To knit in her their best perfections.
Music. Enter Antiochus' Daughter.
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 razed, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.
You gods that made me man and sway in love,
That have inflamed 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,
11 To...perfections.] Their best perfec-
tions in her to knit. Steevens conj.
their] this Q
12 Enter...] Enter Antiochus daughter.
QqFf. Enter Hesperides. Rowe.
apparell'd] appareled Q1Q2Q3.
12, 13 spring,......king] king......spring
Steevens conj. (withdrawn).
13 Graces her subjects] Grace is her sub-
ject Elze conj. (reading thought's).
and...king] and...wing or in...king
Steevens conj. (withdrawn). and
her thoughts, thinking Jackson conj.
and her thoughts partaking Bailey
conj.
thoughts] thought's Anon. conj.
thought Elze conj.
13, 14 thoughts......gives] thoughts, the kingdom Of every virtue, give Mit
13-15 king Of......men !......praises,]
Pointed as by Malone. King,...
men :......prayses, QqF3F4. king:...
men,...praise is, Anon. conj. (1814).
15 praises] phrases Steevens conj.
17 razed] ras'd Malone. racte Q1Q2
racket Q3. rackt Q4Q5Q6F3F4-
18 her mild companion] her wild com-
panion Daniel conj. in her mild
company Hudson, 1881 (Daniel conj.).
mild] mirth's Cartwright conj.
19 You] Ye Malone.
20 in] Qq. with in F3.
24 boundless] Rowe.
25 Pericles,-] Malone (1790). Pericles Malone (1780). Pericles. Qq
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
Her face, like heaven, 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 sometimes famous princes, like thyself,
Drawn by report, adventurous by desire,
Tell thee, with speechless tongues and semblance pale,
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 hath 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 heaven, but feeling woe
29 death-like dragons here affright]
death, like dragons, here affrights
Hudson, 1881 (Daniel conj.).
death-like] Hyphened by Malone.
affright] affront S. Walker conj.
affronts Hudson conj.
hard:] hard? F3F4
30 Her] Here Q2
31 Her countless] A countless Steevens. 33 thy...heap] the...head Jackson conj. thy...head Collier (ed. 2). thy... shape Bailey conj.
thy] Malone. the QqF3F4. 34 Yon] Yond Collier.
sometimes] sometime Malone (1780). 38 Here they] They here Steevens. 39 advise] advice Q3.
40 For] From Malone.
on] in Percy conj.
death's] dearhs Q4.
net] met Hudson, 1881 (Daniel conj.). 41 Antiochus] Anti. Q3
hath] hast Malone (1780).
43 prepare] compare Wray conj.
44 must] must be Wray conj.
45 remember'd] remembered Q1. remem-
bred The rest.
46 trust it] Qq. trust in F3F4.
48 know the world, see] now in the world
see or now in the world seek Mason
conj. know the world's Staunton conj.
but feeling] by feeling Delius conj.
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.
Thus ready for the way of life or death,
I wait the sharpest blow.
Ant. Scorning advice: read the conclusion then : Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed,
As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed.
Daugh. Of all 'say'd yet, mayst thou prove prosperous!
Of all 'say'd yet, I wish thee happiness!
Per. Like a bold champion I assume the lists, Nor ask advice of any other thought
But faithfulness and courage.
'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.'
53 [To the Princess.] To the daughter
of Antiochus. Malone. To Hesperi-
des. Rowe. om. QqF3F4.
55-57 See note (IV).
58 before thee thou] before thee, thou
Q1Q2 before, thou Q3. before thou
Q4QQF3F4
59, 60 Of all 'say'd yet,] In all, save
that, Steevens (Mason conj.). O
false! and yet Mitford conj.
'say'd] Knight (Percy conj.). sayd
Q1Q2Q3 said The rest.
59 mayst] Q1Q2 Q3 The rest omit. may Rowe.
60 [Ex. Hesperides. Rowe.
64 [He reads...] Steevens. The Riddle.
QqFgF4
65 which] that Wilkins' Novel.
66 labour] rather Steevens conj.
67 that kindness in] the kindness of
Steevens conj.
in] from Wilkins' Novel.
70 they] this Hudson, 1881 (Wilkins'
Novel.).
[Aside] Sharp. physic 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 loved you, and could still,
Were not this glorious casket stored 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 are a fair viol and your sense the strings,
Who, finger'd to make man his lawful music,
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,
As dangerous as the rest. Your time's expired:
Either expound now or receive your sentence.
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 wandering wind,
Blows dust in others' eyes, to spread itself;
And yet the end of all is bought thus dear,
72 [Aside] Edd.
last:] last? F3F4.
73 give] Malone. giues QqF3F4. 74 cloud] could QF3F4
74, 75 perpetually,...it ?] Q1Q2Q3 perpetually,...it, Q4QQ6 perpetually? ...it, F3F
76 [Takes hold of the hand of the
Princess. Malone. Pushes the Princess back. Elze conj.
81 You are] Yon are Q3. You're
Rowe.
89 time's] Q1Q2Q3 times The rest.
93 braid] Q4QQ6F3F4. brayde Q1 Q2 Q3
'braid Malone.
94 has] Q1Q2Q3. hath The rest.
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 throng'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 being bred,
Then give my tongue like leave to love my head.
Ant. [Aside] Heaven, that I had thy head! He has found the meaning:
But I will gloze with him.-Young prince of Tyre,
Though by the tenour 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
99, 100 clear To...them. The] Steevens
(Mason conj.). cleare: To...them,
the Q1Q2 Q3 cleare. To...them, the
Q4Q6 cleare. To...them the Q
clear. To...them, the F3F4.
100 casts] castes Q1Q2
101 Copp'd] Malone.
towards] QQe ward The rest.
cast The rest. Copt QqF3F4
towardes Q to
throng'd] wrong'd Steevens.
104 dares] dare QQ3
ill?] Steevens. ill: Q. ill. The rest.
105 know] know it F3F4.
106 known...to] Pointed as by Malone. knowne, growes worse, to Q1Q2 Q3 knowne, growes worse to Q4Q5Q6known, grows worse to F3F.
107 their] there F
first] Q1Q2 Omitted in the rest. being] beings Boswell.
109 [Aside] Steevens.
had thy head!] had thy head; Q1Q2 had thy; Q3. had it; Q4 Q5 Qq F3 F4
111 our] F3F4 your Qq.
113 cancel of] Malone. cancel off F3F4 counsell of QQQQQ counsel of Q6:
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