Act III, Scene 1

On ship.

[Enter PERICLES, on shipboard]

• Pericles. Thou 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 call'd them from the deep! O, still
  Thy deafening, dreadful thunders; gently quench 1195
  Thy nimble, sulphurous flashes! O, how, Lychorida,
  How does my queen? Thou stormest venomously;
  Wilt thou spit all thyself? The seaman's whistle
  Is as a whisper in the ears of death,
  Unheard. Lychorida!—Lucina, O 1200
  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!
  [Enter LYCHORIDA, with an Infant] 1205
  Now, Lychorida!

• Lychorida. Here is a thing too young for such a place,
  Who, if it had conceit, would die, as I
  Am like to do: take in your arms this piece
  Of your dead queen. 1210

• Pericles. How, how, Lychorida!

• Lychorida. Patience, good sir; do not assist the storm.
  Here's all that is left living of your queen,
  A little daughter: for the sake of it,
  Be manly, and take comfort. 1215

• Pericles. O you gods!
  Why do you make us love your goodly gifts,
  And snatch them straight away? We here below
  Recall not what we give, and therein may
  Use honour with you. 1220

• Lychorida. Patience, good sir,
  Even for this charge.

• Pericles. Now, mild may be thy life!
  For a more blustrous birth had never babe:
  Quiet and gentle thy conditions! for 1225
  Thou art the rudeliest welcome to this world
  That ever was prince's child. Happy what follows!
  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 1230
  Thy loss is more than can thy portage quit,
  With all thou canst find here. Now, the good gods
  Throw their best eyes upon't!

[Enter two Sailors]

• First Sailor. What courage, sir? God save you! 1235

• 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 sea-farer,
  I would it would be quiet.

• First Sailor. Slack the bolins there! Thou wilt not, wilt thou? 1240
  Blow, and split thyself.

• Second Sailor. But sea-room, an the brine and cloudy billow kiss
  the moon, I care not.

• First Sailor. Sir, your queen must overboard: the sea works high,
  the wind is loud, and will not lie till the ship be 1245
  cleared of the dead.

• Pericles. That's your superstition.

• First Sailor. Pardon us, sir; with us at sea it hath been still
  observed: and we are strong in custom. Therefore
  briefly yield her; for she must overboard straight. 1250

• Pericles. As you think meet. Most wretched queen!

• Lychorida. Here she lies, sir.

• Pericles. A terrible childbed hast thou had, my dear;
  No light, no fire: the unfriendly elements
  Forgot thee utterly: nor have I time 1255
  To give thee hallow'd to thy grave, but straight
  Must cast thee, scarcely coffin'd, in the ooze;
  Where, for a monument upon thy bones,
  And e'er-remaining lamps, the belching whale
  And humming water must o'erwhelm thy corpse, 1260
  Lying with simple shells. O Lychorida,
  Bid Nestor bring me spices, ink and paper,
  My casket and my jewels; and bid Nicander
  Bring me the satin coffer: lay the babe
  Upon the pillow: hie thee, whiles I say 1265
  A priestly farewell to her: suddenly, woman.

[Exit LYCHORIDA]

• Second Sailor. Sir, we have a chest beneath the hatches, caulked
  and bitumed ready.

• Pericles. I thank thee. Mariner, say what coast is this? 1270

• Second Sailor. We are near Tarsus.

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

• Second Sailor. By break of day, if the wind cease.

• Pericles. O, make for Tarsus! 1275
  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:
  I'll bring the body presently.

[Exeunt]