Thai. A burning torch that's turned upside down;
The word, 'Quod me alit, me extinguit.'

Sim. Which shows that beauty hath his power and will,
Which can as well inflame as it can kill.

[The Fifth Knight passes.

Thai. The fifth, an hand environed with clouds,

Holding out gold that's by the touchstone tried;
The motto thus, 'Sic spectanda fides.'

Sim. And what's

[The Sixth Knight, Pericles, passes.

The sixth and last, the which the knight himself 40
With such a graceful courtesy deliver'd?

Thai. He seems to be a stranger; but his present is
A wither'd branch, that's only green at top;
The motto, ' In hac spe vivo.'

Sim. A pretty moral;

From the dejected state wherein he is,

He hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish.

First Lord. He had need mean better than his outward

show

Can any way speak in his just commend;

For by his rusty outside he appears

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To have practised more the whipstock than the lance.

Sec. Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes
To an honour'd triumph strangely furnished.
Third Lord. And on set purpose let his armour rust

Until this day, to scour it in the dust.
Sim. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan
The outward habit by the inward man.

But stay, the knights are coming: we will withdraw
Into the gallery.

[Exeunt.

[Great shouts within, and all cry 'The mean knight!'

Scene III.

The same. A hall of state : a banquet prepared.

Enter Simonides, Thaisa, Lords, Knights, and Attendants.

Sim. Knights,

To say you're welcome were superfluous.
To place upon the volume of your deeds,
As in a title-page, your worth in arms,

Were more than you expect, or more than's fit,
Since every worth in show commends itself.
Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast :

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 my 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, art hath thus decreed,
To make some good, but others to exceed;

And you are her labour'd scholar. Come, queen o'

the feast,

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.
Sim. Your presence glads our days: honour we love ;
For who hates honour hates the gods above.

Marshal. Sir, yonder is your place.

Per.

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Some other is more fit.

First Knight. Contend not, sir; for we are gentlemen
That neither in our hearts nor outward eyes
Envy the great nor do the low despise.

Per. You are right courteous knights.
Sim.

Sit, sir, sit.

[Aside] By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates resist me, he not thought upon.

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Thai. [Aside] By Juno, that is queen of marriage,
All viands that I eat do seem unsavoury,
Wishing him my meat.-Sure he's a gallant gentle-

man.

Sim. He's but a country gentleman;

Has done no more than other knights have done;
Has broken a staff or so; so let it pass.

Thai. [Aside] To me he seems like diamond to glass.
Per. [Aside] 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;

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None but 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,
The which hath fire in darkness, none in light :
Whereby I see that Time 's the king of men;
He's both their parent, and he is their grave,

And gives them what he will, not what they crave.

Sim. What, are you merry, knights?
Knights. Who can be other in this royal presence ?
Sim. Here, with a cup that's stored unto the brim, - 50
As you do love, fill to your mistress' lips,-

We drink this health to you.

Knights.

Sim. Yet pause awhile:

We thank your grace.

Yon knight doth sit too melancholy,

As if the entertainment in our court

Had not a show 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,

Who freely give to every one that comes

To honour them:

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And princes not doing so are like to gnats,
Which make a sound, but kill'd are wonder'd at.
Therefore to make his entrance more sweet,

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 women's gifts for impudence.

Sim. How!

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Do as I bid you, or you'll move me else. Thai. [Aside.] Now, by the gods, he could not please me

better.

Sim. And furthermore tell him, we desire to know of him,

Of whence he is, his name and parentage.

Thai. The king my father, sir, has drunk to you.

Per. I thank him.

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 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 driven upon this shore.

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Thai. He thanks your grace; names himself Pericles,
A gentleman of Tyre,

Who only by misfortune of the seas
Bereft of ships and men, cast on 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 address'd,
Will very well become a soldier's dance.
I will not have excuse, with saying this
Loud music is too harsh for ladies' heads,
Since they love men in arms as well as beds.

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[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 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. O, that's as much as you would be denied

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Of your fair courtesy. (The Knights and Ladies dance.

Unclasp, unclasp:

Thanks, gentlemen, to all; all have done well,

[To Pericles] But you the best. Pages and lights, to

conduct

These knights unto their several lodgings! Yours,

sir,

We have given order to be next our own.

Per. I am at your grace's pleasure.

Sim. Princes, it is too late to talk of love,