The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (566 page)

May the two latter darken and expend;

But immortality attends the former,

Making a man a god. 'Tis known, I ever

Have studied physic, through which secret art,

By turning o'er authorities, I have,

Together with my practise, made familiar

To me and to my aid the blest infusions

That dwell in vegetives, in metals, stones;

And I can speak of the disturbances

That nature works, and of her cures; which doth give me

A more content in course of true delight

Than to be thirsty after tottering honour,

Or tie my treasure up in silken bags,

To please the fool and death.

I have always said

that virtue and  cunning are better things to have

than nobility and wealth: careless heirs

can stain and spend the latter;

the former lasts forever,

making man a God. You know I have always

studied medicine, and through that secret art,

by reading the works of masters, I have,

combined with my experiments, made myself

and my assistant familiar with the substances

which dwell in plants, in metals and stones;

I can describe the disturbances that

nature causes, and how to cure them; this gives me

more genuine happiness

than to always be chasing worthless honours,

or storing up my treasure in silk bags,

to please the fool and death.

Second Gentleman

Your honour has through Ephesus pour'd forth

Your charity, and hundreds call themselves

Your creatures, who by you have been restored:

And not your knowledge, your personal pain, but even

Your purse, still open, hath built Lord Cerimon

Such strong renown as time shall ne'er decay.

Enter two or three Servants with a chest

Your honour has spread your charity throughout

Ephesus, and hundreds who have been saved by you

call themselves your servants:

and your knowledge, your great efforts, and also

your generosity with money, have given the Lord Cerimon

such great fame that he will never be forgotten.

First Servant

So; lift there.

That's it, lift your end.

CERIMON

What is that?

What's that?

First Servant

Sir, even now

Did the sea toss upon our shore this chest:

'Tis of some wreck.

Sir, just now

the sea washed this chest up on our shore:

it's from some wreck.

CERIMON

Set 't down, let's look upon't.

Put it down, let's have a look at it.

Second Gentleman

'Tis like a coffin, sir.

It's like a coffin, sir.

CERIMON

Whate'er it be,

'Tis wondrous heavy. Wrench it open straight:

If the sea's stomach be o'ercharged with gold,

'Tis a good constraint of fortune it belches upon us.

Whatever it is,

it's amazingly heavy. Tear it open at once:

if the sea has too much gold in its stomach,

it's a bit of luck that it's belched some up for us.

Second Gentleman

'Tis so, my lord.

That's right, my lord.

CERIMON

How close 'tis caulk'd and bitumed!

Did the sea cast it up?

How tightly it's waterproofed!

Did the sea throw it up?

First Servant

I never saw so huge a billow, sir,

As toss'd it upon shore.

I never saw such a great wave, sir,

as the one which threw it onto the shore.

CERIMON

Wrench it open;

Soft! it smells most sweetly in my sense.

Tear it open;

well! It smells very sweet to me.

Second Gentleman

A delicate odour.

A delicate odour.

CERIMON

As ever hit my nostril. So, up with it.

O you most potent gods! what's here? a corse!

As sweet as I ever smelt. So, off with the lid.

Oh you powerful gods! What's this? A corpse!

First Gentleman

Most strange!

Very strange!

CERIMON

Shrouded in cloth of state; balm'd and entreasured

With full bags of spices! A passport too!

Apollo, perfect me in the characters!

Reads from a scroll

'Here I give to understand,

If e'er this coffin drive a-land,

I, King Pericles, have lost

This queen, worth all our mundane cost.

Who finds her, give her burying;

She was the daughter of a king:

Besides this treasure for a fee,

The gods requite his charity!'

If thou livest, Pericles, thou hast a heart

That even cracks for woe! This chanced tonight.

Wrapped in royal robes; embalmed and packed round

with full bags of spices! A passport too!

Apollo, help me read what it says!

‘I would like you to understand,

if this coffin ever reaches land,

I, King Pericles, have lost

this priceless queen.

If you find her then bury her;

she was the daughter of a king.

Take this treasure as your fee,

and may the gods bless you for your charity!’

If you are alive, Pericles, your heart

must be broken with sorrow! This happened last night.

Second Gentleman

Most likely, sir.

Very probably, sir.

CERIMON

Nay, certainly to-night;

For look how fresh she looks! They were too rough

That threw her in the sea. Make a fire within:

Fetch hither all my boxes in my closet.

Exit a Servant

Death may usurp on nature many hours,

And yet the fire of life kindle again

The o'erpress'd spirits. I heard of an Egyptian

That had nine hours lien dead,

Who was by good appliance recovered.

Re-enter a Servant, with boxes, napkins, and fire

Well said, well said; the fire and cloths.

The rough and woeful music that we have,

Cause it to sound, beseech you.

The viol once more: how thou stirr'st, thou block!

The music there!--I pray you, give her air.

Gentlemen.

This queen will live: nature awakes; a warmth

Breathes out of her: she hath not been entranced

Above five hours: see how she gins to blow

Into life's flower again!

Yes, it was certainly last night;

look how fresh she looks! They were too hasty

when they threw her into the sea. Light a fire indoors;

bring me all the boxes from my cupboard.

Death can overcome a person for many hours,

and yet the sufferer can still

be brought back to life. I heard of an Egyptian

who lay dead for nine hours,

who was brought back to life with good treatment.

Well done, well done; the fire and cloths.

I beg you, play what quiet

and sad music we have.

The violin again; you thickheaded slowcoach!

Play the music! Please, give her room.

Gentlemen, this queen will live.

The warm breath of life comes from her.

She has not been in a coma for more than five hours;

look, she's starting to breathe again!

First Gentleman

The heavens,

Through you, increase our wonder and set up

Your fame forever.

The gods,

acting through you, astonish us and make you

famous forever.

CERIMON

She is alive; behold,

Her eyelids, cases to those heavenly jewels

Which Pericles hath lost,

Begin to part their fringes of bright gold;

The diamonds of a most praised water

Do appear, to make the world twice rich. Live,

And make us weep to hear your fate, fair creature,

Rare as you seem to be.

She moves

She is alive; look,

her eyelids, covers for those heavenly jewels

which Pericles has lost,

begin to open their bright gold edges;

the most wonderful diamonds

appear, and the world is twice as rich. Live,

and make us weep to hear your story, fair creature,

unique as you seem to be.

THAISA

O dear Diana,

Where am I? Where's my lord? What world is this?

Oh dear Diana,

where am I? Where's my lord? What world am I in?

Second Gentleman

Is not this strange?

Isn't this strange?

First Gentleman

Most rare.

Very unusual.

CERIMON

Hush, my gentle neighbours!

Lend me your hands; to the next chamber bear her.

Get linen: now this matter must be look'd to,

For her relapse is mortal. Come, come;

And AEsculapius guide us!

Exeunt, carrying her away

Quiet, my gentle neighbours!

Give me a hand; carry her to the next room.

Get sheets: we must treat her at once,

for a relapse would be fatal. Come on, come on;

and let the God of healing guide us.

Enter PERICLES, CLEON, DIONYZA, and LYCHORIDA with MARINA in her arms

PERICLES

Most honour'd Cleon, I must needs be gone;

My twelve months are expired, and Tyrus stands

In a litigious peace. You, and your lady,

Take from my heart all thankfulness! The gods

Make up the rest upon you!

Most honoured Cleon, I have to go;

my twelve months are up, and the peace of Tyre

is disturbed with constant bickering. I thank you