| 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 | |
| As goddess-like to her admired lays; | 5 |
| 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; | |
| Her inkle, silk, twin with the rubied cherry; | |
| That pupils lacks she none of noble race, | 10 |
| Who pour their bounty on her; and her gain | |
| She gives the cursed bawd. Here we her place; | |
| 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 | 15 |
| Here where his daughter dwells: and on this coast | |
| 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, | |
| Shall be discover’d; please you, sit and hark. [Exit. | 25 | | |
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