And yet the end of all is bought thus dear, The breath is gone, and the sore eyes see clear To stop the air would hurt them. The blind mole casts 100 Copp'd hills towards heaven, to tell the earth is throng'd By man's oppression; and the poor worm doth die for 't. Kings are earth's gods; in vice their law's their will; And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill? It is enough you know; and it is fit, 105 What being more known grows worse, to smother it. All love the womb that their first being bred, Then give my tongue like leave to love my head. Ant. [Aside.] Heaven! that I had thy head; he has found the meaning; 99, 100. clear To . them. The] Steevens (Mason conj.); cleare: To them, the Qq 1, 2, 3; cleare. To them, the Qq 4, 6; cleare. To them the Q5; clear. To . . . them, the Ff 3, 4. 98-100. And yet them] and yet the only result is that the breath which carries abroad this dust passes away, and the sore eyes again see clearly enough to keep off the blast which would annoy them. In the words "the end... dear," the metaphor does not walk on all fours, for while the publishers of these rumours suffer for their rashness, the wind of course goes free. 101. Copp'd] peaked; from cop, head. Compare Gascoigne, Steel Glass, Epil. (1576): "Women with high copt hattes"; Aubrey (1697), Nat. Hist. of Surrey, "They show you a copped Hill whereon formerly stood a Castle" (quoted in New Eng. Dict.). 102. The poor for 't] the wretched creature pays the penalty of his action by being thus discovered and killed by men. 102. poor worm] Here an expression of pity, as in The Tempest, III. i. 31: "Poor worm, thou art infected"; while in The Merry Wives of Windsor, v. iii. 87, and Love's Labour's Lost, IV. iii. 154, it is one of contempt. So, when used by Shakespeare of a snake the word has the contemptuous idea of a creeping thing. 105. It is... known] sc. that I have your secret. 106. it] redundant. 108. Then give.. head] then allow my tongue by being silent to show similar love to my head of which it is the child. 109. Heaven! . . . head] Compare line 144 below. But I will gloze with him. Young Prince of Tyre, 110 We might proceed to cancel of your days; 115 120 [Exeunt all but Pericles. How courtesy would seem to cover sin, cancel of] Malone; cancel off Ff 3, 4; counsell (or counsel) of Qq. 117. undone] solved. 118. This mercy] the respite I now grant. 119. entertain] entertainment. Compare Marston, Antonio and Mellida (pt. i.), 1. i. 66 :— "With most obsequious sleekbrow'd entertain". 120. As doth worth] Steevens conjectures" As doth befit our honour, your degree," or " As doth our honour fit and your degree". 121. would seem] would speciously endeavour. 123. The which]" is generally used either where the antecedent, or some word like the antecedent, is repeated, or elsewhere such a repetition could be made if desired. In almost all cases there are two or more possible antecedents from which selection must be made " (Abbott, Shakespearian Grammar, § 270). If it be true that I interpret false, 125 130 And both like serpents are, who though they feed Poison and treason are the hands of sin, Ay, and the targets, to put off the shame: Re-enter ANTIOCHUS. 135 140 [Exit. Ant. He hath found the meaning, for which we mean To have his head. 136. shun] Malone; shew Qq, Ff 3, 4. 143, 144. He Arranged as in Malone; the first line ends meaning, in Qq, Ff 3, 4. 124, 125. be.. were] Here both words indicate doubt, disbelief. For the difference between be and is in hypothetical statements, compare Othello, III. iii. 384: "I think my wife be honest, and think she is not". 127. Where] whereas. 66 128. untimely] not "prematurely " but or "ill-timed," 'improper," "hateful". 135. Blush not] The relative again omitted. 140. targets] shields, defences. 141. clear] free from suspicion. He must not live to trumpet forth my infamy, 145 Nor tell the world Antiochus doth sin In such a loathed manner; And therefore instantly this prince must die, Thaliard, Enter THALIARD. Doth your highness call? 150 You are of our chamber, and our mind partakes And for your faithfulness we will advance you. Because we bid it. Say, is it done? 'Tis done. Enough. Enter a Messenger. My lord, 160 Let your breath cool yourself, telling your haste. [Exit. 55. Thaliard, . . . gold ;] Arranged as by Collier; five lines, end=mber, Thaliard, actions, faythfulnes ... n Qq 1, 2, 3; five lines, ending chamber, Thaliard: ... gold, in the rest. Divided as by Steevens; one line in Qq, Ff 3, 4. ste.] Divided as by Malone; prose in Qq, Ff 3, 4. You . . . chamber] you are nberlain. Compare Macbeth, 6: "Those of his chamber, as 'd, had done 't"; and The s Tale, 1. ii. 235-237. Bartakes] imparts, cominuni faith Thaliard: actions . 158, 159. My 160, 161. Enough. cates. Compare The Winter's Tale, v. iii. 132: "your exultation Partake to every one 161. Let your . . . haste] let your breath, which evidences your haste, etc. Ant. As thou Wilt live, fly after; and like an arrow shot From a well-experienc'd archer hits the mark His eye doth level at, so thou ne'er return Unless thou say "Prince Pericles is dead." Thal. My lord, If I can get him within my pistol's length, 165 I'll make him sure enough: so, farewell to your highness. Ant. Thaliard, adieu! [Exit Thaliard. Till Pericles be dead, 170 My heart can lend no succour to my head. [Exit. SCENE II.-Tyre. A Room in the Palace. Enter PERICLES. Per. [To those without.] Let none disturb us. The sad companion, dull-eyed melancholy, Why 162-166. As thou dead.] Divided as by Malone; prose in Qq, Ff 3, 4. 167-169. My lord, highness.] As in Dyce; prose in Qq, Ff 3, 4. Scene II. 3. Be... 1. Let... thoughts,] One line in Qq 1, 2, 3; two in the rest. as] Dyce; By me so usde (or us'de or used or us'd) a guest as (with or without commas after used and guest) Qq, Ff 3, 4. |