Mar.

Called Marina,

For I was born at sea.

Per.

At sea? thy mother?

Mar. My mother was the daughter of a king; Who died the very minute I was born,

As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft

Delivered weeping.

Per.

O, stop there a little!

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
Did mock sad fools withal. This cannot be;
My daughter's buried. [Aside.] Well;-where were
you bred?

I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,
And never interrupt you.

Mar. You'll scarce believe me; 'twere best I did give o'er.

Per. I will believe you by the syllable

Of what you shall deliver.1 Yet, give me leave ;— How came you in these parts? where were you bred? Mar. The king, my father, did in Tharsus leave

me;

Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,

Did seek to murder me; and having wooed

A villain to attempt it, who having drawn to do't,
A crew of pirates came and rescued me;

Brought me to Mitylene. But now, good sir,
Whither will you have me? Why do you weep? It
may be,

You think me an impostor.
I am the daughter to king

If good king Pericles be.
Per. Ho, Helicanus!

Hel.

No, good faith;

Pericles,

Calls my gracious lord?

Per. Thou art a grave and noble counsellor, Most wise in general. Tell me, if thou canst,

What this maid is, or what is like to be,

That thus hath made me weep?

Hel.

I know not; but

1 That is, I will believe every the minutest part of what you say.

Here is the regent, sir, of Mitylene,

Speaks nobly of her.
Lys.

She would never tell

Her parentage; being demanded that,
She would sit still and weep.

Per. O Helicanus, strike me, honored sir;
Give me a gash, put me to present pain;
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me,
O'erbear the shores of my mortality,

And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither,
Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget;
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tharsus,

And found at sea again! O Helicanus,

Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods, as loud
As thunder threatens us; this is Marina.-

What was thy mother's name? tell me but that,
For truth can never be confirmed enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep.1

Mar.

What is your title?

First, sir, I pray,

Per. I am Pericles of Tyre; but tell me now My drowned queen's name, (as in the rest thou hast Been godlike perfect,) thou'rt the heir of kingdoms, And another life to Pericles thy father.2

Mar. Is it no more to be your daughter, than To say, my mother's name was Thaisa?

Thaisa was my mother, who did end,

The minute I began.

Per. Now, blessing on thee, rise; thou art my child.

Give me fresh garments. Mine own Helicanus, (Not dead at Tharsus, as she should have been, By savage Cleon,) she shall tell thee all;

1 i. e. "though nothing ever happened to awake a scruple or doubt." 2 This passage is very much corrupted in the old copies: in the last line we have, "another like." The emendation is founded upon that of Mason. Malone reads:

"Per. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now
My drowned queen's name, (as in the rest you said
Thou hast been godlike perfect,) the heir of kingdoms,
And a mother like to Pericles thy father."

When thou shalt kneel and justify in knowledge,
She is thy very princess.-Who is this?
Hel. Sir, 'tis the governor of Mitylene,
Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.

Per.

I embrace you, sir.

Give me my robes; I am wild in my beholding.
O Heavens bless my girl! But hark, what music?—
Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him

O'er point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,
How sure you are my daughter.-But what music?
Hel. My lord, I hear none.

Per. None?

The music of the spheres; list, my Marina.
Lys. It is not good to cross him; give him way.
Per. Rarest sounds!

Lys. A pillow for his head;

[The curtain before the pavilion of PERICLES
is closed.

So leave him all.-Well, my companion-friends,'
If this but answer to my just belief,

I'll well remember you.

[Exeunt LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, MARINA, and attendant Lady.

SCENE II. The same."

PERICLES on the deck asleep; DIANA appearing to him as in a vision.2

Dia. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee thither, And do upon mine altar sacrifice.

1 Malone would give these lines to Marina, reading—

2 This vision appears to be founded on a passage in Gower.

There, when my maiden priests are met together,
Before the people all,

Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife;

To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's, call,
And give them repetition to the life.1

Perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe;
Do't, and be happy, by my silver bow.
Awake, and tell thy dream.

[DIANA disappears.

Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,2

I will obey thee !—Helicanus !

Enter LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, and MARINA.

Hel.

Sir.

Per. My purpose was for Tharsus, there to strike The inhospitable Cleon; but I am

For other service first. Toward Ephesus

Turn our blown 3 sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee why.

[To HELICANUS.

Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,

And give you gold for such provision

As our intents will need?

Lys. With all my heart, sir; and when you come

ashore,

I have another suit.

Per.

You shall prevail,

Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems

You have been noble towards her.

Lys.

Per. Come, my Marina.

Sir, lend your arm.

[Exeunt.

Enter GOWER, before the Temple of DIANA, at Ephesus.

Gow. Now our sands are almost run;

More a little, and then done.*

1 In the old copy we have here like for life again.

2 i. e. regent of the silver moon.

3 That is, "our swollen sails."

4 The old copy reads dum; and in the last line of this chorus doom instead of boon.

This, as my last boon, give me,

(For such kindness must relieve me,)
That you aptly will suppose

What pageantry, what feats, what shows,
What ministrelsy, and pretty din,
The regent made in Mitylin,

To greet the king. So he has thrived,
That he is promised to be wived
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.2
In feathered briefness sails are filled,
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 fancy's thankful boon.

[Exit.

SCENE III. The Temple of DIANA at Ephesus; THAISA standing near the Altar, as High Priestess; a number of Virgins on each side; CERIMON and other Inhabitants of Ephesus attending.

Enter PERICLES, with his Train; LYSIMACHUS, HELICANUS, MARINA, and a Lady.

Per. Hail, Dian! to perform thy just command,
I here confess myself the king of Tyre;

Who, frighted from my country, did wed
The fair Thaisa, at Pentapolis.

3

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child called Marina; who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery. She at Tharsus
Was nursed with Cleon; whom at fourteen years
He sought to murder: but her better stars

1 i. e. Pericles.

2 Confound here signifies to consume.

3 i. e. her white robe of innocence.