Lords, Ladies, Knights, Gentlemen, Sailors, Pirates, Fishermen, Messengers, a Bawd, etc.

SCENE, dispersedly in various Countries.

This drama was printed in 4to. in 1609, 1611, 1619, 1630, and 1635, before it appeared in the third folio of 1664: it had found no place in the two earlier folios, though all the 4tos. assign it to Shakespeare. Rowe first printed a list of the characters.

Before the Palace of Antioch.

To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come;
Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear and please your eyes.

It hath been sung at festivals,

On ember-eves, and holy ales,2

And lords and ladies in their lives

Have read it for restoratives:

The purpose is3 to make men glorious ;

Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.

If you, born in these latter times,

When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,

And that to hear an old man sing,

May to your wishes pleasure bring,

2 -and holy ALES ;] Every old copy has "holy-days"; but we have adopted Dr. Farmer's emendation by "holy ales", what were then called church ales were probably intended.

:

3 The PURPOSE is-] In the old copies the text stands, "The purchase is", and it might, perhaps, be strained to a meaning.

I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you, like taper-light.-

This Antioch, then: Antiochus the great
Built up this city for his chiefest seat,
The fairest in all Syria;

I tell you what mine authors say.
This king unto him took a feere,1
Who died and left a female heir,
So buxom, blithe, and full of face,
As heaven had lent her all his grace;
With whom the father liking took
And her to incest did provoke :

Bad child, worse father, to entice his own
To evil should be done by none:

But custom what they did begin

Was with long use account' no sin.
The beauty of this sinful dame'
Made many princes thither frame,
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
In marriage-pleasures play-fellow :
Which to prevent he made a law
To keep her still, and men in awe,
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:
So, for her many a wight did die,
As yond' grim looks do testify."

• —took a FEERE :] i. e., a mate, wife, or companion: see Titus Andronicus, act iv, sc. 1, p. 59.

As yond' grim looks do testify.] Referring to the ghastly heads of the unsuccessful suitors, which were exhibited to the audience over the gates of the palace at Antioch.

What now ensues to the judgment of your eye
I give, my cause who best can justify.

[Exit.

SCENE I-Antioch. A Room in the Palace.

Enter ANTIOCHUS, PERICLES, and Attendants.

Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large receiv'd The danger of the task you undertake.

Per. I have, Antiochus; and with a soul
Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,
Think death no hazard in this enterprise.

Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride
For the embracements even of Jove himself;
At whose conception, (till Lucina reign'd)
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
The senate-house of planets all did sit,
To knit in her their best perfections.

Enter the Daughter of ANTIOCHUS.

[Music.6

Per. See where she comes, apparell'd like the spring, Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king

Of every virtue gives renown to men!

Her face the book of praises, where is read

Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
Sorrow were ever ras'd, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.

Ye gods-that made me man, and sway in love,

That have inflam'd desire in my breast

Music.] In every old copy, this word, for music to accompany the entrance of the bride, is absurdly made part of the text.

To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree
Or die in the adventure-be my helps,
As I am son and servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness!
Ant. Prince Pericles,-

Per. That would be son to great Antiochus.
Ant. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,
With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd ;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
Her face, like heaven, enticeth thee to view
Her countless glory, which desert must gain;
And which, without desert, because thine eye
Presumes to reach, all thy whole head must die.'
Yond' sometime famous princes, like thyself,
Drawn by report, adventurous by desire,

Tell thee with speechless tongues, and semblance pale,
That, without covering, save yond' field of stars,
They here stand martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars;
And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist
For going on death's net, whom none resist.

Per. Antiochus, I thank thee, who hath taught
My frail mortality to know itself,
And by those fearful objects to prepare
This body, like to them, to what I must:

For death remember'd should be like a mirror,
Who tells us, life 's but breath; to trust it, error.
I'll make my will then; and as sick men do,

'-all thy whole HEAD must die.] i. e., the head in which his offending eye was placed. In the old copies "head" is misprinted heap-a manifest and easy blunder. The other heads of unsuccessful suitors were in sight of the audience.