirmation:Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he.Now do I long to hear how you were found:How possibly preserved; and who to thank,Besides the gods, for this great miracle.THAISALord Cerimon, my lord; this man,Through whom the gods have shown their power; that canFrom first to last resolve you.PERICLESReverend sir,The gods can have no mortal officerMore like a god than you. Will you deliverHow this dead queen re-lives?CERIMONI will, my lordBeseech you, first go with me to my house,Where shall be shown you all was found with her;How she came placed here in the temple;No needful thing omitted.PERICLESPure Dian, bless thee for thy vision! IWill offer night-oblations to thee. Thaisa,This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter,Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now,This ornamentMakes me look dismal will I clip to form;And what this fourteen years no razor touch'dTo grace thy marriage-day, I'll beautify.THAISALord Cerimon hath letters of good credit, sir,My father's dead.PERICLESHeavens make a star of him! Yet there, my queen,We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselvesWill in that kingdom spend our following days:Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign.Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stayTo hear the rest untold: sir, lead's the way.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter Gower.]

GOWERIn Antiochus and his daughter you have heardOf monstrous lust the due and just reward:In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen,Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen,Virtue preserved from fell destruction's blast,Led on by heaven, and crown'd with joy at last:In Helicanus may you well descryA figure of truth, of faith, of loyalty:In reverend Cerimon there well appearsThe worth that learned charity aye wears:For wicked Cleon and his wife, when fameHad spread their cursed deed, and honour'd nameOf Pericles, to rage the city turn,That him and his they in his palace burn;The gods for murder seemed so contentTo punish them although not done but meant.So, on your patence evermore attending,New joy wait on you! Here our play has ending.

[Exit.]