Pericles quotes

Antiochus, I thank thee, who hath taught My frail mortality to know itself, And by those fearful objects to prepare This body, like to them, to what I must;

For death remember’d should be like a mirror, Who tells us life’s but breath, to trust it error.

I’ll make my will then, and, as sick men do Who know the world, see heaven, but, feeling woe, Gripe not at earthly joys as erst they did; So I bequeath a happy peace to you And all good men, as every prince should do;

Great king,

Few love to hear the sins they love to act;

’Twould braid yourself too near for me to tell it. Who has a book of all that monarchs do, He’s more secure to keep it shut than shown: For vice repeated is like the wandering wind, Blows dust in other’s eyes, to spread itself;

The blind mole casts Copp’d hills towards heaven, to tell the earth is throng’d By man’s oppression; and the poor worm doth die for’t.

Kings are earth’s gods; in vice their law’s their will; And if Jove stray, who dares say Jove doth ill?

It is enough you know; and it is fit, What being more known grows worse, to smother it. All love the womb that their first being bred, Then give my tongue like leave to love my head.

And both like serpents are, who though they feed On sweetest flowers, yet they poison breed. Antioch, farewell! for wisdom sees, those men Blush not in actions blacker than the night, Will shun no course to keep them from the light.

One sin, I know, another doth provoke; Murder’s as near to lust as flame to smoke:

Poison and treason are the hands of sin, Ay, and the targets, to put off the shame: Then, lest my life be cropp’d to keep you clear, By flight I’ll shun the danger which I fear. Exit.

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.

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;

I thought as much.

One sorrow never comes but brings an heir, That may succeed as his inheritor;

And so in ours: some neighbouring nation, Taking advantage of our misery, Hath stuff’d these hollow vessels with their power, To beat us down, the which are down already; And make a conquest of unhappy me, Whereas no glory’s got to overcome.

Thou speak’st like him’s untutor’d to repeat:

Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.

But bring they what they will and what they can, What need we fear? The ground’s the lowest, and we are half way there.

they say they’re half fish, half flesh: a plague on them, they ne’er come but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.

Why, as men do a-land; the great ones eat up the little ones

: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; a’ plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful:

And on set purpose let his armour rust Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

Opinion’s but a fool, that makes us scan The outward habit by the inward man.

But stay, the knights are coming: we will withdraw Into the gallery. Exeunt. Great shouts within and all cry “The mean knight!”

He’s but a country gentleman; Has done no more than other knights have done; Has broken a staff or so; so let it pass.

To me he seems like diamond to glass.

Yon king’s to me like to my father’s picture, Which tells me in that glory once he was; Had princes sit, like stars, about his throne, And he the sun, for them to reverence;

None that beheld him, but, like lesser lights, Did vail their crowns to his supremacy: Where now his son’s like a glow-worm in the night, The which hath fire in darkness, none in light:

Whereby I see that Time’s the king of men, He’s both their parent, and he is their grave, And gives them what he will, not what they crave.

What, are you merry, knights?

Now, mild may be thy life! For a more blustrous birth had never babe: Quiet and gentle thy conditions! for

Thou art the rudeliest welcome to this world That ever was prince’s child.

Happy what follows! Thou hast as chiding a nativity As fire, air, water, earth, and heaven can make, To herald thee from the womb: even at the first Thy loss is more than can thy portage quit, With all thou canst find here.

Nay, certainly to-night; For look how fresh she looks! They were too rough That threw her in the sea. Make a fire within: Fetch hither all my boxes in my closet. Exit a Servant.

Death may usurp on nature many hours, And yet the fire of life kindle again The o’erpress’d spirits.

I heard of an Egyptian That had nine hours lien dead, Who was by good appliance recovered.

Why would she have me kill’d? Now, as I can remember, by my troth, I never did her hurt in all my life: I never spake bad word, nor did ill turn To any living creature: believe me, la,

I never kill’d a mouse, nor hurt a fly: I trod upon a worm against my will, But I wept for it.

How have I offended, Wherein my death might yield her any profit, Or my life imply her any danger?

What would you have me be, an I be not a woman?

An honest woman, or not a woman.

Marry, whip thee, gosling: I think I shall have something to do with you. Come, you’re a young foolish sapling, and must be bowed as I would have you.

Come your ways; follow me.

If fires be hot, knives sharp, or waters deep, Untied I still my virgin knot will keep.

Diana, aid my purpose!

Thou art like the harpy, Which, to betray, dost, with thine angel’s face, Seize with thine eagle’s talons.

You are like one that superstitiously Doth swear to the gods that winter kills the flies:

But yet I know you’ll do as I advise. Exeunt.

Why, I cannot name’t but I shall offend.

I cannot be offended with my trade. Please you to name it.

How long have you been of this profession?

O Helicanus, strike me, honour’d sir; Give me a gash, put me to present pain; Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me O’erbear the shores of my mortality, And drown me with their sweetness. O, come hither,

Thou that beget’st him that did thee beget; Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus, And found at sea again!

O Helicanus, Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as loud As thunder threatens us: this is Marina. What was thy mother’s name? tell me but that, For truth can never be confirm’d enough, Though doubts did ever sleep.

O Helicanus, strike me, honour’d sir; Give me a gash, put me to present pain;

Lest this great sea of joys rushing upon me O’erbear the shores of my mortality, And drown me with their sweetness.

O, come hither, Thou that beget’st him that did thee beget; Thou that wast born at sea, buried at Tarsus, And found at sea again! O Helicanus, Down on thy knees, thank the holy gods as loud As thunder threatens us: this is Marina.