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Thus ready for the way of life or death,
I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus,
Scorning advice.

Ant.

Read the conclusion then ;

Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed,

As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed. Daugh. In all, save that, may'st thou prove pros perous !

In all, save that, I wish thee happiness!

Per. Like a bold champion, I assume the lists, Nor ask advice of any other thought

But faithfulness, and courage.

[He reads 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 physick is the last: but O you powers!
That give heaven 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 ;

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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 musick,
Would draw heaven 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,

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

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Per. Great king,

Few love to hear the sins they love to act;
"Twould 'braid yourself too near for me to tell it,
Who has 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,

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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
Copp'd' hills towards heaven, to tell, the earth is

wrong'd

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,

What being more known grows worse, to smother it. All love the womb that their first beings bred,

Then give my tongue like leave to love

7 Rising to a top or head.

my

head.

Ant. Heaven, that I had thy head! he has found

the meaning ;

But I will gloze with him. [Aside.] Young prince of

Tyre,

Though by the tenour of our strict edíct,
Your exposition misinterpreting,

We might proceed to cancel of your days;"
Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a tree
your fair self, doth tune us otherwise :
Forty days longer we do respite you ;
by which time our secret be undone,

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his mercy shows, we'll joy in such a son :
d until then, your entertain shall be,
3 doth befit our honour, and your worth.

[Exeunt ANTIOCHUS, his daughter, and At

tendants.

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 an 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.

• Flatter, insinuate.

9 To the destruction of your life. I Whereas.

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.

Re-enter ANTIOCHUS.

[Exit.

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;
For by his fall my honour must keep high.
Who attends on us there?

Thal.

Enter THALIARD.

Doth your highness call?

Ant. Thaliard, you're of our chamber, and our mind Partakes her private actions to your secresy;

And for

your faithfulness we will advance you. Thaliard, behold, here's poison, and here's gold; We hate the prince of Tyre, and thou must kill him ; It fits thee not to ask the reason why,

Because we bid it. Say, is it done?

Thal.

'Tis done.

My lord,

Ant. Enough;

Enter a Messenger.

Lest your breath cool yourself, telling your haste. Mess. My lord, prince Pericles is fled.

Ant.

[Exit Messenger.

As thou

Wilt live, fly after: and, as an arrow, shot From a well-experienc'd archer, hits the mark eye doth level at, so ne'er return,

His

Unless thou say, Prince Pericles is dead.

Thal. My lord, if I

Can get him once within my pistol's length,

I'll make him sure: so farewell to your highness.

[Exit.

Ant. Thaliard, adieu! till Pericles be dead, My heart can lend no succour to my head.

[Exit.

SCENE II.

Tyre. A Room in the Palace.

Enter PERICLES, HELICANUS, and other Lords.

Per. Let none disturb us: Why this charge of thoughts?

The sad companion, dull-ey'd melancholy,

By me so us'd a guest is, 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,

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