| ACT II SCENE IV | Tyre. A room in the Governor's house. |
| [Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES] |
| HELICANUS | No, Escanes, know this of me, |
| Antiochus from incest lived not free: |
| For which, the most high gods not minding longer |
| To withhold the vengeance that they had in store, |
| Due to this heinous capital offence, | 5 |
| Even in the height and pride of all his glory, |
| When he was seated in a chariot |
| Of an inestimable value, and his daughter with him, |
| A fire from heaven came and shrivell'd up |
| Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk, | 10 |
| That all those eyes adored them ere their fall |
| Scorn now their hand should give them burial. |
| ESCANES | 'Twas very strange. |
| HELICANUS | And yet but justice; for though |
| This king were great, his greatness was no guard | 15 |
| To bar heaven's shaft, but sin had his reward. |
| ESCANES | 'Tis very true. |
| [Enter two or three Lords] |
| First Lord | See, not a man in private conference |
| Or council has respect with him but he. |
| Second Lord | It shall no longer grieve without reproof. | 20 |
| Third Lord | And cursed be he that will not second it. |
| First Lord | Follow me, then. Lord Helicane, a word. |
| HELICANUS | With me? and welcome: happy day, my lords. |
| First Lord | Know that our griefs are risen to the top, |
| And now at length they overflow their banks. | 25 |
| HELICANUS | Your griefs! for what? wrong not your prince you love. |
| First Lord | Wrong not yourself, then, noble Helicane; |
| But if the prince do live, let us salute him, |
| Or know what ground's made happy by his breath. |
| If in the world he live, we'll seek him out; | 30 |
| If in his grave he rest, we'll find him there; |
| And be resolved he lives to govern us, |
| Or dead, give's cause to mourn his funeral, |
| And leave us to our free election. |
| Second Lord | Whose death indeed's the strongest in our censure: | 35 |
| And knowing this kingdom is without a head,-- |
| Like goodly buildings left without a roof |
| Soon fall to ruin,--your noble self, |
| That best know how to rule and how to reign, |
| We thus submit unto,--our sovereign. | 40 |
| All | Live, noble Helicane! |
| HELICANUS | For honour's cause, forbear your suffrages: |
| If that you love Prince Pericles, forbear. |
| Take I your wish, I leap into the seas, |
| Where's hourly trouble for a minute's ease. | 45 |
| A twelvemonth longer, let me entreat you to |
| Forbear the absence of your king: |
| If in which time expired, he not return, |
| I shall with aged patience bear your yoke. |
| But if I cannot win you to this love, | 50 |
| Go search like nobles, like noble subjects, |
| And in your search spend your adventurous worth; |
| Whom if you find, and win unto return, |
| You shall like diamonds sit about his crown. |
| First Lord | To wisdom he's a fool that will not yield; | 55 |
| And since Lord Helicane enjoineth us, |
| We with our travels will endeavour us. |
| HELICANUS | Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp hands: |
| When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands. |
| [Exeunt] |
Shakespeare's Sources for Pericles