In the day's glorious walk or peaceful night, The tomb where grief should sleep, can breed me quiet? 5 Here pleasures court mine eyes, and mine eyes shun them, And danger, which I fear'd, is at Antioch, Whose arm 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. ΙΟ Then it is thus the passions of the mind, That have their first conception by mis-dread, And what was first but fear what might be 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, 15 Will think me speaking, though I swear to silence; If he suspect I may dishonour him; 20 And what may make him blush in being known, ay's... walk] "the radiant of the sun-god, Apollo "(Craig). m] Compare Troilus and Cres. iii. 15:"short-arm'd ignorDyce here reads aim, and -short-aimed". care] anxiety. The thought and at the beginning of the somewhat resembles Mesreflections in Julius Cæsar, v. I. Grows... done] having come er growth is not content with anticipation of evil, but takes pre- 18. Since . . . act] since he is so 20. boots it] is it of any advantage. "Boot," A.S. bót, profit, advantage. 22, 23. And what . . . known] and he will take care to stop the course of those means that might make known the infamy which it would shame him to have published abroad. ر With hostile forces he'll o'erspread the land, 25 Who am no more but as the tops of trees, 30 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. Enter HELICANUS and other Lords. First Lord. Joy and all comfort in your sacred breast! Second Lord. And keep your mind, till you return to us, 35 Peaceful and comfortable! Hel. Peace, peace! and give experience tongue. They do abuse the king that flatter him; For flattery is the bellows blows up sin; The thing the which is flatter'd, but a spark, 40 To which that blast gives heat and stronger glowing; 25. th' ostent] Malone (Tyrwhitt conj.); the stint Qq, Ff 3, 4. Who are] Steevens (Farmer conj.); Who once Qq, Ff 3, 4. Collier (Mason conj.); sparke (or spark) Qq, Ff 3, 4. 25. ostent of war] warlike display. Malone compares Richard II. îì. iii. 95: "With ostentation of despised arms"; Steevens, Chapman's translation of [Homer's] Batrachomuiomachia: "Both heralds bearing the ostents of war"; and Dekker's Entertainment of James I. (1604): "And why you bear, alone, th' ostent of warre". ... them] and his 29. Which anxiety about them. 31. fence] give shelter to. 30. 41. blast] 31. they grow by] to which they owe their growth. 33. And punish ... punish] and afflict myself by fearful anticipation. 37. give... tongue] listen to the counsels which my experience teaches. 40. but a spark] i.e. being but, etc. 42, 43. Whereas .. err] whereas reproof, when accompanied with reverence and decorum, is suitably addressed to kings in their capacity as men, a capacity in which they are liable to error. ... its kings, as they are men, for they may err: All leave us else; but let your cares o'erlook 45 [Exeunt Lords. Hast moved us; what seest thou in our looks? If there be such a dart in princes' frowns, How durst thy tongue move anger to our face? How dare the plants look up to heaven, from whence They have their nourishment? 55 That kings should let their ears hear their faults hid! Hel. Fit counsellor and servant for a prince, Who by thy wisdom mak'st a prince thy servant, To bear with patience Such griefs as you yourself do lay upon yourself. 65 Per. Thou speak'st like a physician, Helicanus, That minister'st a potion unto me That thou would'st tremble to receive thyself. Where as thou know'st, against the face of death 70 Are arms to princes and bring joys to subjects. The rest, hark in thine ear, as black as incest; 75 'Tis time to fear when tyrants seem to kiss. Under the covering of a careful night, Who seem'd my good protector; and, being here, 80 77. Seem'd strike] made a show of not striking. Compare 1. i. 121 above. 77. smooth] beguile, flatter. Compare Richard III. 1. iii. 48. 80. a careful night] a night that had me in its care; night being a quasi-personification. In the novel, the next darknesse being his best conductor ". Decrease not, but grow faster than the years. To lop that doubt he'll fill this land with arms, 85 And make pretence of wrong that I have done him; 90 Must feel war's blow, who spares not innocence : Who now reprovest me for it, Alas! sir. Drew sleep out of mine eyes, blood from my cheeks, 95 I thought it princely charity to grieve 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, 100 doubt it] Malone (Steevens); doo' t, Q 1; doo 't Qq 2, 3; thinke (or ) (the rest). |