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ACT III
Sc. II

Nature should be so conversant with pain,

Being thereto not compell❜d.

CER.

I held it ever,

Virtue and cunning were endowments greater
Than nobleness and riches: careless heirs

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 practice) 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

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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 pleasure up in silken bags,

To please the Fool and Death.

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SEC. GENT. Your Honour has through Ephesus pour'd

forth

Your charity; and hundreds call themselves

Your creatures, who by you have been restor❜d;

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.

FIRST SERV. So; lift there.

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"Tis wondrous heavy. Wrench it open straight:

If the Sea's stomach be o'ercharg'd with gold, "Tis a good constraint of fortune it belches upon us. SEC. GENT. 'Tis so, my Lord.

CER.

How close 'tis caulk'd and bitum'd! ACT III

Did the Sea cast it up?

FIRST SERV. I never saw so huge a billow, Sir,

As toss'd it upon shore.

CER.

Wrench it open;

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Soft! it smells most sweetly in my sense.

SEC. GENT. A delicate odour.

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

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

FIRST GENT. Most strange!

CER. Shrouded in cloth of state; balm'd and entreasur'd

With full bags of spices! A passport too!

Apollo, perfect me i' the characters!

Here I give to understand

[reads from a scroll.

(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 liv'st, Pericles, thou hast a heart
That even cracks for woe!
SEC. GENT. Most likely, Sir.
CER.

This chanc'd to-night.

Nay, certainly to-night;
They were too rough
Make a fire within:

For look how fresh she looks!
That threw her in the Sea.
Fetch hither all my boxes in my closet.

Death

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[Exit a Servant.

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,

Sc. II

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ACT III
Sc. II

Cause it to sound, beseech
you.
The viol once more: how thou stirr'st, thou Block! 90
The music there!-I pray you, give her air.
Gentlemen,

This Queen will live: Nature awakes a warm
Breath out of her: she hath not been entranc'd
Above five hours: see how she 'gins to blow
Into life's flower again!

FIRST GENT.

The Heavens,

Through you, increase our wonder, and set up
Your fame for ever.

CER.

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!

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[She moves.

Where am I? Where's my Lord? What World is

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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.
And Esculapius guide us!

Come, come;

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Enter PERICLES, CLEON, DIONYZA, and LYCHORIDA with

PER. Most honour'd Cleon, I must needs be gone:
My twelve months are expir'd, 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!

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CLE. Your shafts of fortune, though they hurt you ACT III

mortally,

Sc. III

O your sweet Queen!

Yet glance full wanderingly on us.

DION.

That the strict Fates had pleas'd you had brought her hither,

To have bless'd mine eyes with her!

PER.

ΤΟ

We cannot but obey
The Powers above us. Could I rage and roar
As doth the Sea she lies in, yet the end
Must be as 'tis. My gentle babe Marina (whom,
For she was born at sea, I have nam'd so) here
I charge your charity withal, leaving her
The infant of your care; beseeching you

To give her princely training, that she may be
Manner'd as she is born.

CLE.
Fear not, my Lord, but think
Your Grace, that fed my country with your corn
(For which the people's prayers still fall upon you)
Must in your child be thought on. If neglection
Should therein make me vile, the common body,

By you reliev'd, would force me to my duty:

But if to that my nature need a spur,

The Gods revenge it

upon me and mine,

I believe you;

To the end of generation!

PER.

Your honour and your goodness teach me to 't,
Without your vows. Till she be married, Madam,

By bright Diana, whom we honour, all
Unscissar'd shall this hair of mine remain,
Though I shew ill in 't. So I take my leave.
Good Madam, make me blessed in your care
In bringing up my child.

DION.

I have one myself, Who shall not be more dear to my respect

Than your's, my Lord.

PER.

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CLE. We'll bring your Grace e'en to the edge o' the shore,

Then give you up to the mask'd Neptune and
The gentlest winds of Heaven.

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Look to your little mistress, on whose grace
You may depend hereafter. Come, my Lord. [exeunt.

SCENE IV. Ephesus. A Room in CERIMON's House.
Enter CERIMON and THAISA.

CER. Madam, this letter, and some certain jewels,
Lay with you in your coffer: which are

At your command. Know you the character?
THAI. It is my Lord's.

That I was shipp'd at sea, I well remember,
Even on my eaning time; but whether there
Deliver❜d, by the holy Gods,

I cannot rightly say. But, since King Pericles,
My wedded Lord, I ne'er shall see again,

A vestal livery will I take me to,

And never more have joy.

CER. Madam, if this you purpose as ye speak,
Diana's temple is not distant far,

Where you may abide till your date expire.
Moreover, if you please, a niece of mine

Shall there attend you.

THAI. My recompense is thanks, that's all;

Yet my good will is great, though the gift small.

ΤΟ

Gow.

ACT IV

Enter GoWER.

Imagine Pericles arriv'd at Tyre,

Welcom'd and settled to his own desire.
His woeful Queen we leave at Ephesus,

Unto Diana there a votaress.

Now to Marina bend your mind,
Whom our fast-growing scene must find

[exeunt.

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