That have their first conception by mis-dread, If he suspect I may dishonour him : And what may make him blush in being known, 1 Lord. Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast! 2 Lord. And keep your mind, till you return to us, Peaceful and comfortable! 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; To which that breath gives heat and stronger glowing; Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err. Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook And then return to us. [Exeunt Lords.] Helicanus, thou Hast moved us : what seest thou in our looks? Hel. An angry brow, dread lord. 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 : 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 ; That thou would'st tremble to receive thyself. Where, as thou know'st, against the face of death, Who seem'd my good protector; and being here, 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 ; 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 Tharsus On thee I lay, whose wisdom's strength can bear it. SCENE III. [Exeunt. Tyre. An Ante-chamber 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 be hanged at home: 'tis dangerous.-Well, I perceive he was a wise fellow, and had good discretion, that being [4] This sentiment is not much unlike that of Falstaff: "I shall think the better of myself and thee during my life; I for a valiant lion, and thou for a true prince." MALONE. 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, [Aside. Thal. What from Antioch ? [Aside. Hel. Royal Antiochus (on what cause I know not,) Took some displeasure at him; at least he judg'd so : And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd, To show his sorrow, would correct himself; So puts himself unto the shipman's toil, With whom each minute threatens life or death. .6 I shall not be hang'd now, although I would ; But I'll present me. Peace to the lords of Tyre! Hel. Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome. With message unto princely Pericles; But, since my landing, as I have understood [Aside. [5] Who this wise fellow was, may be known from the following passage in Barnabie Riche's Souldier's Wishe to Britons Welfare, 1604, p. 27: "I will therefore com mende the poet Philipides, who being demauned by King Lisimachus, what favour he might doe unto him for that he loved him, made this answere to the King, that your majestie would never impart unto me any of your secrets." STEEVENS: [6] So, Autolycus, in The Winter's Tale: "If I had a mind to be honest, I see, Fortune would not suffer me; she drops bounties into my mouth." MALONE. K 2 Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire,- SCENE IV. [Exeunt. Tharsus. A Room in the Governor's House. Enter Cleon, Cle. My Dionyza, shall we rest us here, Dio. That were to blow at fire, in hope to quench it ; For who digs hills because they do aspire, 0 Throws down one mountain to cast up a higher. Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it, 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 tower oore heads so high, they kiss'd the clouds, Cle. But see what heaven can do! By this our change, These mouths, whom but of late, earth, sea, and air, [7] To jet is to strut, to walk proudly. So, in Twelfth Night: "Contemplation makes a rare turkey-cock of him : how he jets under his advanced plumes!" STEEVENS. |