No Fear Shakespeare: Pericles: Act 2 Scene 1

Continue reading with a SparkNotes PLUS trial

Already have an account? Log in

Previous page Act 2, Chorus Next page Act 2, Scene 2

Your password reset email should arrive shortly.

Something went wrong

Pericles

William Shakespeare

Original Text

Modern Text

Original Text

Modern Text

Popular pages: Pericles

Character List CHARACTERS

Full Book QUIZZES

Take a Study Break

Every Literary Reference Found in Taylor Swift's Lyrics

The 7 Most Messed-Up Short Stories We All Had to Read in School

QUIZ: Which Greek God Are You?

The 7 Most Embarrassing Proposals in Literature

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter PERICLES, wet.	Enter PERICLES, wet.
PERICLES Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of heaven! Wind, rain, and thunder, remember earthly man Is but a substance that must yield to you, And I, as fits my nature, do obey you. 5 Alas, the seas hath cast me on the rocks, Washed me from shore to shore, and left my breath Nothing to think on but ensuing death. Let it suffice the greatness of your powers To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes; 10 And, having thrown him from your wat’ry grave, Here to have death in peace is all he’ll crave.	PERICLES Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of heaven! Wind, rain, and thunder, remember earthly man Is but a substance that must yield to you, And I, as fits my nature, do obey you. Alas, the seas hath cast me on the rocks, Washed me from shore to shore, and left my breath Nothing to think on but ensuing death. Let it suffice the greatness of your powers To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes; And, having thrown him from your wat’ry grave, Here to have death in peace is all he’ll crave.
Enter THREE FISHERMEN.	Enter THREE FISHERMEN.
FIRST FISHERMAN What ho, Pilch!	FIRST FISHERMAN What ho, Pilch!
SECOND FISHERMAN Ha, come and bring away the nets!	SECOND FISHERMAN Ha, come and bring away the nets!
FIRST FISHERMAN What, Patchbreech, I say!	FIRST FISHERMAN What, Patchbreech, I say!
THIRD FISHERMAN 15 What say you, master?	THIRD FISHERMAN What say you, master?
FIRST FISHERMAN Look how thou stirr’st now! Come away, or I’ll fetch thee with a wanion.	FIRST FISHERMAN Look how thou stirr’st now! Come away, or I’ll fetch thee with a wanion.
THIRD FISHERMAN Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.	THIRD FISHERMAN Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.
FIRST FISHERMAN 20 Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, when, welladay, we could scarce help ourselves!	FIRST FISHERMAN Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, when, welladay, we could scarce help ourselves!
THIRD FISHERMAN Nay, master, said not I as much 25 when I saw the porpoise how he bounced and tumbled? They say they’re half fish, half flesh. A plague on them! They ne’er come but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.	THIRD FISHERMAN Nay, master, said not I as much when I saw the porpoise how he bounced and tumbled? They say they’re half fish, half flesh. A plague on them! They ne’er come but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.
FIRST FISHERMAN Why, as men do a-land: the great 30 ones eat up the little ones. I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale: he plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him and at last devours them all at a mouthful. Such whales have I heard on a’ the land, who never leave 35 gaping till they swallowed the whole parish— church, steeple, bells and all.	FIRST FISHERMAN Why, as men do a-land: the great ones eat up the little ones. I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale: he plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him and at last devours them all at a mouthful. Such whales have I heard on a’ the land, who never leave gaping till they swallowed the whole parish— church, steeple, bells and all.
PERICLES, aside A pretty moral.	PERICLES, aside A pretty moral.
THIRD FISHERMAN But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.	THIRD FISHERMAN But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.
SECOND FISHERMAN 40 Why, man?	SECOND FISHERMAN Why, man?
THIRD FISHERMAN Because he should have swallowed me too. And when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells that he should never have left till he cast bells, steeple, church, and 45 parish up again. But if the good King Simonides were of my mind—	THIRD FISHERMAN Because he should have swallowed me too. And when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells that he should never have left till he cast bells, steeple, church, and parish up again. But if the good King Simonides were of my mind—
PERICLES, aside Simonides?	PERICLES, aside Simonides?
THIRD FISHERMAN We would purge the land of these drones that rob the bee of her honey.	THIRD FISHERMAN We would purge the land of these drones that rob the bee of her honey.
PERICLES, aside 50 How from the finny subject of the sea These fishers tell the infirmities of men, And from their wat’ry empire recollect All that may men approve or men detect!— Peace be at your labor, honest fishermen.	PERICLES, aside How from the finny subject of the sea These fishers tell the infirmities of men, And from their wat’ry empire recollect All that may men approve or men detect!— Peace be at your labor, honest fishermen.
SECOND FISHERMAN 55 Honest good fellow, what’s that? If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look after it!	SECOND FISHERMAN Honest good fellow, what’s that? If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look after it!
PERICLES May see the sea hath cast upon your coast—	PERICLES May see the sea hath cast upon your coast—
SECOND FISHERMAN What a drunken knave was the sea 60 to cast thee in our way!	SECOND FISHERMAN What a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee in our way!
PERICLES A man whom both the waters and the wind In that vast tennis court hath made the ball For them to play upon entreats you pity him. He asks of you that never used to beg.	PERICLES A man whom both the waters and the wind In that vast tennis court hath made the ball For them to play upon entreats you pity him. He asks of you that never used to beg.
FIRST FISHERMAN 65 No, friend, cannot you beg? Here’s them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working.	FIRST FISHERMAN No, friend, cannot you beg? Here’s them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working.
SECOND FISHERMAN, to PERICLES Canst thou catch any fishes, then?	SECOND FISHERMAN, to PERICLES Canst thou catch any fishes, then?
PERICLES 70 I never practiced it.	PERICLES I never practiced it.
SECOND FISHERMAN Nay, then, thou wilt starve sure, for here’s nothing to be got nowadays unless thou canst fish for ’t.	SECOND FISHERMAN Nay, then, thou wilt starve sure, for here’s nothing to be got nowadays unless thou canst fish for ’t.
PERICLES What I have been I have forgot to know, 75 But what I am want teaches me to think on: A man thronged up with cold. My veins are chill And have no more of life than may suffice To give my tongue that heat to ask your help— Which, if you shall refuse, when I am dead, 80 For that I am a man, pray you see me buried.	PERICLES What I have been I have forgot to know, But what I am want teaches me to think on: A man thronged up with cold. My veins are chill And have no more of life than may suffice To give my tongue that heat to ask your help— Which, if you shall refuse, when I am dead, For that I am a man, pray you see me buried.
FIRST FISHERMAN Die, quotha? Now gods forbid ’t, an I have a gown. Here, come, put it on; keep thee warm. PERICLES puts on the garment. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, 85 and we’ll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting days, and, moreo’er, puddings and flapjacks, and thou shalt be welcome.	FIRST FISHERMAN Die, quotha? Now gods forbid ’t, an I have a gown. Here, come, put it on; keep thee warm. PERICLES puts on the garment. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we’ll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting days, and, moreo’er, puddings and flapjacks, and thou shalt be welcome.
PERICLES I thank you, sir.	PERICLES I thank you, sir.
SECOND FISHERMAN Hark you, my friend. You said you 90 could not beg?	SECOND FISHERMAN Hark you, my friend. You said you could not beg?
PERICLES I did but crave.	PERICLES I did but crave.
SECOND FISHERMAN But crave? Then I’ll turn craver too, and so I shall ’scape whipping.	SECOND FISHERMAN But crave? Then I’ll turn craver too, and so I shall ’scape whipping.
PERICLES Why, are your beggars whipped, then?	PERICLES Why, are your beggars whipped, then?
SECOND FISHERMAN 95 O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office than to be beadle.—But, master, I’ll go draw up the net. He exits with THIRD FISHERMAN.	SECOND FISHERMAN O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were whipped, I would wish no better office than to be beadle.—But, master, I’ll go draw up the net. He exits with THIRD FISHERMAN.
PERICLES , aside How well this honest mirth becomes their labor!	PERICLES , aside How well this honest mirth becomes their labor!
FIRST FISHERMAN 100 Hark you, sir, do you know where you are?	FIRST FISHERMAN Hark you, sir, do you know where you are?
PERICLES Not well.	PERICLES Not well.
FIRST FISHERMAN Why, I’ll tell you. This is called Pentapolis, and our king the good Simonides.	FIRST FISHERMAN Why, I’ll tell you. This is called Pentapolis, and our king the good Simonides.
PERICLES 105 “The good Simonides” do you call him?	PERICLES “The good Simonides” do you call him?
FIRST FISHERMAN Ay, sir, and he deserves so to be called for his peaceable reign and good government.	FIRST FISHERMAN Ay, sir, and he deserves so to be called for his peaceable reign and good government.
PERICLES He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects the name of “good” by his government. 110 How far is his court distant from this shore?	PERICLES He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects the name of “good” by his government. How far is his court distant from this shore?
FIRST FISHERMAN Marry, sir, half a day’s journey. And I’ll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and tomorrow is her birthday; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world to joust and tourney 115 for her love.	FIRST FISHERMAN Marry, sir, half a day’s journey. And I’ll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and tomorrow is her birthday; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world to joust and tourney for her love.
PERICLES Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish to make one there.	PERICLES Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish to make one there.
FIRST FISHERMAN O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get he may lawfully deal 120 for his wife’s soul.	FIRST FISHERMAN O, sir, things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get he may lawfully deal for his wife’s soul.
Enter the TWO OTHER FISHERMEN, drawing up a net.	Enter the TWO OTHER FISHERMEN, drawing up a net.
SECOND FISHERMAN Help, master, help! Here’s a fish hangs in the net like a poor man’s right in the law: ’twill hardly come out. Ha! Bots on ’t, ’tis come at last, and ’tis turned to a rusty armor.	SECOND FISHERMAN Help, master, help! Here’s a fish hangs in the net like a poor man’s right in the law: ’twill hardly come out. Ha! Bots on ’t, ’tis come at last, and ’tis turned to a rusty armor.
PERICLES 125 An armor, friends? I pray you let me see it. They pull out the armor. Thanks, Fortune, yet, that after all thy crosses Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself; And though it was mine own, part of my heritage Which my dead father did bequeath to me 130 With this strict charge even as he left his life, “Keep it, my Pericles; it hath been a shield ’Twixt me and death,” and pointed to this brace, “For that it saved me, keep it. In like necessity— The which the gods protect thee from—may ’t 135 defend thee.” It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it, Till the rough seas, that spares not any man, Took it in rage, though calmed have given ’t again. I thank thee for ’t; my shipwrack now’s no ill 140 Since I have here my father gave in his will.	PERICLES An armor, friends? I pray you let me see it. They pull out the armor. Thanks, Fortune, yet, that after all thy crosses Thou givest me somewhat to repair myself; And though it was mine own, part of my heritage Which my dead father did bequeath to me With this strict charge even as he left his life, “Keep it, my Pericles; it hath been a shield ’Twixt me and death,” and pointed to this brace, “For that it saved me, keep it. In like necessity— The which the gods protect thee from—may ’t defend thee.” It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it, Till the rough seas, that spares not any man, Took it in rage, though calmed have given ’t again. I thank thee for ’t; my shipwrack now’s no ill Since I have here my father gave in his will.
FIRST FISHERMAN What mean you, sir?	FIRST FISHERMAN What mean you, sir?
PERICLES To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth, For it was sometime target to a king; I know it by this mark. He loved me dearly, 145 And for his sake I wish the having of it, And that you’d guide me to your sovereign’s court, Where with it I may appear a gentleman. And if that ever my low fortune’s better, I’ll pay your bounties; till then, rest your debtor.	PERICLES To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of worth, For it was sometime target to a king; I know it by this mark. He loved me dearly, And for his sake I wish the having of it, And that you’d guide me to your sovereign’s court, Where with it I may appear a gentleman. And if that ever my low fortune’s better, I’ll pay your bounties; till then, rest your debtor.
FIRST FISHERMAN 150 Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?	FIRST FISHERMAN Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady?
PERICLES I’ll show the virtue I have borne in arms.	PERICLES I’ll show the virtue I have borne in arms.
FIRST FISHERMAN Why, do ’ee take it, and the gods give thee good on ’t.	FIRST FISHERMAN Why, do ’ee take it, and the gods give thee good on ’t.
SECOND FISHERMAN Ay, but hark you, my friend, ’twas 155 we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters. There are certain condolements, certain vails. I hope, sir, if you thrive, you’ll remember from whence you had them.	SECOND FISHERMAN Ay, but hark you, my friend, ’twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters. There are certain condolements, certain vails. I hope, sir, if you thrive, you’ll remember from whence you had them.
PERICLES Believe ’t, I will. He puts on the armor. 160 By your furtherance I am clothed in steel, And spite of all the rupture of the sea, This jewel holds his biding on my arm. Unto thy value I will mount myself Upon a courser, whose delightful steps 165 Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread. Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided Of a pair of bases.	PERICLES Believe ’t, I will. He puts on the armor. By your furtherance I am clothed in steel, And spite of all the rupture of the sea, This jewel holds his biding on my arm. Unto thy value I will mount myself Upon a courser, whose delightful steps Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread. Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided Of a pair of bases.
SECOND FISHERMAN We’ll sure provide. Thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair; and I’ll bring 170 thee to the court myself.	SECOND FISHERMAN We’ll sure provide. Thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair; and I’ll bring thee to the court myself.
PERICLES Then honor be but a goal to my will; This day I’ll rise or else add ill to ill.	PERICLES Then honor be but a goal to my will; This day I’ll rise or else add ill to ill.
They exit.	They exit.