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3
To sing a song that old was sung,
4
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
5
Assuming man's infirmities,
6
To glad your ear, and please your eyes.
7
It hath been sung at festivals,
8
On ember-eves and holy-ales;
9
And lords and ladies in their lives
10
Have read it for restoratives:
11
The purchase is to make men glorious;
12
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
13
If you, born in these latter times,
14
When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes.
15
And that to hear an old man sing
16
May to your wishes pleasure bring
17
I life would wish, and that I might
18
Waste it for you, like taper-light.
19
This Antioch, then, Antiochus the Great
20
Built up, this city, for his chiefest seat:
21
The fairest in all Syria,
22
I tell you what mine authors say:
23
This king unto him took a fere,
24
Who died and left a female heir,
25
So buxom, blithe, and full of face,
26
As heaven had lent her all his grace;
27
With whom the father liking took,
28
And her to incest did provoke:
29
Bad child; worse father! to entice his own
30
To evil should be done by none:
31
But custom what they did begin
32
Was with long use account no sin.
33
The beauty of this sinful dame
34
Made many princes thither frame,
35
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
36
In marriage-pleasures play-fellow:
37
Which to prevent he made a law,
38
To keep her still, and men in awe,
39
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
40
His riddle told not, lost his life:
41
So for her many a wight did die,
42
As yon grim looks do testify.
43
What now ensues, to the judgment of your eye
44
I give, my cause who best can justify.
1
Antioch. A room in the palace.
2
[Enter ANTIOCHUS, Prince PERICLES, and followers]
4
Young prince of Tyre, you have at large received
5
The danger of the task you undertake.
7
I have, Antiochus, and, with a soul
8
Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,
9
Think death no hazard in this enterprise.
11
Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride,
12
For the embracements even of Jove himself;
13
At whose conception, till Lucina reign'd,
14
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
15
The senate-house of planets all did sit,
16
To knit in her their best perfections.
17
[Music. Enter the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS]
19
See where she comes, apparell'd like the spring,
20
Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king
21
Of every virtue gives renown to men!
22
Her face the book of praises, where is read
23
Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
24
Sorrow were ever razed and testy wrath
25
Could never be her mild companion.
26
You gods that made me man, and sway in love,
27
That have inflamed desire in my breast
28
To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree,
29
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
30
As I am son and servant to your will,
31
To compass such a boundless happiness!
35
That would be son to great Antiochus.
37
Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
38
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
39
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
40
Her face, like heaven, enticeth thee to view
41
Her countless glory, which desert must gain;
42
And which, without desert, because thine eye
43
Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.
44
Yon sometimes famous princes, like thyself,
45
Drawn by report, adventurous by desire,
46
Tell thee, with speechless tongues and semblance pale,
47
That without covering, save yon field of stars,
48
Here they stand martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars;
49
And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist
50
For going on death's net, whom none resist.
52
Antiochus, I thank thee, who hath taught
53
My frail mortality to know itself,
54
And by those fearful objects to prepare
55
This body, like to them, to what I must;
56
For death remember'd should be like a mirror,
57
Who tells us life's but breath, to trust it error.
58
I'll make my will then, and, as sick men do
59
Who know the world, see heaven, but, feeling woe,
60
Gripe not at earthly joys as erst they did;
61
So I bequeath a happy peace to you
62
And all good men, as every prince should do;
63
My riches to the earth from whence they came;
64
But my unspotted fire of love to you.
65
[To the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS]
66
Thus ready for the way of life or death,
67
I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus.
69
Scorning advice, read the conclusion then:
70
Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed,
71
As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed.
72
Daughter of Antiochus.
73
Of all say'd yet, mayst thou prove prosperous!
74
Of all say'd yet, I wish thee happiness!
76
Like a bold champion, I assume the lists,
77
Nor ask advice of any other thought
78
But faithfulness and courage.
80
I am no viper, yet I feed
81
On mother's flesh which did me breed.
82
I sought a husband, in which labour
83
I found that kindness in a father:
84
He's father, son, and husband mild;
85
I mother, wife, and yet his child.
86
How they may be, and yet in two,
87
As you will live, resolve it you.
88
Sharp physic is the last: but, O you powers
89
That give heaven countless eyes to view men's acts,
90
Why cloud they not their sights perpetually,
91
If this be true, which makes me pale to read it?
92
Fair glass of light, I loved you, and could still,
93
[Takes hold of the hand of the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS]
94
Were not this glorious casket stored with ill:
95
But I must tell you, now my thoughts revolt
96
For he's no man on whom perfections wait
97
That, knowing sin within, will touch the gate.
98
You are a fair viol, and your sense the strings;
99
Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,
100
Would draw heaven down, and all the gods, to hearken:
101
But being play'd upon before your time,
102
Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime.
103
Good sooth, I care not for you.
105
Prince Pericles, touch not, upon thy life.
106
For that's an article within our law,
107
As dangerous as the rest. Your time's expired:
108
Either expound now, or receive your sentence.
111
Few love to hear the sins they love to act;
112
'Twould braid yourself too near for me to tell it.
113
Who has a book of all that monarchs do,
114
He's more secure to keep it shut than shown:
115
For vice repeated is like the wandering wind.
116
Blows dust in other's eyes, to spread itself;
117
And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
118
The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear:
119
To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole casts
120
Copp'd hills towards heaven, to tell the earth is throng'd
121
By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die for't.
122
Kings are earth's gods; in vice their law's
124
And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill?
125
It is enough you know; and it is fit,
126
What being more known grows worse, to smother it.
127
All love the womb that their first being bred,
128
Then give my tongue like leave to love my head.
130
[Aside]Heaven, that I had thy head! he has found
132
But I will gloze with him.—Young prince of Tyre,
133
Though by the tenor of our strict edict,
134
Your exposition misinterpreting,
135
We might proceed to cancel of your days;
136
Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a tree
137
As your fair self, doth tune us otherwise:
138
Forty days longer we do respite you;
139
If by which time our secret be undone,
140
This mercy shows we'll joy in such a son:
141
And until then your entertain shall be
142
As doth befit our honour and your worth.
143
[Exeunt all but PERICLES]
145
How courtesy would seem to cover sin,
146
When what is done is like an hypocrite,
147
The which is good in nothing but in sight!
148
If it be true that I interpret false,
149
Then were it certain you were not so bad
150
As with foul incest to abuse your soul;
151
Where now you're both a father and a son,
152
By your untimely claspings with your child,
153
Which pleasure fits an husband, not a father;
154
And she an eater of her mother's flesh,
155
By the defiling of her parent's bed;
156
And both like serpents are, who though they feed
157
On sweetest flowers, yet they poison breed.
158
Antioch, farewell! for wisdom sees, those men
159
Blush not in actions blacker than the night,
160
Will shun no course to keep them from the light.
161
One sin, I know, another doth provoke;
162
Murder's as near to lust as flame to smoke:
163
Poison and treason are the hands of sin,
164
Ay, and the targets, to put off the shame:
165
Then, lest my lie be cropp'd to keep you clear,
166
By flight I'll shun the danger which I fear.
170
He hath found the meaning, for which we mean
172
He must not live to trumpet forth my infamy,
173
Nor tell the world Antiochus doth sin
174
In such a loathed manner;
175
And therefore instantly this prince must die:
176
For by his fall my honour must keep high.
177
Who attends us there?
180
Doth your highness call?
183
You are of our chamber, and our mind partakes
184
Her private actions to your secrecy;
185
And for your faithfulness we will advance you.
186
Thaliard, behold, here's poison, and here's gold;
187
We hate the prince of Tyre, and thou must kill him:
188
It fits thee not to ask the reason why,
189
Because we bid it. Say, is it done?
196
Let your breath cool yourself, telling your haste.
198
My lord, prince Pericles is fled.
202
Wilt live, fly after: and like an arrow shot
203
From a well-experienced archer hits the mark
204
His eye doth level at, so thou ne'er return
205
Unless thou say 'Prince Pericles is dead.'
208
If I can get him within my pistol's length,
209
I'll make him sure enough: so, farewell to your highness.
213
Till Pericles be dead,
214
My heart can lend no succor to my head.
1
Tyre. A room in the palace.
4
[To Lords without]Let none disturb us.—Why should
5
this change of thoughts,
6
The sad companion, dull-eyed melancholy,
7
Be my so used a guest as not an hour,
8
In the day's glorious walk, or peaceful night,
9
The tomb where grief should sleep, can breed me quiet?
10
Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them,
11
And danger, which I fear'd, is at Antioch,
12
Whose aim seems far too short to hit me here:
13
Yet neither pleasure's art can joy my spirits,
14
Nor yet the other's distance comfort me.
15
Then it is thus: the passions of the mind,
16
That have their first conception by mis-dread,
17
Have after-nourishment and life by care;
18
And what was first but fear what might be done,
19
Grows elder now and cares it be not done.
20
And so with me: the great Antiochus,
21
'Gainst whom I am too little to contend,
22
Since he's so great can make his will his act,
23
Will think me speaking, though I swear to silence;
24
Nor boots it me to say I honour him.
25
If he suspect I may dishonour him:
26
And what may make him blush in being known,
27
He'll stop the course by which it might be known;
28
With hostile forces he'll o'erspread the land,
29
And with the ostent of war will look so huge,
30
Amazement shall drive courage from the state;
31
Our men be vanquish'd ere they do resist,
32
And subjects punish'd that ne'er thought offence:
33
Which care of them, not pity of myself,
34
Who am no more but as the tops of trees,
35
Which fence the roots they grow by and defend them,
36
Makes both my body pine and soul to languish,
37
And punish that before that he would punish.
38
[Enter HELICANUS, with other Lords]
40
Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast!
42
And keep your mind, till you return to us,
43
Peaceful and comfortable!
45
Peace, peace, and give experience tongue.
46
They do abuse the king that flatter him:
47
For flattery is the bellows blows up sin;
48
The thing which is flatter'd, but a spark,
49
To which that blast gives heat and stronger glowing;
50
Whereas reproof, obedient and in order,
51
Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err.
52
When Signior Sooth here does proclaim a peace,
53
He flatters you, makes war upon your life.
54
Prince, pardon me, or strike me, if you please;
55
I cannot be much lower than my knees.
57
All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook
58
What shipping and what lading's in our haven,
59
And then return to us.
62
Hast moved us: what seest thou in our looks?
64
An angry brow, dread lord.
66
If there be such a dart in princes' frowns,
67
How durst thy tongue move anger to our face?
69
How dare the plants look up to heaven, from whence
70
They have their nourishment?
72
Thou know'st I have power
73
To take thy life from thee.
76
I have ground the axe myself;
77
Do you but strike the blow.
80
Sit down: thou art no flatterer:
81
I thank thee for it; and heaven forbid
82
That kings should let their ears hear their
84
Fit counsellor and servant for a prince,
85
Who by thy wisdom makest a prince thy servant,
86
What wouldst thou have me do?
89
Such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself.
91
Thou speak'st like a physician, Helicanus,
92
That minister'st a potion unto me
93
That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself.
94
Attend me, then: I went to Antioch,
95
Where as thou know'st, against the face of death,
96
I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty.
97
From whence an issue I might propagate,
98
Are arms to princes, and bring joys to subjects.
99
Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder;
100
The rest—hark in thine ear—as black as incest:
101
Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father
102
Seem'd not to strike, but smooth: but thou
104
'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss.
105
Such fear so grew in me, I hither fled,
106
Under the covering of a careful night,
107
Who seem'd my good protector; and, being here,
108
Bethought me what was past, what might succeed.
109
I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears
110
Decrease not, but grow faster than the years:
111
And should he doubt it, as no doubt he doth,
112
That I should open to the listening air
113
How many worthy princes' bloods were shed,
114
To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope,
115
To lop that doubt, he'll fill this land with arms,
116
And make pretence of wrong that I have done him:
117
When all, for mine, if I may call offence,
118
Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence:
119
Which love to all, of which thyself art one,
120
Who now reprovest me for it,—
124
Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks,
125
Musings into my mind, with thousand doubts
126
How I might stop this tempest ere it came;
127
And finding little comfort to relieve them,
128
I thought it princely charity to grieve them.
130
Well, my lord, since you have given me leave to speak.
131
Freely will I speak. Antiochus you fear,
132
And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant,
133
Who either by public war or private treason
134
Will take away your life.
135
Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while,
136
Till that his rage and anger be forgot,
137
Or till the Destinies do cut his thread of life.
138
Your rule direct to any; if to me.
139
Day serves not light more faithful than I'll be.
141
I do not doubt thy faith;
142
But should he wrong my liberties in my absence?
144
We'll mingle our bloods together in the earth,
145
From whence we had our being and our birth.
147
Tyre, I now look from thee then, and to Tarsus
148
Intend my travel, where I'll hear from thee;
149
And by whose letters I'll dispose myself.
150
The care I had and have of subjects' good
151
On thee I lay whose wisdom's strength can bear it.
152
I'll take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath:
153
Who shuns not to break one will sure crack both:
154
But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe,
155
That time of both this truth shall ne'er convince,
156
Thou show'dst a subject's shine, I a true prince.
1
Tyre. An ante-chamber in the palace.
4
So, this is Tyre, and this the court. Here must I
5
kill King Pericles; and if I do it not, I am sure to
6
be hanged at home: 'tis dangerous. Well, I perceive
7
he was a wise fellow, and had good discretion, that,
8
being bid to ask what he would of the king, desired
9
he might know none of his secrets: now do I see he
10
had some reason for't; for if a king bid a man be a
11
villain, he's bound by the indenture of his oath to
12
be one! Hush! here come the lords of Tyre.
13
[Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES, with other Lords of Tyre]
15
You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre,
16
Further to question me of your king's departure:
17
His seal'd commission, left in trust with me,
18
Doth speak sufficiently he's gone to travel.
20
[Aside]How! the king gone!
22
If further yet you will be satisfied,
23
Why, as it were unlicensed of your loves,
24
He would depart, I'll give some light unto you.
27
[Aside]What from Antioch?
29
Royal Antiochus—on what cause I know not—
30
Took some displeasure at him; at least he judged so:
31
And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd,
32
To show his sorrow, he'ld correct himself;
33
So puts himself unto the shipman's toil,
34
With whom each minute threatens life or death.
36
[Aside]Well, I perceive
37
I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;
38
But since he's gone, the king's seas must please:
39
He 'scaped the land, to perish at the sea.
40
I'll present myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre!
42
Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.
45
With message unto princely Pericles;
46
But since my landing I have understood
47
Your lord has betook himself to unknown travels,
48
My message must return from whence it came.
50
We have no reason to desire it,
51
Commended to our master, not to us:
52
Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire,
53
As friends to Antioch, we may feast in Tyre.
1
Tarsus. A room in the Governor’s house.
2
[Enter CLEON, the governor of Tarsus, with DIONYZA,] [p]and others]
4
My Dionyza, shall we rest us here,
5
And by relating tales of others' griefs,
6
See if 'twill teach us to forget our own?
8
That were to blow at fire in hope to quench it;
9
For who digs hills because they do aspire
10
Throws down one mountain to cast up a higher.
11
O my distressed lord, even such our griefs are;
12
Here they're but felt, and seen with mischief's eyes,
13
But like to groves, being topp'd, they higher rise.
16
Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it,
17
Or can conceal his hunger till he famish?
18
Our tongues and sorrows do sound deep
19
Our woes into the air; our eyes do weep,
20
Till tongues fetch breath that may proclaim them louder;
21
That, if heaven slumber while their creatures want,
22
They may awake their helps to comfort them.
23
I'll then discourse our woes, felt several years,
24
And wanting breath to speak help me with tears.
28
This Tarsus, o'er which I have the government,
29
A city on whom plenty held full hand,
30
For riches strew'd herself even in the streets;
31
Whose towers bore heads so high they kiss'd the clouds,
32
And strangers ne'er beheld but wondered at;
33
Whose men and dames so jetted and adorn'd,
34
Like one another's glass to trim them by:
35
Their tables were stored full, to glad the sight,
36
And not so much to feed on as delight;
37
All poverty was scorn'd, and pride so great,
38
The name of help grew odious to repeat.
42
But see what heaven can do! By this our change,
43
These mouths, who but of late, earth, sea, and air,
44
Were all too little to content and please,
45
Although they gave their creatures in abundance,
46
As houses are defiled for want of use,
47
They are now starved for want of exercise:
48
Those palates who, not yet two summers younger,
49
Must have inventions to delight the taste,
50
Would now be glad of bread, and beg for it:
51
Those mothers who, to nousle up their babes,
52
Thought nought too curious, are ready now
53
To eat those little darlings whom they loved.
54
So sharp are hunger's teeth, that man and wife
55
Draw lots who first shall die to lengthen life:
56
Here stands a lord, and there a lady weeping;
57
Here many sink, yet those which see them fall
58
Have scarce strength left to give them burial.
61
Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it.
63
O, let those cities that of plenty's cup
64
And her prosperities so largely taste,
65
With their superfluous riots, hear these tears!
66
The misery of Tarsus may be theirs.
69
Where's the lord governor?
72
Speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st in haste,
73
For comfort is too far for us to expect.
75
We have descried, upon our neighbouring shore,
76
A portly sail of ships make hitherward.
79
One sorrow never comes but brings an heir,
80
That may succeed as his inheritor;
81
And so in ours: some neighbouring nation,
82
Taking advantage of our misery,
83
Hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power,
84
To beat us down, the which are down already;
85
And make a conquest of unhappy me,
86
Whereas no glory's got to overcome.
88
That's the least fear; for, by the semblance
89
Of their white flags display'd, they bring us peace,
90
And come to us as favourers, not as foes.
92
Thou speak'st like him's untutor'd to repeat:
93
Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.
94
But bring they what they will and what they can,
96
The ground's the lowest, and we are half way there.
97
Go tell their general we attend him here,
98
To know for what he comes, and whence he comes,
104
Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist;
105
If wars, we are unable to resist.
106
[Enter PERICLES with Attendants]
108
Lord governor, for so we hear you are,
109
Let not our ships and number of our men
110
Be like a beacon fired to amaze your eyes.
111
We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre,
112
And seen the desolation of your streets:
113
Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears,
114
But to relieve them of their heavy load;
115
And these our ships, you happily may think
116
Are like the Trojan horse was stuff'd within
117
With bloody veins, expecting overthrow,
118
Are stored with corn to make your needy bread,
119
And give them life whom hunger starved half dead.
121
The gods of Greece protect you!
122
And we'll pray for you.
124
Arise, I pray you, rise:
125
We do not look for reverence, but to love,
126
And harbourage for ourself, our ships, and men.
128
The which when any shall not gratify,
129
Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought,
130
Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves,
131
The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils!
132
Till when,—the which I hope shall ne'er be seen,—
133
Your grace is welcome to our town and us.
135
Which welcome we'll accept; feast here awhile,
136
Until our stars that frown lend us a smile.
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