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

35   Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast!

36   And keep your mind, till you return to us,
37   Peaceful and comfortable!

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

49   All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook
50   What shipping and what lading's in our haven,
51   And then return to us.
Exeunt Lords
52   Helicanus, thou
53   Hast moved us: what seest thou in our looks?

54   An angry brow, dread lord.

55   If there be such a dart in princes' frowns,
56   How durst thy tongue move anger to our face?

57   How dare the plants look up to heaven, from whence
58   They have their nourishment?

59   Thou know'st I have power
60   To take thy life from thee.

Kneeling
61   I have ground the axe myself;
62   Do you but strike the blow.

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

71   To bear with patience
72   Such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself.

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

103  Alas, sir!

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

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

119  I do not doubt thy faith;
120  But should he wrong my liberties in my absence?

121  We'll mingle our bloods together in the earth,
122  From whence we had our being and our birth.

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