Ephesus. A room in CERIMON's house.
Enter CERIMON and THAISA
CERIMON
1 Madam, this letter, and some certain jewels,
2 Lay with you in your coffer: which are now
3 At your command. Know you the character?
THAISA
4 It is my lord's.
5 That I was shipp'd at sea, I well remember,
6 Even on my eaning time; but whether there
Deliver'd, by the holy gods,
8 I cannot rightly say. But since King Pericles,
9 My wedded lord, I ne'er shall see again,
10 A vestal livery will I take me to,
11 And never more have joy.
CERIMON
Madam, if this you purpose as ye speak,
13 Diana's temple is not distant far,
14 Where you may abide till your date expire.
Moreover, if you please, a niece of mine
16 Shall there attend you.
THAISA
17 My recompense is thanks, that's all;
18 Yet my good will is great, though the gift small.
Exeunt
Enter GOWER
GOWER
19 Imagine Pericles arrived at Tyre,
20 Welcomed and settled to his own desire.
21 His woeful queen we leave at Ephesus,
22 Unto Diana there a votaress.
23 Now to Marina bend your mind,
24 Whom our fast-growing scene must find
25 At Tarsus, and by Cleon train'd
26 In music, letters; who hath gain'd
27 Of education all the grace,
28 Which makes her both the heart and place
29 Of general wonder. But, alack,
30 That monster envy, oft the wrack
31 Of earned praise, Marina's life
32 Seeks to take off by treason's knife.
33 And in this kind hath our Cleon
34 One daughter, and a wench full grown,
35 Even ripe for marriage-rite; this maid
36 Hight Philoten: and it is said
37 For certain in our story, she
38 Would ever with Marina be:
39 Be't when she weaved the sleided silk
40 With fingers long, small, white as milk;
41 Or when she would with sharp needle wound
42 The cambric, which she made more sound
43 By hurting it; or when to the lute
44 She sung, and made the night-bird mute,
45 That still records with moan; or when
46 She would with rich and constant pen
47 Vail to her mistress Dian; still
48 This Philoten contends in skill
49 With absolute Marina: so
50 With the dove of Paphos might the crow
51 Vie feathers white. Marina gets
52 All praises, which are paid as debts,
53 And not as given. This so darks
54 In Philoten all graceful marks,
55 That Cleon's wife, with envy rare,
56 A present murderer does prepare
57 For good Marina, that her daughter
58 Might stand peerless by this slaughter.
59 The sooner her vile thoughts to stead,
60 Lychorida, our nurse, is dead:
61 And cursed Dionyza hath
62 The pregnant instrument of wrath
63 Prest for this blow. The unborn event
64 I do commend to your content:
65 Only I carry winged time
66 Post on the lame feet of my rhyme;
67 Which never could I so convey,
68 Unless your thoughts went on my way.
69 Dionyza does appear,
70 With Leonine, a murderer.
Exit