Enter a Messenger. Ant. Enough; Lest your breath cool yourself, telling your haste. Mess. My lord, prince Pericles is fled. [Exit Messenger. Ant. As thou Wilt live, fly after: and, as an arrow, shot Unless thou say, Prince Pericles is dead. Thal. My lord, if I Can get him once within my pistol's length, I'll make him sure: so farewell to your highness. [Exit. Ant. Thaliard, adieu! till Pericles be dead, My heart can lend no succour to my head. [Exit. SCENE II. Tyre. A room in the palace. Enter Pericles, Helicanus, and other Lords. Per. Let none disturb us: Why this charge of thoughts? The sad companion, dull-ey'd melancholy, By me so us'd a guest is, not an hour, In the day's glorious walk, or peaceful night (The tomb where grief should sleep), can breed me quiet! Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them, And danger, which I feared, is at Antioch, Whose arm seems far too short to hit me here: Yet neither pleasure's art can joy my spirits, Nor yet the other's distance comfort me. Then it is thus: the passions of the mind, If he suspect I may dishonour him: And what may make him blush in being known, (Who am no more but as the tops of trees, Which fence the roots they grow by, and defend them), Makes both my body pine, and soul to languish, 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 siu; The thing the which is flatter'd, but a spark, To which that breath gives heat and stronger glowing; Whereas reproof, obedient, and in order, Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook What shipping, and what lading's in our haven, 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. 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! 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; Who minister'st a potion unto me, That thou would'st tremble to receive thyself. Where, as thou know'st, against the face of death, Bring arms to princes, and to subjects joys. this, 'Tis time to fear, when tyrants seem to kiss. Which fear so grew in me, I hither fled; Under the covering of a careful night, Who seem'd my good protector; and being here, Who now reprov'st me for it) Hel. Alas, sir! Per. Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks, Musings into my mind, a thousand doubts Freely I'll speak. Antiochus you fear, And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant, Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while, Or destinies do cut his thread of life. 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 Intend my travel, where I'll hear from thee; And by whose letters I'll dispose myself. The care I had and have of subjects' good, 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 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 commission, left in trust with me, Doth speak sufficiently, he's gone to travel. Thal. How! the king gone! [Aside. Hel. If further yet you will be satisfied, Thal. What from Antioch? [Aside. In our different spheres. + Overcome. |