Act V. Prologue. Pericles, Prince of Tyre. Craig, W.J., ed. 1914. The Oxford Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564–1616). The Oxford Shakespeare. 1914.

Pericles, Prince of Tyre

Act V. Prologue.


Enter GOWER.
Marina thus the brothel ’scapes, and chances
Into an honest house, our story says.
She sings like one immortal, and she dances	4
As goddess-like to her admired lays;
Deep clerks she dumbs; and with her neeld composes
Nature’s own shape, of bud, bird, branch, or berry,
That even her art sisters the natural roses;	8
Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry;
That pupils lacks she none of noble race,
Who pour their bounty on her; and her gain
She gives the cursed bawd. Here we her place;	12
And to her father turn our thoughts again,
Where we left him, on the sea. We there him lost,
Whence, driven before the winds, he is arriv’d
Here where his daughter dwells: and on this coast	16
Suppose him now at anchor. The city striv’d
God Neptune’s annual feast to keep; from whence
Lysimachus our Tyrian ship espies,
His banners sable, trimm’d with rich expense;	20
And to him in his barge with fervour hies.
In your supposing once more put your sight
Of heavy Pericles; think this his bark:
Where what is done in action, more, if might,	24
Shall be discover’d; please you, sit and hark. [Exit.