The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (574 page)

Would own a name too dear. O, that the gods

Would safely deliver me from this place!

Here, here's gold for thee.

If that thy master would gain by thee,

Proclaim that I can sing, weave, sew, and dance,

With other virtues, which I'll keep from boast:

And I will undertake all these to teach.

I doubt not but this populous city will

Yield many scholars.

Do anything but what you're doing now. Empty

chamber pots, or clean the common sewers;

become an apprentice to the common hangman:

any of those things are better than doing this;

what you do for a job, a baboon, if he could speak,

would say it was beneath his dignity. Oh, I wish the gods

would get me safely away from this place!

Here, here's gold for you.

If your master wants to make a profit from me,

advertise that I can sing, weave, sew and dance,

with other accomplishments, which I won't boast about;

and I will agree to teach all of this.

I don't doubt that this crowded city will

provide many students.

BOULT

But can you teach all this you speak of?

But can you teach all these things you mention?

MARINA

Prove that I cannot, take me home again,

And prostitute me to the basest groom

That doth frequent your house.

If it's shown that I cannot, bring me back here,

and sell me to the lowest groom

who comes to your house.

BOULT

Well, I will see what I can do for thee: if I can

place thee, I will.

Well, I will see what I can do for you: if I can

find you a place, I will.

MARINA

But amongst honest women.

But amongst honest women.

BOULT

'Faith, my acquaintance lies little amongst them.

But since my master and mistress have bought you,

there's no going but by their consent: therefore I

will make them acquainted with your purpose, and I

doubt not but I shall find them tractable enough.

Come, I'll do for thee what I can; come your ways.

Exeunt

By God, I don't know many of them.

But since my master and mistress have bought you,

you can't go without their agreement: so I

will tell them what you want to do, and I

am sure that they will be agreeable enough.

Come on, I'll do what I can for you; come along with me.

A close pavilion on deck, with a curtain before it; PERICLES

within it, reclined on a couch. A barge lying

beside the Tyrian vessel.

Enter GOWER

GOWER

Marina thus the brothel 'scapes, and chances

Into an honest house, our story says.

She sings like one immortal, and she dances

As goddess-like to her admired lays;

Deep clerks she dumbs; and with her needle composes

Nature's own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,

That even her art sisters the natural roses;

Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry:

That pupils lacks she none of noble race,

Who pour their bounty on her; and her gain

She gives the cursed bawd. Here we her place;

And to her father turn our thoughts again,

Where we left him, on the sea. We there him lost;

Whence, driven before the winds, he is arrived

Here where his daughter dwells; and on this coast

Suppose him now at anchor. The city strived

God Neptune's annual feast to keep: from whence

Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,

His banners sable, trimm'd with rich expense;

And to him in his barge with fervor hies.

In your supposing once more put your sight

Of heavy Pericles; think this his bark:

Where what is done in action, more, if might,

Shall be discover'd; please you, sit and hark.

Exit

And so, our story says that Marina escapes

the brothel and comes into an honest house.

She sings like a goddess, and she dances

just as divinely to her lovely songs.

She does complex embroidery, and with her needle

constructs nature's own shapes, buds, birds, branches or berries,

that through her skill are the sisters of the natural roses;

her silken thread is the twin of the glossy cherry:

she has plenty of pupils from the nobility,

who heap their riches upon her; and she gives

her profits to the cursed brothel keeper. We'll leave her there

and turn our thoughts back to her father, where we left him on the sea.

Driven by the winds, he has arrived

at the place where his daughter lives; now imagine

that he has anchored off this coast. The city was celebrating

the annual feast of Neptune; during it

Lysimachus saw the Tyrian ship,

with its black banners, with rich trimmings;

and he rushes there eagerly in his barge.

Now imagine once again unhappy Pericles,

and think this stage is his ship,

where the action will show us what happened,

and more may be revealed; please sit and listen.

Enter two Sailors, one belonging to the Tyrian vessel, the other to the barge; to them HELICANUS

Tyrian Sailor

[To the Sailor of Mytilene] Where is lord Helicanus?

he can resolve you.

O, here he is.

Sir, there's a barge put off from Mytilene,

And in it is Lysimachus the governor,

Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?

Where is Lord Helicanus?

He can answer your question.

Oh, here he is.

Sir, a barge has sailed out from Mytilene,

and in it is Lysimachus the governor,

who asks permission to come aboard. What do you want to do?

HELICANUS

That he have his. Call up some gentlemen.

What he wants to do. Summon some gentlemen.

Tyrian Sailor

Ho, gentlemen! my lord calls.

Enter two or three Gentlemen

Hello there, gentlemen! My lord calls you.

First Gentleman

Doth your lordship call?

Did your lordship call?

HELICANUS

Gentlemen, there's some of worth would come aboard;

I pray ye, greet them fairly.

The Gentlemen and the two Sailors descend, and go on board the barge

Enter, from thence, LYSIMACHUS and Lords; with the Gentlemen and the two Sailors

Gentlemen, there are some dignitaries who want to come aboard;

please go and give them a warm welcome.

Tyrian Sailor

Sir,

This is the man that can, in aught you would,

Resolve you.

 Sir,

this is the man who can answer

any questions you have.

LYSIMACHUS

Hail, reverend sir! the gods preserve you!

Greetings, honourable gentleman! May be gods preserve you!

HELICANUS

And you, sir, to outlive the age I am,

And die as I would do.

And you, sir, to live to be older than I am,

and to die as I hope to.

LYSIMACHUS

You wish me well.

Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's triumphs,

Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us,

I made to it, to know of whence you are.

That is a kind wish.

I was on shore, celebrating the feast of Neptune,

when I saw this handsome ship come into view,

so I made for it, to know where you have come from.

HELICANUS

First, what is your place?

Firstly, what is your position?

LYSIMACHUS

I am the governor of this place you lie before.

I am the governor of this place where you have anchored.

HELICANUS

Sir,

Our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king;

A man who for this three months hath not spoken

To any one, nor taken sustenance

But to prorogue his grief.

Sir,

our ship comes from Tyre, containing the king;

a man who has not spoken to anyone for

the last three months, nor eaten anything

except what is sufficient to keep him alive to grieve.

LYSIMACHUS

Upon what ground is his distemperature?

What's the reason for his depression?

HELICANUS

'Twould be too tedious to repeat;

But the main grief springs from the loss

Of a beloved daughter and a wife.

It would take too long to explain;

but his chief sorrow comes from the loss

of a beloved daughter and wife.

LYSIMACHUS

May we not see him?

Can't we see him?

HELICANUS

You may;

But bootless is your sight: he will not speak to any.

You may;

but there will be no point to it: he won't speak to anyone.

LYSIMACHUS

Yet let me obtain my wish.

Still, let me have my wish.