The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (559 page)

last devours them all at a mouthful: such whales

have I heard on o' the land, who never leave gaping

till they've swallowed the whole parish, church,

steeple, bells, and all.

Why, just as men do on land; the great ones eat up the

little ones: the best comparison for our rich misers

is a whale; he plays and

tumbles, driving the minnows ahead of him, and at last

swallows them all in one mouthful: I have heard of

such whales on the land, who never close their mouths

until they've swallowed the whole parish, church,

steeple, bells and all.

PERICLES

[Aside] A pretty moral.

A nice little parable.

Third Fisherman

But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have

been that day in the belfry.

But, master, if I had been the church keeper, I would have

made sure I was in the belfry that day.

Second Fisherman

Why, man?

Why, man?

Third Fisherman

Because he should have swallowed me too: and when I

had been in his belly, I would have kept such a

jangling of the bells, that he should never have

left, till he cast bells, steeple, church, and

parish up again. But if the good King Simonides

were of my mind,--

Because he would have swallowed me too: and when I

was in his belly, I would have kept up such a

racket with the bells that he would have no rest

until he had vomited up the bells, steeple, church and

parish again. But if the good King Simonides

thought like me–

PERICLES

[Aside] Simonides!

Simonides!

Third Fisherman

We would purge the land of these drones, that rob

the bee of her honey.

We would strip the land of these drones, that steal

the honey from the bee.

PERICLES

[Aside] How from the finny subject of the sea

These fishers tell the infirmities of men;

And from their watery empire recollect

All that may men approve or men detect!

Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.

How well these fishermen describe the weaknesses of men

in terms of the fish of the sea;

from their watery empire they find examples

of all the characteristics of men!

Blessings on your work, honest fishermen.

Second Fisherman

Honest! good fellow, what's that? If it be a day

fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody

look after it.

Honest! Dear chap, what's that? If it's a day

in the year that suits you, find it on the calendar,

but nobody else will see it.

PERICLES

May see the sea hath cast upon your coast–

You may have seen that the sea has washed up on your coast–

Second Fisherman

What a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee in our

way!

What a drunken scoundrel the sea was to throw you

in our path!

PERICLES

A man whom both the waters and the wind,

In that vast tennis-court, have made the ball

For them to play upon, entreats you pity him:

He asks of you, that never used to beg.

I'm a man whom both the waters and the wind

have made their tennis ball on that enormous

court for them to play with, and I ask you to pity me:

I'm asking you, I never used to beg.

First Fisherman

No, friend, cannot you beg? Here's them in our

country Greece gets more with begging than we can do

with working.

Really, friend, you can't beg? There are those in our

country of Greece who get more with begging than we do

from working.

Second Fisherman

Canst thou catch any fishes, then?

Can you catch fish, then?

PERICLES

I never practised it.

I've never tried.

Second Fisherman

Nay, then thou wilt starve, sure; for here's nothing

to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst fish for't.

Well then you will starve, for sure; there's nothing

else to eat in these parts, unless you fish for it.

PERICLES

What I have been I have forgot to know;

But what I am, want teaches me to think on:

A man throng'd up with cold: my veins are chill,

And have no more of life than may suffice

To give my tongue that heat to ask your help;

Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,

For that I am a man, pray see me buried.

I have forgotten what I used to be;

but my need makes me think of what I am now:

a man overwhelmed with cold: my blood is chilled

and I have only just enough energy to let me

move my tongue enough to ask you for help;

if you refuse to help me, when I'm dead,

out of humanity please see that I am buried.

First Fisherman

Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here;

come, put it on; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a

handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and

we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for

fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks,

and thou shalt be welcome.

Is he talking about dying? Heaven forbid! I have  a gown here;

come on, put it on, keep yourself warm. Now, look at that,

a handsome fellow! Come on, you shall come home, and

we'll have meat on holidays, fish on

fasting days, and what's more we'll have puddings and flapjacks,

and you will be welcome.

PERICLES

I thank you, sir.

Thank you, sir.

Second Fisherman

Hark you, my friend; you said you could not beg.

Listen here, my friend; you said you could not beg.

PERICLES

I did but crave.

All I did was ask.

Second Fisherman

But crave! Then I'll turn craver too, and so I

shall 'scape whipping.

Just ask! Then I'll become an asker too, and so I

won't get whipped.

PERICLES

Why, are all your beggars whipped, then?

Why, do all your beggars get whipped, then?

Second Fisherman

O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your

beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office

than to be beadle. But, master, I'll go draw up the

net.

Exit with Third Fisherman

Oh, not all, my friend, not all; if all the

beggars were whipped, I could wish for no better job

than to be the beadle. But, master, I'll go and pull up

the net.

PERICLES

[Aside] How well this honest mirth becomes their labour!

How well this  honest humour suits their work!

First Fisherman

Hark you, sir, do you know where ye are?

Listen, sir, do you know where you are?

PERICLES

Not well.

Not exactly.

First Fisherman

Why, I'll tell you: this is called Pentapolis, and

our king the good Simonides.

Well, I'll tell you: this place is called Pentapolis, and

our king is the good Simonides.

PERICLES

The good King Simonides, do you call him?

The good King Simonides, you call him?

First Fisherman

Ay, sir; and he deserves so to be called for his

peaceable reign and good government.

Yes, sir; and he deserves the name for his

peaceful reign and good government.

PERICLES

He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects

the name of good by his government. How far is his

court distant from this shore?

He is a lucky king, since his subjects call him good

on account of his government. How far is his

court from this shore?

First Fisherman

Marry, sir, half a day's journey: and I'll tell

you, he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her

birth-day; and there are princes and knights come

from all parts of the world to just and tourney for her love.

Well, sir, half a day's journey: and I'll you,

he has a beautiful daughter, and tomorrow is her

birthday; princes and knights have come

from all over the world to joust and compete for her love.

PERICLES

Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish

to make one there.

If my fortune matched my wishes, I would wish

to be one of them.

First Fisherman

O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man

cannot get, he may lawfully deal for his wife's soul.

Re-enter Second and Third Fishermen, drawing up a net

Oh sir, things go the way they will; what a man

can't get he can always swap for his wife's soul.

Second Fisherman

Help, master, help! here's a fish hangs in the net,

like a poor man's right in the law; 'twill hardly

come out. Ha! bots on't, 'tis come at last, and

'tis turned to a rusty armour.

Help, master, help! There's a fish caught in the net,

like a poor man caught in a lawsuit; it's almost impossible

to get it out. Ha! Curse it, it's come out at last, and

it turns out to be a rusty suit of armour.

PERICLES

An armour, friends! I pray you, let me see it.

Thanks, fortune, yet, that, after all my crosses,

Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself;

And though it was mine own, part of my heritage,

Which my dead father did bequeath to me,

With this strict charge, even as he left his life,

'Keep it, my Pericles; it hath been a shield

Twixt me and death;'--and pointed to this brace;--

'For that it saved me, keep it; in like necessity--

The which the gods protect thee from!--may

defend thee.'

It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it;

Till the rough seas, that spare not any man,

Took it in rage, though calm'd have given't again:

I thank thee for't: my shipwreck now's no ill,

Since I have here my father's gift in's will.

A suit of armour, friends! Please, let me see it.

I thank you, Fortune, that after all my setbacks

you have given me a way of restoring myself;