Enter Thaliard alone. 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 5
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. Husht! Here
comes the lords of Tyre. He steps aside. 10 | Sure enough, Thaliard shows up in Tyre looking to snuff out Pericles. |
Enter Helicanus and Escanes, with other Lords. HELICANUS
You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre,
Further to question me of your king’s departure.
His sealed commission left in trust with me
Does speak sufficiently he’s gone to travel. THALIARD, aside How? The King gone? 15 HELICANUS
If further yet you will be satisfied
Why, as it were, unlicensed of your loves
He would depart, I’ll give some light unto you.
Being at Antioch— THALIARD, aside What from Antioch? 20 HELICANUS
Royal Antiochus, on what cause I know not,
Took some displeasure at him—at least he judged so;
And doubting lest he had erred or sinned,
To show his sorrow, he’d correct himself;
So puts himself unto the shipman’s toil, 25
With whom each minute threatens life or death. THALIARD, aside Well, I perceive I shall not be hanged
now, although I would; but since he’s gone, the
King’s ears it must please. He ’scaped the land to
perish at the sea. I’ll present myself.—Peace to the 30
lords of Tyre! | Thaliard overhears a bunch of lords talking about the little vacation Pericles just decided to take and decides that he should just head back home to Antiochus and say that Pericles died at sea in a nasty storm. |
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. 35
Now 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. 40 They exit. | Before he leaves, Thaliard chats up Pericles's lords, and they invite him to stay and party like a rock star for the night. |