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Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Tom Bishop
Not Peer Reviewed
1370
Enter Gower.
Imagine Pericles arriude at Tyre,
Welcomd and setled to his owne desire:
His wofull Queene we leaue at Ephesus,
Vnto Diana ther's a Votarisse.
1375Now to Marina bend your mind,
Whom our fast growing scene must finde
At Tharsus, and by Cleon traind
In Musicks letters, who hath gaind
Of education all the grace,
1380Which makes hie both the art and place
Of generall wonder: but alacke
That monster Enuie oft the wracke
Of earned praise, Marinas life
Seeke to take off by treasons knife,
1385And in this kinde, our Cleon hath
One daughter and a full growne wench,
Euen right for marriage sight : this Maid
Hight Philoten: and it is said
For certaine in our storie, shee
1390Would euer with Marina bee.
Beet when they weaude the sleded silke,
With fingers long, small, white as milke,
Or when she would with sharpe needle wound,
The Cambricke which she made more sound
1395By hurting it or when too'th Lute
She sung, and made the night bed mute,
That still records with mone, or when
She would with rich and constant pen,
Vaile to her Mistresse Dian still,
1400This Phyloten contends in skill
With absolute Marina: so
The Doue of Paphos might with the crow
Vie feathers white, Marina gets
All prayses, which are paid as debts,
1405And not as giuen, this so darkes
In Phyloten all gracefull markes,
That Cleons wife with Enuie rare,
A present murderer does prepare
For good Marina, that her daughter
1410Might stand peerlesse by this slaughter.
The sooner her vile thoughts to stead,
Lichorida our nurse is dead,
And cursed Dioniza hath
The pregnant instrument of wrath.
1415Prest for this blow, the vnborne euent,
I doe commend to your content,
Onely I carried winged Time,
Post one the lame feete of my rime,
Which neuer could I so conuey,
1420Vnlesse your thoughts went on my way,
Dioniza does appeare,
With Leonine a murtherer.
Exit.