1301How after the death of Lychorida, the nurse, Dionyza, 1302envying at the beauty of Marina, hired a servant of hers to 1303have murdered her; and how she was rescued by certain pirates 1304and by them carried to the city of Meteline, where, among other 1305bondslaves, she was sold to a common bawd.

1306Marina having thus by Lychorida's means had knowledge of her parents, 1307and Lychorida having been in her life her most careful nurse, she (not without 1308just cause) lamented her death and caused her body to be solemnly interred in 1309a field without the walls of the city, raising a monument in remembrance of her, 1310vowing to herself a year's solemn sadness, and that her eyes also for so long a 1311time should daily pay their dewy offerings, as lamenting the loss of so good a friend.

1312But, this decree of hers being accomplished and all the rites thereof 1313faithfully fulfilled, she dismissed her body of her mourning attire and again 1314appareled herself as before in her most costly habiliment, frequenting the 1315schools and diligently endeavoring the studies of the liberal sciences, wherein 1316she so out-went in perfection the labors of all that were studious with her 1317that she was rather used amongst them as their schoolmistress to instruct 1318than their fellow scholar to learn. Only, for her recreation, betwixt the hours 1319of study, dancing, singing, sewing, or what experience soever (for in no action 1320was she unexpert), as also every morning and at noon before she made her meal, 1321she forgot not to revisit her nurse's sepulcher. And entering into the monument, 1322upon her knees she there offered her funeral tears for the loss of her mother, 1323and desiring the gods in their holy synod to protect the safety of her father, 1324accusing herself as an unfortunate child, whose being caused the death of 1325her mother, so good a queen, and the sorrow of her father, so courteous a prince. 1326

And in very deed, the whole course of her life was so affable and courteous that 1327she won the love of all and every man, accounting his tongue (the father of speech) 1328a truant which was not liberal in her praises. So that it fortuned, as she passed 1329along the street with Dionyza her daughter, who was her companion and schoolfellow 1330and who till then she supposed had been her sister, the people, as at other times, 1331came running out of their doors with greedy desire to look upon her. And beholding 1332the beauty and comeliness of Marina so far to outshine Dionyza's daughter, who 1333went side by side with her, could not contain themselves from crying out: "Happy is 1334that father who hath Marina to his daughter, but her companion that goeth with her 1335is foul and ill-favored."

Which when Dionyza heard, her envy of those praises bred 1336in her a contempt, and that contempt soon transformed itself into wrath, all which 1337she for the instant dissembling, yet at her coming home withdrawing herself into 1338a private walk, she in this manner with herself began to discourse: "It is now," 1339quoth she, "fourteen years since Pericles, this outshining girl's father, departed 1340this our city, in all which time we have not received so much as a letter to 1341signify that he remembers her, or any other token to manifest he hath a desire 1342to acknowledge her, whereby I have reason to conjecture that he is either surely 1343dead or not regards her, though I must confess, at his departure from hence 1344and his committing her to our protection, he left her not unfurnished of all things 1345fitting the education of his child, and a princess of her birth, both of gold, 1346plate, and apparel, even competent enough to foster her according to her degree-- 1347nay, if need were, to marry her according to her blood."

"But what of all this? He 1348is absent, and Lychorida, her nurse is dead. She in beauty outshines my child, and 1349I have her father's treasure in possession (though given for her use) [which] shall make my 1350daughter outshine her. What though I know her father did relieve our city? I 1351again do know that but few in these days requite benefits with thanks longer 1352than while they are in receiving. In brief, I envy her, and she shall perish for it."

1353With the which words she had no sooner concluded, but in comes a servant of hers, 1354and she now intended to make him the devil's. With this Leonine she thus began to 1355interpret her will: "Leonine," quoth she, "thou knowest Marina." "And madam," quoth he, 1356"for a most virtuous gentlewoman." "Talk not of virtue," quoth Dionyza, "for that's not 1357the business which we have in hand. But I must have thee learn to know her now, 1358that thou mayest never know her afterward." "I understand you not," quoth Leonine. When 1359she replied, "Take this at large then: thou art my bond-slave, whom I have power to 1360enfranchise or captive. If thou wilt obey me, first then receive this gold as the 1361earnest which promiseth unto thee a greater reward; but if thou deny to accomplish 1362my desire, in bondage and imprisonment I will fetter thee and by no other means 1363conclude my revenge but by thy death."

"Speak on my task then, good madam," quoth 1364Leonine, "For what is it that a bondman will not attempt for liberty, which is dearer 1365to man than life; and what not I then?" "Thou knowest," quoth Dionyza then, "that 1366Marina hath a custom, as soon as she returneth home from school, not to eat 1367meat before she have gone to visit the sepulcher of her nurse. There, at her next 1368devotion, do thou meet her, stand ready, and with thy weapon drawn suddenly 1369kill her."

"How! Kill her?" quoth Leonine, "why 'tis an act unconscionable and deserves 1370damnation but to conspire in thought, since she is a creature so harmless that 1371even innocency itself cannot be more pure, nor inwardly be more decently arrayed 1372than is her mind. Yet, to fulfill your pleasure, for the hope of gold and the 1373releasement of my bondage, were she as spotless as Truth, here are two monsters" 1374(drawing his sword into his hand) "shall effect it for you."

When she rewarding him 1375with more gold and commending his resolution, he goes forward to attend for her 1376at Lychorida's tomb, and Marina, being returned from school, is also come thither 1377to offer on the monument her diurnal devotion, when on the sudden, while her knees 1378kissed the earth and her eyes saluted heaven, while prayers were in her mouth and 1379tears in her eyes, all tributary offerings given unto the gods for the prosperity 1380of her father, on the sudden toward her out rushed this Leonine, and with a look 1381as cruel as his heart and speech as harsh as his intent, he resolved her in blunt 1382words that he was come to kill her, that he was hired unto it by Dionyza, her 1383foster mother, that she was too good for men and therefore he would send her to 1384the gods, that if she would pray, pray, for he had sworn to kill her, and he would 1385kill her and a thousand more ere he would be damned for perjury.

When she, that 1386was on her knees before making her orisons to heaven, was now compelled to turn 1387her entreaties to him; and first demanded of him what offence her ignorance had 1388done (for wittingly she knew she could do none) either to him that (as himself 1389said) came to murder her, or to her that hired him. But the villain neither 1390regarding her innocency or tears though showered in abundance, but drawing 1391out his sword wherewith to have shed her blood and have damned his own soul, 1392there were certain pirates that were newly put to water in at a creek near 1393adjoining where the villain intended this most inhuman murder, and being come 1394up ashore to forage for what pillage soever they could happen upon, even as he 1395was about to have given the fatal blow, whom all her entreaties could not persuade 1396him from, beholding so bloody a villain offering violence to so goodly a beauty, 1397they running all at once toward him cried out aloud: "Hold, monstrous wretch, as thou 1398lovest thy life, hold; for that maiden is our prey and not thy victory."

Which when 1399the villain heard, and perceiving his intent to be intercepted, making his heels 1400his best defence, till, having fled some distance from them and observing them 1401not to pursue, he secretly stole back to note what the event would be; which was 1402that the pirates who had thus rescued Marina carried her to their ships, hoisted 1403sails and departed. At which the villain returned home to his mistress, declaring 1404to her that he had done what she commanded him to do, namely murdered Marina, 1405and from the top of a high cliff thrown her body down for burial into the 1406sea, advising her withal that, since it was done, the chiefest means to avoid 1407suspicion was to put on mourning garments, and, by counterfeiting a great sorrow 1408in the sight of the people, report that she was dead of some dangerous disease, 1409and withal, to blear the eyes of the multitude (who with fair shows are soon 1410flattered), near to her father's statue to erect a monument for her.

According 1411whereunto, she attired herself and her daughter in solemn attire and, 1412counterfeiting a feigned sorrow and dissembling tears and going now to erect 1413her monument (to the view of which all the citizens flocked), she in public 1414assembly thus spoke unto them: "Dear friends and citizens of Tharsus: if you 1415shall haply wonder why we thus unwontedly weep and mourn in your sight, it is 1416because the joy of our eyes and staff of our old age, Marina, is dead, whose 1417absence hath left unto us nothing but salt tears and sorrowful hearts, as if 1418by her death we were divided from all comfort. Yet have we here taken order for 1419her funerals and buried her (as here you see) according to her degree."

Which 1420loss of hers was right grievous to all the people; nor was there any that was 1421capable of sorrow but spent it for her, so that with one voice and willing 1422hands they attended Dionyza to the marketplace whereas her father's image 1423stood made of brass, and erected also another to her with this inscription:

1429So with this flattery (which is like a screen before the gravest 1430judgements) deceiving the citizens, and all done unsuspected, she returned 1431home, when Cleon -- who not at all consented to this treason but so soon as he 1432heard thereof being struck into amazement -- he appareled himself in mourning 1433garments, lamenting the untimely ruin of so goodly a lady, saying to himself, 1434"Alas now, what mischief am I wrapped in? What might I do or say herein? The 1435father of that virgin delivered this city from the peril of death. For this 1436city's sake he suffered shipwreck, lost his goods and endured penury. And 1437now he is requited with evil for good; his daughter, which he committed by my 1438care to be brought up, is now devoured by the cruelty of my wife, so that I 1439am deprived, as it were, of mine own eyes, and forced to bewail the death 1440of that innocent, she in whose presence, as in the fortune of mine own posterity, 1441I should have had delight," and then demanding of Dionyza how she could give 1442Prince Pericles account of his child; having robbed him of his child, how 1443she could appease the fury of his wrath, if her act were known to him, or 1444how allay the displeasure of the gods, from whom nothing can be hid.

"For 1445Pericles," quoth she, "if such a pious innocent as yourself do not reveal 1446it unto him, how should he come to the knowledge thereof, since that the 1447whole city is satisfied by the monument I caused to be erected, and by our 1448dissembling outside, that she died naturally? And for the gods, let them that 1449list be of the mind to think they can make stones speak and raise them up 1450in evidence. For my part I have my wish; I have my safety, and fear no danger 1451till it fall upon me." But Cleon, rather cursing than commending this obduracy 1452in her, he continued mourning unfeignedly; but she according to her sinful 1453condition.

By this time the pirates (who before rescued Marina, when she 1454should have been slain by treacherous Leonine) are now arrived at Meteline; 1455and in the marketplace of the city, according to the custom, amongst 1456other bondslaves offered her to be sold, whither all sorts of people 1457coming to supply their purposes, Marina was not without much commendations 1458gazed upon of the buyers, some commending her beauty, others her sober 1459countenance, all pitying her mishap, and praising her perfections. Which 1460praises of her, were so spread through the city that from all parts they 1461came crowding to see her, amongst the number of which, was a leno or bawd, 1462yet one who had not set up shop and kept trade for himself, but was yet 1463but journeyman to the devil.

This leno, amongst others staring upon her 1464and knowing her face to be a fit fair sign for his master's house -- and 1465with which sign he made no doubt but to lodge under their roof all 1466the intemperate (even from youth to age) through the whole city --, he 1467forthwith demanded the price, intending to buy her at what rate soever, 1468and in the end went through and bargained to have her, paying a hundred 1469sesterces of gold. And so presently, having given earnest, he takes 1470Marina and the rest of the pirates home with him to his master's house. 1471Marina was there to be taught how to give her body up a prostitute to 1472sin, and the pirates for their new stuff to receive their money.