To the Sailor of Mytilene
1     Where is lord Helicanus?
2    he can resolve you.
3    O, here he is.
4    Sir, there's a barge put off from Mytilene,
5    And in it is Lysimachus the governor,
6    Who craves to come aboard. What is your will?

7    That he have his. Call up some gentlemen.

8    Ho, gentlemen! my lord calls.

9    Doth your lordship call?

10   Gentlemen, there's some of worth would come aboard;
11   I pray ye, greet them fairly.

12   Sir,
13   This is the man that can, in aught you would,
14   Resolve you.

15   Hail, reverend sir! the gods preserve you!

16   And you, sir, to outlive the age I am,
17   And die as I would do.

18   You wish me well.
19   Being on shore, honouring of Neptune's triumphs,
20   Seeing this goodly vessel ride before us,
21   I made to it, to know of whence you are.

22   First, what is your place?

23   I am the governor of this place you lie before.

24   Sir,
25   Our vessel is of Tyre, in it the king;
26   A man who for this three months hath not spoken
27   To any one, nor taken sustenance
28   But to prorogue his grief.

29   Upon what ground is his distemperature?

30   'Twould be too tedious to repeat;
31   But the main grief springs from the loss
32   Of a beloved daughter and a wife.

33   May we not see him?

34   You may;
35   But bootless is your sight: he will not speak To any.

36   Yet let me obtain my wish.

37   Behold him.
PERICLES discovered
38   This was a goodly person,
39   Till the disaster that, one mortal night,
40   Drove him to this.

41   Sir king, all hail! the gods preserve you!
42   Hail, royal sir!

43   It is in vain; he will not speak to you.

44   Sir,
45   We have a maid in Mytilene, I durst wager,
46   Would win some words of him.

47   'Tis well bethought.
48   She questionless with her sweet harmony
49   And other chosen attractions, would allure,
50   And make a battery through his deafen'd parts,
51   Which now are midway stopp'd:
52   She is all happy as the fairest of all,
53   And, with her fellow maids is now upon
54   The leafy shelter that abuts against
55   The island's side.

56   Sure, all's effectless; yet nothing we'll omit
57   That bears recovery's name. But, since your kindness
58   We have stretch'd thus far, let us beseech you
59   That for our gold we may provision have,
60   Wherein we are not destitute for want,
61   But weary for the staleness.

62   O, sir, a courtesy
63   Which if we should deny, the most just gods
64   For every graff would send a caterpillar,
65   And so afflict our province. Yet once more
66   Let me entreat to know at large the cause
67   Of your king's sorrow.

68   Sit, sir, I will recount it to you:
69   But, see, I am prevented.

70   O, here is
71   The lady that I sent for. Welcome, fair one!
72   Is't not a goodly presence?

73   She's a gallant lady.

74   She's such a one, that, were I well assured
75   Came of a gentle kind and noble stock,
76   I'ld wish no better choice, and think me rarely wed.
77   Fair one, all goodness that consists in bounty
78   Expect even here, where is a kingly patient:
79   If that thy prosperous and artificial feat
80   Can draw him but to answer thee in aught,
81   Thy sacred physic shall receive such pay
82   As thy desires can wish.

83   Sir, I will use
84   My utmost skill in his recovery, Provided
85   That none but I and my companion maid
86   Be suffer'd to come near him.

87   Come, let us leave her;
88   And the gods make her prosperous!

89   Mark'd he your music?

90   No, nor look'd on us.

91   See, she will speak to him.

92   Hail, sir! my lord, lend ear.

93   Hum, ha!

94   I am a maid,
95   My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,
96   But have been gazed on like a comet: she speaks,
97   My lord, that, may be, hath endured a grief
98   Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.
99   Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
100  My derivation was from ancestors
101  Who stood equivalent with mighty kings:
102  But time hath rooted out my parentage,
103  And to the world and awkward casualties
104  Bound me in servitude.
Aside
105  I will desist;
106  But there is something glows upon my cheek,
107  And whispers in mine ear, 'Go not till he speak.'

108  My fortunes--parentage--good parentage--
109  To equal mine!--was it not thus? what say you?

110  I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage,
111  You would not do me violence.

112  I do think so. Pray you, turn your eyes upon me.
113  You are like something that--What country-woman?
114  Here of these shores?

115  No, nor of any shores:
116  Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am
117  No other than I appear.

118  I am great with woe, and shall deliver weeping.
119  My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one
120  My daughter might have been: my queen's square brows;
121  Her stature to an inch; as wand-like straight;
122  As silver-voiced; her eyes as jewel-like
123  And cased as richly; in pace another Juno;
124  Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them hungry,
125  The more she gives them speech. Where do you live?

126  Where I am but a stranger: from the deck
127  You may discern the place.

128  Where were you bred?
129  And how achieved you these endowments, which
130  You make more rich to owe?

131  If I should tell my history, it would seem
132  Like lies disdain'd in the reporting.

133  Prithee, speak:
134  Falseness cannot come from thee; for thou look'st
135  Modest as Justice, and thou seem'st a palace
136  For the crown'd Truth to dwell in: I will
137  believe thee,
138  And make my senses credit thy relation
139  To points that seem impossible; for thou look'st
140  Like one I loved indeed. What were thy friends?
141  Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back--
142  Which was when I perceived thee--that thou camest
143  From good descending?

144  So indeed I did.

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

149  Some such thing
150  I said, and said no more but what my thoughts
151  Did warrant me was likely.

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

160  My name is Marina.

161  O, I am mock'd,
162  And thou by some incensed god sent hither
163  To make the world to laugh at me.

164  Patience, good sir,
165  Or here I'll cease.

166  Nay, I'll be patient.
167  Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me,
168  To call thyself Marina.

169  The name
170  Was given me by one that had some power,
171  My father, and a king.

172  How! a king's daughter?
173  And call'd Marina?

174  You said you would believe me;
175  But, not to be a troubler of your peace,
176  I will end here.

177  But are you flesh and blood?
178  Have you a working pulse? and are no fairy?
179  Motion! Well; speak on. Where were you born?
180  And wherefore call'd Marina?

181  Call'd Marina
182  For I was born at sea.

183  At sea! what mother?

184  My mother was the daughter of a king;
185  Who died the minute I was born,
186  As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft
187  Deliver'd weeping.

188  O, stop there a little!
Aside
189  This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
190  Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be:
191  My daughter's buried. Well: where were you bred?
192  I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,
193  And never interrupt you.

194  You scorn: believe me, 'twere best I did give o'er.

195  I will believe you by the syllable
196  Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave:
197  How came you in these parts? where were you bred?

198  The king my father did in Tarsus leave me;
199  Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,
200  Did seek to murder me: and having woo'd
201  A villain to attempt it, who having drawn to do't,
202  A crew of pirates came and rescued me;
203  Brought me to Mytilene. But, good sir,
204  Whither will you have me? Why do you weep?
205  It may be,
206  You think me an impostor: no, good faith;
207  I am the daughter to King Pericles,
208  If good King Pericles be.

209  Ho, Helicanus!

210  Calls my lord?

211  Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,
212  Most wise in general: tell me, if thou canst,
213  What this maid is, or what is like to be,
214  That thus hath made me weep?

215  I know not; but
216  Here is the regent, sir, of Mytilene
217  Speaks nobly of her.

218  She would never tell
219  Her parentage; being demanded that,
220  She would sit still and weep.

221  O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd sir;
222  Give me a gash, put me to present pain;
223  Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me
224  O'erbear the shores of my mortality,
225  And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither,
226  Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget;
227  Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus,
228  And found at sea again! O Helicanus,
229  Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as loud
230  As thunder threatens us: this is Marina.
231  What was thy mother's name? tell me but that,
232  For truth can never be confirm'd enough,
233  Though doubts did ever sleep.

234  First, sir, I pray,
235  What is your title?

236  I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now
237  My drown'd queen's name, as in the rest you said
238  Thou hast been godlike perfect,
239  The heir of kingdoms and another like
240  To Pericles thy father.

241  Is it no more to be your daughter than
242  To say my mother's name was Thaisa?
243  Thaisa was my mother, who did end
244  The minute I began.

245  Now, blessing on thee! rise; thou art my child.
246  Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus;
247  She is not dead at Tarsus, as she should have been,
248  By savage Cleon: she shall tell thee all;
249  When thou shalt kneel, and justify in knowledge
250  She is thy very princess. Who is this?

251  Sir, 'tis the governor of Mytilene,
252  Who, hearing of your melancholy state,
253  Did come to see you.

254  I embrace you.
255  Give me my robes. I am wild in my beholding.
256  O heavens bless my girl! But, hark, what music?
257  Tell Helicanus, my Marina, tell him
258  O'er, point by point, for yet he seems to doubt,
259  How sure you are my daughter. But, what music?

260  My lord, I hear none.

261  None!
262  The music of the spheres! List, my Marina.

263  It is not good to cross him; give him way.

264  Rarest sounds! Do ye not hear?

265  My lord, I hear.

266  Most heavenly music!
267  It nips me unto listening, and thick slumber
268  Hangs upon mine eyes: let me rest.

269  A pillow for his head:
270  So, leave him all. Well, my companion friends,
271  If this but answer to my just belief,
272  I'll well remember you.

273  My temple stands in Ephesus: hie thee thither,
274  And do upon mine altar sacrifice.
275  There, when my maiden priests are met together,
276  Before the people all,
277  Reveal how thou at sea didst lose thy wife:
278  To mourn thy crosses, with thy daughter's, call
279  And give them repetition to the life.
280  Or perform my bidding, or thou livest in woe;
281  Do it, and happy; by my silver bow!
282  Awake, and tell thy dream.

283  Celestial Dian, goddess argentine,
284  I will obey thee. Helicanus!

285  Sir?

286  My purpose was for Tarsus, there to strike
287  The inhospitable Cleon; but I am
288  For other service first: toward Ephesus
289  Turn our blown sails; eftsoons I'll tell thee why.
To LYSIMACHUS
290  Shall we refresh us, sir, upon your shore,
291  And give you gold for such provision
292  As our intents will need?

293  Sir,
294  With all my heart; and, when you come ashore,
295  I have another suit.

296  You shall prevail,
297  Were it to woo my daughter; for it seems
298  You have been noble towards her.

299  Sir, lend me your arm.

300  Come, my Marina.