1    Young prince of Tyre, you have at large received
2    The danger of the task you undertake.

3    I have, Antiochus, and, with a soul
4    Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,
5    Think death no hazard in this enterprise.

6    Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride,
7    For the embracements even of Jove himself;
8    At whose conception, till Lucina reign'd,
9    Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
10   The senate-house of planets all did sit,
11   To knit in her their best perfections.

12   See where she comes, apparell'd like the spring,
13   Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king
14   Of every virtue gives renown to men!
15   Her face the book of praises, where is read
16   Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
17   Sorrow were ever razed and testy wrath
18   Could never be her mild companion.
19   You gods that made me man, and sway in love,
20   That have inflamed desire in my breast
21   To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree,
22   Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
23   As I am son and servant to your will,
24   To compass such a boundless happiness!

25   Prince Pericles,--

26   That would be son to great Antiochus.

27   Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
28   With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
29   For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
30   Her face, like heaven, enticeth thee to view
31   Her countless glory, which desert must gain;
32   And which, without desert, because thine eye
33   Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.
34   Yon sometimes famous princes, like thyself,
35   Drawn by report, adventurous by desire,
36   Tell thee, with speechless tongues and semblance pale,
37   That without covering, save yon field of stars,
38   Here they stand martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars;
39   And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist
40   For going on death's net, whom none resist.

41   Antiochus, I thank thee, who hath taught
42   My frail mortality to know itself,
43   And by those fearful objects to prepare
44   This body, like to them, to what I must;
45   For death remember'd should be like a mirror,
46   Who tells us life's but breath, to trust it error.
47   I'll make my will then, and, as sick men do
48   Who know the world, see heaven, but, feeling woe,
49   Gripe not at earthly joys as erst they did;
50   So I bequeath a happy peace to you
51   And all good men, as every prince should do;
52   My riches to the earth from whence they came;
53   But my unspotted fire of love to you.
To the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS
54   Thus ready for the way of life or death,
55   I wait the sharpest blow, Antiochus.

56   Scorning advice, read the conclusion then:
57   Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed,
58   As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed.

59   Of all say'd yet, mayst thou prove prosperous!
60   Of all say'd yet, I wish thee happiness!

61   Like a bold champion, I assume the lists,
62   Nor ask advice of any other thought
63   But faithfulness and courage.
He reads the riddle
64   I am no viper, yet I feed
65   On mother's flesh which did me breed.
66   I sought a husband, in which labour
67   I found that kindness in a father:
68   He's father, son, and husband mild;
69   I mother, wife, and yet his child.
70   How they may be, and yet in two,
71   As you will live, resolve it you.
72   Sharp physic is the last: but, O you powers
73   That give heaven countless eyes to view men's acts,
74   Why cloud they not their sights perpetually,
75   If this be true, which makes me pale to read it?
76   Fair glass of light, I loved you, and could still,
Takes hold of the hand of the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS
77   Were not this glorious casket stored with ill:
78   But I must tell you, now my thoughts revolt
79   For he's no man on whom perfections wait
80   That, knowing sin within, will touch the gate.
81   You are a fair viol, and your sense the strings;
82   Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,
83   Would draw heaven down, and all the gods, to hearken:
84   But being play'd upon before your time,
85   Hell only danceth at so harsh a chime.
86   Good sooth, I care not for you.

87   Prince Pericles, touch not, upon thy life.
88   For that's an article within our law,
89   As dangerous as the rest. Your time's expired:
90   Either expound now, or receive your sentence.

91   Great king,
92   Few love to hear the sins they love to act;
93   'Twould braid yourself too near for me to tell it.
94   Who has a book of all that monarchs do,
95   He's more secure to keep it shut than shown:
96   For vice repeated is like the wandering wind.
97   Blows dust in other's eyes, to spread itself;
98   And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
99   The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear:
100  To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole casts
101  Copp'd hills towards heaven, to tell the earth is throng'd
102  By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die for't.
103  Kings are earth's gods; in vice their law's
104  their will;
105  And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill?
106  It is enough you know; and it is fit,
107  What being more known grows worse, to smother it.
108  All love the womb that their first being bred,
109  Then give my tongue like leave to love my head.

Aside
110   Heaven, that I had thy head! he has found
111  the meaning:
112  But I will gloze with him.--Young prince of Tyre,
113  Though by the tenor of our strict edict,
114  Your exposition misinterpreting,
115  We might proceed to cancel of your days;
116  Yet hope, succeeding from so fair a tree
117  As your fair self, doth tune us otherwise:
118  Forty days longer we do respite you;
119  If by which time our secret be undone,
120  This mercy shows we'll joy in such a son:
121  And until then your entertain shall be
122  As doth befit our honour and your worth.

123  How courtesy would seem to cover sin,
124  When what is done is like an hypocrite,
125  The which is good in nothing but in sight!
126  If it be true that I interpret false,
127  Then were it certain you were not so bad
128  As with foul incest to abuse your soul;
129  Where now you're both a father and a son,
130  By your untimely claspings with your child,
131  Which pleasure fits an husband, not a father;
132  And she an eater of her mother's flesh,
133  By the defiling of her parent's bed;
134  And both like serpents are, who though they feed
135  On sweetest flowers, yet they poison breed.
136  Antioch, farewell! for wisdom sees, those men
137  Blush not in actions blacker than the night,
138  Will shun no course to keep them from the light.
139  One sin, I know, another doth provoke;
140  Murder's as near to lust as flame to smoke:
141  Poison and treason are the hands of sin,
142  Ay, and the targets, to put off the shame:
143  Then, lest my lie be cropp'd to keep you clear,
144  By flight I'll shun the danger which I fear.

145  He hath found the meaning, for which we mean
146  To have his head.
147  He must not live to trumpet forth my infamy,
148  Nor tell the world Antiochus doth sin
149  In such a loathed manner;
150  And therefore instantly this prince must die:
151  For by his fall my honour must keep high.
152  Who attends us there?

153  Doth your highness call?

154  Thaliard,
155  You are of our chamber, and our mind partakes
156  Her private actions to your secrecy;
157  And for your faithfulness we will advance you.
158  Thaliard, behold, here's poison, and here's gold;
159  We hate the prince of Tyre, and thou must kill him:
160  It fits thee not to ask the reason why,
161  Because we bid it. Say, is it done?

162  My lord,
163  'Tis done.

164  Enough.
Enter a Messenger
165  Let your breath cool yourself, telling your haste.

166  My lord, prince Pericles is fled.

167  As thou
168  Wilt live, fly after: and like an arrow shot
169  From a well-experienced archer hits the mark
170  His eye doth level at, so thou ne'er return
171  Unless thou say 'Prince Pericles is dead.'

172  My lord,
173  If I can get him within my pistol's length,
174  I'll make him sure enough: so, farewell to your highness.

175  Thaliard, adieu!
Exit THALIARD
176  Till Pericles be dead,
177  My heart can lend no succor to my head.