Page:Stories from Old English Poetry-1899.djvu/289

Rh place, to kill her. The murderer obeyed her commands, and, tempting Marina to an unfrequented place on the sea-shore, he was about to slay her, when she begged for a short respite. He gave her a few minutes in which to prepare for death, and the princess, going by herself, knelt upon the sand, lifting up her pure eyes and hands toward heaven in supplication.

Now it happened that, as she knelt thus, some pirates prowling about for booty discovered her, and seizing upon her as a prize, bore her to their ship, which was anchored near by. They immediately set sail for Mitylene, and sold her there as a female slave. Here her skill in all womanly accomplishments proved a great source of good fortune to her. She was able to instruct in needle-work, music, and various other branches, and she sang so exquisitely that her voice was noted through the whole city. Lysimachus, the Governor of Mitylene, noticed the maiden, and desired that she should be kindly treated.

After Marina was carried off by the pirates, the servant of Dionyza returned to his mistress and told her that he had obeyed her commands, and that Marina was dead. On this the wicked woman revealed to Cleon what she had done. He professed to be much shocked at it, and reminded her how much cause they had to dread