And danger, which I feared, is at Antioch, And what was first but fear what might be done, If he suspect I may dishonour him: And what may make him blush in being known, (Who am no more? but as the tops of trees, Which fence the roots they grow by, and defend them) Makes both my body pine, and soul to languish, And punish that before, that he would punish. 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! and give experience tongue. They do abuse the king, that flatter him: And with the OSTENT of war-] So amended by Tyrwhitt, from stint of the old copies, and not stent, as Steevens misprinted it: he quoted several instances of the use of the expression "ostent of war" in writers of the time, and such were probably the author's words in this play. 2 (Who AM no more— -] The old copies read, "Who once no more." Steevens followed Farmer in the reading of our text. 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"; Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err: Per. All leave us else; but let your cares o'er-look 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, 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. I have ground the axe myself; Do you but strike the blow. Per. Rise, pr'ythee rise; Sit down; thou art no flatterer: I thank thee for it; and heaven forbid, That kings should let their ears hear their faults hid. Fit counsellor, and servant for a prince, Who by thy wisdom mak'st a prince thy servant, To which that BLAST gives HEAT and stronger glowing;] The old copies read, "To which that spark gives heart and stronger glowing :" modern editors notice one corruption, but do not mention the other. Monck Mason proposed "blast" for spark, and all agree that either that word or some equivalent, breath or wind, is necessary. Malone adopted breath, and Steevens wind. Heart for "heat" was an easy corruption. How dare the PLANTS look up to heaven,] Malone tells us that the quarto, 1609, has "plants:" no other copy of that edition we have seen, reads "plants:" nevertheless the mistake is evident. What would'st thou have me do? Hel. That thou would'st tremble to receive thyself. Where, as thou know'st, against the face of death '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, Who seem'd my good protector; and being here, To lop that doubt he'll fill this land with arms, Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence: 5 And should he DOUBT it,] Malone's judicious emendation of the quarto, 1609, which reads, " And should he doo't:" the folio, 1664, following the later quartos, prints "And should he think it." Seven lines lower, Malone's copy of the quarto, 1609, differs, by having "spares" for fears of other copies of the same impression. This important correction must have been made while the edition was going through the press. 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 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, Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while, Or till the Destinies do cut his thread of life. Day serves not light more faithful than I'll be. Per. I do not doubt thy faith; But should he wrong my liberties in my absence? Hel. We'll mingle our 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 it. I'll take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath; Who shuns not to break one, will sure crack botho. But in our orbs we live so round and safe, That time of both this truth shall ne'er convince', Thou show'dst a subject's shine, I a true prince. [Exeunt. 6 will SURE crack both :] "Sure" is not in any of the quartos, but was inserted in the folio, 1664. 7- this truth shall ne'er CONVINCE,] i. e. overcome. See Vol. vii. p. 118. 166, &c. SCENE III. Tyre. An Ante-chamber in the Palace. Enter THALIARD. Thal. So, this is Tyre, and this is the court. Here must I kill king Pericles; and if I do not, I am sure to be hanged 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 had some reason for it; for if a king bid a man be a villain, he is bound by the indenture of his oath to be one.— Hush! here come the lords of Tyre. Enter HELICANUS, ESCANES, and other Lords. Hel. You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre, Why, as it were unlicens'd of your loves, Thal. [Aside.] What from Antioch? Hel. Royal Antiochus (on what cause I know not) Took some displeasure at him: at least, he judg'd so; And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd, To show his sorrow he'd correct himself; So puts himself unto the shipman's toil, With whom each minute threatens life or death. I shall not be hang'd now, although I would; |