Page:Stories from Old English Poetry-1899.djvu/293

Rh story from infancy, Pericles became so filled with joy that he could hardly restrain himself to hear her adventures. He arose from his couch, and, taking her to his breast, he wept over her, till, wearied with his emotions, he fell into a deep slumber.

While he slept, the goddess Diana appeared to him in a shining vision, and directed him to proceed immediately to Ephesus with his new-found daughter, and there, upon his knees before her shrine, declare in a loud voice his name and his adventures. When he awoke, the impression of the dream was so strong upon him that he did not hesitate to obey it.

Before he set out for Ephesus, the young Governor, Lysimachus, sought the Prince, and asked of him in marriage the hand of his daughter Marina. He told Pericles that he had loved the maid since she first came to Mitylene, and he thought she had looked on him with favorable eyes. On being questioned, Marina avowed herself nowise averse to the handsome Lysimachus, and they were betrothed before setting out for Ephesus.

On their arrival at the temple of Diana, they found the building filed with a great crowd of people, who were in attendance at a festival in honor of the goddess, Among the citizens present was Cerimon, with a large train of