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Has broken a staff or so; so let it pass.

       THAISA.

       To me he seems like diamond to glass.

       PERICLES.

       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 glowworm 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.

       SIMONIDES.

       What, are you merry, knights?

       KNIGHTS.

       Who can be other in this royal presence?

       SIMONIDES.

       Here, with a cup that’s stored unto the brim, —

       As you do love, fill to your mistress’ lips, —

       We drink this health to you.

       KNIGHTS.

       We thank your grace.

       SIMONIDES.

       Yet pause awhile:

       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?

       THAISA.

       What is it

       To me, my father?

       SIMONIDES.

       O attend, my daughter:

       Princes in this should live like god’s 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 entrance more sweet,

       Here, say we drink this standing-bowl of wine to him.

       THAISA.

       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.

       SIMONIDES.

       How!

       Do as I bid you, or you’ll move me else.

       THAISA. [Aside]

       Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.

       SIMONIDES.

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

       Of whence he is, his name and parentage.

       THAISA.

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

       PERICLES.

       I thank him.

       THAISA.

       Wishing it so much blood unto your life.

       PERICLES.

       I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely.

       THAISA.

       And further he desires to know of you,

       Of whence you are, your name and parentage.

       PERICLES.

       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.

       THAISA.

       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.

       SIMONIDES.

       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 which wants breathing too:

       And I have heard you nights of Tyre

       Are excellent in making ladies trip;

       And that their measures are as exceltent.

       PERICLES.

       In those that practise them they are, my lord.

       SIMONIDES.

       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 you the best. Pages and lights to conduct

       These knights unto their several lodging.

       [To Pericles.]

       Yours, sir,

       We have given order to be next our own.

       PERICLES.

       I am at your grace’s pleasure.

       SIMONIDES.

       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;

       Tomorrow all for speeding do their best.

       [Exeunt.]

       SCENE IV. Tyre. A room in the Govenor’s house.

       [Enter Helicanus and Escanes.]

       HELICANUS.

       No, Escanes, know this of me,

       Antiochus from incest lived 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,

       A fire from heavn came and shrivell’d up

       Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk,

       That all those eyes adored them ere their fall

      

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