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[To Lords without] Let none disturb us.--Why should this change of thoughts, The sad companion, dull-eyed melancholy, Be my so used a guest as not an hour, In the day’s glorious walk, or peaceful night, The tomb where grief should sleep, can breed me quiet? Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them, And danger, which I fear’d, is at Antioch, Whose aim seems far too short to hit me here: Yet neither pleasure’s art can joy my spirits, Nor yet the other’s distance comfort me. Then it is thus: the passions of the mind, That have their first conception by mis-dread, Have after-nourishment and life by care; And what was first but fear what might be done, Grows elder now and cares it be not done. And so with me: the great Antiochus, ’Gainst whom I am too little to contend, Since he’s so great can make his will his act, Will think me speaking, though I swear to silence; Nor boots it me to say I honour him. If he suspect I may dishonour him: And what may make him blush in being known, He’ll stop the course by which it might be known; With hostile forces he’ll o’erspread the land, And with the ostent of war will look so huge, Amazement shall drive courage from the state; Our men be vanquish’d ere they do resist, And subjects punish’d that ne’er thought offence: Which care of them, not pity of myself, Who am no more but as the tops of trees, Which fence the roots they grow by and defend them, Makes both my body pine and soul to languish, And punish that before that he would punish.
[To Lords outside] Let no one bother us.--Why should this shift in my thoughts, The sad companion, dull-eyed sadness, Be such a regular visitor that not even an hour, In the day’s bright walk, or peaceful night, The tomb where grief should rest, can give me peace? Here pleasures surround my eyes, and my eyes avoid them, And danger, which I feared, is in Antioch, Where its target seems too far to reach me here: Yet neither pleasure’s charm can lift my spirits, Nor can the distance of danger comfort me. Then it is this: the emotions of the mind, That are first born from misplaced fear, Are later fed and kept alive by worry; And what was once just fear of what might happen, Grows older and now worries it doesn’t happen. And so with me: the great Antiochus, Against whom I am too small to fight, Since he’s so powerful, can make his will reality, Will think I’m speaking, even if I swear to stay silent; Nor does it matter that I say I honor him. If he thinks I might dishonor him: And what might embarrass him if known, He’ll block the way it could be known; With his armies, he’ll cover the land, And with the appearance of war, he’ll seem so powerful, That fear will drive courage out of the land; Our men will be defeated before they even fight, And those who have done nothing wrong will be punished: Which care for them, not pity for myself, Who am no more than the tops of trees, Which protect the roots they grow from and defend them, Makes both my body waste away and my soul to suffer, And punish that which he would punish first.
Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast!
May joy and all comfort be in your heart!
And keep your mind, till you return to us, Peaceful and comfortable!
And may your mind, until you return to us, Be peaceful and calm!
Peace, peace, and give experience tongue. They do abuse the king that flatter him: For flattery is the bellows blows up sin; The thing which is flatter’d, but a spark, To which that blast gives heat and stronger glowing; Whereas reproof, obedient and in order, Fits kings, as they are men, for they may err. When Signior Sooth here does proclaim a peace, He flatters you, makes war upon your life. Prince, pardon me, or strike me, if you please; I cannot be much lower than my knees.
Peace, peace, and let experience speak. They deceive the king who flatter him: For flattery is like the bellows that stokes sin; The thing being flattered is just a spark, Which the blast makes hotter and burns stronger; But reproof, given with respect and in order, Is what kings need, as they are men, and can make mistakes. When Signior Sooth here declares peace, He flatters you, but makes war on your life. Prince, forgive me, or strike me, if you wish; I can’t go much lower than on my knees.
All leave us else; but let your cares o’erlook What shipping and what lading’s in our haven, And then return to us.
Everyone else leave us; but keep an eye on What ships and cargo are in our port, And then come back to us.
Helicanus, thou Hast moved us: what seest thou in our looks?
Helicanus, you Have moved us: what do you see in our face?
An angry brow, dread lord.
An angry face, my lord.
If there be such a dart in princes’ frowns, How durst thy tongue move anger to our face?
If there is such power in a prince’s frown, How dare your words provoke anger on our face?
How dare the plants look up to heaven, from whence They have their nourishment?
How dare the plants look up to heaven, from where They get their nourishment?
Thou know’st I have power To take thy life from thee.
You know I have the power To take your life from you.
[Kneeling] I have ground the axe myself; Do you but strike the blow.
[Kneeling] I have sharpened the axe myself; You only need to strike the blow.
Rise, prithee, rise. Sit down: thou art no flatterer: I thank thee for it; and heaven forbid That kings should let their ears hear their faults hid! Fit counsellor and servant for a prince, Who by thy wisdom makest a prince thy servant, What wouldst thou have me do?
Get up, please, get up. Sit down: you’re not a flatterer: I thank you for that; and heaven forbid That kings should let their ears hear their faults hidden! A good counselor and servant for a prince, Who by your wisdom makes a prince your servant, What do you want me to do?
To bear with patience Such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself.
To endure with patience The troubles that you bring upon yourself.
Thou speak’st like a physician, Helicanus, That minister’st a potion unto me That thou wouldst tremble to receive thyself. Attend me, then: I went to Antioch, Where as thou know’st, against the face of death, I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty. From whence an issue I might propagate, Are arms to princes, and bring joys to subjects. Her face was to mine eye beyond all wonder; The rest--hark in thine ear--as black as incest: Which by my knowledge found, the sinful father Seem’d not to strike, but smooth: but thou know’st this, ’Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss. Such fear so grew in me, I hither fled, Under the covering of a careful night, Who seem’d my good protector; and, being here, Bethought me what was past, what might succeed. I knew him tyrannous; and tyrants’ fears Decrease not, but grow faster than the years: And should he doubt it, as no doubt he doth, That I should open to the listening air How many worthy princes’ bloods were shed, To keep his bed of blackness unlaid ope, To lop that doubt, he’ll fill this land with arms, And make pretence of wrong that I have done him: When all, for mine, if I may call offence, Must feel war’s blow, who spares not innocence: Which love to all, of which thyself art one, Who now reprovest me for it,--
You speak like a doctor, Helicanus, Giving me a medicine That you would be afraid to take yourself. Listen to me, then: I went to Antioch, Where, as you know, facing death, I sought the reward of a glorious beauty. From which I might have an heir, To carry on a prince’s legacy, and bring joy to the people. Her face was, to my eyes, beyond all belief; The rest--listen carefully--was as evil as incest: Which, when I discovered, the sinful father Did not seem to strike, but to smooth it over: but you know this, It’s time to fear when tyrants seem to show kindness. This fear grew so strong in me, I fled here, Under the cover of a careful night, Who seemed my protector; and, being here, I thought about what had happened, and what might happen next. I knew he was a tyrant; and tyrants’ fears Don’t lessen, but grow faster as time goes on: And if he doubts it, as I’m sure he does, That I would reveal to the world How many noble princes’ bloods were shed, To keep his bed of darkness undisturbed, To end that doubt, he’ll fill this land with war, And accuse me of wrongs I haven’t committed: When all, for my part, if I may call it a crime, Must feel the blows of war, which spares no innocence: A love for all, of which you yourself are one, Who now reproach me for it,--
Alas, sir!
Alas, sir!
Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks, Musings into my mind, with thousand doubts How I might stop this tempest ere it came; And finding little comfort to relieve them, I thought it princely charity to grieve them.
Sleep left my eyes, blood from my cheeks, Thoughts filled my mind, with a thousand doubts About how I might stop this storm before it hit; And finding little comfort to ease them, I thought it princely kindness to mourn them.
Well, my lord, since you have given me leave to speak. Freely will I speak. Antiochus you fear, And justly too, I think, you fear the tyrant, Who either by public war or private treason Will take away your life. Therefore, my lord, go travel for a while, Till that his rage and anger be forgot, Or till the Destinies do cut his thread of life. Your rule direct to any; if to me. Day serves not light more faithful than I’ll be.
Well, my lord, since you’ve given me permission to speak, I’ll speak freely. You fear Antiochus, And rightly so, I think, you fear the tyrant, Who, by either public war or private betrayal, Will take away your life. So, my lord, go travel for a while, Until his anger is forgotten, Or until Fate ends his life. Direct your rule to anyone; if it’s to me, I will be as faithful as day itself.
I do not doubt thy faith; But should he wrong my liberties in my absence?
I don’t doubt your loyalty; But what if he wrongs my freedoms while I’m gone?
We’ll mingle our bloods together in the earth, From whence we had our being and our birth.
We’ll mix our bloods together in the earth, From which we came into life.
Tyre, I now look from thee then, and to Tarsus Intend my travel, where I’ll hear from thee; And by whose letters I’ll dispose myself. The care I had and have of subjects’ good On thee I lay whose wisdom’s strength can bear it. I’ll take thy word for faith, not ask thine oath: Who shuns not to break one will sure crack both: But in our orbs we’ll live so round and safe, That time of both this truth shall ne’er convince, Thou show’dst a subject’s shine, I a true prince.
Tyre, I now turn my eyes from you, and to Tarsus I plan to travel, where I’ll hear from you; And from whose letters I’ll decide what to do. The care I’ve had, and still have, for the good of my people I leave with you, whose wisdom and strength can handle it. I’ll trust your word as truth, without needing your oath: Whoever hesitates to break one promise will likely break both: But in our lives, we’ll live so carefully and safely, That no time will prove otherwise, You showed yourself a servant, I a true prince.