Pericles
Text Circles Dramatis Personae Synopsis All Definitions

Share
All
text
Quarto
Modern text
Definitions
Key line
Enter Cleon, and Dioniza.Enter Cleon and Dionyza Per IV.iii.145.1
Dion.DIONYZA 
Why ere you foolish, can it be vndone?Why, are you foolish? Can it be undone? Per IV.iii.1
Cleon.CLEON 
O Dioniza, such a peece of slaughter,O Dionyza, such a piece of slaughter Per IV.iii.2
The Sunne and Moone nere lookt vpon.The sun and moon ne'er looked upon. Per IV.iii.3
Dion.DIONYZA 
I thinke youle turne a chidle agen.I think you'll turn a child again. Per IV.iii.4
Cleon.CLEON 
Were I chiefe Lord of all this spacious world,Were I chief lord of all this spacious world, Per IV.iii.5
Ide giue it to vndo the deede. O LadieI'd give it to undo the deed. A lady Per IV.iii.6
much lesse in bloud then vertue, yet a PrincesMuch less in blood than virtue, yet a princess Per IV.iii.7
to equall any single Crowne ath earthTo equal any single crown o'th' earth Per IV.iii.8
ith Iustice of compare, O villaine, LeonineI'th' justice of compare. O villain Leonine! Per IV.iii.9
whom thou hast poisned too,Whom thou hast poisoned too. Per IV.iii.10
if thou hadst drunke to him tad beene a kindnesseIf thou hadst drunk to him, 't had been a kindness Per IV.iii.11
becomming well thy face, what canst thou sayBecoming well thy fact. What canst thou sayfact (n.)
evil deed, wicked act, crime		Per IV.iii.12
become (v.)
be fitting, befit, be appropriate to
when noble Pericles shall demaund his child?When noble Pericles shall demand his child? Per IV.iii.13
Dion.DIONYZA 
That shee is dead. Nurses are not the fatesThat she is dead. Nurses are not the Fates.Fates (n.)
trio of goddesses who control human destiny: Atropos (‘the inflexible’) cuts the thread of life allotted and spun by Lachesis (‘the distributor’) and Clotho (‘the spinner’)		Per IV.iii.14
to foster it, not euer to preserue,To foster is not ever to preserve. Per IV.iii.15
she dide at night, Ile say so, who can crosse itShe died at night. I'll say so. Who can cross it?cross (v.)

old form: crosse
contradict, challenge, go against		Per IV.iii.16
vnlesse you play the impious Innocent,Unless you play the impious innocent,impious (adj.)
lacking reverence towards God, wicked, irreligious		Per IV.iii.17
and for an honest attribute, crie outAnd, for an honest attribute, cry outattribute (n.)
reputation, credit, honour		Per IV.iii.18
shee dyde by foule play.‘ She died by foul play.’ Per IV.iii.19.1
Cle.CLEON 
O goe too, well, well,O, go to! Well, well, Per IV.iii.19.2
of all the faults beneath the heauens, the GodsOf all the faults beneath the heavens, the gods Per IV.iii.20
doe like this worst.Do like this worst. Per IV.iii.21.1
Dion.DIONYZA 
Be one of those that thinkesBe one of those that thinks Per IV.iii.21.2
the pettie wrens of Tharsus will flie hence,The petty wrens of Tarsus will fly hence Per IV.iii.22
and open this to Pericles, I do shameAnd open this to Pericles. I do shame Per IV.iii.23
to thinke of what a noble straine you are,To think of what a noble strain you are, Per IV.iii.24
and of how coward a spirit.And of how coward a spirit.coward (adj.)
cowardly		Per IV.iii.25.1
Cle.CLEON 
To such proceedingTo such proceeding Per IV.iii.25.2
who euer but his approbation added,Whoever but his approbation added,approbation (n.)
expression of approval, pleasurable confirmation, ready sanctioning		Per IV.iii.26
though not his prince consent, he did not flowThough not his prime consent, he did not flowprime (adj.)
first, original, initial		Per IV.iii.27
from honourable courses.From honourable courses.course (n.)
course of action, way of proceeding		Per IV.iii.28.1
course (n.)
flowing stream, tributary, watercourse
Dion.DIONYZA 
Be it so then,Be it so, then. Per IV.iii.28.2
yet none does knowe but you how shee came dead,Yet none does know but you how she came dead, Per IV.iii.29
nor none can knowe Leonine being gone.Nor none can know, Leonine being gone. Per IV.iii.30
Shee did disdaine my childe, and stoode betweeneShe did disdain my child, and stood betweendistain (v.)

old form: disdaine
cast a shadow over, outshine, eclipse		Per IV.iii.31
her and her fortunes : none woulde looke on her,Her and her fortunes. None would look on her, Per IV.iii.32
but cast their gazes on Marianas face,But cast their gazes on Marina's face, Per IV.iii.33
whilest ours was blurted at, and helde a MawkinWhilst ours was blurted at, and held a malkin,malkin (n.)

old form: Mawkin
wench, drab, slut		Per IV.iii.34
blurt at (v.)
treat with contempt, scorn, look down on
not worth the time of day. It pierst me thorow,Not worth the time of day. It pierced me through. Per IV.iii.35
and though you call my course vnnaturall,And though you call my course unnatural,course (n.)
course of action, way of proceeding		Per IV.iii.36
you not your childe well louing, yet I findeYou not your child well loving, yet I find Per IV.iii.37
it greets mee as an enterprize of kindnesseIt greets me as an enterprise of kindnesskindness (n.)

old form: kindnesse
kind nature, natural courtesy, natural affection		Per IV.iii.38
greet (v.)
please, gratify, satisfy
performd to your sole daughter.Performed to your sole daughter. Per IV.iii.39.1
Cle.CLEON 
Heauens forgiue it.Heavens forgive it! Per IV.iii.39.2
Dion.DIONYZA 
And as for Pericles,And as for Pericles, Per IV.iii.40
what should hee say, we wept after her hearse,What should he say? We wept after her hearse, Per IV.iii.41
& yet we mourne, her monumentAnd yet we mourn. Her monument Per IV.iii.42
is almost finished, & her epitaphsIs almost finished, and her epitaphs Per IV.iii.43
in glittring gold? characters expresIn glittering golden characters expresscharacter (n.)
letter, letter-shape, graphic symbol		Per IV.iii.44
a generrall prayse to her, and care in vsA general praise to her, and care in us Per IV.iii.45
at whose expence tis done.At whose expense 'tis done. Per IV.iii.46.1
Cle.CLEON 
Thou art like the Harpie,Thou art like the harpy,harpy (n.)

old form: Harpie
mythical rapacious bird, half woman, half vulture [symbolizing divine retribution]		Per IV.iii.46.2
Which to betray, doest with thine Angells faceWhich, to betray, dost with thine angel's face Per IV.iii.47
ceaze with thine Eagles talents.Seize with thine eagle's talons. Per IV.iii.48
Dion.DIONYZA 
Yere like one that supersticiously,You are like one that superstitiously Per IV.iii.49
Doe sweare too'th Gods, that Winter kills / The Fliies,Doth swear to th' gods that winter kills the flies. Per IV.iii.50
but yet I know, youle doe as I aduise.But yet I know you'll do as I advise. Per IV.iii.51
Exeunt Per IV.iii.51
 Previous Act IV, Scene III Next  
x

Jump directly to