Pericles

Pericles

ACT I SCENE III	Tyre. An ante-chamber in the palace.
	Enter THALIARD
THALIARD	So, this is Tyre, and this the court. Here must I
	kill King Pericles; and if I do it not, I am sure to
	be hanged at home: 'tis dangerous. Well, I perceive
	he was a wise fellow, and had good discretion, that,	5
	being bid to ask what he would of the king, desired
	he might know none of his secrets: now do I see he
	had some reason for't; for if a king bid a man be a
	villain, he's bound by the indenture of his oath to
	be one! Hush! here come the lords of Tyre.	10
	Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES, with other Lords of Tyre
HELICANUS	You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre,
	Further to question me of your king's departure:
	His seal'd commission, left in trust with me,
	Doth speak sufficiently he's gone to travel.
THALIARD	Aside
HELICANUS	If further yet you will be satisfied,	15
	Why, as it were unlicensed of your loves,
	He would depart, I'll give some light unto you.
	Being at Antioch--
THALIARD	Aside
HELICANUS	Royal Antiochus--on what cause I know not--
	Took some displeasure at him; at least he judged so:	20
	And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd,
	To show his sorrow, he'ld correct himself;
	So puts himself unto the shipman's toil,
	With whom each minute threatens life or death.
THALIARD	Aside
	I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;	25
	But since he's gone, the king's seas must please:
	He 'scaped the land, to perish at the sea.
	I'll present myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre!
HELICANUS	Lord Thaliard from Antiochus is welcome.
THALIARD	From him I come	30
	With message unto princely Pericles;
	But since my landing I have understood
	Your lord has betook himself to unknown travels,
	My message must return from whence it came.
HELICANUS	We have no reason to desire it,	35
	Commended to our master, not to us:
	Yet, ere you shall depart, this we desire,
	As friends to Antioch, we may feast in Tyre.
	Exeunt