MARINA 
I am a maid,
My lord, that ne'er before invited eyes,
But have been gazed on like a comet: she speaks,
My lord, that, may be, hath endured a grief
Might equal yours, if both were justly weigh'd.
Though wayward fortune did malign my state,
My derivation was from ancestors
Who stood equivalent with mighty kings:
But time hath rooted out my parentage,
And to the world and awkward casualties
Bound me in servitude.

Aside

I will desist;
But there is something glows upon my cheek,
And whispers in mine ear, 'Go not till he speak.'

PERICLES 
My fortunes--parentage--good parentage--
To equal mine!--was it not thus? what say you?

MARINA 
I said, my lord, if you did know my parentage,
You would not do me violence.

PERICLES 
I do think so. Pray you, turn your eyes upon me.
You are like something that--What country-woman?
Here of these shores?

MARINA 
No, nor of any shores:
Yet I was mortally brought forth, and am
No other than I appear.

PERICLES 
I am great with woe, and shall deliver weeping.
My dearest wife was like this maid, and such a one
My daughter might have been: my queen's square brows;
Her stature to an inch; as wand-like straight;
As silver-voiced; her eyes as jewel-like
And cased as richly; in pace another Juno;
Who starves the ears she feeds, and makes them hungry,
The more she gives them speech. Where do you live?

MARINA 
Where I am but a stranger: from the deck
You may discern the place.

PERICLES 
Where were you bred?
And how achieved you these endowments, which
You make more rich to owe?

MARINA 
If I should tell my history, it would seem
Like lies disdain'd in the reporting.

PERICLES 
Prithee, speak:
Falseness cannot come from thee; for thou look'st
Modest as Justice, and thou seem'st a palace
For the crown'd Truth to dwell in: I will
believe thee,
And make my senses credit thy relation
To points that seem impossible; for thou look'st
Like one I loved indeed. What were thy friends?
Didst thou not say, when I did push thee back--
Which was when I perceived thee--that thou camest
From good descending?

MARINA 
So indeed I did.

PERICLES 
Report thy parentage. I think thou said'st
Thou hadst been toss'd from wrong to injury,
And that thou thought'st thy griefs might equal mine,
If both were open'd.

MARINA 
Some such thing
I said, and said no more but what my thoughts
Did warrant me was likely.

PERICLES 
Tell thy story;
If thine consider'd prove the thousandth part
Of my endurance, thou art a man, and I
Have suffer'd like a girl: yet thou dost look
Like Patience gazing on kings' graves, and smiling
Extremity out of act. What were thy friends?
How lost thou them? Thy name, my most kind virgin?
Recount, I do beseech thee: come, sit by me.

MARINA 
My name is Marina.

PERICLES 
O, I am mock'd,
And thou by some incensed god sent hither
To make the world to laugh at me.

MARINA 
Patience, good sir,
Or here I'll cease.

PERICLES 
Nay, I'll be patient.
Thou little know'st how thou dost startle me,
To call thyself Marina.

MARINA 
The name
Was given me by one that had some power,
My father, and a king.

PERICLES 
How! a king's daughter?
And call'd Marina?

MARINA 
You said you would believe me;
But, not to be a troubler of your peace,
I will end here.

PERICLES 
But are you flesh and blood?
Have you a working pulse? and are no fairy?
Motion! Well; speak on. Where were you born?
And wherefore call'd Marina?

MARINA 
Call'd Marina
For I was born at sea.

PERICLES 
At sea! what mother?

MARINA 
My mother was the daughter of a king;
Who died the minute I was born,
As my good nurse Lychorida hath oft
Deliver'd weeping.

PERICLES 
O, stop there a little!

Aside

This is the rarest dream that e'er dull sleep
Did mock sad fools withal: this cannot be:
My daughter's buried. Well: where were you bred?
I'll hear you more, to the bottom of your story,
And never interrupt you.

MARINA 
You scorn: believe me, 'twere best I did give o'er.

PERICLES 
I will believe you by the syllable
Of what you shall deliver. Yet, give me leave:
How came you in these parts? where were you bred?

MARINA 
The king my father did in Tarsus leave me;
Till cruel Cleon, with his wicked wife,
Did seek to murder me: and having woo'd
A villain to attempt it, who having drawn to do't,
A crew of pirates came and rescued me;
Brought me to Mytilene. But, good sir,
Whither will you have me? Why do you weep?
It may be,
You think me an impostor: no, good faith;
I am the daughter to King Pericles,
If good King Pericles be.

PERICLES 
Ho, Helicanus!

HELICANUS 
Calls my lord?

PERICLES 
Thou art a grave and noble counsellor,
Most wise in general: tell me, if thou canst,
What this maid is, or what is like to be,
That thus hath made me weep?

HELICANUS 
I know not; but
Here is the regent, sir, of Mytilene
Speaks nobly of her.

LYSIMACHUS 
She would never tell
Her parentage; being demanded that,
She would sit still and weep.

PERICLES 
O Helicanus, strike me, honour'd sir;
Give me a gash, put me to present pain;
Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me
O'erbear the shores of my mortality,
And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither,
Thou that beget'st him that did thee beget;
Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus,
And found at sea again! O Helicanus,
Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as loud
As thunder threatens us: this is Marina.
What was thy mother's name? tell me but that,
For truth can never be confirm'd enough,
Though doubts did ever sleep.

MARINA 
First, sir, I pray,
What is your title?

PERICLES 
I am Pericles of Tyre: but tell me now
My drown'd queen's name, as in the rest you said
Thou hast been godlike perfect,
The heir of kingdoms and another like
To Pericles thy father.

MARINA 
Is it no more to be your daughter than
To say my mother's name was Thaisa?
Thaisa was my mother, who did end
The minute I began.

PERICLES 
Now, blessing on thee! rise; thou art my child.
Give me fresh garments. Mine own, Helicanus;
She is not dead at Tarsus, as she should have been,
By savage Cleon: she shall tell thee all;
When thou shalt kneel, and justify in knowledge
She is thy very princess.