Pericles, Prince of Tyre, Act 1 Scene 3 runs 40 lines of dialogue, spoken by 2 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 110 lines. This scene is part of Act 1 of Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
Full Dialogue
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 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! Hush! here come the lords of Tyre.
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 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! Hush! here come the lords of Tyre.
Helicanus ♂
You shall not need, my fellow peers of Tyre,
Further to question me of your king's departure:
His seal'd commission, left in trust with me,
Doth speak sufficiently he's gone to travel.
Further to question me of your king's departure:
His seal'd commission, left in trust with me,
Doth speak sufficiently he's gone to travel.
Thaliard ♂
[Aside] How! the king gone!
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–
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?
Helicanus ♂
Royal Antiochus–on what cause I know not–
Took some displeasure at him; at least he judged so:
And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd,
To show his sorrow, he'ld correct himself;
So puts himself unto the shipman's toil,
With whom each minute threatens life or death.
Took some displeasure at him; at least he judged so:
And doubting lest that he had err'd or sinn'd,
To show his sorrow, he'ld correct himself;
So puts himself unto the shipman's toil,
With whom each minute threatens life or death.
Thaliard ♂
[Aside] Well, I perceive
I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;
But since he's gone, the king's seas must please:
He 'scaped the land, to perish at the sea.
I'll present myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre!
I shall not be hang'd now, although I would;
But since he's gone, the king's seas must please:
He 'scaped the land, to perish at the sea.
I'll present myself. Peace to the lords of Tyre!
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,
My message must return from whence it came.
With message unto princely Pericles;
But since my landing I have understood
Your lord has betook himself to unknown travels,
My 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.
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 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Thaliard | 21 | 52.5% |
| Helicanus | 19 | 47.5% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 21 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 20 lines.
Total speakers on stage
2 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 1
This is Scene 3 of 4 in Act 1 of Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
Scene length vs. play average
At 40 lines, this scene is shorter than the Pericles, Prince of Tyre average scene in Pericles, Prince of Tyre (~110 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 1 Scene 2 · Next: Act 1 Scene 4