64You Gods that made me man, and sway in loue;

65That haue enflamde desire in my breast,

66To taste the fruite of yon celestiall tree,

67(Or die in th'aduenture) be my helpes,

68As I am sonne and seruant to your will,

69To compasse such a bondlesse happinesse.

70Anti. Prince Pericles.

71Peri. That would be sonne to great Antiochus.

72Ant. Before thee standes this faire Hesperides,

73With golden fruite, but dangerous to be toucht:

74For Death like Dragons heere affright thee hard:

75Her face like Heauen, inticeth thee to view

76Her countlesse glory; which desert must gaine:

77And which without desert, because thine eye

78Presumes to reach, all the whole heape must die:

79Yon sometimes famous Princes, like thy selfe,

80Drawne by report, aduentrous by desire,

81Tell thee with speachlesse tongues, and semblance pale,

82That without couering, saue yon field of Starres,

83Heere they stand Martyrs slaine in Cupids Warres:

84And with dead cheekes, aduise thee to desist,

85For going on deaths net, whom none resist.

86Per. Antiochus, I thanke thee, who hath taught,

87My frayle mortalitie to know it selfe;

88And by those fearefull obiectes, to prepare

89This body, like to them, to what I must:

90For Death remembered should be like a myrrour,

91Who tels vs, life's but breath, to trust it errour:

92Ile make my Will then, and as sicke men doe,

93Who know the World, see Heauen, but feeling woe,

94Gripe not at earthly ioyes as earst they did;

95So I bequeath a happy peace to you,

96And all good men, as euery Prince should doe;

97My ritches to the earth, from whence they came;

98But my vnspotted fire of Loue, to you:

99Thus ready for the way of life or death,

100I wayte the sharpest blow (Antiochus)