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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, 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 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 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: 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 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 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 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. 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 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. Dionyza does appear, With Leonine, a murderer.
Imagine Pericles has arrived at Tyre, Welcomed and settled as he wished. We leave his sorrowful queen at Ephesus, Where she serves Diana as a priestess. Now focus on Marina, Who our fast-moving story must find In Tarsus, trained by Cleon In music and literature; she’s gained All the grace from her education, Which makes her the wonder of everyone. But, alas, That monster envy, often the destroyer Of deserved praise, seeks to take Marina’s life With the knife of treason. And in this way, Cleon’s daughter, A grown woman, ripe for marriage, Named Philoten, is said to always Be with Marina: Whether she wove silk with long, slender fingers, White as milk; Or when she would sew fine cloth, Making it more durable by damaging it; Or when she sang to the lute, Silencing the night-bird’s mournful call; Or when she would write beautifully, Praising her mistress Diana; Philoten competes with Marina in skill: Like a crow trying to match the dove of Paphos In feathers. Marina receives All praise, given like a debt, Not as a gift. This darkens Philoten’s graceful qualities, That Cleon’s wife, with rare envy, Plans to murder Marina, So her daughter might stand unmatched after this killing. The sooner her evil thoughts are realized, Lychorida, our nurse, is dead: And cursed Dionyza has The deadly tool ready for this strike. I leave the unborn outcome To your imagination: I only carry the quick passage of time On the slow feet of my rhyme, Which I could never deliver Unless your thoughts followed my path. Dionyza appears, With Leonine, a murderer.