Per. I thank him. Thai. Wishing it so much blood unto your life. Per. I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely. Thai. And further he desires to know of you, Of whence you are, your name and parentage. Per. A gentleman of Tyre-(my name, Pericles; My education being in arts and arms);Who looking for adventures in the world, Was by the rough seas reft of ships and men, And, after shipwreck, driven upon this shore. Thai. He thanks your grace; names himself Pericles, A gentleman of Tyre, who only by Misfortune of the seas has been bereft Of ships and men, and cast upon this shore. Here is a lady that wants breathing too: And that their measures are as excellent. Per. In those that practise them, they are, my lord. 7As you are accoutred, prepared for combat.' So in King Henry V.: To-morrow for the march are we address'd.' Sim. O, that's as much, as you would be denied Of your fair courtesy.-Unclasp, unclasp; These knights unto their several lodgings: Yours, sir, Sim. Princes, it is too late to talk of love, SCENE IV. Tyre. A Room in the Governor's House. Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES. Hel. No, no, my Escanes; know this of me,Antiochus from incest liv'd not free; For which, the most high gods not minding longer, To withhold the vengeance that they had in store, Due to this heinous capital offence, Even in the height and pride of all his glory, A fire from heaven came, and shrivel'd up Hel. And yet but just; for though This king were great, his greatness was no guard To bar heaven's shaft; but sin had his reward. Esca. 'Tis very true. 1 i. e. which ador'd them.. Enter Three Lords. 1 Lord. See, not a man in private conference, Or council, has respect with him but he 2. 2 Lord. It shall no longer grieve without reproof. 3 Lord. And curst be he that will not second it. 2 Lord. Follow me then: Lord Helicane, a word. Hel. With me? and welcome: Happy day, my lords. 1 Lord. Know that our griefs are risen to the top, And now at length they overflow their banks. Hel. Your griefs, for what? wrong not the prince you love. 1 Lord. Wrong not yourself then, noble Helicane; But if the prince do live, let us salute him, Or know what ground's made happy by his breath. 2 Lord. Whose death's indeed, the strongest in our censure 4: And knowing this kingdom, if without a head (Like goodly buildings left without a roof), Will soon to ruin fall, noble self, your That best know'st how to rule, and how to reign, We thus submit unto,-our sovereign. All. Live, noble Helicane! Hel. Try honour's cause, forbear your suffrages: If that you love prince Pericles, forbear. 2 To what this charge of partiality was designed to conduct we do not learn; for it appears to have no influence over the rest of the dialogue.' 3 Satisfied. Steevens. 4 i. e. the most probable in our opinion.' Censure is frequently used for judgment, opinion, by Shakspeare. VOL. IX. D D Take I your wish, I leap into the seat, Go search like noblemen, like noble subjects, You shall like diamonds sit about his crown. 1 Lord. To wisdom he's a fool that will not yield; And, since Lord Helicane enjoineth us, We with our travels will endeavour it. Hel. Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp hands; When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands. SCENE V. [Exeunt. Pentapolis. A Room in the Palace. Enter SIMONIDES, reading a Letter; the Knights meet him. 1 Knight. Good morrow to the good Simonides. Sim. Knights, from my daughter this I let you know, That for this twelvemonth, she'll not undertake 5 Tho old copy reads: Take I your wish, I leap into the seas,' &c. Steevens contends for the old reading; that it is merely figurative, and means, I embark too hastily on an expedition in which ease is disproportioned to labour.' 6 Some word being omitted in this line in the old copy, Steevens thus supplied it : To forbear choice i' the absence of your king.' Her reason to herself is only known, 2 Knight. May we not get access to her, my lord? Sim. 'Faith, by no means; she hath so strictly tied her To her chamber, that it is impossible. One twelve moons more she'll wear Diana's livery; This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd1, And on her virgin honour will not break it. 3 Knight. Though loath to bid farewell, we take our leaves. Sim. So [Exeunt. They're well despatch'd; now to my daughter's letter: She tells me here, she'll wed the stranger knight, Well, I commend her choice; And will no longer have it be delay'd. Soft, here he comes:-I must dissemble it. Per. All fortune to the good Simonides ! Sim. To you as much, sir! I am beholden to you, For your sweet musick this last night: my ears, I do protest, were never better fed With such delightful pleasing harmony. Per. It is your grace's pleasure to commend; Not my desert. 1 'It were to be wished (says Steevens), that Simonides, who is represented as a blameless character, had hit on some more ingenious expedient for the dismission of these wooers. Here he tells them, as a solemn truth, what he knows to be a fiction of his own.' |