A model, which heaven makes like to itself: Thai. Which, to preserve mine honour, I'll perform. Enter a Knight; he passes over the Stage, and his Squire presents his Shield to the Princess. Sim. Who is the first that doth prefer himself? Is a black Æthiop, reaching at the sun; Sim. He loves you well, that holds his life of you. [The second Knight passes. Who is the second, that presents himself? Thai. A prince of Macedon, my royal father; And the device he bears upon his shield Is an arm'd knight, that's conquer'd by a lady: The motto thus, in Spanish, Piu per dulçura que per fuerça. Sim. And what's the third? [The third Knight passes. The third of Antioch; And his device, a wreath of chivalry: Sim. What is the fourth? [The fourth Knight passes. Thai. A burning torch, that's turned upside down ; The word, Quod me alit, me extinguit. 5 The word, Lux tua vita mihi.] What we now call the motto, was sometimes termed the word or mot by our old writers. Le mot, French. 6 Piu per dulçura que per fuerça.] That is, more by sweetness than by force. The author should have written Mas per dulçura, &c. Piu in Italian, signifies more; but, I believe, there is no such Spanish word. MALONE. 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. [The sixth Knight passes. Sim. And what's the sixth and last, which the knight himself With such a graceful courtesy deliver❜d? Thai. He seems 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. 1 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 To have practis'd more the whipstock7, than the lance. 2 Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes To an honour'd triumph, strangely furnished. 3 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 But stay, the knights are coming; we'll withdraw [Exeunt. [Great shouts, and all cry, The mean knight. +"He seems to be a stranger; but his present 7 Is a wither'd branch, that's only green at top;❞— MALONE. the whipstock,] i. e. the carter's whip. * The outward habit by the inward man.] i. e. that makes us scan the inward man by the outward habit. This kind of inversion was formerly very common. SCENE III. The same. A Hall of State. A Banquet prepared. Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, Knights, and Attendants. Sim. Knights, To say you are 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, 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 artists, art hath thus decreed, To make some good, but others to exceed; And you're 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. Marsh. Sir, yond's 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 despise. Sit, sit, sir; sit. "You are princes and my guests." MALONE. Per. By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates resist me, she not thought upon.9 Thai. By Juno, that is queen Of marriage, all the viands that I eat Do seem unsavoury, wishing him my meat! Sim. A country gentleman; He's but He has done no more than other knights have done; 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 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, 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? 1 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 a while; We thank your grace. Yon knight, methinks, 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? What is it 9 These cates resist me, she not thought upon.] i. e. go against my stomach. Mr. Steevens would read, however,― be not thought upon. Sim. Therefore to make's entrance more sweet, here say, Thai. Alas, my father, it befits not me Do as I bid you, or you'll move me else. Thai. Now, by the gods, he could not please me better. Sim. And further tell him, we desire to know, Of whence he is, his name and parentage. [Aside. 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 being in arts and arms ;) Who looking for adventures in the world, 1 and princes, not doing so, Are like to gnats, which make a sound, but kill'd Are wonder'd at.] i. e. when they are found to be such small insignificant animals, after making so great a noise. ? Therefore to make's entrance —] By his entrance, I believe, is meant his present trance, the reverie in which he is supposed to be sitting. STEEVENS. But Mr. Malone arranges the words thus: "Therefore to make his entrance more sweet, Here say we drink this standing-bowl of wine to him." 3—this standing-bowl of wine to him.] A standing-bowl was a bowl resting on a foot. |