Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

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.

35

40

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,
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,

45

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;

50

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. 55

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

ai.

n.

To me, my father?

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,

60

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.

hai. 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.
m. How!

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

65

70

hai. [Aside.] Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.

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

Of whence he is, his name, and parentage.

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

59-62. Who .

at.] Divided as by Dyce; three lines, ending them: . . . nats at. in Qq, Ff 3, 4. 69, 70. Howl... else.] As in Steevens; me line in Qq, Ff 3, 4.

...

61, 62. And princes at] and inces that show no princely virtues e like to noisy gnats; they make great fuss, but when they are o more, every one wonders at the tention which was paid to their pings.

63. entrance] a trisyllable. Dyce dopts Walker's conjecture, entertain,

and entrance is certainly suspicious. Compare line 54 above.

64. standing-bowl] a bowl with a foot or pedestal. Compare Heywood, The Silver Age, ii. 1 (stage-direction): "They present him with a standingbowl"; The Iron Age, i. 1 :

"Fill me a standing-bowl of Greekish wine",

Per. I thank him.

Thai. Wishing it so much blood unto your life.

75

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.

80

Thai. He thanks your grace; names himself Pericles, 85 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

90

95

86, 87. A gentleman... seas] Divided as by Collier; one line in Qq, Ff3, 4.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

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.

. In those that practise them they are, my lord. 2. O! that's as much as you would be denied

Of your fair courtesy.

1ΟΟ

105

[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. IIO

. I am at your grace's pleasure.

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

9, 110. Yours,... own.] Divided as by Malone; one line in Qq, Ff 3, 4.

[blocks in formation]

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.

115

[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 they had in store,
Due to this heinous capital offence,

5

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

Of an inestimable value, his daughter with him, A fire from heaven came and shrivell'd up Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk, 10 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.

15

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

up]

3-6. For ... glory,] Arranged as by Malone. 7-9. When Arranged as by Dyce. 13-15. And... reward.] Divided as by Malone; the lines end great, shaft, reward. in Qq, Ff 3, 4. 115. for speeding] to ensure success.

Scene IV.

...

3. minding] being of the mind, proposing.

8. his] I have struck out and before this word as making the metre rougher even than it need be, and as being unnecessary to the sense.

13. justice] Steevens reads "just". 15. his] its.

« ZurückWeiter »