Hel. Peace, peace, my lords, 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 flattered, but a spark, To which that breath' gives heat and stronger glowing; Whereas reproof, obedient, and in order, Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err. Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook Hast moved us; what seest thou in our looks? Per. If there be such a dart in princes' frowns, They have their nourishment? Per. To take thy life. Thou know'st I have power 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. I thank thee for it; and high Heaven forbid, That kings should let their ears hear their faults hid! Fit counsellor, and servant for a prince, Who by thy wisdom mak'st a prince thy servant, Hel. With patience bear Such griefs as you do lay upon yourself. Per. Thou speak'st like a physician, Helicanus; 1 i. e. the breath of flattery. The word spark was here accidentally repeated by the compositor in the old copy. Who minister'st a potion unto me, That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself. Where, as thou know'st, against the face of death, this, 2 'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss. Who seemed my good protector; and being here, Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence; Hel. Alas, sir! Per. Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks, Musings into my mind, a thousand doubts How I might stop this tempest, ere it came; 1 "From whence I might propagate an issue that are arms," &c. Steevens reads: "Bring arms to princes, and to subjects joys." 2 To smooth is to soothe, coax, or flatter. 3 The quarto of 1609 reads, "And should he doot," &c.; from which the reading of the text has been formed. And finding little comfort to relieve them, I thought it princely charity to grieve them.1 Hel. Well, my lord, since you have given me leave to speak, Freely I'll speak. Antiochus you fear, And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant, Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while, Day serves not light more faithful than I'll be. But should he wrong my liberties in absence- Per. Tyre, I now look from thee, then, and to Intend my travel, where I'll hear from thee; [Exeunt. SCENE III. Tyre. An Antechamber in the Palace. Enter THALIARD. Here Thal. So, this is Tyre, and this is the court. must I kill king Pericles; and if I do not, I am sure to 1 That is, to lament their fate. The first quarto reads, " to grieve for them." 2 i. e. in our different spheres. 3 Overcome. be hanged 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, Hel. If further yet you will be satisfied, Thal. What from Antioch? [Aside. [Aside. Hel. Royal Antiochus (on what cause I know not) Took some displeasure at him; at least he judged so; To show his sorrow, would correct himself; With whom each minute threatens life or death. [Aside. I shall not be hanged now, although I would; Peace to the lords of Tyre! 1 Who this wise fellow was, may be known from the following passage in Barnabie Riche's Souldier's Wishe to Briton's Welfare, or Captaine Skill and Captaine Pill, 1604, p. 27:-"I will therefore commende the poet Philipides, who being demaunded by king Lisimachus, what favour he might doe unto him for that he loved him, made this answere to the king That your majesty would never impart unto me any of your secrets.'" 2 The old copy reads: "But since he's gone the king's seas must please: The emendation is by Dr. Percy. Hel. Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome. With message unto princely Pericles; Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire, As friends to Antioch, we may feast in Tyre. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Tharsus. A Room in the Governor's House. Enter CLEON, DIONYZA, and Attendants. Cle. My Dionyza, shall we rest us here, Dio. That were to blow at fire, in hope to quench it; 2 Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it, 1 The adverb since, which is wanting in the old copy, was supplied by Steevens for the sake of sense and metre. 2 The old copy reads: 66 and seen with mischiefs eye." The alteration was made by Steevens. 3 The old copy reads, "If heaven slumber," &c. This was probably an alteration of the licenser of the press. |