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From niggard nature fall, yet rich conceit

Taught thee to make vast Neptune weep for aye

On thy low grave, on faults forgiven. Dead

Is noble Timon, of whose memory

Hereafter more. Bring me into your city,

And I will use the olive, with my sword;

Make war breed peace, make peace stint war, make each

Prescribe to other, as each other's leech.

Let our drums strike. Exeunt

PERICLES

This play was only partly written by Shakespeare and it was not included in the First Folio, leading some to doubt its authenticity. Modern editors generally agree that Shakespeare is responsible for almost half the play, 827 lines, from Act III, following the story of Pericles and Marina. Studies indicate that the first two acts, detailing the early voyages of Pericles, were written by a mediocre collaborator, with strong evidence suggesting the victualler, dramatist and pamphleteer George Wilkins.

The play draws upon the source of Confessio Amantis (1393) by John Gower, an English poet and contemporary of Geoffrey Chaucer, providing the story of Apollonius of Tyre. Believed to have been written between 1607 and 1608, Pericles is remarkable for a scene in a brothel, suggesting its somewhat bawdy nature compared to many other Shakespearean works.

Shakespeare's main source text for this play is available via this link.

The 1609 Quarto title page

CONTENTS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ACT I.

SCENE I. Antioch. A room in the palace.

SCENE II. Tyre. A room in the palace.

SCENE III. Tyre. An ante-chamber in the Palace.

SCENE IV. Tarsus. A room in the Governor's house.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Pentapolis. An open place by the sea-side.

SCENE II. The same. A public way, or platform leading to the lists. A pavilion by the side of it for the reception of the King, Princess, Lords, etc.

SCENE III. The same. A hall of state: a banquet prepared.

SCENE IV. Tyre. A room in the Govenor's house.

SCENE V. Pentapolis. A room in the palace.

ACT III.

SCENE I.

SCENE II. Ephesus. A room in Cerimon's house.

SCENE III. Tarsus. A room in Cleon's house.

SCENE IV. Ephesus. A room in Cerimon's house.

ACT IV.

Scene I. Tarsus. An open place near the sea-shore.

Scene II. Mytilene. A room in a brothel.

SCENE III. Tarsus. A room in Cleon's house.

SCENE IV.

SCENE V. Mytilene. A street before the brothel.

SCENE VI. The same. A room in the brothel.

ACT V.

SCENE I. On board Pericles' ship, off Mytilene.

SCENE II. Enter Gower, before the temple of Diana at Ephesus.

SCENE III. The temple of Diana at Ephesus

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

ANTIOCHUS, king of Antioch.

PERICLES, prince of Tyre.

HELICANUS, ESCANES, two lords of Tyre.

SIMONIDES, kIng of Pentapolis.

CLEON, governor of Tarsus.

LYSIMACHUS, governor of Mytilene.

CERIMON, a lord of Ephesus.

THALIARD, a lord of Antioch.

PFIILEMON, servant to Cerimon.

LEONINE, servant to Dionyza.

Marshal.

A Pandar.

BOULT, his servant.

The Daughter of Antiochus.

DIONYZA, wife to Cleon.

THAISA, daughter to Simonides.

MARINA, daughter to Pericles and Thaisa.

LYCHORIDA, nurse to Marina.

A Bawd.

Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Sailors, Pirates, Fishermen, and Messengers.

DIANA.

GOWER, as Chorus.

SCENE: Dispersedly in various countries.

ACT I.

[Enter GOWER.]

[Before the palace of Antioch.]

To sing a song that old was sung,

From ashes ancient Gower is come;

Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear, and please your eyes.

It hath been sung at festivals,

On ember-eves and holy-ales;

And lords and ladies in their lives

Have read it for restoratives:

The purchase is to make men glorious;

Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.

If you, born in these latter times,

When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,

And that to hear an old man sing

May to your wishes pleasure bring,

I life would wish, and that I might

Waste it for you, like taper-light.

This Antioch, then, Antiochus the Great

Built up, this city, for his chiefest seat;

The fairest in all Syria,

I tell you what mine authors say:

This king unto him took a fere,

Who died and left a female