PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE 4.

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PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE 4.

[Enter GOWER]

GOWER Imagine Pericles arrived at Tyre,

Welcomed and settled to his own desire.

His woeful queen we leave at Ephesus,

Unto Diana there a votaress.

Now to Marina bend your mind, 5

Whom our fast-growing scene must find

At Tarsus, and by Cleon train'd

In music, letters; who hath gain'd

Of education all the grace,

Which makes her both the heart and place 10

Of general wonder. But, alack,

That monster envy, oft the wrack

Of earned praise, Marina's life

Seeks to take off by treason's knife.

And in this kind hath our Cleon 15

One daughter, and a wench full grown,

Even ripe for marriage-rite; this maid

Hight Philoten: and it is said

For certain in our story, she

Would ever with Marina be: 20

Be't when she weaved the sleided silk

With fingers long, small, white as milk;

Or when she would with sharp needle wound

The cambric, which she made more sound

By hurting it; or when to the lute 25

She sung, and made the night-bird mute,

That still records with moan; or when

She would with rich and constant pen

Vail to her mistress Dian; still

This Philoten contends in skill 30

With absolute Marina: so

With the dove of Paphos might the crow

Vie feathers white. Marina gets

All praises, which are paid as debts,

And not as given. This so darks 35

In Philoten all graceful marks,

That Cleon's wife, with envy rare,

A present murderer does prepare

For good Marina, that her daughter

Might stand peerless by this slaughter. 40

The sooner her vile thoughts to stead,

Lychorida, our nurse, is dead:

And cursed Dionyza hath

The pregnant instrument of wrath

Prest for this blow. The unborn event 45

I do commend to your content:

Only I carry winged time

Post on the lame feet of my rhyme;

Which never could I so convey,

Unless your thoughts went on my way. 50

Dionyza does appear,

With Leonine, a murderer.

[Exit]

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GOWER	Imagine Pericles arrived at Tyre,
	Welcomed and settled to his own desire.
	His woeful queen we leave at Ephesus,
	Unto Diana there a votaress.
	Now to Marina bend your mind,	5
	Whom our fast-growing scene must find
	At Tarsus, and by Cleon train'd
	In music, letters; who hath gain'd
	Of education all the grace,
	Which makes her both the heart and place	10
	Of general wonder. But, alack,
	That monster envy, oft the wrack
	Of earned praise, Marina's life
	Seeks to take off by treason's knife.
	And in this kind hath our Cleon	15
	One daughter, and a wench full grown,
	Even ripe for marriage-rite; this maid
	Hight Philoten: and it is said
	For certain in our story, she
	Would ever with Marina be:	20
	Be't when she weaved the sleided silk
	With fingers long, small, white as milk;
	Or when she would with sharp needle wound
	The cambric, which she made more sound
	By hurting it; or when to the lute	25
	She sung, and made the night-bird mute,
	That still records with moan; or when
	She would with rich and constant pen
	Vail to her mistress Dian; still
	This Philoten contends in skill	30
	With absolute Marina: so
	With the dove of Paphos might the crow
	Vie feathers white. Marina gets
	All praises, which are paid as debts,
	And not as given. This so darks	35
	In Philoten all graceful marks,
	That Cleon's wife, with envy rare,
	A present murderer does prepare
	For good Marina, that her daughter
	Might stand peerless by this slaughter.	40
	The sooner her vile thoughts to stead,
	Lychorida, our nurse, is dead:
	And cursed Dionyza hath
	The pregnant instrument of wrath
	Prest for this blow. The unborn event	45
	I do commend to your content:
	Only I carry winged time
	Post on the lame feet of my rhyme;
	Which never could I so convey,
	Unless your thoughts went on my way.	50
	Dionyza does appear,
	With Leonine, a murderer.
	[Exit]

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