Pericles, Prince of Tyre: Act 5, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 2 of Pericles, Prince of Tyre from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

  Original Text

 Translated Text

  Source: Folger Shakespeare Library

Enter Gower.

GOWER
Now our sands are almost run,
More a little, and then dumb.
This my last boon give me—
For such kindness must relieve me—
That you aptly will suppose 5
What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What minstrelsy and pretty din
The regent made in Mytilene
To greet the King. So he thrived
That he is promised to be wived 10
To fair Marina, but in no wise
Till he had done his sacrifice
As Dian bade, whereto being bound,
The interim, pray you, all confound.
In feathered briefness sails are filled, 15
And wishes fall out as they’re willed.
At Ephesus the temple see
Our king and all his company.
That he can hither come so soon
Is by your fancies’ thankful doom. 20

He exits.

Cut to Diana's temple in Ephesus, where Thaisa is chilling with a bunch of virgins.

Gower comes on stage and tells us that Lysimachus threw a huge party in honor of Pericles before everyone set sail for Ephesus.