like this maid, and such a one might my daughter have
been. My queen’s square brows, her stature
to an inch, as wand-like straight, as silver-voiced,
her eyes as jewel-like. Where do you live, young
maid? Report your parentage. I think you
said you had been tossed from wrong to injury, and
that you thought your griefs would equal mine, if
both were opened.” “Some such thing
I said,” replied Marina, “and said no
more than what my thoughts did warrant me as likely.”
“Tell me your story,” answered Pericles;
“if I find you have known the thousandth part
of my endurance, you have borne your sorrows like
a man, and I have suffered like a girl; yet you do
look like Patience gazing on kings’ graves, and
smiling Extremity out of act. Tell me your name,
my most kind virgin? Recount your story, I beseech
you. Come, sit by me.” How was Pericles
surprised when she said her name was Marina,
for he knew it was no usual name, but had been invented
by himself for his own child to signify sea-born:
“O, I am mocked,” said he, “and you
are sent hither by some incensed god to make the world
laugh at me.” “Patience, good sir,”
said Marina, “or I must cease here.”
“Nay,” said Pericles, “I will be
patient; you little know how you do startle me, to
call yourself Marina.” “The name,”
she replied, “was given me by one that had some
power, my father, and a king.” “How,
a king’s daughter!” said Pericles, “and
called Marina! But are you flesh and blood?
Are you no fairy? Speak on; where were you born?
and wherefore called Marina?” She replied, “I
was called Marina, because I was born at sea.
My mother was the daughter of a king; she died the
minute I was born, as my good nurse Lychorida has
often told me weeping. The king my father left
me at Tharsus, till the cruel wife of Cleon sought
to murder me. A crew of pirates came and rescued
me, and brought me here to Metaline. But, good
sir, why do you weep? It may be, you think me
an impostor. But indeed, sir, I am the daughter
to king Pericles, if good king Pericles be living.”
Then Pericles, terrified as it seemed at his own sudden
joy, and doubtful if this could be real, loudly called
for his attendants, who rejoiced at the sound of their
beloved king’s voice; and he said to Hellicanus,
“O Hellicanus, strike me, give me a gash, put
me to present pain, lest this great sea of joys rushing
upon me overbear the shores of my mortality.
O, come hither, thou that wast born at sea, buried
at Tharsus, and found at sea again. O Hellicanus,
down on your knees, thank the holy gods! This
is Marina. Now blessings on thee, my child!
Give me fresh garments, mine own Hellicanus! She
is not dead at Tharsus, as she should have been by
the savage Dionysia. She shall tell you all,
when you shall kneel to her, and call her your very
princess. Who is this?” (observing Lysimachus
for the first time). “Sir,” said
Hellicanus, “it is the governor of Metaline,
who, hearing of your melancholy, came to see you.”