I am no viper, yet I feed

On mother's flesh which did me breed.
I sought a husband, in which labour
I found that kindness in a father:
He's father, son, and husband mild;
I mother, wife, and yet his child.
How they may be, and yet in two,
As you will live, resolve it you.

Sharp physic is the last: 31 but, oh, you powers! That give heaven countless eyes to view men's acts,

Why cloud they not their sights perpetually,
If this be true, which makes me pale to read
it ?
[Takes hold of the hand of the PRINCESS.] Fair glass
of light, I lov'd you, and could still,
Were not this glorious casket stor'd with ill:
But I must tell you,-now my thoughts revolt;
For he's no man on whom perfections wait
That, knowing sin within, will touch the gate.
You are a fair viol, and your sense the strings;
Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,
Would draw heaven down, and all the gods, to
hearken;

But being play'd upon before your time,
Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime.

then :

Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed,
As these before thee, thou thyself shalt bleed.
Daugh. Of all 'say'd yet,29 mayst thou prove
prosperous!

Of all 'say'd yet, I wish thee happiness!

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 : Either expound now, or receive your sentence. Per. Great king,

Few love to hear the sins they love to act;

Nor ask advice of any other thought But faithfulness and courage.30

destroyed;' implying, thy whole body must pay the penalty for the offence of a portion of it—" thine eye.”

25. To desist for going on death's net. "For" is here used either with the effect of 'for fear of' (see Note 25, Act i., "Two Gentlemen of Verona ") or with the effect of 'from' (see Note 68, Act iv., "Second Part Henry VI."); and "on " is used where 'in' is ordinarily employed (see Note 52, Act ii., "Richard II."), because driving headlong on to the net as well as entering headlong into the net is thus implied.

26. To what I must. 'Come to' or 'become' is elliptically understood after "must.'

27. See heaven. This passage has been variously altered;

but we think that "see heaven" is intended to convey the double effect of 'see a heaven of delight in their mundane pleasures,' and 'see heaven itself only as a distant goal to be attained.' The entire sentence is condensedly expressed; but we take it to signify, 'As sick men do, who know the world, seeing a heaven of delight in its pleasures while they lasted, and seeing heaven itself only as a distant object of attainment; but, feeling illness and sorrow, care no longer for earthly joys as once they did.'

28. Erst. Formerly,' 'previously,' 'once,' 'at first.' See Note 32, Act v., "Henry V."

29. Of all 'say'd yet. "Of all who have yet essayed.' 30. Nor ask advice of any other thought but faithfulness and

courage. Again there is similarity between this passage and one in Sir Philip Sidney's "Arcadia : "—" Whereupon asking advice of no other thought but faithfulness and courage, he presently lighted from his own horse," &c. See Note 19 of the present Act. It is pleasant to meet with these vestiges of Shakespeare's acquaintance with his contemporary writers; to fancy him as having lately hung over Sir Philip's pages replete with graceful fancies, and so haunted by some of them that their trace lingers in his own pen, and transfers itself to his own page. See Note 20, Act iii., "Merry Wives;" and Note 3, Act i., "Twelfth Night."

31. Sharp physic is the last. Referring to the intimation in the concluding line of the riddle, that his life depends upon its solution.

32. He's no man on whom perfections wait. He's no man possessed of righteous qualities,'' he's no perfect, true, or honest man.'

33. Blows dust, &c. That' or 'which' is elliptically understood before "blows;" the entire sentence signifying, "Whoever is acquainted with the ill deeds of monarchs is more safe in concealing than in revealing his knowledge; for the repeater of vicious practices is like the wind, which blows dust in others' eyes, while pursuing its way; yet buys its freedom thus dearlythe blast once gone, the eyes made sore by the passing dust see clearly enough to stop the air that effectually hurts them.'

And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,

The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear

To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole casts

Copp'd hills towards heaven, to tell the earth is throng'd 35

By man's oppression; and the poor worm 36 doth die for 't.

Kings are earth's gods; in vice their law's their will;

And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill?
It is enough you know; and it is fit,

What being more known grows worse, to smother it.

All love the womb that their first being bred, Then give my tongue like leave to love my head.

Ant. [Aside.] Heaven, that I had thy head! he has found the meaning:

You are of our chamber, and our mind partakes 42 Her private actions to your secrecy :

Tyre,

Though by the tenour of our strict edíct,
Your exposition misinterpreting,

We might proceed to cancel38 of your days;
Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a tree
As your fair self, doth tune us otherwise :
Forty days longer we do respite you;
If by which time our secret be undone,
This mercy shows we'll joy in such a son:
And until then your entertain shall be
As doth befit our honour and your worth.
[Exeunt all except PERICLES.
Per. How courtesy would seein to cover sin,
When what is done is like a hypocrite,
The which is good in nothing but in sighti
Antioch, farewell! for wisdom sees, those men
Blush not 39 in actions blacker than the night,
Will shun no course 40 to keep them from the
light.

One sin, I know, another doth provoke;
Murder's as near to lust as flame to smoke:
Poison and treason are the hands of sin,
Ay, and the targets, to put off the shame:

34. Copp'd. Conically shaped; in form like a sugar-loaf. In Horman's " 'Vulgaria" (1519), we find, "Sometime men wear copped caps like a sugar-loaf ;" and in Baret, "To make copped, or sharpe at top; cacumino." See Note 4, Act v., "Taming of the Shrew; where "copatain hat" and its derivation are explained.

35. Throng'd. Steevens changed "throng'd" to 'wrong'd ;' but "throng'd" means 'crowded,'' surcharged.'

36. The poor worm. A term of commiseration applied to the mole. Prospero thus uses it, where, in "Tempest," Act iii., sc. 1, he exclaims, observing his daughter Miranda's affection engaged, "Poor worm! thou art infected." Pericles is pursuing his illustrations of the danger there is in divulging the offences committed by princes; and as he implies by the simile of the wind, dust, and eyes, so does he by that of the mole and mole-hills, that destruction follows those who discover or com

Thaliard, behold, here's poison, and here's gold; We hate the Prince of Tyre, and thou must kill him:

It fits thee not to ask the reason why,
Because we bid it.

Thal. 'Tis done.

Ant. Enough.--

Say, is it done?

My lord,

Enter a Messenger.

Let your breath cool yourself, telling your haste.
Mess. My lord, Prince Pericles is fled. [Exit.
Ant.
As thou
Wilt live, fly after: and, as an arrow shot
From a well-experienc'd archer, hits the mark
His eye doth level at, so thou ne'er return
Unless thou say, "Prince Pericles is dead."
Thal. My lord,

If I can get him within my pistol's length,
I'll make him sure: so, farewell to your highness.
Ant. Thaliard, adieu! [Exit THAL.] Till

Pericles be dead,

43. Enter Pericles, Helicanus, &c. The old copies have this stage direction at the commencement of the scene; but as it is evident that Pericles utters his speech in soliloquy, after the words, "Let none disturb us," we add the second stage direction: "[Helicanus and Lords stand aloof.]"

44. Why should this change of thoughts. Steevens and others alter "change" to 'charge' here; but it seems to us that change of thoughts" may be taken to mean 'conflicting in

Act I. Scene I.

Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them,

And danger, which I fear'd, is at Antioch,
Whose arm seems far too short to hit me here:
Yet neither pleasure's art can joy my spirits,
Nor yet the other's distance comfort me.
Then it is thus: the passions of the mind,
That have their first conception by mis-dread,
Have after-nourishment and life by care;
And what was first but fear what might be
done,

terchange of thoughts,' 'revolving and intervolving current of thoughts,' 'disturbing mutation of thoughts;' or it may be taken to signify, this alteration of my thoughts from their previous cheerfuller course.'

45. Be my so us'd a guest. The old copies give 'by me' instead of "be my;" the original transcriber or printer evidently having transposed the final letters of the two words. Mr. Dyce's correction.

Grows elder now,46 and cares it be not done.
And so with me :-the great Antiochus,—
'Gainst whom I am too little to contend,
Since he's so great can make his will his act,-
Wil! think me speaking, though I swear to silence;
Ncr boots it me to say I honour him,17
If he suspect I may dishonour him :

And what may make him blush in being known,
He'll stop the course by which it might be known;
With hostile forces he'll o'erspread the land,
And with the ostent of war 48 will look so huge,
Amazement shall drive courage from the state;
Our men be vanquish'd ere they do resist,
And subjects punish'd that ne'er thought offence:
Which care of them, not pity of myself,-
Who am no more 49 but as the tops of trees,
Which fence the roots they grow by, and defend
them,―

Makes both my body pine and soul to languish,
And punish that before that he would punish.

HELICANUS and Lords draw near,

First Lord. Joy and all comfort in your sacred

And keep your mind, till you return

breast! Sec. Lord. to us, Peaceful and comfortable!

Hel. Peace, peace, and give experience tongue. They do abuse the king that flatter him : For flattery is the bellows blows up sin; The thing the which is flatter'd, but a spark,

To which that blast gives heat 50 and stronger glowing;

Whereas reproof, obedient, and in order,
Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err.
When Signior Sooth here does proclain a
peace,

He flatters you, makes war upon your life.
Prince, pardon me, or strike me, if you please.
[Kneeling.] I cannot be much lower than my

knees.

Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook

What shipping and what lading's in our haven,

46. Grows elder now. "Elder" is here used in the peculiar manner in which Shakespeare sometimes employs this word. See Note 8, Act v., "Cymbeline." In the present passage it includes the senses of larger,' 'stronger,' " more confirmed,'

'more established,' and 'more advanced in time,' 'having at. tained to a later period.'

47. To say I honour him. The old copies omit "him." Added by Rowe.

48. The ostent of war. The old copies give the stint' instead of "the ostent." Tyrrwhitt suggested the correction.

49. Who am no more. The old copies have 'once' for "am." Dr. Farmer's suggested correction.

50. To which that blast gives heat. Here, instead of "blast" (Mason's proposed emendation) the old copies give 'spark ;' the first printer or transcriber having by mistake repeated that word from the previous line.

Hel.

To bear with patience Such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself. Per. Thou speak'st like a physician, Helicanus, That minister'st a potion unto me That thou wouldst 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, Are arms to princes, 53 and bring joys to subjects. 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: 54 but thou

know'st this,

'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss. Which fear so grew in me, I hither fled, Under the covering of a careful night,

Who seem'd my good protector; and, being here, Bethought me what was past, what might

succeed.

I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears Decrease not, but grow faster than the years:

51. Signior Sooth here. 'Sir Flatterer here.' See Note 40, Act iii., "Richard II." Helicanus is here instancing an imaginary personage; just as Leontes does in the "Winter's Tale," Acti., sc. 2, when he speaks of " Sir Smile, his neighbour."

52. That kings should let their ears hear their faults hid! This has been variously altered; but we take its meaning to be that which Holt White gave-'That kings should suffer their ears to hear their failings palliated!'

53. An issue I might propagate, are arms, &c. That' is elliptically understood before "are" and "issue is treated as a noun of number, being followed by the plural form, "are" and " "bring."

54. Smooth. 'Flatter,' 'cajole.' See the line referred to in Note 52, Act i., "Richard III."

55. Bethought me what. The old copies omit "me." Added by Rowe.