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<tr><td class="play" align="center">Pericles, Prince of Tyre
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    | <A href="/Shakespeare/pericles/">Pericles</A> 
    | Act 1, Scene 2
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<H3>SCENE II. Tyre. A room in the palace.</h3>

<p><blockquote>
<i>Enter PERICLES</i>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech1><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=1>[To Lords without]  Let none disturb us.--Why should</A><br>
<A NAME=2>this change of thoughts,</A><br>
<A NAME=3>The sad companion, dull-eyed melancholy,</A><br>
<A NAME=4>Be my so used a guest as not an hour,</A><br>
<A NAME=5>In the day's glorious walk, or peaceful night,</A><br>
<A NAME=6>The tomb where grief should sleep, can breed me quiet?</A><br>
<A NAME=7>Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them,</A><br>
<A NAME=8>And danger, which I fear'd, is at Antioch,</A><br>
<A NAME=9>Whose aim seems far too short to hit me here:</A><br>
<A NAME=10>Yet neither pleasure's art can joy my spirits,</A><br>
<A NAME=11>Nor yet the other's distance comfort me.</A><br>
<A NAME=12>Then it is thus: the passions of the mind,</A><br>
<A NAME=13>That have their first conception by mis-dread,</A><br>
<A NAME=14>Have after-nourishment and life by care;</A><br>
<A NAME=15>And what was first but fear what might be done,</A><br>
<A NAME=16>Grows elder now and cares it be not done.</A><br>
<A NAME=17>And so with me: the great Antiochus,</A><br>
<A NAME=18>'Gainst whom I am too little to contend,</A><br>
<A NAME=19>Since he's so great can make his will his act,</A><br>
<A NAME=20>Will think me speaking, though I swear to silence;</A><br>
<A NAME=21>Nor boots it me to say I honour him.</A><br>
<A NAME=22>If he suspect I may dishonour him:</A><br>
<A NAME=23>And what may make him blush in being known,</A><br>
<A NAME=24>He'll stop the course by which it might be known;</A><br>
<A NAME=25>With hostile forces he'll o'erspread the land,</A><br>
<A NAME=26>And with the ostent of war will look so huge,</A><br>
<A NAME=27>Amazement shall drive courage from the state;</A><br>
<A NAME=28>Our men be vanquish'd ere they do resist,</A><br>
<A NAME=29>And subjects punish'd that ne'er thought offence:</A><br>
<A NAME=30>Which care of them, not pity of myself,</A><br>
<A NAME=31>Who am no more but as the tops of trees,</A><br>
<A NAME=32>Which fence the roots they grow by and defend them,</A><br>
<A NAME=33>Makes both my body pine and soul to languish,</A><br>
<A NAME=34>And punish that before that he would punish.</A><br>
<p><i>Enter HELICANUS, with other Lords</i></p>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech2><b>First Lord</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=35>Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast!</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech3><b>Second Lord</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=36>And keep your mind, till you return to us,</A><br>
<A NAME=37>Peaceful and comfortable!</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech4><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=38>Peace, peace, and give experience tongue.</A><br>
<A NAME=39>They do abuse the king that flatter him:</A><br>
<A NAME=40>For flattery is the bellows blows up sin;</A><br>
<A NAME=41>The thing which is flatter'd, but a spark,</A><br>
<A NAME=42>To which that blast gives heat and stronger glowing;</A><br>
<A NAME=43>Whereas reproof, obedient and in order,</A><br>
<A NAME=44>Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err.</A><br>
<A NAME=45>When Signior Sooth here does proclaim a peace,</A><br>
<A NAME=46>He flatters you, makes war upon your life.</A><br>
<A NAME=47>Prince, pardon me, or strike me, if you please;</A><br>
<A NAME=48>I cannot be much lower than my knees.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech5><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=49>All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook</A><br>
<A NAME=50>What shipping and what lading's in our haven,</A><br>
<A NAME=51>And then return to us.</A><br>
<p><i>Exeunt Lords</i></p>
<A NAME=52>Helicanus, thou</A><br>
<A NAME=53>Hast moved us: what seest thou in our looks?</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech6><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=54>An angry brow, dread lord.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech7><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=55>If there be such a dart in princes' frowns,</A><br>
<A NAME=56>How durst thy tongue move anger to our face?</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech8><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=57>How dare the plants look up to heaven, from whence</A><br>
<A NAME=58>They have their nourishment?</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech9><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=59>Thou know'st I have power</A><br>
<A NAME=60>To take thy life from thee.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech10><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=61>[Kneeling]</A><br>
<A NAME=62>I have ground the axe myself;</A><br>
<A NAME=63>Do you but strike the blow.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech11><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=64>Rise, prithee, rise.</A><br>
<A NAME=65>Sit down: thou art no flatterer:</A><br>
<A NAME=66>I thank thee for it; and heaven forbid</A><br>
<A NAME=67>That kings should let their ears hear their</A><br>
<A NAME=68>faults hid!</A><br>
<A NAME=69>Fit counsellor and servant for a prince,</A><br>
<A NAME=70>Who by thy wisdom makest a prince thy servant,</A><br>
<A NAME=71>What wouldst thou have me do?</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech12><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=72>To bear with patience</A><br>
<A NAME=73>Such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech13><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=74>Thou speak'st like a physician, Helicanus,</A><br>
<A NAME=75>That minister'st a potion unto me</A><br>
<A NAME=76>That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself.</A><br>
<A NAME=77>Attend me, then: I went to Antioch,</A><br>
<A NAME=78>Where as thou know'st, against the face of death,</A><br>
<A NAME=79>I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty.</A><br>
<A NAME=80>From whence an issue I might propagate,</A><br>
<A NAME=81>Are arms to princes, and bring joys to subjects.</A><br>
<A NAME=82>Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder;</A><br>
<A NAME=83>The rest--hark in thine ear--as black as incest:</A><br>
<A NAME=84>Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father</A><br>
<A NAME=85>Seem'd not to strike, but smooth: but thou</A><br>
<A NAME=86>know'st this,</A><br>
<A NAME=87>'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss.</A><br>
<A NAME=88>Such fear so grew in me, I hither fled,</A><br>
<A NAME=89>Under the covering of a careful night,</A><br>
<A NAME=90>Who seem'd my good protector; and, being here,</A><br>
<A NAME=91>Bethought me what was past, what might succeed.</A><br>
<A NAME=92>I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants' fears</A><br>
<A NAME=93>Decrease not, but grow faster than the years:</A><br>
<A NAME=94>And should he doubt it, as no doubt he doth,</A><br>
<A NAME=95>That I should open to the listening air</A><br>
<A NAME=96>How many worthy princes' bloods were shed,</A><br>
<A NAME=97>To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope,</A><br>
<A NAME=98>To lop that doubt, he'll fill this land with arms,</A><br>
<A NAME=99>And make pretence of wrong that I have done him:</A><br>
<A NAME=100>When all, for mine, if I may call offence,</A><br>
<A NAME=101>Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence:</A><br>
<A NAME=102>Which love to all, of which thyself art one,</A><br>
<A NAME=103>Who now reprovest me for it,--</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech14><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=104>Alas, sir!</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech15><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=105>Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks,</A><br>
<A NAME=106>Musings into my mind, with thousand doubts</A><br>
<A NAME=107>How I might stop this tempest ere it came;</A><br>
<A NAME=108>And finding little comfort to relieve them,</A><br>
<A NAME=109>I thought it princely charity to grieve them.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech16><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=110>Well, my lord, since you have given me leave to speak.</A><br>
<A NAME=111>Freely will I speak. Antiochus you fear,</A><br>
<A NAME=112>And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant,</A><br>
<A NAME=113>Who either by public war or private treason</A><br>
<A NAME=114>Will take away your life.</A><br>
<A NAME=115>Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while,</A><br>
<A NAME=116>Till that his rage and anger be forgot,</A><br>
<A NAME=117>Or till the Destinies do cut his thread of life.</A><br>
<A NAME=118>Your rule direct to any; if to me.</A><br>
<A NAME=119>Day serves not light more faithful than I'll be.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech17><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=120>I do not doubt thy faith;</A><br>
<A NAME=121>But should he wrong my liberties in my absence?</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech18><b>HELICANUS</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=122>We'll mingle our bloods together in the earth,</A><br>
<A NAME=123>From whence we had our being and our birth.</A><br>
</blockquote>

<A NAME=speech19><b>PERICLES</b></a>
<blockquote>
<A NAME=124>Tyre, I now look from thee then, and to Tarsus</A><br>
<A NAME=125>Intend my travel, where I'll hear from thee;</A><br>
<A NAME=126>And by whose letters I'll dispose myself.</A><br>
<A NAME=127>The care I had and have of subjects' good</A><br>
<A NAME=128>On thee I lay whose wisdom's strength can bear it.</A><br>
<A NAME=129>I'll take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath:</A><br>
<A NAME=130>Who shuns not to break one will sure crack both:</A><br>
<A NAME=131>But in our orbs we'll live so round and safe,</A><br>
<A NAME=132>That time of both this truth shall ne'er convince,</A><br>
<A NAME=133>Thou show'dst a subject's shine, I a true prince.</A><br>
<p><i>Exeunt</i></p>
</blockquote>
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