The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for ChildrenLamb, Charles
General
The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 3: Books for Children
Lamb, Charles
Children's poetry; Children's stories
The storm still continuing to rage furiously, and the sailors having
a superstition that while a dead body remained in the ship the storm
would never cease, they came to Pericles to demand that his queen
should be thrown overboard; and they said, "What courage, sir? God
save you!" "Courage enough," said the sorrowing prince: "I do not fear
the storm; it has done to me its worst; yet for the love of this poor
infant, this fresh new sea-farer, I wish the storm was over." "Sir,"
said the sailors, "your queen must overboard. The sea works high, the
wind is loud, and the storm will not abate till the ship be cleared
of the dead." Though Pericles knew how weak and unfounded this
superstition was, yet he patiently submitted, saying, "As you think
meet. Then she must overboard, most wretched queen!" And now this
unhappy prince went to take a last view of his dear wife, and as he
looked on his Thaisa, he said, "A terrible child-bed hast thou had, my
dear; no light, no fire; the unfriendly elements forgot thee utterly,
nor have I time to bring thee hallowed to thy grave, but must cast
thee scarcely coffined into the sea, where for a monument upon thy
bones the humming waters must overwhelm thy corpse, lying with simple
shells. O Lychorida, bid Nestor bring me spices, ink, and paper, my
casket and my jewels, and bid Nicandor bring me the satin coffin. Lay
the babe upon the pillow, and go about this suddenly, Lychorida, while
I say a priestly farewel to my Thaisa."
They brought Pericles a large chest, in which (wrapt in a satin
shroud) he placed his queen, and sweet-smelling spices he strewed
over her, and beside her he placed rich jewels, and a written paper,
telling who she was, and praying, if haply any one should find the
chest which contained the body of his wife, they would give her
burial: and then with his own hands he cast the chest into the sea.
When the storm was over, Pericles ordered the sailors to make for
Tharsus. "For," said Pericles, "the babe cannot hold out till we come
to Tyre. At Tharsus I will leave it at careful nursing."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account