201How Pericles arriuing at Antioch, resolued the Kings Question: And 202how Thalyart Antiochus Steward was sent to murther him.

203Whilest Antiochus continued thus exercising his tyranies on the 204liues of seuerall princes, Pericles the Prince of Tyre, wonne with the 205wonderfull report of this Ladies beauty, was (as other Princes before) 206drawne to the vndertaking of this desparate aduenture; and approching neere 207Antioch, where there were no sooner newes that he was comming, but there was 208as great a preparation for the receiuing of him, the Lords and Peeres in their 209richest ornaments to intertaine him, the people with their greedy and 210vnsatisfied eyes to gaze vpon him; for in that part of the world there was 211in those dayes no Prince so noble in Armes, or excellent in Artes, and had so 212generall and deserued a report by fame as Pericles Prince of Tyre. Which drew 213both Peere and People, with a ioyfull and free desire to allow him their 214imbracements, and to wish him happy successe, requiring no other but such a 215happy Soueraigne to hope in: for so cunningly had Antiochus dealt in this 216incest with his daughter, that it was yet vnsuspected of the neerest that 217attended him. With which solemnity and suffrages, being brought into the 218presence of the tyrant, and by him demaunded the cause of his arriuall at 219Antioch: and being by the Prince answered, that it was in loue to his daughter, 220and in hope to enioy her by resoluing of his question. Antiochus then first 221beganne to perswade him from the enterprise, and to discourage him from his 222proceedings, by shewing him the frightfull heads of the former Princes, placed 223vpon his Castle wall, and like to whome he must expect himselfe to be, if 224like them (as it was most like) hee failed in his attempt. But Pericles armed 225with these noble armours, Faithfulnesse and Courage, and making himselfe fitte 226for Death, if Death prooued fitte for him, replyed, That he was come now to 227meete Death willingly, if so were his misfortune, or to be made euer fortunate, 228by enioying so glorious a beauty as was inthrond in his princely daughter, and 229was there now placed before him: which the tyrant receiuing with an angry brow, 230threw downe the Riddle, bidding him, since perswasions could not alter him, to 231reade and die, being in himselfe confident the mysterie thereof was not to be 232vnfolded: which the Prince taking vp, read aloude, the purpose of which was 233in these wordes:

234I am no viper, yet I feede

235On mothers flesh, that did me breede;

236I sought a husband, in which labour

237I found that kindnesse from a father:

238Hee's Father, Sonne, and Husband milde,

239I Mother, Wife, and yet his Childe:

240How this may be, and yet in two,

241As you will liue, resolue it you.

242Which secret, whilest Prince Pericles was reading, Antiochus 243daughter, whether it were, that shee now lothed that vnnecessary custome 244in which shee had so long continued, or that her owne affection taught her 245to be in loue with his perfections, our storie leaues vnmentioned: but this 246for certaine, all the time that the Prince was studying with what trueth to 247vnfolde this darke Enigma, Desire flew in a robe of glowing blushes into her 248cheekes, and loue inforced her to deliuer thus much from hir owne tongue, 249that he was sole soueraigne of all her wishes, and he the gentleman 250(of all her eies had euer yet behelde) to whome shee wished a thriuing 251happinesse. By which time the Prince hauing fully considered vpon what he 252had read, and found the meaning, both of the secret, and their abhominable 253sinnes, Antiochus rising vp, demanded the solution of his Question, or to 254attend the sentence of his death. But the gentle Prince wisely foreknowing, 255that it is as dangerous to play with tyrants euills, as the Flie to sport 256with the Candles flame, rather seemed to dissemble what he knew, than to 257discouer his insight to Antiochus knowledge, yet so circumspectly, that 258Antiochus suspected, or at least, his owne knowen guilt made him so suspect, 259that hee had found the meaning of his foule desire, and their more foule 260actions; and seeming (as it were) then to pitty him whom now in soule he 261hated, and that he rather required his future happinesse, than any blemish 262to his present fortunes, he tolde him, that for the honour of his name, 263the noblenesse of his woorth, nay his owne deere and present loue to him 264(were it not against the dignity and state of his owne loue) in his tender 265and princely disposition, he could from the whole world select him as a 266choice husband for his daughter, since hee found him so farre wide from 267reuealing of the secret; yet thus farre hee should perceiue his loue should 268extend towardes him, which before time had not beene seene to stretch it 269selfe to any of those decaied princes, of whose falls, his eies were carefull 270witnesses, that for forty dayes he gaue him onely longer respite, if by which 271time (and with all the indeuours, counsell and aduise hee could vse) he can 272finde out what was yet concealed from him, it should be euident how gladly he 273would reioyce to ioy in such a sonne, rather than haue cause of sorrow by his 274vntimely ruine: And in the meane time, in his owne Court, by the royaltie of 275his entertainment hee should perceiue his welcom. With which, and other such 276like gratulations their presences being diuided, Antiochus betooke himselfe 277to his Chamber, and princely Pericles to diligent consultations of his present 278estate, where when hee had a while considered with himselfe, that what he had 279found, was true, and this substantially was the true meaning of his Riddle, 280hee was become both father, sonne, and husband by his vncomely and abhorred 281actions with his owne child, and shee a deuourer of her mothers flesh, by the 282vnlawfull couplings with her owne father, and the defiling of her mothers bed, 283and that this curtesie of Antiochus toward him, was but his hypocrisie, to 284haue his sinne concealed, till he found fit occasion to take fit reuenge 285(by the instruments of tyrants,) poyson, treason, or by any meanes, he resolued 286himselfe with all expedition, (the next darknesse being his best conductor,) to 287flie backe to Tyre, which he effecting, and Antiochus being now priuate in his 288lodging, and ruminating with himselfe, that Pericles had found out the secret 289of his euill, which hee in more secret had committed; and knowing, that he had 290now power to rip him open to the world, and make his name so odious, that as 291now heauen did, so at the knowledge thereof all good men would contemne him. 292And in this study, not knowing how otherwise to helpe himselfe from this 293reproofe, he hastily calleth for one Thalyart, who was Steward of his housholde, 294and in many things before had receiued the imbracement of his minde; this 295Thalyart, (as Pericles fore-thought,) hee presently bribde with gold, and 296furthered with poyson, to be this harmles gentlemans executioner. To which 297purpose, as hee was about to receiue his othe, there came hastily a Messenger 298that brought him newes, the Tyrian shippes were that night departed his harbor, 299and that by intelligence hee had learned the Prince also was fled for Tyre: 300at whose escape Antiochus storming, but not desisting from his former practise, 301hee commaunded his murthering minister Thalyart, to dispatch his best performance 302after him, sometime perswading him, at others threatning him, in Tyre to see 303him, in Tyre to kil him, or back to Antioch neuer to returne, which villainous 304mind of his as ready to yeeld, as the tyrant was to commaund. Thaliart in all 305secresie is shipt from Antioch, while Pericles in this interim is arriued at 306Tyre, where, knowing what was past, and fearing what might succeed, not to 307himself, but for the care he had of his subjects, remembring his power, too 308weake if occasion were offred, to contend with the greatnes of Antiochus: he 309was so troubled in mind, that no aduise of counsell could perswade him, no 310delights of the eye content him, neither any pleasure whatsoeuer comfort him, 311but still taking to heart, that should Antiochus make warre vpon him, as 312fearing lest he should speake his shame which he intended not to reueale, his 313misfortune should be the ruine of his harmlesse people.

314In this sorrowe consisting, one Helycanus a graue and wise Counsellor 315of his (as a good Prince is euer knowne by his prudent Counsell) as much 316greeued in mind for his Princes distemperature, as his Prince was troubled 317with the feare of his subiects mishap, came hastily into the chamber to him, 318and finding him so distasting mirth, that he abandoned all familiar society, 319he boldely beganne to reprooue him, and not sparingly tolde him, he did not 320wel so to abuse himselfe, to waste his body there with pyning sorrow, vpon 321whose safety depended the liues and prosperity of a whole kingdome, that it 322was ill in him to doe it, and no lesse in his counsell to suffer him, without 323contradicting it. At which, although the Prince bent his brow stearnely 324against him, he left not to go forward, but plainly tolde him, it was as fit 325for him being a Prince to heare of his owne errour, as it was lawfull for his 326authority to commaund, that while he liued so shut vp, so vnseene, so carelesse 327of his gouernment, order might be disorder for all him, and what detriment 328soeuer his subiects should receiue by this his neglect, it were iniustice to 329be required at his hands, which chiding of this good olde Lord, the gentle 330Prince curteously receiuing, tooke him into his armes, thankt him that he 331was no flatterer, and commaunding him to seat himselfe by him, he from poynt 332to poynt related to him all the occurrents past, and that his present sorrow 333was for the feare he had of Antiochus tyranny, his present studies were for 334the good of his subiects, his present care was for the continuing safety of 335his kingdome, of which himselfe was a member, which for slacknesse chide him: 336which vprightnes of this Prince calling teares into the olde mans eies, and 337compelling his knees to the earth, he humbly asked his pardon, confirming 338that what he had spoke, sprung from the power of his dutie, and grew not 339from the nature of disobedience. When Pericles no longer suffring such honored 340aged knees to stoope to his youth, lifting him vp, desired of him that his 341counsell now would teach him how to auoide that danger, which his feare gaue 342him cause to mistrust: which in this manner was by the good Helicanus aduised, 343and by princely Pericles yeelded vnto. That he should forthwith betake 344himselfe to trauel, keeping his intent whither, as priuate from his subiects, 345as his iourney was suddaine, that vpon his trust he should leaue the gouernment, 346grounding which counsel vpon this principle, Absence abates that edge that 347Presence whets. In breefe, Pericles knew Helicanus trusty, and consented: 348so with store of corne and all necessaries fit for a kingly voyage, he in 349secret hath shipt himselfe from Tyre. Helycanus is protector of the kingdome 350in his absence: and our Story now hath brought vs to the landing of Thaliart, 351with a body fraught as full of treason against Pericles, as his maister 352Antiochus was of tyranny, who no sooner a shore, but he had his eares fild 353with the generall lamentation of the Tyrian people, the aged sighed, the youth 354wept, all mourned, helping one another how to make vp sorrow to the highest 355heape, as if with the absence of their Prince they had lost their Prince, and 356with his losse they had present feeling of a succeeding ouerthrow, which the 357vilaine vnderstanding, and finding himselfe, both bereft of his purpose, and 358his maister of his intent, he, as traitors do, stole backe to Antioch resoluing 359Antiochus of what he knew: by which time, the clamors of the multitude being 360for a time pacified by the wisedome of Helicanus, and the peace of the common 361wealth by his prudence defended, our princely Pericles with spread sailes, 362faire winds, and full successe, is now arriued at Tharsus.