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  • Title: Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)
  • Editor: Tom Bishop

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Tom Bishop
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

    1370Enter 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.
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