The care I had and have of subjects' good, On thee I lay, whose wisdom's strength can bear it. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Tyre. An ante-chamber in the palace. 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, Further to question of your king's departure. His seal'd commissiou, left in trust with me, Doth speak sufficiently, he's gone to travel. Thal. How! the king gone! Hel. If further yet you will be satisfied, Why, as it were unlicens'd of your loves, He would depart, I'll give some light unto you. Being at Antioch [Aside. Thal. What from Antioch? [Aside. In our different spheres. + Overcome. Hel. Royal Antiochus (on what cause I know not), Took some displeasure at him; at least he judg'd so: With whom each minute threatens life or death. [Aside. With message unto princely Pericles; But, since my landing, as I have understood [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; Cle. O Dionyza, Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it, Our tongues and sorrows do sound deep our woes Fetch breath that may proclaim them louder; that, Cle. This Tharsus, o'er which I have government (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; All poverty was scorn'd, and pride so great, Dio. O, 'tis too true. Cle. But see what heaven can do! By this our change, These mouths, whom but of late, earth, sea, and air, Were all too little to content and please, Although they gave their creatures in abundance, As houses are defil'd for want of use, They are now starv'd for want of exercise: Those palates, who, not yet two summers younger, Would now be glad of bread, and beg for it; *To jet is to strut, to walk proudly. Nurse fondly. So sharp are hunger's teeth, that man and wife Dio. Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it. Cle. O, let those cities, that of Plenty's cup And her prosperities so largely taste, With their superfluous riots, hear these tears! Enter a Lord. Lord. Where's the lord governor? Cle. Here. Speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st, in haste, For comfort is too far for us to expect. Lord. We have descried, upon our neighbouring shore, A portly sail of ships make hitherward. Cle. I thought as much. One sorrow never comes, but brings an heir, That may succeed as his inheritor; And so in ours: some neighbouring nation, Taking advantage of our misery, Hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power*, To beat us down, the which are down already; And make a conquest of unhappy me, Whereas no glory's got to overcome. 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. Cle. Thou speak'st like him 's untutor'd to repeat, 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, *Forces. To know for what he comes, and whence he comes, And what be 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 are, Are stor'd with corn, to make your needy bread, dead. All. The gods of Greece protect you! And we'll pray for you. Per. Rise, I pray you, rise; We do not look for reverence, but for love, And harbourage for ourself, our ships, and men. Per. Which welcome we'll accept; feast here a while, Until our stars that frown, lend us a smile. [Exeunt. If he stands on peace. + Perhaps. |