Mar. You scorn to 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 leaveHow 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 to do't,
A crew of pirates came and rescued me;
Brought me to Mitylene. But, 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 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 never would 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 begett'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
My drown'd queen's name;
as in the rest you

said,

Thou hast been god-like perfect, the heir of kingdoms,

And another like 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; She is not dead at Tharsus, 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.

Give me my robes :—I am wild in my beholding. O heavens bless my girl! But hark, what music's

this?

Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him.

VOL. XI.

22

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 listening, and thick slumber Hangs on mine eyes; let me rest.

Lys. A pillow for his head.

[He sleeps.

So leave him all. Well, my companion-friends,

If this but answer to my just belief,

I'll well remember you.

[Exeunt Lys., HEL., MAR., and attendant Lady.

1

SCENE II.-The same.

PERICLES on 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't, and be happy: by my silver bow!
Awake, and tell thy dream.

[DIANA disappears.

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.

[To LYSIMACHUS.] Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,

And give you gold for such provision

As our intents will need?

Lys. Sir,

With all my heart: 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 me your arm.

Per. Come, my Mariana.

[Exeunt.

Enter GowER, before the Temple of DIANA at Ephesus.

Gow. Now our sands are almost run;

More a little, and then dumb.

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, what 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 Diana 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 doom.

[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.

At sea in childbed died she, but brought forth
A maid-child call'd Marina; who, O goddess,
Wears yet thy silver livery.
Was nursed with Cleon;

years

She, at Tharsus

whom at fourteen

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.
You are, you are—

Voice and favour;

-O royal Pericles !

[She faints.