Act II, Scene 2

The same. A public way or platform leading to the

lists. A pavilion by the side of it for the [p]reception of King, Princess, Lords, &c.

[Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, and Attendants]

• Simonides. Are the knights ready to begin the triumph?

• First Lord. They are, my liege; 750
  And stay your coming to present themselves.

• Simonides. Return them, we are ready; and our daughter,
  In honour of whose birth these triumphs are,
  Sits here, like beauty's child, whom nature gat
  For men to see, and seeing wonder at. 755

[Exit a Lord]

• Thaisa. It pleaseth you, my royal father, to express
  My commendations great, whose merit's less.

• Simonides. It's fit it should be so; for princes are
  A model which heaven makes like to itself: 760
  As jewels lose their glory if neglected,
  So princes their renowns if not respected.
  'Tis now your honour, daughter, to explain
  The labour of each knight in his device.

• Thaisa. Which, to preserve mine honour, I'll perform. 765
  [Enter a Knight; he passes over, and his Squire]
  presents his shield to the Princess]

• Simonides. Who is the first that doth prefer himself?

• Thaisa. A knight of Sparta, my renowned father;
  And the device he bears upon his shield 770
  Is a black Ethiope reaching at the sun
  The word, 'Lux tua vita mihi.'

• Simonides. He loves you well that holds his life of you.
  [The Second Knight passes over]
  Who is the second that presents himself? 775

• Thaisa. 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 por dulzura que por fuerza.'

[The Third Knight passes over]

• Simonides. And what's the third?

• Thaisa. The third of Antioch;
  And his device, a wreath of chivalry;
  The word, 'Me pompae provexit apex.'

[The Fourth Knight passes over]

• Simonides. What is the fourth?

• Thaisa. A burning torch that's turned upside down;
  The word, 'Quod me alit, me extinguit.'

• Simonides. Which shows that beauty hath his power and will,
  Which can as well inflame as it can kill. 790

[The Fifth Knight passes over]

• Thaisa. 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, PERICLES, passes over]

• Simonides. And what's
  The sixth and last, the which the knight himself
  With such a graceful courtesy deliver'd?

• Thaisa. He seems to be a stranger; but his present is
  A wither'd branch, that's only green at top; 800
  The motto, 'In hac spe vivo.'

• Simonides. A pretty moral;
  From the dejected state wherein he is,
  He hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish.

• First Lord. He had need mean better than his outward show 805
  Can any way speak in his just commend;
  For by his rusty outside he appears
  To have practised more the whipstock than the lance.

• Second Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes
  To an honour'd triumph strangely furnished. 810

• Third Lord. And on set purpose let his armour rust
  Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

• Simonides. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan
  The outward habit by the inward man.
  But stay, the knights are coming: we will withdraw 815
  Into the gallery.

[Exeunt]

[Great shouts within and all cry 'The mean knight!']