Bid him farewell, commit him to the grave,
Do him that kindness and take leave of him.

Boy. O, grandsire, grandsire, even with all my heart

Would I were dead, so you did live again!
O, Lord, I cannot speak to him for weeping;
My tears will choke me if I ope my mouth.

Enter Attendants with Aaron.

Roman. You sad Andronici, have done with woes!

Give sentence on this execrable wretch,
That hath been breeder of these dire events.
Luc. Set him breast deep in earth, and famish
him :

There let him stand, and rave, and cry for food:
If any one relieves or pities him,

For the offence he dies; this is our doom.
Some stay to see him fasten'd in the earth.

Aaron. Ah! why should wrath be mute, and fury dumb?

I am no baby, I, that with base prayers
I should repent the evils I have done :
Ten thousand worse than ever yet I did
Would I perform, if I might have my will :
If one good deed in all my life I did,

I do repent it from my very soul.

Luc. Some loving friends convey the emperor hence,

And give him burial in his father's grave.
My father and Lavinia shall forthwith
Be closed in our household's monument :
As for that heinous tiger, Tamora,

No fun'ral rite, nor man in mournful weeds,
No mournful bell shall ring her burial;
But throw her forth to beasts and birds of prey:
Her life was beastly and devoid of pity,
And, being so, shall have like want of pity.
See justice done on Aaron, that damn'd Moor,
By whom our heavy haps had their beginning:
Then, afterwards, to order well the state,
That like events may ne'er it ruinate.

[Exeunt.

ACT I.

Enter Gower.

Before the Palace of Antioch.

To sing a song of old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;"
Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear, and please your eyes.
It hath been sung, at festivals,
On ember-eves, and holy-ales;
And lords and ladies, in their lives,
Have read it for restoratives.
The purchase is to make men glorious;
Et bonum, quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times,
When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,
And that to hear an old man sing
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you, like taper-light.
This Antioch then, Antiochus the Great
Built up, this city, for his chiefest seat;
The fairest in all Syria;

(I tell you what mine authors say :)
The king unto him took a pheere,
Who died and left a female heir,
So buxom, blythe, and full of face,
As Heaven had lent her all his grace:
With whom the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke ;

Bad child, worse father! to entice his own
To evil, should be done by none.
By custom, what they did begin
Was with long use account no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bedfellow,

In marriage-pleasures playfellow :
Which to prevent, he made a law,
(To keep her still, and men in awe,)
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:
So for her many a wight did die,

As yon grim looks do testify.

What ensues, to the judgment of your eye

I give, my cause who best can justify. [Exit.

SCENE I.-The Palace of Antioch.
Enter Antiochus, Pericles, and Attendants.

Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large reThe danger of the task you undertake.

[ceiv'd

Per. I have, Antiochus, and with a soul Embolden'd with the glory of her praise, Think death no hazard, in this enterprise, [Music. Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride, For the embracements, even of Jove himself; At whose conception (till Lucina reign'd) Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence; The senate-house of planets all did sit, To knit in her their best perfections.

Enter the Daughter of Antiochus.

Per. See where she comes, apparell'd like the spring,

Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king
Of every virtue gives renown to men!
Her face the book of praises, where is read
Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
Sorrow were ever 'ras'd, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.

Ye gods that made me man, and sway in love,
That have inflam'd desire in my breast
To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree,
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
As I am son and servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness!
Ant. Prince Pericles--

Per. That would be son to great Antiochus.
Ant. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard :
Her face, like heav'n, enticeth thee to view
Her countless glory, which desert must gain :
And which, without desert, because thine eye
Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.
Yon sometime famous princes, like thyself,
Drawn by report, adventurous by desire, [pale,
Tell thee with speechless tongues, and semblance
That, without covering save yon field of stars,
Here they stand martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars ;
And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist
For going on Death's net, whom none resist.
Per. Antiochus, I thank thee, who hast taught
My frail mortality to know itself,

And by those fearful objects to prepare
This body, like to them, to what I must:
For death remember'd should be like a mirror,
Who tells us, life's but breath, to trust it error.
I'll make my will then; and, as sick men do
Who know the world, see heav'n, but feeling woe,
Gripe not at earthly joys, as erst they did;
So I bequeath a happy peace to you

And all good men, as every prince should do ;
My riches to the earth from whence they came;
But my unspotted fire of love to you.

[To the Daughter of Antiochus. Thus ready for the way of life or death,

THE RIDDLE.

'I am no viper, yet I feed

On mother's flesh which did me breed:

I sought a husband, in which labour,

I found that kindness in a father.

He's father, son, and husband mild,
I mother, wife, and yet his child.
How they may be, and yet in two,
As you will live, resolve it you.'

Sharp physic is the last: but O, ye powers!
That give heav'n countless eyes to view men's acts,
Why cloud they not their sights perpetually,
If this be true, which makes me pale to read it?
Fair glass of light, I lov'd you, and could still,
[Takes hold of the hand of the Princess.
Were not this glorious casket stor❜d with ill :
But I must tell you,-now, my thoughts revolt;
For he's no man on whom perfections wait,
That, knowing sin within, will touch the gate.
You're a fair viol, and your sense the strings ;
Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,
Would draw heav'n down, and all the gods to

hearken;

But being play'd upon before your time,

Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime : Good sooth, I care not for you.

Ant. Prince Pericles, touch not, upon thy life, For that 's an article within our law,

As dangerous as the rest. Your time 's expir'd;
Either expound now, or receive your sentence.
Per. Great king,

Few love to hear the sins they love to act;

'T would 'braid yourself too near for me to tell it.
Who hath a book of all that monarchs do,
He's more secure to keep it shut, than shown:
For vice repeated is like the wand'ring wind,
Blows dust in others' eyes, to spread itself :
And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear
To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole
casts
[throng'd
Copp'd hills toward heaven, to tell, the earth is
By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die
for 't.

Kings are earth's gods : in vice their law's their will;
And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill?
It is enough you know; and it is fit,
[it,-
What being more known grows worse, to smother
All love the womb that their first being bred,
Then give my tongue like leave to love my head.
Ant. Heaven that I had thy head! he has found
the meaning!

But I will gloze with him. [Aside.] Young prince of
Though by the tenor of our strict edict,
Your exposition misinterpreting,

We might proceed to cancel of your days;
Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a tree
As your fair self, doth tune us otherwise;
Forty days longer we do respite you,
If by which time our secret be undone,
This mercy shows we'll joy in such a son :
And, until then, your entertain shall be,
As doth befit our honour, and your worth.

[Tyre,

[Exeunt Ant., his Daughter, and Attendants. Per. How courtesy would seem to cover sin When what is done is like an hypocrite, The which is good in nothing but in sight. If it be true that I interpret false, Then were it certain, you were not so bad As with foul incest to abuse your soul; Where now you're both a father and a son, By your untimely claspings with your child (Which pleasure fits a husband, not a father); And she an eater of her mother's flesh, By the defiling of her parent's bed; And both like serpents are, who though they feed On sweetest flowers, yet they poison breed. Antioch, farewell! for wisdom sees, those men Blush not in actions blacker than the night, Will shun no course to keep them from the light. One sin, I know, another doth provoke ; Murder's as near to lust, as flame to smoke. Poison and treason are the hands of sin, Ay, and the targets, to put off the shame : Then, lest my life be cropp'd to keep you clear, By flight I'll shun the danger which I fear. [Exit. Re-enter Antiochus.

Ant. He hath found the meaning, for the which

we mean

To have his head;

He must not live to trumpet forth my infamy,
Nor tell the world, Antiochus doth sin
In such a loathed manner :

And therefore instantly this prince must die;

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 done,
Grows elder now, and cares it be not done.
And so with me ;-the great Antiochus
('Gainst whom I am too little to contend,
Since he's so 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,

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 stint 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 thought offence:
Which care of them, not pity of myself,
(Who am no more but as the tops of trees, [them,)
Which fence the roots they grow by, and defend
Makes both my body pine, and soul to languish,
And punish that before that he would punish.

I 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, 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 glowWhereas reproof, obedient, and in order, Ting; Fits kings as they are men, for they may err. When signior Sooth here doth 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'erlook What shipping, and what lading's in our haven, And then return to us. 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 princes' frowns, How durst thy tongue move anger to our face? Hel. How dare the plants look up to heaven, from 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 but you strike the blow. [flatterer ; Per. Rise, prithee rise; sit down, thou art no I thank thee for it; and heaven forbid, That kings should let their ears hear their faults Fit counsellor, and servant for a prince, [chid ! Who by thy wisdom mak'st a prince thy servant, What wouldst thou have me do?

Hel.

To bear with patience Such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself. Per. Thou speak'st like a physician, Helicanus ; That minister'st a potion unto me,

That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself.
Attend me then; I went to Antioch,
Whereas, 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 subjects.
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 smooth: but thou know'st
this,

'T is 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,
Bethought me what was past, what might succeed;
I knew him tyrannous, and tyrants' fears
Decrease not, but grow faster than the years
And should he doubt it, (as no doubt he doth,)
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
When all, for mine, if I may call 't offence, [him;
Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence:
Which love to all (of which thyself art one,
Who now reprov'st me for it)-

Hel. Alas, sir!

[cheeks,

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

Hel. Well, my lord, since you have given ine 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 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 my absenceHel. 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 both :
But in our orbs we 'll 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.

SCENE III. Enter Thaliard.

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 hanged at home: 't is 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 of
Tyre.

Hel. You shall not need, my fellow-peers of Tyre,
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.
Thal. How! the king gone!

[Aside.

Hel. If further yet you will be satisfied, Why, as it were unlicens'd of your loves He would depart, I'll give some light unto you. Being at Antioch

[Aside.

Thal. 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 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.
Thal. Well, I perceive

I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;
But since he's gone, the king sure must please
He 'scap'd the land, to perish at the sea.-
I'll present myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre.
Hel. Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.
Thal. From him I come

With message unto princely Pericles;
But since my landing I have understood
Your lord hath betook himself to unknown travels;
My message must return from whence it came.