Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Tom Bishop
Not Peer Reviewed

Pericles, Prince of Tyre (Quarto)

Pericles Prince of Tyre.
210Enter a Messenger.
Anti. Enough. Let your breath coole your selfe, telling
your haste.
Mess. My Lord, Prince Pericles is fled.
Antin. As thou wilt liue flie after, and like an arrow shot
215from a well experienst Archer hits the marke his eye doth
leuell at: so thou neuer returne vnlesse thou say Prince Pe-
ricles is dead.
Thal. My Lord, if I can get him within my Pistols
length, Ile make him sure enough , so farewell to your
220highnesse.
Thaliard adieu, till Pericles be dead,
My heart can lend no succour to my head.
Enter Pericles with his Lords.
Pe. Let none disturb vs, why shold this chãge of thoughts
225The sad companion dull eyde melancholie,
By me so vsde a guest, as not an houre
In the dayes glorious walke or peacefull night,
The tombe where griefe stould sleepe can breed me quiet,
Here pleasures court mine eies, and mine eies shun them,
230And daunger which I fearde is at Antioch,
Whose arme seemes farre too short to hit me here,
Yet neither pleasures Art can ioy my spirits,
Nor yet the others distance comfort me,
Then it is thus, the passions of the mind,
235That haue their first conception by misdread,
Haue after nourishment and life, by care
And what was first but feare, what might be done,
Growes elder now, and cares it be not done.
And so with me the great Antiochus,
240Gainst whom I am too little to contend,
Since hee's so great, can make his will his act,
Will thinke me speaking, though I sweare to silence,
Nor bootes it me to say, I honour,
If he suspect I may dishonour him.
And
B