Her private actions to your secrecy: And for your faithfulness we will advance you. We hate the prince of Tyre, and thou must kill him : Because we bid it. Say, is it done? Thal. 'Tis done. Let Ant. Enough. Enter a Messenger. My lord, 160 your breath cool yourself, telling your haste. Mess. My lord, Prince Pericles is fled. Ant. As thou Wilt live, fly after; and, like an arrow shot If I can get him within my pistol's length, [Exit. I'll make him sure enough: so, farewell to your highness. dead 170 My heart can lend no succour to my head. [Exit. SCENE II. Tyre. A room in the palace. Enter PERICLES. -Why Per. [to Lords without] Let none disturb us.should this charge of thoughts, The sad companion, dull-eyed melancholy, Be my so-used a guest as 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 fear'd, is at Antioch, And what was first but fear what might be done, Since he's so great can make his will his act― If he suspect I may dishonour him: And what may make him blush in being known, Which fence the roots they grow by and defend them, Enter HELICANUS and other Lords. First Lord. Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast! Sec. Lord. And keep your mind, till you return to us, Peaceful and comfortable! Hel. Peace, peace, 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 blast gives heat and stronger glowing; 10 20 30 40 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 50 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? whence They have their nourishment? Per. Thou know'st I have power To take thy life from thee. Hel. [kneeling] I have ground the axe myself; Do you but strike the blow. Per. Rise, prithee, rise. 60 Sit down thou art no flatterer: I thank thee for it; and heaven forbid That kings should let their ears hear their faults chid! Who by thy wisdom makest a prince thy servant, Hel. To bear with patience That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself. Where, as thou know'st, against the face of death, 70 Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder; And make pretence of wrong that I have done him; Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence: Hel. Alas, sir! Per. Drew sleep out of mine cheeks, eyes, blood from my Musings into my mind, with thousand doubts I thought it princely charity to grieve them. Freely will I speak. Antiochus you fear, Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while, Or till the Destinies do cut his thread of life. 80 90 100 Your rule direct to any; if to me, Day serves not light more faithful than I'll be. But should he wrong my liberties in my absence? Per. Tyre, I now look from thee, then, and to Tarsus On thee I lay, whose wisdom's strength can bear it. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Tyre. An ante-chamber in the palace. Thal. So, this is Tyre, and this the court. Here must I kill King Pericles; and if I do it 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 some reason for 't; for if a king bid a man be a villain, he's bound by the indenture of his oath to be one.-Hush! here comes the lords of Tyre. had Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES, with other Lords. 110 120 Hel. You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre, 10 Further to question me of your king's departure: His seal'd commission, left in trust with me, Doth speak sufficiently he's gone to travel. |