Act 2, Scene 2: The same. A public way or platform leading to the

SCENE II. The same. A public way or platform leading to the

    lists. A pavilion by the side of it for the
    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;
    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.

    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:
    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.

    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
    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?

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.

    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;
    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
    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.

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
    Into the gallery.

    Exeunt

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