Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire,- SCENE IV. Tharsus. A Room in the Governor's House. Cle. My Dionyza, shall we rest us here, [Exeunt. Enter CLEON, Dio. That were to blow at tire, in hope to quench it; Who wanteth food, and will not say he wants it, Cle. This Tharsus, o'er which I have 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, Whose men and dames so jetted and adorn'd," Cle. But see what heaven can do! By this our change, These mouths, whom but of late, earth, sea, and air, [7] To jet is to strut, to walk proudly. So, in Twelfth Night: "Contemplation makes a rare turkey-cock of him: how he jets under his advanced plumes!" STEEVENS. Were all too little to content and please, They are now starv'd for want of exercise : Dio. Our cheeks and hollow eyes dó witness it. With their superfluous riots, hear these tears!1 Enter a Lord. Lord. Where's the lord governor ? Cle. Here. Speak out thy sorrows which thou bring'st, in haste, For comfort is too far for us to expect. Lord. We have descried, upon our neighbouring shore, A portly sail of ships make hitherward. Cle. I thought as much. One sorrow never comes, but brings an heir, That may succeed as his inheritor ;* And so in ours some neighbouring nation, Taking advantage of our misery, Hath stuff'd these hollow vessels with their power, I would read---nursle. A fondling is still called a nursling. A kindred thought is found in King Lear : "Take physic, pomp! "Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, "That thou may'st shake the superflux to them, -------sorrows never come as single spies, [2] So, in Hamlet: STEEVENS. MALONE. STEEVENS. MALONE. To beat us down, the which are down already; Whereas no glory's got to overcome.3 Lord. That's the least fear; for, by the semblance Of their white flags display'd, they bring us peace, And come to us as favourers, not as foes. Cle. Thou speak'st like him's untutor❜d to repeat, To know for what he comes, and whence he comes, Lord. I go, my lord. 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, [Exit. Are stor❜d with corn, to make your needy bread, And we'll pray for you. Per. Rise, I pray you, rise; We do not look for reverence, but for love, [3] Whereas, it has been already observed, was anciently used for where. MALONE. [4] 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 pacific appearance of this navy, you talk like one, who has never learned the common adage," that the fairest outsides are most to be suspect ed." STEEVENS. [5] If he stands on peace. A Latin sense. MALONE. Or pay you with unthankfulness in thought, The curse of heaven and men succeed their evils! Per. Which welcome we'll accept ; feast here a while, Until our stars that frown, lend us a smile. [Exeunt. ACT II. Enter GOWER. Gow. Here have you seen a mighty king (To whom I give my benizon,) 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; forth he strive [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. MÅLONE 230 PERICLES.. And, to fulfil his prince' desire, Where when men been, there's seldom ease; Should house him safe, is wreck'd and split; And here he comes: what shall be next, [Exit. SCENE I. Pentapolis. An open Place by the Sea Side. Enter PERICLES, wet. Per. Yet cease your ire, ye 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 [7] Our ancestors had a plural number in their tenses which is now lost out of the language; e. g. in the present tense, I escape Thou escapest He escapeth We escapen They escapen. But it did not, I believe, extend to the preter-imperfects, otherwise than thus: They didden [for did] escape. PERCY. [8] The meaning of this may be---Excuse old Gower from telling you what follows. The very text to it has proved of too considerable length already. STEEVENS. |