Pericles Prince of Tyre | Page 8

they what they will and what they can, What need we fear? The ground's the lowest, and we are half way there. Go tell their general we attend him here, To know for what he comes, and whence he comes, And what he craves.
LORD. I go, my lord.
[Exit.]
CLEON. Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist; If wars, we are unable to resist.
[Enter Pericles with Attendants.]
PERICLES. Lord governor, for so we hear you are, Let not our ships and number of our men Be like a beacon fired to amaze your eyes. We have heard your miseries as far as Tyre, And seen the desolation of your streets: Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears, But to relieve them of their heavy load; And these our ships, you happily may think Are like the Trojan horse was stuff'd within With bloody veins, expecting overthrow, Are stored with corn to make your needy bread, And give them life whom hunger starved half dead.
ALL. The gods of Greece protect you! And we'll pray for you.
PERICLES. Arise, I pray you, rise: We do not look for reverence, but for love, And harbourage for ourself, our ships, and men.
CLEON. The which when any shall not gratify, Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought, Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves, The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils! Till when, -- the which I hope shall ne'er be seen, -- Your grace is welcome to our town and us.
PERICLES. Which welcome we'll accept; feast here awhile, Until our stars that frown lend us a smile.
[Exeunt.]
ACT II.
[Enter Gower.]
GOWER. Mere have you seen a mighty king His child, I wis, to incest bring; A better prince and benign lord, That will prove awful both in deed word. Be quiet then as men should be, Till he hath pass'd necessity. I'll show you those in troubles reign, Losing a mite, a mountain gain. The good in conversation, To whom I give my benison, Is still at Tarsus, where each man Thinks all is writ he speken can; And, to remember what he does, Build his statue to make him glorious: But tidings to the contrary Are brought your eyes; what need speak I?
DUMB SHOW.
[Enter at one door Pericles talking with Cleon talking with CLEON; all the train with them. Enter at another door a Gentleman, with a letter to Pericles; Pericles shows the letter to Cleon; gives the Messenger a reward, and knights him. Exit Pericles at one door, and Cleon at another.]
Good Helicane, that stay'd at home. Not to eat honey like a drone From others' labours; for though he strive To killen bad, keep good alive; And to fulfil his prince' desire, Sends word of all that haps in Tyre: How Thaliard came full bent with sin And had intent to murder him; And that in Tarsus was not best Longer for him to make his rest. He, doing so, put forth to seas, Where when men been, there's seldom ease; For now the wind begins to blow; Thunder above and deeps below Make such unquiet, that the ship Should house him safe is wreck'd and split; And he, good prince, having all lost, By waves from coast to coast is tost: All perishen of man, of pelf, Ne aught escapen but himself; Till fortune, tired with doing bad, Threw him ashore, to give him glad: And here he comes. What shall be next, Pardon old Gower, -- this longs the text.
[Exit.]
SCENE I. Pentapolis. An open place by the sea-side.
[Enter Pericles, wet.]
PERICLES. Yet cease your ire, you angry stars of heaven! Wind, rain, and thunder, remember, earthly man Is but a substance that must yield to you; And I, as fits my nature, do obey you: Alas, the sea hath cast me on the rocks, Wash'd me from shore to shore, and left me breath Nothing to think on but ensuing death: Let it suffice the greatness of your powers To have bereft a prince of all his fortunes; And having thrown him from your watery grave, Here to have death in peace is all he'll crave.
[Enter three Fishermen.]
FIRST FISHERMAN. What, ho, Pilch!
SECOND FISHERMAN. Ha, come and bring away the nets!
FIRST FISHERMAN. What, Patch-breech, I say!
THIRD FISHERMAN. What say you, master?
FIRST FISHERMAN. Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wanion.
THIRD FISHERMAN. 'Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.
FIRST FISHERMAN. Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, when, well-a-day, we could scarce help ourselves.
THIRD FISHERMAN. Nay, master, said not I as much when I saw the porpus how he bounced and tumbled? they say they're half fish, half flesh: a plague on them, they