Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Modern)
Not Peer Reviewed
499.1
[2.0]
500
Enter Gower.
¶[Gower] Here have you seen a mighty king
¶His child, I wis, to incest bring;
¶A better prince and benign lord
¶That will prove aweful both in deed and word.
505Be quiet then, as men should be,
¶Till he hath passed necessity:
¶I'll show you those in troubles reign
¶Losing a mite, a mountain gain.
¶The good in conversation,
510To whom I give my benison,
¶Is still at Tharsus, where each man
¶Thinks all is writ he speken can,
¶And to remember what he does
¶Build his statue to make him glorious.
515But tidings to the contrary
¶Are brought your eyes; what need speak I?
¶
Dumb Show.
¶Exit Pericles at one door, and Cleon at another[, with their attendants].
¶Good Helicane that stayed at home --
¶Not to eat honey like a drone
525From others' labors, 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,
530And hid intent to murder him,
¶And that in Tharsus 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.
535For now the wind begins to blow;
¶Thunder above and deeps below
¶Makes such unquiet that the ship
¶Should house him safe is wracked and split,
¶And he, good prince, having all lost,
540By waves from coast to coast is tossed.
¶All perishen of man, of pelf,
¶Ne aught escapend but himself;
¶Till Fortune, tired with doing bad,
¶Threw him ashore to give him glad;
545And here he comes. What shall be next --
¶Pardon old Gower -- this 'longs the text.
[Exit.]