Hel. Alas, sir! Per. Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my Musings into my mind, a thousand doubts 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. 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 hanged at home: 'tis dangerous.-Well, I perceive he was a wise fellow, and had good discretion, that be [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. ing 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. If further yet you will be satisfied, [Aside. Being at Antioch Thal. What from Antioch? [Aside. Het. 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. [Aside. I shall not be hang'd now, although I would ; With message unto princely Pericles ; But, since my landing, as I have understood [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 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 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 he honest, see, Fortune would not suffer me; she drops bounties into my mouth." MALONE 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 Cle. My Dionyza, shall we rest us here, Dio. That were to blow at fire, in hope to quench it; Here they're but felt, and seen with with mistful eyes, 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, 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, [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. Were all too little to content and please, Although they gave their creatures in abundance, They are now starv'd for want of exercise : Dio. Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it. With their superfluous riots, hear these tears! Speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st, in haste, 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 ;2 And so in ours: some neighbouring nation, Taking advantage of our misery, Hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power, [9] I would read-nursle. A fondling is still called a nursling. STEEV [1] A kindred thought is found in King Lear: "Take physic, pomp! "Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, "That thou may'st shake the superflux to them, MALONE STEEVENS. MALONE To beat us down, the which are down already; Whereas no glory's got to overcome. 3 Lord. That's ne 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.4 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, To know for what he comes, and whence he comes, [Exit. Lord. I go, my lord. Enter PERICLES, with Attendants. Per. Lord governor, for so we hear you are, Are stor❜d with corn, to make your needy bread, 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. MALONE. [3] Whereas, it has been already observed, was anciently used for where. [4] Perhaps we should read-him who is, and regulate the metre as follows: Thou speak' st Like him who is untutor'd to repeat, &c. The sense is-Deluded by the pacific appearance of this navy, you talk like one, who has never learned the common adage, "that the fairest outsides are most to be suspected." STEEVENS. [5] If he stands on peace. A Latin sense. MALONE. |