SCENE I. Antioch. A Room in the Palace. Enter ANTIOCHUS, PERICLES, and Attendants. Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large receiv'd The danger of the task you undertake. Think death no hazard, in this enterprize. [Musick. Enter the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS. Per. See, where she comes, apparell'd like the spring, Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king Her face, the book of praises, where is read Ye gods that made me man, and sway in love, 8 and testy wrath Could never be her mild companion.] i. e. the companion of her mildness, As I am son and servant to your will, Per. That would be son to great Antiochus. Tell thee with speechless tongues, and semblance pale, That, without covering, save yon field of stars, And by those fearful objects to prepare 9 A countless glory,] i. e. her face, like the firmament, invites you to a blaze of beauties too numerous to be counted. I all thy whole heap must die,] i. e. thy whole mass must be destroyed. There seems to have been an opposition intended. Thy whole heap, thy body, must suffer for the offence of a part, thine eye. The word bulk, like heap in the present passage, was used for body by Shakspeare and his contemporaries. 2 like to them, to what I must :] That is,-to prepare this body for that state to which I must come. Who know the world, see heaven, but feeling woe, &c.] The meaning may be—I will act as sick men do; who having had expe Gripe not at earthly joys, as erst they did; And all good men, as every prince should do; [To the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS. Thus ready for the way of life or death, I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus, Scorning advice. Ant. Read the conclusion then; Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed, As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed. Daugh. In all, save that, may'st thou prove pros perous! In all, save that, I wish thee happiness! Per. Like a bold champion, I assume the lists, Nor ask advice of any other thought But faithfulness, and courage. [He reads the Riddle.] I am no viper, yet I feed On mother's flesh, which did me breed: Sharp physick is the last :* but O you powers! rience of the pleasures of the world, and only a visionary and distant prospect of heaven, have neglected the latter for the former; but at length feeling themselves decaying, grasp no longer at temporal pleasures, but prepare calmly for futurity. 4 Sharp physick is the last :] i. e. the intimation in the last line. Why cloud they not their sights perpetually, 5 [Takes hold of the hand of the Princess But, being play'd upon before your time, Ant. Prince Pericles, touch not, upon thy life, For that's an article within our law, As dangerous as the rest. Your time's expir'd; Per. Great king, your sentence. Few love to hear the sins they love to act; He's more secure to keep it shut, than shown; casts 5 For he's no man on whom perfections wait,] Means no more than-he's no honest man, that knowing, &c. 6 to make man] i. e. to produce for man, &c, 7 The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear: To stop the air would hurt them.] Pericles means, by this simi litude, to show the danger of revealing the crimes of princes; for as they feel themselves hurt by the publication of their shame, they 8 Copp'd hills towards heaven, to tell, the earth is wrong'd By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die for't. Kings are earth's gods: in vice their law's their will; What being more known grows worse, to smother it, But I will gloze with him. [Aside.] Young prince of Tyre, Though by the tenour of our strict edíct, We might proceed to cancel of your days; [Exeunt ANTIOCHUS, his Daughter, and Per. How courtesy would seem to cover sin! When what is done is like an hypocrite, The which is good in nothing but in sight. will, of course, prevent a repetition of it, by destroying the person who divulged it. 8 Copp'd hills-] i. e. rising to a top or head. Copped Hall, in Essex, was so named from the lofty pavilion on the roof of the old house, which has been since pulled down, The upper tire of masonry that covers a wall is still called the copping or coping. High-crowned hats were anciently called copatain hats. STEEVENS. 9 Your exposition misinterpreting,] Your exposition of the riddle being a mistaken one; not interpreting it rightly. |