PERICLES.

VOL. IX.

1

Lords, Knights, Gentlemen, Sailors, Pirates, Fishermen, and Messengers.

PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE.

ACT I.

Enter GoWER.

Before the palace of Antioch.

To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come,
Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear and please your eyes.

It hath been sung at festivals,

On ember-eves and holy-ales;

And lords and ladies in their lives

Have read it for restoratives:

The purchase is to make men glorious;
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.

If

you, born in these latter times

When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,

ACT I.] Actus Primus. Scena Prima.
F3F4. See note (II).
Enter] Eneer Q
Before...Antioch.] Malone.

1 that old] of old Steevens (Malone
conj.).

2 is come] sprung Steevens conj.
6 holy-ales] Steevens. holy ales Ma-
lone (Farmer conj.). Holydayes Q1

5

10

Q3 Holy dayes Q2. holy-daies Q Q5. holi-dayes Q holy-dayes F3F4 7 in] of Malone (Farmer conj.). 8 read] red Q1

9 The purchase is to] The purpose is to Malone (Steevens conj.). 'Purpose to Steevens.

10 bonum] om. Steevens.

12 wit's] Rowe. witts Q. wits The rest.

And that to hear an old man sing
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you like taper-light.
This Antioch then Antiochus the Great
Built up, this city, for his chiefest seat,
The fairest in all Syria:

I tell you what mine authors say:
This king unto him took a fere,
Who died and left a female heir,
So buxom, blithe and full of face

As heaven had lent her all his grace;
With whom the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke :

Bad child, worse father! to entice his own
To evil should be done by none:
But custom what they did begin
Was with long use account no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
In marriage-pleasures play-fellow :
Which to prevent he made a law,
To keep her still and men in awe,
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:

17, 18 This...for] This city then, Antioch the great Built up for Steevens.

18 up, this city,] up a city Nicholson conj.

20 mine] my Q2Q3•

21 fere] pheere Malone. Peere Qq. Peer FF.

23 full] fair Keightley conj.

27 Bad child, worse father!] Bad father! Steevens.

to] so Q3.

27, 28 own To] owne To Q1Q3. owne. To Q2Q4Q5Q6• own. To F3F4.

29 But] By Malone.

custom] custome QqF3. custom F4. custom'd Anon. conj.

30 account] Malone. account'd Q1 Q2 Q3 accounted Q4Q5Qe counted F3F4.

33 as a] as o Q2Q3•

38 told not, lost] tould, not lost Q1

So for her many a wight did die,

As yon grim looks do testify.

What now ensues, to the judgement of your eye
I give, my cause who best can justify.

SCENE I. Antioch. A room in the palace.

Enter ANTIOCHUS, PRINCE PERICLES and Followers.

40

[Exit.

Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large received The danger of the task you undertake.

Per. I have, Antiochus, and, with a soul
Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,
Think death no hazard in this enterprise.

Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride,
For the embracements even of Jove himself;
At whose conception, till Lucina reign'd,
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
The senate-house of planets all did sit,

40 yon] yond Collier.

41 now] Q1Q2Q3. The rest omit.
41, 42 to......I give, my] I give to the

judgment of your eye, My Steevens
conj., putting What now ensues in a
separate line.

41 the] om. Nicholson conj.

41, 42 eye I...who] Malone. eye, I give

my cause, who QqF3F4.

42 justify] iustifie Q1Q3Q4Q5. iustifiie Q2 justifie Q testifie F3F4. SCENE I.] Malone.

Antioch......palace.] Malone (1790). The Palace of Antioch. Malone (1780).

Followers.] Attendants. Malone.

5

10

3-5 I......enterprise.] Arranged as by Malone. Lines 3, 4 end emboldned ...hazard, in QqF3F4.

6 Bring in] See note (III).

7 For the] Malone (1780). For Qq F3F4 Fit for Anon. conj. Fit for the Elze conj.

8 At whose] Art chose Jackson conj. whose conception] whose concession or her conception, Steevens conj., transposing lines 8 and 9.

8, 9 till...presence,] In a parenthesis, Malone conj.

8 reign'd] FF4. rained Q1 raigned Q2 Q3 reigned Q4Q5Q6• 9 gave] gane Q5. 10 senate-] Seanate Q1.

sit] fit Q3.