SCENE II.
Tyre. A Room in the Palace.
Enter Pericles, Helicanus, and other Lords.
Per.
Let none disturb us: Why should this charge of thoughts2 note
?
The sad companion, dull-ey'd melancholy3 note
,
By me so us'd a guest is, not an hour,
-- 36 --
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,
That have their first conception by mis-dread,
Have after-nourishment and life by care;
And what was first but fear what might be done4 note,
Grows elder now, and cares it be not done5 note.
And so with me;—the great Antiochus
('Gainst whom I am too little to contend,
Since he's so great6 note
, can make his will his act,)
Will think me speaking, though I swear to silence;
Nor boots it me to say, I honour him7 note,
If he suspect I may dishonour him:
And what may make him blush in being known,
He'll stop the course by which it might be known;
With hostile forces he'll o'erspread the land,
And with the ostent of war will look so huge8 note
,
-- 37 --
Amazement shall drive courage from the state;
Our men be vanquish'd, e'er they do resist,
And subjects punish'd, that ne'er thought offence:
Which care of them, not pity of myself,
(Who wants no more but as the tops of trees,
Which fence the roots they grow by, and defend them,)
Makes9 note
both my body pine, and soul to languish,
And punish that before, that he would punish.
-- 38 --
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 sin;
The thing the which is flatter'd, but a spark,
To which that breath gives heat and stronger glowing1 note
;
Whereas reproof, obedient, and in order,
Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err.
When signior Sooth2 note here does proclaim a peace,
He flatters you, makes war upon your life:
Prince, pardon me, or strike me, if you please;
I cannot be much lower than my knees.
Per.
All leave us else; but let your cares o'er-look
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 prince's frowns,
-- 39 --
How durst thy tongue move anger to our face?
Hel.
How dare the plants look up to heaven, from whence
They have their nourishment3 note
?
Per.
Thou know'st I have power
To take thy life.
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 hid4 note
!
Fit counsellor, and servant for a prince,
Who by thy wisdom mak'st a prince thy servant,
What would'st thou have me do?
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.
Attend me then: I went to Antioch,
-- 40 --
Where, as thou know'st, against the face of death,
I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty,
From whence an issue I might propagate,
Are arms to princes, and bring joys to subjects6 note
.
Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder;
The rest (hark in thine ear,) as black as incest;
Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father
Seem'd not to strike, but smooth7 note
: but thou know'st 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,
-- 41 --
Who seem'd my good protector; and being here,
Bethought me what was past, what might succeed.
I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears
Decrease not, but grow faster than their years8 note:
And should he doubt it, (as no doubt he doth9 note
,)
That I should open to the listening air,
How many worthy princes' bloods were shed,
To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope,—
To lop that doubt, he'll fill this land with arms,
And make pretence of wrong that I have done him;
When all, for mine, if I may call't, offence,
Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence1 note
:
Which love to all (of which thyself art one,
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
How I might stop this tempest, ere it came;
And finding little comfort to relieve them,
-- 42 --
I thought it princely charity to grieve them3 note.
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,
Who either by publick war, or private treason,
Will take away your life.
Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while,
Till that his rage and anger be forgot,
Or Destinies do cut his thread of life.
Your rule direct to any; if to me,
Day serves not light more faithful than I'll be.
Per.
I do not doubt thy faith;
But should he wrong my liberties in absence—
Hel.
We'll mingle bloods together in the earth,
From whence we had our being and our birth.
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 it4 note.
I'll take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath;
Who shuns not to break one, will sure crack both5 note:
But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe6 note
,
-- 43 --
That time of both this truth shall ne'er convince7 note,
Thou show'dst a subject's shine, I a true prince8 note
.
[Exeunt.
-- 44 --
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
