Ant. Thaliard, adieu! till Pericles be dead, My heart can lend no succour to my head. [exit. SCENE II. TYRE. A ROOM IN THE PALACE. Enter Pericles, Helicanus, and other Lords. Per. Let none disturb us: Why this charge of thoughts? The sad companion, dull-ey'd melancholy, By me so us'd a guest is, not an hour, In the day's glorious walk, or peaceful night (The tomb where grief should sleep), can breed me quiet! Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them. And danger, which I feared, is at Antioch, 2 Lord. And keep your mind, till you return Peaceful and comfortable! [to us, Hel. Peace, peace, my lords, and give experience tongue. They do abuse the king, that flatter him Whereas reproof, obedient and in order, [look Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'erWhat shipping, and what lading's in our haven, And then return to us. [exeunt Lords] Helicanus, thou Hast mov'd us: what seest thou in our looks? Per. If there be such a dart in princes' frowns, How durst thy tongue move anger to our face? Hel. How dare the plants look up to heaven from whence They have their nourishment? Per. Thou know'st I have power To take thy life. Hel. [kneeling.] I have ground the axe myself; Do you but strike the blow. Per. Rise, pr'ythee, rise; Sit down, sit down; thou art no flatterer: Hel. With patience bear Such griefs as you do lay upon yourself. [hid! Per. Thou speak'st like a physician, Helicanus• Who minister'st a potion unto me, That thou would'st tremble to receive thyself. Attend me then: I went to Antioch, Where, as thou know'st, against the face of death, I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty, From whence an issue I might propagate, Bring arms to princes, and to subjects joys. Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder; The rest (hark in thine ear), as black as incest; Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father Seem'd not to strike, but smooth: but thou kuow'st this, 'Tis time to fear, when tyrants seem to kiss. When all, for mine, if I may call't offence, Hel. Alas, sir !--- [my cheeks, Freely I'll speak. Antiochus you fear, Therefore, my lord, go travel for awhile, Day serves not light more faithful than I'll be. But should he wrong my liberties in absenceHel. We'll mingle bloods together in the earth, From whence we had our being and our birth. Per. Tyre, I now look from thee then, and to Tharsus [it. Intend my travel, where I'll hear from thee; SCENE III. TYRE. AN ANTICHAMBER IN THE Enter Thaliard. Thal. So, this is Tyre, and this is the court. Here must I kill king Pericles; and, if I do not, I am sure to be hang'd at home: 'tis dangerous.. Well, I perceive he was a wise fellow, and had good discretion, that being bid to ask what he would of the king, desired he might know none of his secrets. Now do I see he had some reason for it for if a king bid a man be a villain, he is bound by the indenture of his oath to be one.Hush, here come the lords of Tyre. Enter Helicanus, Escanes, and other Lords. Hel. You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre, [aside. Further to question of your king's departure. Thal. What from Antioch? [aside. Hel. Royal Antiochus (on what cause I know not), [so: Took some displeasure at him: at least he judg'd And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd, To show his sorrow, would correct himself; [aside. I shall not be hang'd now, although I would; With message unto princely Pericles; Enter Cleon, Dionyza, and Attendants. Dio. That were to blow at fire, in hope to For who digs hills because they do aspire, Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it, Cle. This Tharsus, o'er which I have govern(A city, on whom plenty held full hand), For riches, strew'd herself even in the streets; Whose towers bore heads so high, they kiss'd the clouds, And strangers ne'er beheld, but wonder'd at; Cle. But see what heaven can do! By this These mouths, whom but of late, earth, sea, and Those mothers, who, to nousle up their babes, Dio. Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it. Lord. Where's the lord governor ? Cle. Here. Speak out thy sorrows, which thou bring'st, in A portly sail of ships make hitherward. One sorrow never comes, but brings an heir, And so in ours: some neighbouring nation, Hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power, Lord. That's the least fear: for, by the semblance Of their white flags display'd, they bring us peace, And come to us as favourers, not as foes. [peat, Cle. Thou speak'st like him's untutor'd to re Enter Gower. Gow. Here have you seen a mighty king (To whom I give my benizon), But tidings to the contrary ACT Are brought your eyes: what need speak I Enter, at one door, Pericles, talking with Cleon; all the train with them. Enter, at another door, a Gentleman with a letter to Pericles; Pericles shows the letter to Cleon; then gives the Messenger a reward, and knights him. Exeunt Pericles, Cleon, &c. severally. Gow. Good Helicane hath staid at home. To killen bad, keep good alive; Who makes the fairest show, means most deceit. But bring they what they will, what need we fear? The ground's the low'st, and we are half way there. Go tell their general, we attend him here, To know for what he comes, and whence he comes, And what he craves. Lord. I go, my lord. [exit. Cle. Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist; If wars, we are unable to resist. Enter Pericles, with Attendants. Per. Lord governor, for so we hear you arc, Let not our ships and number of our men, Be, like a beacon fir'd, to amaze your eyes. We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre, And seen the desolation of your streets : Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears, But to relieve them of their heavy load; And these our ships you happily may think Are, like the Trojan horse, war-stuff'd within, With bloody views, expecting overthrow, Are stor'd with corn, to make your needy bread, And give them life, who are hunger-starv'd, half All. The gods of Greece protect you! And we'll pray for you. Per. Rise, I pray you, rise! [dead We do not look for reverence, but for love, Per. Which welcome we'll accept; feast here awhile, Until our stars, that frown, lend us a smile. [exeunt II. And, to fulfil his prince' desire. Sends word of all that haps in Tyrc. And hid intent, to murder him; Should house him safe, is wreck'd and split; Ne aught escapen but himself; canst fish for't. Wash'd me from shore to shore, and left me breath | here's nothing to be got now a-days, unless thou 1 Fish. What, ho, Pilche! 2 Fish. Ho! come, and bring away the nets. 1 Fish. Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wannion. 3 Fish. 'Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us, even now. 1 Fish. Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us, to help them, when, well-a-day, we could scarce help ourselves. 3 Fish. Nay, master, said not I as much, when I saw the porpus, how he bounced and tumbled? they say, they are half fish, half flesh; a plague on them, they ne'er come, but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea. 1 Fish. Why as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; 'a plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful. Such whales have I heard on a'the land, who never leave gaping, till they've swallow'd the whole parish, church, steeple, bells and all. Per. What I have been, I have forgot to know; 1 Fish. Die, quoth-a? Now, gods forbid! I have a gown here; come, put it on; keep theo warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks; and thou shalt be welcome. Per. I thank you, sir. 2 Fish. Hark you, my friend, you said you could not beg. Per. I did but crave. 2 Fish. But crave? then I'll turn craver too, and so I shall 'scape whipping. Per. Why, are all your beggars whipp'd then? 2 Fish. O, not all, my friend, not all; for if all your beggars were whipp'd, I would wish no better office, than to be beadle. But, master, I'll go draw up the net. [exeunt two of the Fishermen. Per. How well this honest mirth becomes their labour ! 1 Fish. Hark you, sir! do you know where you are? Per. Not well. 1 Fish. Why, I'll tell you: this is called Pentapolis, and our king, the good king Simonides. Per. The good king Simonides, do you call him? 1 Fish. Ay, sir; and he deserves to be so call'd, for his peaceable reign, and good government. Per. He is a happy king, since from his subjects He gains the name of good, by his government. How far is his court distant from this shore? 1 Fish. Marry, sir, half a day's journey; and I'll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and tomorrow is her birth-day; and there are princes 3 Fish. We would purge the land of these and knights come from all parts of the world, to drones, that rob the bee of her honey. Per. How from the finny subject of the sea 2 Fish. Honest! good fellow, what's that? if it be a day fits you, scratch it out of the calendar, and nobody will look after it. [coast Per. Nay, see, the sea hath cast upon your 2 Fish. What a drunken knave was the sea, to cast thee in our way! [wind, Per. A man, whom both the waters and the In that vast tennis-court, hath made the ball For them to play upon, entreats you pity him: He asks of you, that never us'd to beg. 1 Fish. No, friend, cannot you beg? here's them in our country of Greece, gets more with begging, than we can do with working. 2 Fish. Canst thou catch any fishes then? Per. I never practis'd it. 2 Fish. Nay, then thou wilt starve sure; for just and tourney for her love. Per. Did but my fortunes equal my desires, I'd wish to make one there. 1 Fish. O, sir, things must be as they may: and what a man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for his wife's soul Re-enter the two Fishermen, drawing up a net. 2 Fish. Help, master, help; here's a fish hangs in the net, like a poor man's right in the law; 'twill hardly come out. Ha! bots on't, 'tis come at last, and 'tis turned to a rusty armour. [it. Per. An armour, friends! I pray you let me see Till the rough seas, that spare not any man, Per. To beg of you, kind friends, this coat of 1 Fish. Why, do ye take it, and the gods give thee good on't! 2 Fish. Ay, but hark you, my friend; 'twas we that made up this garment through the rough seams of the waters: there are certain condolements, certain vails. I hope, sir, if you thrive, you'll remember from whence you had it. Per. Believe't, I will. Now, by your furtherance, I am cloth'd in steel; 2 Fish. We'll sure provide: thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair; and I'll bring thee to the court myself. Per. Then honour be but a goal to my will; This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill. [exeunt. SCENE II. THE SAME. A public way, or platform, leading to the lists. A pavilion by the side of it, for the reception of the King, Princess, Lords, &c. Enter Simonides, Thaisa, Lords, and Attendants. Sim. Are the knights ready to begin the triumph? 1 Lord. They are, my liege; And stay your coming to present themselves. Sim. Return them, we are ready; and our daughter, In honour of whose birth these triumphs are, Sits here, like beauty's child, whom nature gat For men to see, and seeing wonder at. [exit a Lord. Thai. It pleaseth you, my father, to express My commendations great, whose merit's less. Sim. 'Tis fit it should be so; for princes are Enter a Knight; he passes over the stage, and his Sim. He loves you well, that holds his life of [the second Knight passes. you. Who is the second, that presents himself? Thai. A prince of Macedon, my royal father; And the device he bears upon his shield Is an arm'd knight, that's conquer'd by a lady: Sim. And what's the third? [the fourth Knight passes. Sim. What is the fourth? Thai. A burning torch, that's turned upside The word, Quod me alit, me extinguit. [down: Sim. Which shows, that beauty hath his power and will, Which can as well inflame, as it can kill. [the fifth Knight passes. Thai. The fifth an hand environed with clouds: Holding out gold, that's by the touchstone tried; The motto thus, Sic spectanda fides. [the sixth Knight passes. Sim. And what's the sixth and last, which the knight himself With such a graceful courtesy deliver'd? Thai. He seems a stranger: but his present is A wither'd branch, that's only green at top; The motto, In hac spe vivo. Sim. A pretty moral: Sim. Knights, To say you are welcome, were superfluous. Thai. But you, my knight and guest; Per. 'Tis more by fortune, lady, than by merit. |