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- Edition: Pericles
The Adventures of Pericles (Modern)
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1205The Eighth Chapter.
1206How Pericles, arriving at Tharsus, delivereth his 1207young daughter, Marina, unto Cleon and Dionyza to be fostered 1208up; and how Lychorida the nurse, lying upon her death-bed, 1209declareth unto Marina who were her parents.
1210Having thus left the recovered Thaisa amongst the holy 1211nuns in the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, our story biddeth us 1212look back unto sorrowful Pericles, whose ship -- with fortunate 1213wind, favor of the heavens, and providence of his pilot -- arrived 1214at the shore of Tharsus.
Where upon his landing he was courteously 1215received by Cleon and Dionyza, whom he as courteously saluted, telling 1216them the heavy chances which had befallen him, both of the great 1217storms and tempests on the sea which he with patience had endured, 1218as also of the death of the good Lady Thaisa which he not without 1219much sorrow suffered: "Only," quoth he, "I have here left a little 1220picture of her, who, for it was given unto me at sea, I have named 1221Marina; and I thank the heavens is so like unto her that I never 1222do look upon it but with much comfort, in whose protection and 1223education I mean to use your friendship, while I go on in travel 1224to receive the kingdom of Antiochus which is reserved for me. And 1225if you will ever show your gratitude for my former charity extended 1226towards you and all this city in a former distress, the gods have 1227given this cause to prove your thankfulness."
When both vowing by 1228solemn oath their care should be on her as reason unto themselves,1229who is the guider of man's life; he, satisfied with that their promise, 1230thanked them, telling them moreover that with them also he would 1231leave Lychorida, her mother's nurse (and given unto him by her good 1232father, Symonides), that she might be a nurse unto her child, only 1233further requesting them, and so charging Lychorida, that if it pleased 1234the gods to lend her life to the years of understanding, they should 1235not till his return make known unto her that she was a branch 1236sprung from him, but only be brought up as the daughter of Cleon 1237and Dionyza, lest that the knowledge of her high birth should make 1238her grow proud to their instructions.
Of which having likewise promise, 1239he delivered the infant and the nurse to Cleon, and therewithal great 1240sums of gold, silver and apparel, and vowing solemnly by oath to 1241himself, his head should grow unscissored, his beard untrimmed, himself 1242in all uncomely, since he had lost his queen, and till he had married 1243his daughter at ripe years. When they much wondering at so strange a 1244resolve and promising to be most faithful with all diligence according 1245to his directions, Pericles took his leave, departed with his ship, 1246sailing even to the uttermost parts of all Egypt, while his young daughter 1247Marina grew up to more able discretion.
And when she was fully attained to 1248five years of age, being to herself known no other but to be free born, 1249she was set to school with other free children, always jointly accompanied 1250with one only daughter that Dionyza had, being of the same time that 1251she was of.
Where growing up as well in learning as in number of years 1252until she came to the reckoning of fourteen, one day when she returned 1253from school she found Lychorida, her nurse, suddenly fallen sick. And 1254sitting beside her upon the bed, she, as in care of her, demanded the 1255cause and manner of her sickness. When the nurse, finding her disease 1256to have no hope of recovery but a harbinger that came before to prepare 1257a lodging for death, answered her to this purpose: "For my sickness," 1258quoth she, "it matters not, dear child, since it is as necessary to be 1259sick as it is needful to die. Only I entreat of you to hearken unto 1260a dying woman's words that loveth you, and, laying them up in your heart, 1261persuade yourself that in these hours no sinner should or can be so 1262wretched to spare a minute to find time to lie. Know then that you are 1263not the daughter of Cleon and Dionyza, as you till this have supposed. 1264But hearken unto me and I will declare unto thee the beginning of thy 1265birth, that thou mayest know how to guide thyself after my death."
1266"Pericles, the Prince of Tyre, is thy father, and Thaisa, King Symonides' 1267daughter, was thy mother. Which father and mother departed from thy grandsire 1268at Pentapolis toward their kingdom of Tyre. Thy mother, being at sea, fell 1269in travail with thee, and died after thou wert born, when thy father, 1270Pericles, enclosed her body in a chest with princely ornaments, laying 1271twenty talents of gold at her head, and as much at her feet in silver, 1272with a schedule written containing the dignity of her birth and manner 1273of her death. Then caused he the chest to be thrown overboard into the 1274sea through a superstitious opinion which the mariners believed, leaving 1275her body so enriched to the intent that, whithersoever it were driven, 1276they that found it, in regard of the riches, would bury her according to 1277her estate."
"Thus, lady, were you born upon the waters, and your father's 1278ship, with much wrestling of contrary winds and with his unspeakable 1279grief of mind, arrived at this shore and brought thee in thy swaddling 1280clouts unto this city, where he with great care delivered thee unto this 1281thine host, Cleon, and Dionyza his wife, diligently to be fostered up, and 1282left me here also to attend upon thee, swearing this oath to keep 1283inviolate: his hair should be unscissored, his face untrimmed, himself 1284in all things uncomely continually to mourn for your dead mother until 1285your ripe years gave him occasion to marry you to some prince worthy your 1286birth and beauty."
"Wherefore I now admonish you that if after my death 1287thine host or hostess, whom thou callest thy parents, shall haply offer 1288thee any injury or, discourteously taking advantage of thy absent father, 1289as unbefitting thine estate entertain thee, haste thee into the market1290place, where thou shall find a statue erected to thy father standing; 1291take hold of it, and cry aloud: 'You citizens of Tharsus, I am his daughter 1292whose image this is.' Who, being mindful of thy father's benefits, will 1293doubtless revenge thy injury."
When Marina, thanking Lychorida for making 1294that known to her which till then was unknown, and haply either through 1295Time or Death might have been buried in her ignorance, and vowing, if ever 1296need should so require (of which as yet she had no cause to doubt) her 1297counsel should be followed; and so Lychorida, through sickness growing more 1298weak, and Marina for this knowledge and advice still tending on her, in 1299her arms at last she gave up the ghost.