As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft

Deliver❜d 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. 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 woo'd
A villain to attempt it, who having drawn,
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; no, good faith;
I am the daughter to King Pericles,
If good king Pericles be.

Per. Ho, Helicanus !

Hel. 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

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, 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. 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 confirm'd enough,

Though doubts did ever sleep.

Mar. First, Sir, I pray,

What is your title?

Per. I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now (As in the rest thou hast been godlike perfect),

My drown'd queen's name, thou art the heir of kingdoms,
And another life to Pericles thy father.

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 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?
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!

Do ye not hear?

Lys. Music? my lord, I hear

Per. Most heavenly music:

It nips me unto list'ning, and thick slumber

Hangs on mine eyelids; let me rest.

Lys. A pillow for his head;

[He sleeps.

[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.

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

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.*
Perform my bidding, or thou liv'st in woe
Do it, and be happy; by my silver bow!
Awake, and tell thy dream.

[DIANA disappears.

*Repeat the narrative of your adventures.

Per. Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,*

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 † sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee why.

Shall we refresh us, Sir, upon your shore,

And give you gold for such provision

As our intents will need ?

[TO HELICANUS.

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. Sir, lend your arm.

Per. Come, my Marina.

[Exeunt.

Enter GoWEB, before the Temple of DIANA at Ephesus.

Gow. Now our sands are almost run;

More a little, and then done.

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 minstrelsy, 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 nowise,
Till he § had done his sacrifice,
As Dian bade: whereto being bound,
The interim, pray you, all confound.||
In feather'd briefness sails are fill'd,
And wishes fall out as they're will❜d.
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;

* Silvery.

† Swollen.

Soon.

I. e. Pericles.

Consume.

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

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child call'd 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
Brought her to Mitylene; against whose shore
Riding, her fortunes brought the maid aboard us,
Where, by her own most clear remembrance, she
Made known herself my daughter.

Thai. Voice and favour!

You are you are-O royal Pericles.

[She faints.

Per. What means she? hum! she dies! help, gentlemen!

Cer. Noble Sir,

If you have told Diana's altar true,

This is your wife.

Per. Reverend appearer, no;

I threw her o'erboard with these very arms.
Cer. Upon this coast, I warrant you.

Per. 'Tis most certain.

Cer. Look to the lady;-O, she's but o'er-joy'd.

Early, one blust'ring morn, this lady was

Thrown on this shore. I oped the coffin, and

Found there rich jewels; recover'd her, and placed her
Here in Diana's temple.

Per. May we see them?

Cer. Great Sir, they shall be brought you to my house,
Whither I invite you. Look! Thaisa is
Recover❜d.

Thai. O, let me look!

If he be none of mine, my sanctity

Will to my sense + bend no licentious ear,
But curb it, spite of seeing. O, my lord,
Are you not Pericles? Like him you speak,
Like him you are: Did you not name a tempest,
A birth and death ?

Per. The voice of dead Thaisa!

Thai. That Thaisa am I, supposed dead,

And drown'd.

Per. Immortal Dian!

Thai. Now I know you better.

When we with tears parted‡ Pentapolis,

The king, my father, gave you such a ring.

[Shows a ring.

Per. This, this: no more, you gods! your present kindness

Makes my past miseries sport: You shall do well,

That on the touching of her lips I may

Melt, and no more be seen. O come, be buried
A second time within these arms.

Mar. My heart

Leaps to be gone into my mother's bosom.

[Kneels to THAISA.

+ Sensual passion.

I. e. departed from.

*I. e. her white robe of innocence.

Per. Look, who kneels here! Flesh of thy flesh, Thaisa; Thy burden at the sea, and call'd Marina,

For she was yielded there.

Thai. Bless'd, and mine own!

Hel. Hail, Madam, and my queen!
Thai. I know you not.

Per. You have heard me say, when I did fly from Tyre,
I left behind an ancient substitute.

Can you remember what I call'd the man?

I have named him oft.

Thai. 'Twas Helicanus then.

Per. Still confirmation:

Embrace him, dear Thaisa; this is he
Now do I long to hear how you were found;
How possibly preserved; and whom to thank,
Besides the gods, for this great miracle.

Thai. Lord Cerimon, my lord; this man

Through whom the gods have shown their power; that can
From first to last resolve you.

Per. Reverend Sir,

The gods can have no mortal officer

More like a god than you. Will you deliver
How this dead queen re-lives?

Cer. I will, my lord.

Beseech you first go with me to my house,

Where shall be shown you all was found with her;
How she came placed here within the temple:

No needful thing omitted.

Per. Pure Diana!

I bless thee for thy vision, and will offer
My night oblations to thee. Thaisa,

This prince, the fair-betrothed of your daughter,
Shall marry her at Pentapolis. And now,
This ornament* that makes me look so dismal,

Will I, my loved Marina, clip to form;

And what this fourteen years no razor touch'd,

To grace thy marriage-day, I'll beautify.

Thai. Lord Cerimon hath letters of good credit,

Sir, that my father's dead.

Per. Heavens make a star of him! yet there, my queen,

We'll celebrate their nuptials, and ourselves

Will in that kingdom spend our following days;

Our son and daughter shall in Tyrus reign.

Lord Cerimon, we do our longing stay,

To hear the rest untold.-Sir, lead the way.

Enter GOWER.

Gow. In Antioch, and his daughter, you have heard Of monstrous lust the due and just reward:

In Pericles, his queen and daughter, seen

(Although assail'd with fortune fierce and keen)

*I.e. his beard.

[Exeunt.