$Unique_ID{SSP01618}
$Title{Pericles, Prince of Tyre:  Act IV, Scene I}
$Author{Shakespeare, William}
$Subject{}
$Log{Dramatis Personae*01600.txt}

                Portions copyright (c) CMC ReSearch, Inc., 1989

                   The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

                            PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE


            ACT IV
................................................................................


           SCENE I:  Tarsus.  An open place near the sea-shore.
.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

                     {Enter DIONYZA and LEONINE.}

           DIONYZA:  Thy oath remember; thou hast sworn to do't:
                     'Tis but a blow, which never shall be known.
                     Thou canst not do a thing in the world so soon,
                     To yield thee so much profit.  Let not conscience,
                     Which is but cold, inflaming love i' thy bosom,
                     Inflame too nicely; nor let pity, which
                     Even women have cast off, melt thee, but be
                     A soldier to thy purpose.

           LEONINE:  I will do't; but yet she is a goodly creature.

           DIONYZA:  The fitter, then, the gods should have her.  Here       10
                     she comes weeping for her only mistress' death.
                     Thou art resolved?

           LEONINE:  I am resolved.

                     {Enter MARINA, with a basket of flowers.}

            MARINA:  No, I will rob Tellus of her weed,
                     To strew thy green with flowers:  the yellows, blues,
                     The purple violets, and marigolds,
                     Shall as a carpet hang upon thy grave,
                     While summer-days do last.  Ay me!  poor maid,
                     Born in a tempest, when my mother died,
                     This world to me is like a lasting storm,               20
                     Whirring me from my friends.

           DIONYZA:  How now, Marina!  why do you keep alone?
                     How chance my daughter is not with you?  Do not
                     Consume your blood with sorrowing:  you have
                     A nurse of me.  Lord, how your favor's changed
                     With this unprofitable woe!
                     Come, give me your flowers, ere the sea mar it.
                     Walk with Leonine; the air is quick there,
                     And it pierces and sharpens the stomach.  Come,
                     Leonine, take her by the arm, walk with her.            30

            MARINA:  No, I pray you;
                     I'll not bereave you of your servant.

           DIONYZA:                                      Come, come;
                     I love the king your father, and yourself,
                     With more than foreign heart.  We every day
                     Expect him here:  when he shall come and find
                     Our paragon to all reports thus blasted,
                     He will repent the breadth of his great voyage;
                     Blame both my lord and me, that we have taken
                     No care to your best courses.  Go, I pray you,
                     Walk, and be cheerful once again; reserve               40
                     That excellent complexion, which did steal
                     The eyes of young and old.  Care not for me
                     I can go home alone.

            MARINA:                     Well, I will go;
                     But yet I have no desire to it.

           DIONYZA:  Come, come, I know 'tis good for you.
                     Walk half an hour, Leonine, at the least:
                     Remember what I have said.

           LEONINE:                           I warrant you, madam.

           DIONYZA:  I'll leave you, my sweet lady, for a while:
                     Pray, walk softly, do not heat your blood:
                     What!  I must have a care of you.

            MARINA:                                 My thanks, sweet madam.  50

                     [Exit DIONYZA.]

                     Is this wind westerly that blows?

           LEONINE:                                  South-west.

            MARINA:  When I was born, the wind was north.

           LEONINE:                                     Was't so?

            MARINA:  My father, as nurse said, did never fear,
                     But cried 'Good seaman!' to the sailors, galling
                     His kingly hands, haling ropes;
                     And, clasping to the mast, endured a sea
                     That almost burst the deck.

           LEONINE:  When was this?

            MARINA:  When I was born:
                     Never was waves nor wind more violent;                  60
                     And from the ladder-tackle washes off
                     A canvas-climber.  'Ha!' says one, 'wilt out?'
                     And with a dropping industry they skip
                     From stem to stern:  the boatswain whistles, and
                     The master calls, and trebles their confusion.

           LEONINE:  Come, say your prayers.

            MARINA:  What mean you?

           LEONINE:  If you require a little space for prayer,
                     I grant it:  pray; but be not tedious,
                     For the gods are quick of ear, and I am sworn           70
                     To do my work with haste.

            MARINA:                          Why will you kill me?

           LEONINE:  To satisfy my lady.

            MARINA:  Why would she have me kill'd?
                     Now, as I can remember, by my troth,
                     I never did her hurt in all my life:
                     I never spake bad word, nor did ill turn
                     To any living creature:  believe me, la,
                     I never kill'd a mouse, nor hurt a fly:
                     I trod upon a worm against my will,
                     But I wept for it.  How have I offended,                80
                     Wherein my death might yield her any profit,
                     Or my life imply her any danger?

           LEONINE:  My commission
                     Is not to reason of the deed, but do it.

            MARINA:  You will not do't for all the world, I hope.
                     You are well favor'd, and your looks foreshow
                     You have a gentle heart.  I saw you lately,
                     When you caught hurt in parting two that fought:
                     Good sooth, it show'd well in you:  do so now:
                     Your lady seeks my life; come you between,              90
                     And save poor me, the weaker.

           LEONINE:                              I am sworn,
                     And will dispatch.

                     [He seizes her.]

                     {Enter Pirates.}

      First Pirate:  Hold, villain!

                     [LEONINE runs away.]

     Second Pirate:  A prize!  a prize!

      Third Pirate:  Half-part, mates, half-part.
                     Come, let's have her aboard suddenly.

                     [Exeunt Pirates with MARINA.]

                     {Re-enter LEONINE.}

           LEONINE:  These roguing thieves serve the great pirate Valdes;
                     And they have seized Marina.  Let her go:
                     There's no hope she will return.  I'll swear
                          she's dead,
                     And thrown into the sea.  But I'll see further:        100
                     Perhaps they will but please themselves upon her,
                     Not carry her aboard.  If she remain,
                     Whom they have ravish'd must by me be slain.

                     [Exit.]
ÿ