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Pericles · Chapter

Scene IV: The Relief of Tarsus explained

Cleon and Dionyza lament the famine that has devastated Tarsus, once a prosperous city.

What happens

Cleon and Dionyza lament the famine that has devastated Tarsus, once a prosperous city. Pericles arrives with ships carrying corn to relieve their hunger, offering aid rather than conquest. Cleon welcomes him, and Pericles accepts their hospitality.

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

SetupAftermathClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point
  • Aftermath
  • Closing

This scene is the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional and psychological peak of Thaisa’s despair…

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Themes in this chapter

  • Fortune and Divine Justice

    Cleon describes how Tarsus fell from plenty to famine, attributing the change to heaven's power, while Pericles' arrival offers a turn of fortune.

  • Kingship and Governance

    Cleon's leadership is tested by crisis; Pericles demonstrates wise and compassionate governance by aiding a neighboring city.

Characters to notice

  • Cleon

    Governor of Tarsus, despairing over the city's famine and initially suspicious of the arriving ships.

  • Dionyza

    Cleon's wife, who shares his grief and confirms the severity of the famine.

  • Pericles

    Arrives with ships bearing corn to relieve Tarsus, offering help and friendship.

Key passages

  • “Who makes the fairest show means most deceit.”

    Those who appear most friendly are often the most deceptive.

    Cleon expresses suspicion of the approaching ships, fearing a trick.

  • “Our ships, you happily may think / Are like the Trojan horse ... / Are stored with corn to make your needy bread.”

    You might fear our ships are like the Trojan horse, but they are actually filled with grain to feed you.

    Pericles reassures Cleon that his intentions are peaceful and charitable.

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