SIM.

O, attend, my daughter; Princes, in this, fhould live like gods above, Who freely give to every one that comes To honour them: and princes, not doing fo, Are like to gnats, which make a found, but kill'd Are wonder'd at.9

Therefore to make's entrance more sweet, here fay,' We drink this standing-bowl of wine to him.2 THAI. Alas, my father, it befits not me

and princes, not doing fo,

Are like to gnats, which make a found, but kill'd

Are wonder'd at.] i. e. when they are found to be fuch fmall infignificant animals, after making fo great a noise.

PERCY.

The sense appears to be this.-When kings, like insects, lie dead before us, our admiration is excited by contemplating how in both inftances the powers of creating bustle were fuperior to those which either object should seem to have promised. The worthless monarch, and the idle gnat, have only lived to make an empty blufter; and when both alike are dead, we wonder how it happened that they made fo much, or that we permitted them to make it :-a natural reflection on the death of an unferviceable prince, who having difpenfed no bleflings, can hope for no better character.

I cannot, however, help thinking that this paffage is both cor rupted and difarranged, having been originally defigned for one of those rhyming couplets with which the play abounds:

"And princes, not doing fo, are like the gnat,

"Which makes a found, but kill'd is wonder'd at."

STEEVENS. Therefore to make's entrance more fweet, here fay,] Old

copy

Therefore to make his entrance more sweet,

Here fay, &c. STEEVENS.

Entrance was fome times used by our old poets as a word of three fyllables. MALONE,

By his entrance, I believe, is meant his present trance, the reverie in which he is supposed to be fitting. STEEvens.

this standing-bowl of wine to him.] Aftanding-bowl was a bowl refting on a foot. STEEVENS.

Unto a stranger knight to be fo bold;
He may my proffer take for an offence,
Since men take women's gifts for impudence.
SIM. HOW!

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

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

better,3

[Afide. SIM. And further tell him, we defire to know, Of whence he is, his name and parentage.4

THAI. The king my father, fir, has drunk to you.
PER. I thank him.

THAI. Wishing it fo much blood unto your life.
PER. I thank both him and you, and pledge him

freely.

you,

THAI. And further he defires to know of Of whence you are, your name and parentage. PER. A gentleman of Tyre-(my name, Pericles; My education being in arts and arms;5)Who looking for adventures in the world,

3 Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.] Thus, in Twine's tranflation: "Then Lucina having already in her heart profeffed to do him good, and now perceiving very luckily her father's mind to be inclined to the defired purpose," &c.

STEEVENS. 4 Of whence he is, his name and parentage.] So, in the Confeffio Amantis:

"His doughter

"He bad to go on his meffage,

"And fond for to make him glade,
"And she did as her fader bade;
"And goth to him the fofte paas,

"And afketh whens and what he was,

"And praithe he thulde his thought leve." MALONE.

being in arts and arms;] The old copies have-been. I am refponfible for the correction; and for the introduction of the words has been in the following speech. MALOne.

Was by the rough feas reft of fhips and men,
And, after fhipwreck, driven upon this fhore.

THAI. He thanks your grace; names himself
Pericles,

A gentleman of Tyre, who only by
Misfortune of the feas has been bereft

Of ships and men, and caft upon this shore.

SIM. Now by the gods, I pity his misfortune, And will awake him from his melancholy. Come, gentlemen, we fit 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 foldier's dance." I will not have excufe, with faying, this Loud mufick is too harsh 7 for ladies' heads; Since they love men in arms, as well as beds. [The Knights dance.

• Even in your armours, as you are addrefs'd,

Will very well become a foldier's dance.] As you are accoutered, prepared for combat. So, in King Henry V:

"To-morrow for the march are we addrefs'd."

The word very, in the next line, was inferted by the editor of the folio.

MALONE.

So, in Twine's tranflation :- 66 I may not difcourfe at large of the liberall challenges made and proclaimed at the tilt &c.-running afoote, and dauncing in armour" &c. STEEVENS.

7 I will not have excufe, with faying, this

Loud mufick is too harsh-] i. e. the loud noise made by

the clashing of their armour.

The dance here introduced is thus defcribed in an ancient Dialogue against the Alufe of Dancing, bl. 1. no date :

"There is a dance called Choria,

"Which joy doth testify;

"Another called Pyrricke

"Which warlike feats doth try;

"For men in armour geftures made,

"And leapt, that fo they might,

"When need requires, be more prompt

"In publique weale to fight." MALONE.

So, this was well afk'd, 'twas fo well perform'd.
Come, fir;

Here is a lady that wants breathing too;

And I have often heard, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip;

And that their measures are as excellent.

Of

PER. In thofe that practise them, they are, my. lord:

SIM. O, that's as much, as you would be denied [The Knights and Ladies dance. your fair courtesy.-Unclafp, unclasp; Thanks, gentlemen, to all; all have done well, But you the beft. [TO PERICLES.] Pages and lights,

conduct'

These knights unto their feveral lodgings: Yours, fir,
We have given order to be next our own.*
PER. I am at your grace's pleasure.

SIM. Princes, it is too late to talk of love,
For that's the mark I know you level at:
Therefore each one betake him to his reft;
To-morrow, all for fpeeding do their beft.

[Exeunt.

So, this was well afk'd, 'twas fo well perform'd.] i. e. the excellence of this exhibition has justified the folicitation by which it was obtained. STEEVENS.

9 And I have often heard,] I have inferted the word often, which was probably omitted by the careleffness of the compofitor. MALONE.

conduct Old copy-to conduct. STEEVENS.

I

"The kynge his chamberleyne let calle,
"And bad that he by all weye

"A chamber for this man purvei

"Which nigh his own chambre bee." MALONE.

SCENE IV.

Tyre. A Room in the Governor's Houfe.

Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES.

HEL. No, no, my Escanes; know this of me,3Antiochus from inceft liv'd 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 feated, and his daughter with him,
In a chariot of ineftimable value,

A fire from heaven came, and shrivell'd up
Their bodies, even to loathing; for they fo ftunk,
That all thofe eyes ador'd them, ere their fall,
Scorn now their hand should give them burial.5

3 No, no, my Efcanes; &c.] The old copy:

No, Efcanes, know this of me,

But this line being imperfect, I suppose it should be read as I have printed it. STEEVENS.

No, Efcanes;] I fufpect the author wrote-Know, Efcanes; &c. MALONE.

4 A fire from heaven came, and shrivel'd up

Their bodies,] This circumftance is mentioned by Gower: -they hym tolde,

"That for vengeance as God it wolde,

"Antiochus, as men maie witte,

"With thonder and lightnyng is forfmitte.

"His doughter hath the fame chance,
"So ben thei both in o balance."

MALONE.

s That all thofe eyes ador'd them, ere their fall,

Scorn now &c.] The expreffion is elliptical:

That all thofe eyes which ador'd them &c. MALONE.