Per. [To Lords without ^note]
Let none disturb us. Why should ^note this change of thoughts, ^{note note}

The ^note sad companion, dull-eyed melancholy,
Be my so used a guest as ^note not an hour,
In the day's glorious walk, or peaceful night,
The tomb where grief should sleep, can breed me quiet? ^note
Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them,
And danger, which I fear'd ^note, is ^note at Antioch,
Whose arm ^note 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 ^note of the mind,
That have their first conception by mis-dread,
Have after-nourishment ^note and life by care; ^note
And what was first but ^note fear what might be done,
Grows elder now and cares it be not done.
And so with ^note me: ^note the great Antiochus,
'Gainst whom I am too ^note little to contend,
Since he's so ^note great can make his will his act,
Will think me speaking, though I swear to silence;
Nor boots it me to say I honour him, ^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 ^note of war will look so huge,
Amazement shall drive courage from the state,

Our men be vanquish'd ere they do resist,
And subjects punish'd that ne'er ^note thought offence:
Which care of them, not pity of myself,
Who am ^note no more ^note but as the tops of trees
Which ^note fence the roots they grow by and defend them,
Makes ^note both my body pine and soul to ^note languish ^note,
And punish that before that he would punish ^note. Enter Helicanus, with other Lords. ^note

First Lord.
Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast!

Sec. Lord.
And keep your mind, till you ^note return to us,
Peaceful and comfortable! ^note

Hel.
Peace, peace, ^note and give experience tongue ^note.
They do abuse the king that flatter him:
For flattery is the bellows blows up sin;
The thing the which is flatter'd ^note, but a spark,
To which that blast ^note gives heat ^note and stronger glowing ^note;
Whereas reproof, obedient and in order ^note,
Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err.
When Signior Sooth here does ^note proclaim a peace ^note,
He flatters you, makes ^note war upon your life.
Prince, pardon me, or strike me, if you please;

^note
I cannot be much lower than my knees.

Per.
All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook
What shipping and what lading's ^note in our haven,
And then return to us. [Exeunt Lords. ^note] Helicanus, thou
Hast moved ^note us: what seest thou in our looks? ^note

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 ^note look up to ^note heaven, from whence
They have their nourishment? ^note

Per.
Thou know'st ^note I have power
To take thy life from thee ^note. ^{note note}

Hel. [Kneeling ^note]
I have ground the axe myself;
Do you but ^note strike the blow. ^note

Per.
Rise, prithee, rise: sit down ^note: thou art no flatterer: ^note
I thank thee for it ^note; and heaven ^note forbid
That kings should let their ears hear their faults hid ^note!
Fit counsellor and servant for a prince,
Who by thy wisdom makest ^note a prince thy servant,

What wouldst thou have me do? ^note

Hel.
To bear with patience ^note
Such griefs as you yourself ^note do lay upon yourself. ^note

Per.
Thou speak'st ^note like a physician, Helicanus,
That minister'st ^note a potion ^note unto me
That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself ^note.
Attend me then: I went to Antioch,
Where, as ^note thou know'st ^note, against the face of death,
I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty,
From whence an issue I might propagate ^note,
Are ^note arms to princes and bring joys to subjects ^note.
Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder;
The rest—hark in thine ear— ^noteas black as incest:
Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father
Seem'd not to strike, but smooth: but thou know'st this,
'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem ^note 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,
Bethought me ^note what was past, what might succeed.
I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears ^note
Decrease not, but grow faster than the years ^note:
And should he doubt it, ^note as no doubt he doth,

That I should open to the listening air
How many worthy princes' bloods ^note were shed,
To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope, ^note
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 ^note offence,
Must feel war's blow, who spares ^note not innocence:
Which love to all, of which thyself art one,
Who now reprovest ^note me for it,— ^note

Hel.
Alas, sir!

Per.
Drew sleep out of mine ^note eyes, blood from my cheeks,
Musings into ^note my mind, with thousand ^note doubts
How I might stop this ^note tempest ere it came;
And finding little comfort to relieve ^note them,
I thought it princely charity to grieve ^note them.

Hel.
Well, my lord, since you have given me leave to speak,
Freely will I speak. Antiochus you fear,
And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant,
Who either by public 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 till the Destinies do cut his thread of ^note life.
Your rule direct to any; if ^note to me ^note,

Day serves ^note not light more faithful than I'll be. ^note

Per.
I do not doubt thy faith;
But should he wrong my liberties ^note in my absence? ^note

Hel.
We'll mingle our ^note bloods together in the earth,
From whence we had our being and our birth.

Per.
Tyre, I now look from thee then, and to Tarsus
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' ^note good
On thee I lay, whose wisdom's strength can bear it.
I'll take thy word for faith, not ^note ask thine oath: ^note
Who shuns not to break one will sure ^note crack both:
But in our orbs we'll ^note live so round and safe,
That time of both this truth shall ne'er convince,
Thou show'dst ^note a subject's shine, I ^note a true prince. [Exeunt. ^{note note}

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