Who makes the fairest show, means most deceit. But bring they what they will, and what they can, What need we fear? The ground's the low'st, 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. CLE. Welcome is peace, if he on peace consist"; If wars, we are unable to resist. Enter PERICLES, with Attendants. PER. Lord governor, for so we hear you are, Perhaps we should read-him who is, and regulate the metre as follows : "Thou speak'st "Like him who is untutor'd to repeat," &c. The sense is "Deluded by the pacifick appearance of this navy, you talk like one, who has never learned the common adage, that the fairest outsides are most to be suspected." STEEVENS. "Like him untutor'd," for "like him who is untutor'd," is not a very harsh ellipsis. Him's, is, I suspect, an unexampled contraction. BoSWELL. 6 thus: what need we fear? &c.] The earliest copy reads and points "What need we leave our grounds the lowest?" The reading which is inserted in the text, is that of the second quarto, printed in 1619. MALONE. "But bring they what they will, and what they can, "What need we fear? "The ground's the lowest, and we are half way there." The redundancy of the metre leads me to suspect this passage of interpolation. I therefore read: "But bring they what they will, what need we fear? "The ground's the low'st, and we are half way there." Are the words omitted—and what they can-of any value? STEEVENS. 7 if he on peace consist;] If he stands on peace. A Latin sense. MALONE. Nor come we to add sorrow to your tears, dead. ALL. The gods of Greece protect you ; And we'll pray for you. PER. Rise, I pray you, rise; 8 And these our ships you happily may think With bloody VIEWS, expecting overthrow,] i. e. which you happily, &c. The old copy reads: "And these our ships you happily may think, For the emendation of this corrupted passage the reader is indebted to Mr. Steevens. So, as he has observed, in a former scene : "Hath stuff'd the hollow vessels with their power." MALONE. Why should not this mean elliptically-" which was stuffed ? " So, before: "Are arms for princes," &c. Instead of-that are. See also afterwards, p. 58. And-"that in Tharsus was not best," for-it was not best. BOSWELL. to MAKE YOUR NEEDY BREAD,] i. e. to make bread for your needy subjects. PERCY. Or pay you with unthankfulness in THOUGHT,] I suspect the author wrote: "Or pay you with unthankfulness in AUGHT, "Be it our wives," &c. If we are unthankful to you in any one instance, or refuse, should there be occasion, to sacrifice any thing for your service, whether our wives, our children, or ourselves, may the curse of heaven, and of mankind, &c.—Aught was anciently written ought. Our wives, &c. may however refer to any in the former line; I have therefore made no change. MALONE. Be it our wives, our children, or ourselves, The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils! Your grace while, Until our stars that frown, lend us a smile. ACT II. [Exeunt. Enter Gower. Gow. Here 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 and word2. I'll show you those in troubles reign, I believe the old reading is the true one. "Ingratitude in thought" is mental ingratitude.' The governor imprecates vengeance on himself and his people, should any of them harbour even an ungrateful thought in their bosoms respecting Pericles. STEEVENS. No amendment is wanting; the meaning is this:-"May these persons be cursed who shall pay you with unthankfulness, even in thought, though they should be our dearest friends, or even ourselves." M. MASON. 2 A better prince, and benign lord, Prove awful, &c.] i. e. you have seen a better prince, &c. prove awful, &c. The verb in the first line is carried on to the third. Old copy: "That will prove awful both in deed and word.” I have omitted the two first words, as the sense proceeds without them, and they render the metre irregular. STEEVENS. 3 I'll show you those, &c.] I will now exhibit to you persons, The good in conversation* (To whom I give my benizon,) 5 Is still at Tharsus, where each man Gild his statue to make it glorious 7: who, after suffering small and temporary evils, will at length be blessed with happiness.-I suspect our author had here in view the title of the chapter in Gesta Romanorum, in which the story of Apollonius is told; though I will not say in what language he read it. It is this: "De tribulatione temporali quæ in gaudium sempiternum postremo commutabitur." MALONE. 4 The good in CONVERSATION-] Conversation is conduct, behaviour. So, in the Second Epistle of St. Peter, iii. 11: “—to be in all holy conversation and godliness." STEEVENS. 5 The good in conversation (To whom I give my benizon,) Is still at Tharsus, where-] This passage is confusedly expressed. Gower means to say-The good prince (on whom I bebest wishes) is still engaged at Tharsus, where every man," &c. STEEVENS. stow my 6 Thinks all is writ he spoken can:] Pays as much respect to whatever Pericles says, as if it were holy writ. "As true as the gospel," is still common language. MALONE. Writ may certainly mean scripture; the holy writings, by way of eminence, being so denominated. We might, however, read— wit, i. e. wisdom. So, Gower, in this story of Prince Appolyn : 66 Though that thou be of littel witte." STEEVENS. 7 GILD his statue to make it glorious:] This circumstance, as well as the foregoing, is found in the Confessio Amantis : "Appolinus, whan that he herde "The mischefe, howe the citee ferde, But tidings to the contrary Are brought your eyes; what need speak I? Dumb show. Enter at one door PERICLES, 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; then gives the Messenger a reward, and knights him. Exeunt PERICLES, CLEON, &c. severally. Gow. Good Helicane hath staid at home, From others' labours; for though he strive And, to fulfil his prince' desire, Sends word of all that haps in Tyre": Might every maner man beholde, "So as the citee was beholde : "It was of laton over-gylte; "Thus hath he nought his yefte spilte." All the copies read-Build his statue, &c. They also unnecessarily read: "Build his statue to make it glorious." Read-gild. So, in Gower: "It was of laton over-gylte." MALONE. 8 Again, in Kyng Appolyn of Thyre, 1510: “ - in remembraunce they made an ymage or statue of clene gold," &c. Mr. Steevens reads: "Gild his statue glorious." BosWELL. STEEVENS. 8-forth, &c.] Old copy-for though he strive. I read forth; i. e. thoroughly, from beginning to end. So, in Measure for Measure: 66 you, cousin, "Whom it concerns to hear this matter forth, "Do with your injuries as seems you best." STEEVENS. 9 Good Helicane HATH staid at home, And, to fulfil his prince' desire, SENDS WORD of all that haps in Tyre:] The old copy reads: "Good Helicane that staid at home, "Sav'd one of all," &c. The emendation was suggested by Mr. Steevens. MALONE. |