Per. You are right courteous knights.
Sim.

By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts,
These cates resist me, he not thought upon.
Thai. By Juno, that is queen
Of marriage, all viands that I eat
Do seem unsavoury, wishing him my meat.
Sure, he's a gallant gentleman.

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. 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 glow-worm in the night,
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 grave,
And gives them what he will, not what they crave.
Sim. What, are you merry, knights?

First Knight. Who can be other in this royal presence?
Sim. Here, with a cup that's stor'd unto the brim,

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.

To me, my father?

Sim.

What is it

O, attend, my daughter:

Princes, in this, should live like gods above,
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.
Therefore to make his entertain 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!

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.

you,

Per. I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely. Thai. And further he desires to know of 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.

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.

[The Knights dance.

So, this was well ask'd, 'twas so well perform'd.
Come, sir;

Here is 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
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've 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;
And 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.

SCENE IV. Tyre. A room in the Governor's house.

Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES.

Hel. No, Escanes; know this of me, Antiochus from incest liv'd not free:

For which, the most high gods not minding longer
To withhold the vengeance that they had in store,
Due to this heinous capital offence,

Even in the height and pride of all his glory,
When he was seated in a chariot

Of an inestimable value, and his daughter with him,

and shrivell'd up

A fire from heaven came,
Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk,
That all those eyes ador'd them ere their fall
Scorn now their hand should give them burial.
Esca. 'Twas very strange.

Hel. And yet but justice; for though This king were great, his greatness was no guard To bar heaven's shaft, but sin had his reward. Esca. "Tis very true.

Enter two or three Lords.

First Lord. See, not a man in private conference Or council has respect with him but he.

Sec. Lord. It shall no longer grieve without reproof. Third Lord. And curs'd be he that will not second it. First Lord. Follow me, then. - Lord Helicane, a word. Hel. With me? and welcome: happy day, my lords. First Lord. Know that our griefs are risen to the top, And now at length they overflow their banks.

Hel. Your griefs! for what? wrong not the prince you love.

First Lord. Wrong not yourself, then, noble Helicane; But if the prince do live, let us salute him,

Or know what ground's made happy by his breath.

If in the world he live, we'll seek him out;

If in his grave he rest, we'll find him there;
And be resolv'd he lives to govern us,

Or dead, gives cause to mourn his funeral,
And leaves us to our free election.

Sec. Lord. Whose death's indeed the strongest in our

censure:

And knowing this kingdom, if without a head,

Like goodly buildings left without a roof,

Will soon to ruin fall, your noble self,

That best know'st how to rule and how to reign,
We thus submit unto, our sovereign.

All. Live, noble Helicane!

Hel. For honour's cause, forbear your suffrages:
If that you love Prince Pericles, forbear.
Take I your wish, I leap into the seas,
Where's hourly trouble for a minute's ease.
A twelvemonth longer, let me entreat you
To forbear the absence of your king;
If in which time expir'd, he not return,
I shall with aged patience bear your yoke.
But if I cannot win you to this love,

Go search like nobles, like noble subjects,
And in your search spend your adventurous worth;
Whom if you find, and win unto return,

You shall like diamonds sit about his crown.

First Lord. To wisdom he's a fool that will not yield;

And since Lord Helicane enjoineth us,

We with our travels will endeavour it.

Hel. Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp hands: When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands.

SCENE V. Pentapolis. A room in the palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter SIMONIDES, reading a letter: the Knights meet him. First Knight. Good morrow to the good Simonides. Sim. Knights, from my daughter this I let you know, That for this twelvemonth she'll not undertake

A married life.

Her reason to herself is only known,

Which yet from her by no means can I get.

Sec. Knight. May we not get access to her, my lord? Sim. Faith, by no means; she hath so strictly tied her

To her chamber, that it is impossible.

One twelve moons more she'll wear Diana's livery;
This by the eye of Cynthia hath she vow'd,

And on her virgin honour will not break it.

Third Knight. Loth to bid farewell, we take our leaves.

Sim. So,

[Exeunt Knights.