SCENE III.
A Hall of State.—A Banquet prepared.
Enter Simonides, Thaisa, Lords, Attendants, and the Knights from tilting.
Sim.
Knights,
To say you are welcome, were superfluous.
To place upon the volume of your deeds3 note,
As in a title-page, your worth in arms,
Were more than you expect, or more than's fit,
Since every worth in shew commends itself.
Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast4 note
:
You are princes, and my guests.
Thai.
But you, my knight and guest;
To whom this wreath of victory I give,
And crown you king of this day's happiness.
Per.
'Tis more by fortune, lady, than by merit.
Sim.
Call it by what you will, the day is yours;
And here, I hope, is none that envies it.
In framing an artist* note
, art hath thus decreed,
To make some good, but others to exceed;
And you're her labour'd scholar. Come, queen o'the feast5 note
,
(For, daughter, so you are,) here take your place:
Marshal the rest, as they deserve their grace.
Knights.
We are honour'd much by good Simonides.
-- 56 --
Sim.
Your presence glads our days; honour we love,
For who hates honour, hates the gods above.
Marsh.
Sir, yonder is your place.
Per.
Some other is more fit.
1 Knight.
Contend not, sir; for we are gentlemen,
That neither in our hearts, nor outward eyes,
Envy the great, nor do the low despise6 note
.
Per.
You are right courteous knights.
Sim.
Sit, sir, sit.
Per.
By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts,
These cates resist me, she not thought upon7 note
.
-- 57 --
Thai.
By Juno, that is queen of marriage,
All viands that I eat do seem unsavoury,
Wishing him my meat8 note
: sure he's a gallant gentleman.
Sim.
He's but a country gentleman; he has
Done no more than other knights have done;
He has broken a staff, or so; so let it pass.
Thai.
To me he seems like diamond to glass.
Per.
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, note
-- 58 --
The which hath fire in darkness, none in light;
Whereby I see that Time's the king of men,
For he's their parent, and he is their grave1 note
,
And gives them what he will, not what they crave.
Sim.
What, are you merry, knights?
1 Knight.
Who can be other in this royal presence?
Sim.
Here, with a cup that's stor'd unto the brim2 note
,
(As you do love, fill to your mistress' lips,)9Q1317
We drink this health to you.
Knights.
We thank your grace.
Sim.
Yet pause a while;
Yon knight, methinks, doth sit too melancholy,
As if the entertainment in our court
Had not a shew might countervail his worth.
Note it not you, Thaisa?
Thai.
What is it
To me, my father?
Sim.
O, attend, my daughter;
Princes, in this, should live like gods above,
-- 59 --
Who freely give to every one that comes
To honour them: and princes, not doing so,
Are like to gnats, which make a sound, but kill'd
Are wonder'd at* note
.9Q1318
Therefore to make his entrance more sweet3 note
,
Here say, we drink this standing bowl of wine to him.
Thai.
Alas, my father, it befits not me
Unto a stranger knight to be so bold;
He may my proffer take for an offence,
Since men take womens' gifts for impudence.
Sim.
How! do as I bid you, or you'll move me else.
Thai.
Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.
[Aside.
Sim.
And further tell him, we desire to know,
Of whence he is, his name and parentage4 note
.
Thai.
The king my father, sir, hath drunk to you.
Per.
I thank him.
-- 60 --
Thai.
Wishing it so much blood unto your life.
Per.
I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely.
Thai.
And further he desires to know of you,
Of whence you are, your name and parentage.
Per.
A gentleman of Tyre—(my name Pericles;
My education has been in arts and arms;)
Who looking for adventures in the world,
Was by the rough seas reft of ships and men,
And, after shipwreck, driv'n upon this shore.
Thai.
He thanks your grace; names himself Pericles,
A gentleman of Tyre, who only by
Misfortune of the sea has been bereft
Of ships and men, and cast upon this shore.
Sim.
Now, by the gods, I pity his misfortune,
And will awake him from his melancholy.
Come, gentlemen, we sit too long on trifles,
And waste the time, which looks for other revels.
Even in your armours, as you are addrest5 note
,
Will very well become a soldier's dance:
I will not have excuse, with saying, this6 note
note
“Which warlike feats doth try,
“For men in armour gestures made,
“And leapt, that so they might
“When need requires, be more prompt
“In publique weale to fight.”
Malone.
-- 61 --
Loud musick is too harsh for ladies' heads;
Since they love men in arms, as well as beds.
[The Knights dance.
So, this was well ask'd; 'twas so well perform'd.
Come, sir; here's a lady that wants breathing too:
And I have often heard, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip;
And that their measures are as excellent.
Per.
In those that practise them, they are, my lord.
Sim.
Oh, that's as much, as you would be deny'd
[The Knights and Ladies dance.
Of your fair courtesy.—Unclasp, unclasp;
Thanks, gentlemen, to all; all have done well,
But you the best. [To Pericles.] Pages and lights, to conduct
These knights unto their several lodgings: Yours, sir,
We have given order to be next our own7 note
.
Per.
I am at your grace's pleasure.
Sim.
Princes, it is too late to talk of love,
For that's the mark I know you level at:
Therefore each one betake him to his rest;
To morrow, all for speeding do their best.
[Exeunt.
Edmond Malone [1780], Supplement to the edition of Shakspeare's plays published in 1778 By Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. In two volumes. Containing additional observations by several of the former commentators: to which are subjoined the genuine poems of the same author, and seven plays that have been ascribed to him; with notes By the editor and others (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10911].
