ANTIOCHUS, a Tyrant of Greece.
PERICLES, Prince of Tyre.
HELLICANUS,
SYMONIDES, King of Pentapolis.
CLEON, Governor of Tharsus.
LYSIMACHUS, Governor of Metaline.
CERIMON, a Lord of Ephesus.
THALIARD, Servant to Antiochus.
LEONINE, a Murtherer, Servant to Dionysia.
Knights tilting in Honour of Thaisa.
HESPERIDES, Daughter of Antiochus.
DIONYSIA, Wife to Cleon.
Thaisa, Daughter to Symonides.
MARINA, Daughter to Pericles and Thaisa. LYCHORIDA, Nurse to Marina.
PHILOTEN, Daughter to Cleon.
DIANA, a Goddess appearing to Pericles.
Sailors, Pirates, Fishermen, and Messengers.
PERICLES, PRINCE OF TYRE.
The City of Antioch. Enter GOWER.
To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come,
Assuming man's infirmities,
To glad your ear, and please your eyes ;
It hath been sung at festivals,
On Ember-eves, and holy days.
And lords and ladies in their lives,
Have read it for restoratives.
The purchase is to make men glorious.
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times,
When wit's more ripe, accept my rhimes ;
And that to hear an old man sing,
May to your wishes, pleasure bring;
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you like taper-light.
This Antioch, then, Antiochus the great,
Built up this city for his chiefest seat;
The fairest in all Syria.
I tell you what mine authors say :
This king unto him took a peer,
Who died, and left a female heir,
So bucksome, blithe, and full of face,
As Heav'n bad lent her all his grace:
With whom the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke.
Bad child! worse father! to entice his own
To evil, should be done by none:
But custom, what they did begin,
Was with long use, counted no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame,
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
In marriage pleasures, play-fellow;
Which to prevent, he made a law,
To keep her still, and men in awe,
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:
So for her many a wight did die,
As yon grim looks do testify.
What ensues to the judgment of your eye,
I give my cause, who best can testify.
The Palace in Antioch. Enter ANTIOCHUS, Prince PERICLES, and Followers.
Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large receiv'd
The danger of the task you undertake.
Per. I have, Antiochus; and with a soul embold'n'd With the glory of her praise, think death no hazard, In this enterprise.
Ant. Musick, bring in our daughter, cloth'd like a bride
For embracements, even of Jove himself;
At whose conception, 'till Lucina reign'd,
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
'The senate-house of planets all did sit,
To knit in her their best perfections.
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 rackt, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.
You gods that made mne man, and sway in love,
That have inflam'd desire within 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,
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd:
For death like dragons here affright thee hard:
Her face, like Heav'n, enticeth thee to view
Her countless glory, which desert must gain:
And which without desert, because thine eye
Presumes to reach, all the whole heap must die.
Yon sometimes famous princes like thyself
Drawn by report, advent'rous 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
From 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 rememb'red, should be like a mirror,
Who tells us, life's but breath, to trust in error:
I'll make my will then, and as sick men do,
Who know the world, see Heav'n, but feeling woe,
Gripe not at earthly joys, as erst they did.
So I bequeath a happy peace to you
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