NOTES TO PERICLES. ACT I. PROLOGUE. 1. The choruses in this play are distinguished from those of Shakespeare by the dumb-shows which accompany them. Another difference is that most of them, as is the case with this prologue, require a scene; whereas Shakespeare's do not. We are to understand that the presenter of the play is a phantom,-the poet Gower's spirit, which has returned to earth from the ashes of the tomb, and is glad for a while to resume a mortal life, provided what follows may bring pleasure. Accordingly, in Gower's last speech before the close of the play (v. 2. 1-4) the hearers are reminded that he will presently be dumb; when he makes a request of them, it is as his last boon before leaving the world. But this idea of a reembodied spirit is not anywhere dwelt on, nor turned to any use in the development of the story. Our Presenter in this play is as much without individuality as his fellows elsewhere, who are either nameless, as the Chorus in Romeo and Juliet or Henry V., or are only abstractions, like Time in the Winter's Tale, and Rumour at the opening of II. Henry IV. 2. Lines 1, 2: To sing a song that old was SUNG, From ashes ancient Gower is COME. The false rhyme in this couplet is remarkable, and seems beyond hope of amendment. Steevens proposed sprung instead of come, but the idea of the phoenix, which this would suggest, is out of place. The author of these choruses of Gower's has in several places treated words ending in m and n as rhyming together; as in home and drone, soon and doom, run and dumb. We may hence conclude that the rhyme of sung with come was satisfactory to the writer. In several places, indeed, he seems to have been satisfied with the mere assonance of vowels, as in labour and father (i. 1. 66, 67). These imperfect rhymes mostly occur in Gower's choruses, and some have thought them to be intentional, and meant, like the archaisms in the same choruses, to give an air of antiquity to the lines. 3. Line 6: On EMBER-EVES and HOLY-ALES.-The embereves are the eves preceding the ember-days, or days of fasting and humiliation. The Quartos and Folios give holidays, variously spelt, in place of holy-ales, which was suggested by Farmer in order to save the rhyme. The word ale was formerly used to denote a festival. See Two Gentlemen of Verona, note 56. Holy-ale doubtless means the same as Church-ale, or wake. 4 Line 9: The PURCHASE is to make men glorious.Purchase was used formerly in a wider sense than that of acquisition by means of money. Compare i. 2. 72: I sought the purchase of a glorious beauty, And see I. Henry IV. iii. 3. 45, and note 107 on that play. The line means: The use and advantage of this story is to show what men can be and do; i.e. this is a romance of chivalry. 5. Line 11: THESE latter times.-Q. 1. reads those. This ANTIOCH, then; Antiochus the Great I tell you what mine authors say. The common punctuation of lines 17, 18 is as follows: This Antioch, then, Antiochus the great the words this city being taken as pleonastic. But the arrangement given in the text makes the sentence much more direct. The statement is taken from Twine, Patterne of Painefull Aduentures, ch. i, who says, "the most famous and mightie king Antiochus builded the goodly citie of Antiochia in Syria, and called it after his own name, as the chiefest seat of all his dominions" (Hazlitt, Shakespeare's Library, pt. I. vol. iv.1 p. 253). Antioch, in Syria, was founded B. C. 300 by Seleucus. It was the chief of the cities enlarged by Antiochus Soter (B. C. 280-261). Antiochus the Great (B. C. 223-187) is said to have added to it, and it was again enlarged and beautified by his son Antiochus Epiphanes. In reputation and wealth it was inferior only to Rome and Alexandria, until Constantinople arose to overshadow it. It is now Antakich, in the province of Aleppo. 8. Line 21: This king unto him took a FERE-SO Malone, Qq. and F. 3, F. 4 read peere or peer, which was very likely a misprint for pheere. It would, however, be possible to interpret peer as meaning a consort of rank suitable to his greatness. Fere is the Anglo-Saxon geféra, companion: it translates the word sociam of the Latin vulgate in Genesis iii. 12: "That wif that thú mé forgeáfe to geferan." This is the usual meaning of fere, but it is occasionally found with the sense of "wife." See also Titus Andronicus, iv. i. 89, 90, and note 101 thereon. 9. Line 23: buxom, blithe, and full of face.-Compare 1 All the references to Twine are to the reprint in this volume. But CUSTOM what they did begin Q. 1, Q. 2, Q. 3 here read account'd, the other Qq. and F. 3, F. 4 accounted. Malone made the correction. Wilkins, in his Novel, chap. i., says: "they long continued in these foule and uniust imbracements, till at last, the custome of sinne made it accompted no sinne" (p. 14). Custom seems, as indicated in the foot-note, to be used adverbially. Perhaps we ought to read: But custom what they did begin Compare, inter alia, Wilkins, The Miseries of Inforst Who once doth cherish sin, begets his shame; So for her MANY A WIGHT did die, So F. 3, F 4. Qq. have many of wight, which was perhaps intended to mean many of valour or of nobility or worth. Wight as an adjective commonly means quick, active, valiant; and there was a substantive wightness, which denoted agility or strength. But nothing is known of an abstract substantive wight having the sense of bravery or boldness. The grim looks are those of the heads of slain suitors, which are supposed to be seen impaled on the gate or wall of the palace. Gower, in narrating this part of the story, says: And thus there were many deed, -Pauli's edn. iii. 287. and Twine states that the heads of the suitors were "set up at the gate, to terrifle others that should come, who beholding there the present image of death, might advise them from assaying any such danger" (Hazlitt, p. 255). the old texts; weightier questions of reading being taken by themselves. Line 73, Qq. and F. 3, F. 4 read gives; the text is Malone's. Line 127, Qq. read you for you 're. Lines 151, 152, Q. 1, Q. 2, Q. 3 transfer Thaliard to follow chamber. 14. Line 6: Ant. Bring in our daughter.-Qq. and F. 3, F. 4 read, "Ant. Musicke bring in our daughter." Malone saw that music must be a stage-direction which had crept into the text. It remained, however, for Dyce to point out that this "Music" was intended to accompany the entrance, five lines lower, of the Daughter of Antiochus; and he conceives that it was set down thus early in the prompter's book, that the musicians might be in readiness. See Midsummer Night's Dream, note 229. If the compiler of the text of this play had access to the theatrecopy it must have been by stealth. 15. Line 7: For THE embracements even of Jove himself. -The Qq. and F. 3, F. 4 omit the, which was inserted by Malone. Some such reading as Meet for embracements would perhaps better suit the context. 16. Lines 8-11: At WHOSE conception, till LUCINA reign'd, Whose refers, of course, to daughter in line 6. Lucina, the goddess who brings to light, was regarded as presiding over childbirth. Compare iii. 1. 10, infra, and Cymbeline, v. 4. 43. The meaning of these four lines is that at the princess's conception and until her birth, in order to make her presence welcome in every place, all the planets held session for the purpose of combining in her those good qualities over which they preside: and this endowment was the gift of Nature (by whom the planets are controlled). Steevens quotes Sidney, Arcadia, book ii.: "For what fortune only soothsayers foretold of Musidorus, that all men might see prognosticated in Pyrocles; both Heauens and Earth giuing tokes of the comming forth of an Heroicall vertue. The senate house of the planets was at no time so set, for the decreeing of perfectio in a man, as at that time all folkes skilful therin did acknowledge" (edn. 1598, p. 123). Other instances might be added. 17. Lines 12-14: apparell'd like the spring, Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the KING OF EVERY VIRTUE gives renown to men! Steevens believed this passage to be corrupt; but it is no more than a repetition of the idea in graces her subjects. "Outwardly," Pericles says, "she holds all graces in her control, and inwardly she rules or possesses all virtues that ennoble mankind." On the omission of the relative after virtue see note 10. 18. Lines 15-18: Her face the book of praises, where is read Compare Sidney, Arcadia, book iii.: "a demeanure, where in the booke of Beautie there was nothing to be read but Sorrow: for Kindnesse was blotted out, and Anger was neuer there" (edn. 1605, p. 244). 19. Lines 27-29: Before thee stands this fair HESPERIDES, With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd, For death-like dragons here affright thee hard. We may compare Milton, Comus, 393-396. The ancients believed that in gardens on a far-off island there grew a tree bearing golden apples, tended by singing maidens called the Hesperides, and guarded by the sleepless dragon Ladon. The name Hesperides occasionally means the islands where the gardens were believed to be. In Love's Labour's Lost, iv. 3. 341, the word denotes the gardens, while in the present passage the tree is meant. Pericles has already spoken of the princess under the same figure in line 21. Mr. Daniel proposes to read in line 29: For death, like dragons, here affrights thee hard. The sense would certainly be improved by this reading. 20. Lines 32, 33: And which, without desert, because thine eye Presumes to reach, all THY whole heap must die. Thy is Malone's correction. Qq., F. 3, F. 4 have the. All thy whole heap is a clumsy periphrasis which may perhaps mean "you with all your greatness." 21. Lines 34-40.-See note 12. Wilkins's Novel says: "Antiochus then first beganne to persuade him from the enterprise, and to discourage him from his proceedings, by shewing him the frightfull heads of the former Princes, placed upon his Castle wall, and like to whome he must expect himselfe to be, if like them (as it was most like) hee failed in his attempt" (p. 16). The words Yon sometimes famous princes might be supposed to signify that impaled heads were actually seen by the audience. Compare i. Prol. 40, supra. But yon field of stars (line 37) can hardly denote any visible representation of the sky. The scene passes within Antiochus' palace; and impaled heads and sky must alike be supposed outside the scene. 22. Line 40: FOR going on death's net, whom none resist. -For this pregnant use of for compare II. Henry VI. note 231. Malone altered for to from, with some plausi. bility. 23. Lines 47-49: as sick men do, Who know the world, see heaven, but, feeling woe, No better explanation of this obscurely-expressed passage has been given than the following, by Malone: “I will act as sick men do; who, having had experience of the pleasures of the world, and only a visionary and distant prospect of heaven, have neglected the latter for the former; but at length feeling themselves decaying, grasp no longer at temporal pleasures, but prepare calmly for futurity." 24. Lines 55-58: I wait the sharpest blow. Ant. Scorning advice: [giving Pericles a paper] read the CONCLUSION, then: Which read and not expounded, 't is decreed, As these before thee, thou thyself shalt bleed. Conclusion means problem, in which sense Gower has it. Qq. read (substantially) as follows: F. 3 has I wayte the sharpest blow (Antiochus) It is noteworthy that in F. 3 the abbreviated name "Ant.," prefixed to the third of these lines, ranges with the lines preceding as though the speech continued. It was probably inserted only by an afterthought. In F. 4 the line is inset, as is usual when a new speech begins. According to Wilkins's Novel: "Pericles . . . replyed, That he was come now to meete Death willingly, if so were his misfortune, or to be made euer fortunate, by enioying so glorious a beauty as was inthrond in his princely daughter, and was there now placed before him: which the tyrant receiving with an angry brow, threw downe the Riddle, bidding him, since perswasions could not alter him, to reade and die" (p. 16). This bears out the arrangement adopted in the text, which was first proposed by Malone. 25. Line 59: Of all SAY'D yet, mayst thou prove prosperous!-Say'd is an abbreviation of essayed (or assayed), and, as indicated in the foot-note, has the sense of tried or attempted. Shakespeare does not use this verb, though the substantive say, meaning taste or "smack," occurs in King Lear, v. 3. 143. The word may have been suggested by the words of Gower: The remenant that weren wise Escheweden to make assay; -See Pauli, iii. p. 287. and, a little afterwards, speaking of Pericles, Gower says (p. 288): He thoughte assaye how that it ferde. The verb say, in the sense of attempting or trying, is more than once used by Ben Jonson. Mason proposed to read, In all, save that, may'st thou prove prosperous! He observes: "She cannot wish him more prosperous, with respect to the exposition of the riddle, than the other persons who had attempted it before; for as the necessary consequence of his expounding it would be the publication of her own shame, we cannot suppose that she should wish him to succeed in that." But these judicious considerations never presented themselves to the author of this part of the play. Pericles, as he depicted him, must subdue all hearts. Wilkins in his Novel gives the princess's sentiments thus: "All the time that the Prince was studying with what trueth to vnfolde this dark Enigma, Desire flew in a robe of glowing blushes into her cheekes, and Loue inforced her to deliuer thus much from hir owne tongue, that he was sole soueraigne of all her wishes, and he the gentleman (of all her eies had ever yet behelde) to whome shee wished a thriuing happiness" (pp. 16, 17). 26. Lines 62, 63: Nor ask advice of any other thought But faithfulness and courage. This, as Steevens pointed out, is borrowed from Sidney, Arcadia, bk. iii: "Ismenus ... sawe his maisters horse killed vnder him. Whereupon, asking aduise of no other thought but of faithfulnesse and courage, hee presently lighted from his owne horse" (p. 257, ed. 1613; the preceding editions read "asking no aduise of no thought"). 27. Lines 64-69.-The riddle is thus given by Gower: With felony I am upbore, I ete, and have it not forbore, My modres fleissh, whos husebonde, -See Pauli's edn. vol. iii. p. 289. In the old Latin Historia Apollonii Regis Tyri, it stands thus: "Scelere vehor, maternam carnem vescor, quaero fratrem meum, meae matris filium, uxoris meae virum, nec invenis." Twine translates, with some difference: "I am carried with mischiefe, I eate my mothers fleshe: I seeke my brother my mothers husband and I can not finde him." The belief that young vipers fed on their mother's flesh was once wide-spread. Professor Boyle has cited Wilkins, Miseries of Enforced Marriage: He is more degenerate Than greedy vipers that devour their mother. -Dodsley, ix. 522. The application is made clear in lines 130, 131. The doctrine that husband and wife are one flesh explains how the figure of the viper's brood is applied to an incestuous daughter. 28. Lines 71, 72: As you will live, resolve it you." According to Gower, the king repeated the riddle to the prince, and then went on to say: Heerof I am inquisitif, And who that can my tale save,2 -See Pauli, iii. p. 289. The substance of this is contained in lines 70, 71. This final requirement of a correct solution as the price of his life Pericles calls sharp physic; i.e. a bitter potion. The same figure is used with more propriety in the next scene, lines 68, 69. 29. Lines 76, 77: Fair GLASS OF LIGHT, I lov'd you, and could still, The words glass of light perhaps mean mirror of brilliance or shining beauty. Schmidt interprets them, doubtfully, as "reflection, image of light." Mr. Tyler suggests that, having regard to the words glorious casket, the idea may be that of a resplendent and dazzling glass vase. Malone has here a stage-direction that Pericles takes hold of the hand of the princess. 30. Line 81: You're a fair viol, and your SENSE the strings.-Sense, here, apparently means passion or fleshly appetite, which should in mortals be controlled by reaFor this use of sense compare v. 3. 30, and Measure |