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Pericles: Act II, Scene 4

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Pericles
Act II, Scene 4

Tyre. A room in the Governor’s house.

Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

When he was seated in a chariot

From: Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare

Charles Cowden Clarke, Mary Cowden Clarke, 1866

  1. Enter Helicanus and Escanes.

Helicanus

1 - 12
  1. No, Escanes, know this of me,
  2. Antiochus from incest lived not free;
  3. For which, the most high gods not minding longer
  4. To withhold the vengeance that they had in store,
  5. Due to this heinous capital offense,
  6. Even in the height and pride of all his glory,
  7. When he was seated in a chariot
  8. Of an inestimable value, and his daughter with him,
  9. A fire from heaven came and shrivell’d up
  10. Those bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk,
  11. That all those eyes ador’d them ere their fall
  12. Scorn now their hand should give them burial.

Escanes

13
  1. ’Twas very strange.

Helicanus

14 - 16
  1.                     And yet but justice; for though
  2. This king were great, his greatness was no guard
  3. To bar heaven’s shaft, but sin had his reward.

Escanes

17
  1. ’Tis very true.
  1. Enter two or three Lords of Tyre.

First Lord of Tyre

18 - 19
  1. See, not a man in private conference
  2. Or council has respect with him but he.

Second Lord of Tyre

20
  1. It shall no longer grieve without reproof.

Third Lord of Tyre

21
  1. And curs’d be he that will not second it.

First Lord of Tyre

22
  1. Follow me then. Lord Helicane, a word.

Helicanus

23
  1. With me? And welcome. Happy day, my lords.

First Lord of Tyre

24 - 25
  1. Know that our griefs are risen to the top,
  2. And now at length they overflow their banks.

Helicanus

26
  1. Your griefs, for what? Wrong not your prince you love.

First Lord of Tyre

27 - 34
  1. Wrong not yourself then, noble Helicane;
  2. But if the Prince do live, let us salute him,
  3. Or know what ground’s made happy by his breath.
  4. If in the world he live, we’ll seek him out;
  5. If in his grave he rest, we’ll find him there;
  6. And be resolved he lives to govern us,
  7. Or dead, give ’s cause to mourn his funeral,
  8. And leave us to our free election.

Second Lord of Tyre

35 - 40
  1. Whose death indeed the strongest in our censure,
  2. And knowing this kingdom is without a head—
  3. Like goodly buildings left without a roof
  4. Soon fall to ruin—your noble self,
  5. That best know how to rule and how to reign,
  6. We thus submit unto—our sovereign.

All

41
  1. Live, noble Helicane!

Helicanus

42 - 54
  1. Try honor’s cause; forbear your suffrages.
  2. If that you love Prince Pericles, forbear.
  3. Take I your wish, I leap into the seas,
  4. Where’s hourly trouble for a minute’s ease.
  5. A twelvemonth longer let me entreat you
  6. To forbear the absence of your king;
  7. If in which time expir’d he not return,
  8. I shall with aged patience bear your yoke.
  9. But if I cannot win you to this love,
  10. Go search like nobles, like noble subjects,
  11. And in your search spend your adventurous worth;
  12. Whom if you find, and win unto return,
  13. You shall like diamonds sit about his crown.

First Lord of Tyre

55 - 57
  1. To wisdom he’s a fool that will not yield;
  2. And since Lord Helicane enjoineth us,
  3. We with our travels will endeavor.

Helicanus

58 - 59
  1. Then you love us, we you, and we’ll clasp hands:
  2. When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands.
  1. Exeunt.
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