Provided

That none but I and my companion maid

Be suffer'd to come near him.

MARINA.

No, nor look'd on us.

LYSIMACHUS. See, she will speak to him.
MARINA. Hail, sir! my lord, lend ear.
PERICLES. Hum! ha!

MARINA. I am a maid,

My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,

But have been gaz'd on like a comet; she speaks,
My lord, that, may be, hath endur'd a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.
Though wayward Fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors

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92

Who stood equivalent with mighty kings;
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and awkward casualties
Bound me in servitude. [Aside.] I will desist;
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear, Go not till he speak.'
PERICLES. My fortunes-parentage-good parent-
age-

96

To equal mine!—was it not thus ? what say you? MARINA. I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage,

You would not do me violence.

100

PERICLES. I do think so. Pray you, turn your eyes upon me.

You are like something that-What countrywoman? Here of these shores?

MARINA.

No, nor of any shores ; 104

Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am
No other than I appear.

PERICLES.

weeping.

I am great with woe, and shall deliver

My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one

My daughter might have been my queen's square

brows;

Her stature to an inch; as wand-like straight;

As silver-voic'd; her eyes as jewel-like,

And cas'd as richly; in pace another Juno;

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Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them hungry, The more she gives them speech. Where do you live? Where I am but a stranger; from the deck

MARINA.

You may discern the place.

PERICLES.

Where were you bred? And how achiev'd you these endowments, which You make more rich to owe?

MARINA. Should I tell my history, it would seem Like lies, disdain'd in the reporting.

PERICLES. Prithee, speak;

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Falseness cannot come from thee, for thou look'st
Modest as justice, and thou seem'st a palace
For the crown'd truth to dwell in. I believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation
To points that seem impossible; for thou lookest
Like one I lov'd indeed. What were thy friends ?
Didst thou not say when I did push thee back,
Which was when I perceiv'd thee, that thou cam'st
From good descending?

MARINA.

So indeed I did.

132.

PERICLES. Report thy parentage. I think thou saidst Thou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury, And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine, If both were open'd.

MARINA.

Some such thing

I said, and said no more but what my thoughts
Did warrant me was likely.

PERICLES.

136

Tell thy story; If thine consider'd prove the thousandth part Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I Have suffer'd like a girl; yet thou dost look Like Patience gazing on kings' graves, and smiling Extremity out of act. What were thy friends? How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind virgin ? Recount, I do beseech thee. Come, sit by me.

MARINA. My name is Marina.

PERICLES.

And thou by some incensed god sent hither
To make the world to laugh at me.

MARINA.

Or here I'll cease.

PERICLES.

Patience, good sir,

Nay, I'll be patient.

Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me,
To call thyself Marina.

MARINA.

The name

Was given me by one that had some power;
My father, and a king.

PERICLES.

And call'd Marina ?

MARINA.

How! a king's daughter?

You said you would believe me;

But, not to be a troubler of your peace,
I will end here.

PERICLES. But are you
Have you a working pulse?
Motion !-Well; speak on.
And wherefore call'd Marina ?

MARINA.

For I was born at sea.

PERICLES.

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153

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

As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft

Deliver'd weeping.

PERICLES.

O! stop there a little.

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep

Did mock sad fools withal; this cannot be.

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My daughter's buried. Well; where were you bred? I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,

And never interrupt you.

MARINA, You'll scorn to believe me; 'twere best

I did give o'er.

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PERICLES. I will believe you by the syllable Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave: How came you in these parts ? where were you bred? MARINA. The king my father did in Tarsus leave me,

Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,

Did seek to murder me; and having woo'd

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

Brought me to Mitylene.

But, good sir,

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Whither will you have me? Why do you weep? It may be

You think me an impostor;

no, good faith;

I am the daughter to King Pericles,

If good King Pericles be.

PERICLES. Ho, Helicanus !

HELICANUS. Calls my lord?

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PERICLES. 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?

HELICANUS.

Here is the regent, sir, of Mitylene,

Speaks nobly of her.

LYSIMACHUS.

I know not; but

She never would tell

Her parentage; being demanded that,

She would sit still and weep.

185

PERICLES. O Helicanus! strike me, honour'd 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.

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193

O! come hither,

Thou that begett'st him that did thee beget;
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus,
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 confirm'd enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep.

MARINA.

What is your title?

PERICLES. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now My drown'd queen's name, as in the rest you said Thou hast been godlike perfect ;

208

Thou'rt heir of kingdoms, and another life
To Pericles thy father.

MARINA. 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.

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

Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus ;
She is not dead at Tarsus, as she should have been,
By savage Cleon; she shall tell thee all;
When thou shalt kneel, and justify in knowledge
She is thy very princess. Who is this?

HELICANUS. Sir, 'tis the governor of Mitylene,
Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
Did come to see you.

PERICLES.

I embrace you.

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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? HELICANUS. My lord, I hear none.

PERICLES. None !

The music of the spheres! List, my Marina.

229

LYSIMACHUS. It is not good to cross him; give him

way. PERICLES.

LYSIMACHUS.

PERICLES.

Rarest sounds! Do ye not hear?

My lord, I hear.

232

[Music.

Most heavenly music:

It nips me unto listening, and thick slumber
Hangs upon mine eyes; let me rest.

LYSIMACHUS. A pillow for his head.

[Sleeps.

237

So, leave him all. Well, my companion friends,
If this but answer to my just belief,
I'll well remember you.

[Exeunt all but PERICLES.

DIANA appears to PERICLES as in a vision.

DIANA. My temple stands in Ephesus; hie thee

thither,

241