Imagine Pericles arrived at Tyre,

4.0.21372Welcomed and settled to his own desire;

4.0.31373His woeful queen we leave at Ephesus,

4.0.41374Unto Diana there's a votaress.

4.0.51375Now to Marina bend your mind,

4.0.61376Whom our fast-growing scene must find

4.0.71377At Tharsus, and by Cleon trained

4.0.81378In music's letters, who hath gained

4.0.91379Of education all the grace,

4.0.101380Which makes her both the heart and place

4.0.111381Of general wonder. But, alack,

4.0.121382That monster envy, oft the wrack

4.0.131383Of earnèd praise, Marina's life

4.0.141384Seeks to take off by treason's knife,

4.0.151385And in this kind: our Cleon has

4.0.161386One daughter and a full-grown lass,

4.0.171387Even ripe for marriage-rite. This maid

4.0.181388Hight Philoten, and it is said

4.0.191389For certain in our story she

4.0.201390Would ever with Marina be.

4.0.211391Be't when they weaved the sleded silk,

4.0.221392With fingers long, small, white as milk,

4.0.231393Or when she would with sharp needle wound

4.0.241394The cambric, which she made more sound

4.0.251395By hurting it, or when to th'lute

4.0.261396She sung, and made the night-bird mute,

4.0.271397That still records with moan, or when

4.0.281398She would with rich and constant pen

4.0.291399Vail to her mistress Dian, still

4.0.301400This Philoten contends in skill

4.0.311401With absolute Marina; so

4.0.321402With dove of Paphos might the crow

4.0.331403Vie feathers white. Marina gets

4.0.341404All praises, which are paid as debts

4.0.351405And not as given. This so darks

4.0.361406In Philoten all graceful marks

4.0.371407That Cleon's wife with envy rare

4.0.381408A present murder does prepare

4.0.391409For good Marina, that her daughter

4.0.401410Might stand peerless by this slaughter.

4.0.411411The sooner her vile thoughts to stead,

4.0.421412Lychorida, our nurse, is dead,

4.0.431413And cursed Dionyza hath

4.0.441414The pregnant instrument of wrath

4.0.451415Prest for this blow. The unborn event

4.0.461416I do commend to your content.

4.0.471417Only, I carried wingèd time

4.0.481418Post on the lame feet of my rhyme,

4.0.491419Which never could I so convey,

4.0.501420Unless your thoughts went on my way.

4.0.511421Dionyza does appear,

4.0.521422With Leonine, a murderer.