Pericles, Prince of Tyre: Act 3, Scene 1 Translation

Enter Pericles, a-shipboard.

PERICLES
The god of this great vast, rebuke these surges,
Which wash both heaven and hell! And thou that hast
Upon the winds command, bind them in brass,
Having called them from the deep! O, still
Thy deaf’ning dreadful thunders, gently quench 5
Thy nimble sulfurous flashes.—O, how, Lychorida,
How does my queen?—Then, storm, venomously
Wilt thou spit all thyself? The seaman’s whistle
Is as a whisper in the ears of death,
Unheard.—Lychorida!—Lucina, O 10
Divinest patroness and midwife gentle
To those that cry by night, convey thy deity
Aboard our dancing boat, make swift the pangs
Of my queen’s travails!—Now, Lychorida!

Enter Lychorida, carrying an infant.

LYCHORIDA
Here is a thing too young for such a place, 15
Who, if it had conceit, would die, as I
Am like to do. Take in your arms this piece
Of your dead queen.

PERICLES How? How, Lychorida?

LYCHORIDA
Patience, good sir. Do not assist the storm. 20
Here’s all that is left living of your queen,
A little daughter. For the sake of it,
Be manly and take comfort.

PERICLES O you gods!
Why do you make us love your goodly gifts 25
And snatch them straight away? We here below
Recall not what we give, and therein may
Use honor with you.

LYCHORIDA Patience, good sir,
Even for this charge. She hands him the infant. 30

PERICLES, to the infant Now mild may be thy life,
For a more blusterous birth had never babe.
Quiet and gentle thy conditions, for
Thou art the rudeliest welcome to this world
That ever was prince’s child. Happy what follows! 35
Thou hast as chiding a nativity
As fire, air, water, earth, and heaven can make
To herald thee from the womb.
Even at the first, thy loss is more than can
Thy portage quit, with all thou canst find here. 40
Now the good gods throw their best eyes upon ’t.

Enter two Sailors.

FIRST SAILOR What courage, sir? God save you.

PERICLES
Courage enough. I do not fear the flaw.
It hath done to me the worst. Yet for the love
Of this poor infant, this fresh new seafarer, 45
I would it would be quiet.

FIRST SAILOR Slack the bowlines there!—Thou wilt not,
wilt thou? Blow, and split thyself!

SECOND SAILOR But searoom, an the brine and cloudy
billow kiss the moon, I care not. 50

FIRST SAILOR Sir, your queen must overboard. The sea
works high, the wind is loud, and will not lie till
the ship be cleared of the dead.

PERICLES That’s your superstition.

FIRST SAILOR Pardon us, sir; with us at sea it hath been 55
still observed, and we are strong in custom.
Therefore briefly yield ’er, for she must overboard
straight.

PERICLES As you think meet.—Most wretched queen!

LYCHORIDA Here she lies, sir. 60

PERICLES
A terrible childbed hast thou had, my dear,
No light, no fire. Th’ unfriendly elements
Forgot thee utterly. Nor have I time
To give thee hallowed to thy grave, but straight
Must cast thee, scarcely coffined, in the ooze, 65
Where, for a monument upon thy bones
And e’er-remaining lamps, the belching whale
And humming water must o’erwhelm thy corpse,
Lying with simple shells.—O, Lychorida,
Bid Nestor bring me spices, ink, and paper, 70
My casket and my jewels; and bid Nicander
Bring me the satin coffin. Lay the babe
Upon the pillow. Hie thee, whiles I say
A priestly farewell to her. Suddenly, woman!

Lychorida exits.

SECOND SAILOR Sir, we have a chest beneath the hatches, 75
caulked and bitumed ready.

PERICLES
I thank thee, mariner. Say, what coast is this?

SECOND SAILOR We are near Tarsus.

PERICLES Thither, gentle mariner.
Alter thy course for Tyre. When canst thou reach it? 80

SECOND SAILOR By break of day if the wind cease.

PERICLES O, make for Tarsus!
There will I visit Cleon, for the babe
Cannot hold out to Tyrus. There I’ll leave it
At careful nursing. Go thy ways, good mariner. 85
I’ll bring the body presently.

They exit.