Act I, Scene iii

[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, 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.

[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.]

How! the king gone!

HELICANUS.:

If further yet you will be satisfied,

Why, as it were unlicensed of your loves,

He would depart, I 'II give some light unto you.

Being at Antioch—

THALIARD.[Aside.]

What from Antioch?

HELICANUS.:

Royal Antiochus—on what cause I know not

Took some displeasure at him; at least he judged so:

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.]

Well, I perceive

I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;

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

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,

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.]