PERICLES PRINCE OF TYRE
Page: 19

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 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.

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;