he storm and tempest, and all
her father's sorrows, and her mother's death, came full into her mind;
and she said: 'My father, as Lychorida told me, did never fear, but
cried, Courage, good seamen, to the sailors, galling his princely hands
with the ropes, and, clasping to the masts, he endured a sea that
almost split the deck.' 'When was this?' said Leonine. 'When I was
born,' replied Marina: 'never were wind and waves more violent'; and
then she described the storm, the action of the sailors, the
boatswain's whistle, and the loud call of the master, 'which,' said
she, 'trebled the confusion of the ship.' Lychorida had so often
recounted to Marina the story of her hapless birth that these things
seemed ever present to her imagination. But here Leonine interrupted
her with desiring her to say her prayers. 'What mean you?' said Marina,
who began to fear, she knew not why. 'If you require a little space for
prayer, I grant it,' said Leonine; 'but be not tedious, the gods are
quick of ear, and I am sworn to do my work in haste.' 'Will you kill
me?' said Marina: 'alas! why?' 'To satisfy my lady,' replied Leonine.
'Why would she have me killed?' said Marina: 'now, as I can remember, I
never hurt her in all my life. I never spake bad word, nor did any ill
turn to any living creature. Believe me now, I never killed a mouse,
nor hurt a fly. I trod upon a worm once against my will, but I wept for
it. How have I offended?' The murderer replied: 'My commission is not
to reason on the deed, but to do it.' And he was just going to kill
her, when certain pirates happened to land at that very moment, who
seeing Marina, bore her off as a prize to their ship.

The pirate who had made Marina his prize carried her to Mitylene, and
sold her for a slave, where, though in that humble condition, Marina
soon became known throughout the whole city of Mitylene for her beauty
and her virtues; and the person to whom she was sold became rich by the
money she earned for him. She taught music, dancing, and fine
needleworks, and the money she got by her scholars she gave to her
master and mistress; and the fame of her learning and her great
industry came to the knowledge of Lysimachus, a young nobleman who was
governor of Mitylene, and Lysimachus went himself to the house where
Marina dwelt, to see this paragon of excellence, whom all the city
praised so highly. Her conversation delighted Lysimachus beyond
measure, for though he had heard much of this