Pericles Prince of Tyre | Page 7

the Palace.
[Enter Thaliard.]
THALIARD. So, this is Tyre, and this the court. Here must I Kill King
Pericles; and if I do it not, I am sure to be hanged at home: 'tis
dangerous. Well, I perceive he was a wise fellow, and had good
discretion, that, being bid to ask what he would of the king, desired he
might know none of his secrets: now do I see he had some reason for 't;
for if a king bid a man be a villain, he's bound by the indenture of his
oath to be one. Hush! here come the lords of Tyre.
[Enter Helicanus and Escanes, with other Lords of Tyre.]
HELICANUS. You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre, Further to
question me of your king's departure: His seal'd commission, left in
trust with me, Doth speak sufficiently he 's gone to travel.
THALIARD. [Aside.] How! the king gone!
HELICANUS. If further yet you will be satisfied, Why, as it were
unlicensed of your loves, He would depart, I 'II give some light unto
you. Being at Antioch --
THALIARD. [Aside.] What from Antioch?
HELICANUS. Royal Antiochus -- on what cause I know not Took
some displeasure at him; at least he judged so: And doubting lest that

he had err'd or sinn'd, To show his sorrow, he 'ld correct himself; So
puts himself unto the shipman's toil, With whom each minute threatens
life or death.
THALIARD. [Aside.] Well, I perceive I shall not be hang'd now,
although I would; But since he 's gone, the king's seas must please He
'scaped the land, to perish at the sea. I 'll present myself. Peace to the
lords of Tyre!
HELICANUS. Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.
THALIARD. From him I come With message unto princely Pericles;
But since my landing I have understood Your lord has betook himself
to unknown travels, My message must return from whence it came.
HELICANUS. We have no reason to desire it, Commended to our
master, not to us: Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire, As friends to
Antioch, we may feast in Tyre.
[Exeunt.]
SCENE IV. Tarsus. A room in the Governor's house.
[Enter Cleon, the governor of Tarsus, with Dionyza, and others.]
CLEON. My Dionyza, shall we rest us here, And by relating tales of
others' griefs, See if 'twill teach us to forqet our own?
DIONYZA. That were to blow at fire in hope to quench it; For who
digs hills because they do aspire Throws down one mountain to cast up
a higher. O my distressed lord, even such our griefs are; Here they're
but felt, and seen with mischief's eyes, But like to groves, being topp'd,
they higher rise.
CLEON. O Dionyza, Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it,
Or can conceal his hunger till he famish? Our tongues and sorrows do
sound deep Our woes into the air; our eyes do weep, Till tongues fetch
breath that may proclaim them louder; That, if heaven slumber while

their creatures want, They may awake their helps to comfort them. I'll
then discourse our woes, felt several years, And wanting breath to
speak help me with tears.
DIONYZA. I'll do my best, sir.
CLEON. This Tarsus, o'er which I have the government, A city on
whom plenty held full hand, For riches strew'd herself even in the
streets; Whose towers bore heads so high they kiss'd the clouds, And
strangers ne'er beheld but wonder'd at; Whose men and dames so jetted
and adorn'd, Like one another's glass to trim them by: Their tables were
stored full, to glad the sight, And not so much to feed on as delight; All
poverty was scorn'd, and pride so great, The name of help grew odious
to repeat.
DIONYZA. O, 'tis too true.
CLEON. But see what heaven can do! By this our change, These
mouths, who but of late, earth, sea, and air, Were all too little to content
and please, Although they gave their creatures in abundance, As houses
are defiled for want of use, They are now starved for want of exercise:
Those palates who, not yet two sumMers younger, Must have
inventions to delight the taste, Would now be glad of bread, and beg for
it: Those mothers who, to nousle up their babes, Thought nought too
curious, are ready now To eat those little darlings whom they loved. So
sharp are hunger's teeth, that man and wife Draw lots who first shall die
to lengthen life: Here stands a lord, and there a lady weeping; Here
many sink, yet those which see them fall Have scarce strength left to
give them burial. Is not this true?
DIONYZA. Our cheeks and hollow eyes do witness it.
CLEON. O, let those cities that of plenty's