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 55 their crowns to his supremacy :
Where now his son 's like a glow-worm in the
night,56

The which hath fire in darkness, none in light;
Whereby I see that Time 's the king of men,
For he 's their parent, and he is their grave,
And gives them what he will, not what they

55. Where now his son's like a glow-worm in the night. The old copies give 'şonne' instead of " son's." Steevens's correction. We think it probable that the old copies also mistook in putting the "a" before "glow-worm;" as the rhythm of the line is thereby injured. "Where" is here used with the force of 'whereas.' See Note 75, Act i.

57. With a cup that's stor'd unto the brim. The old copies have 'stur'd,' 'sturd,' and 'ştirr'd,' instead of " stor'd;" which is Steevens's correction.

58. But kill'd are wonder'd at. The passage implies, 'Princes, not living beneficently, are like insignificant insects; they make some noise in the world; but, once dead, excite only wonder at their idle buzzing with so little result.'

Sim, How!

Do as I bid you, or you'll move me else, Thai. [Aside.] Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.

59. Entrance. This is probably an abbreviated form of entrancement, or an amplified form of trance,' signifying ' reverie,' 'musing.' The line gives evidence of mutilation, and various changes have been proposed. At one time we thought that "entrance" might have been a misprint for ' countenance;' but we now incline to believe that "entrance is the right word, and that it very likely was accented on the

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,64
Will very well become a soldier's dance.

I will not have excuse, with saying this
Loud music 65 is too harsh for ladies' heads,
Since they love men in arms.

[The Knights dance. So, this was well ask'd, 'twas so well perform'd.— Come, sir;

Here is a lady that wants breathing 6 too:

And I have often heard 67 you knights of Tyre

First Lord. ference 72

Enter three Lords.

See, not a man in private con

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; And that's the mark I know you level at: Therefore each one betake him to his rest; To-morrow all for speeding 68 do their best.

[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 that they had in store,
Due to this heinous capital offence,
Even in the height and pride of all his glory,
When he was seated,69 and his daughter with him,
In a chariot of inestimable value,

A fire from heaven came, and shrivell'd up
Their bodies,70 even to loathing; for they so
stunk,

68. Speeding. 'Obtaining success,' ' achieving success.' See Note 25, Act iii., "Winter's Tale."

69. When he was seated, &c. We give these two lines as arranged by Steevens; the old copies here, and in so very many passages of the present play, being so manifestly misprinted as to leave it matter of mere conjecture how they were originally written.

70. Their bodies. The old copies give those' instead of "their." Steevens's correction; shown to be right by the parallel sentence in Wilkins's novel.

71. All those eyes ador'd them. Which' is elliptically understood before "ador'd;" as that is understood before "their hand" in the next line.

72. Not a man, &c. Steevens has the following note upon the present speech :-"To what this charge of partiality was designed to conduct, we do not learn; for it appears to have no influence over the rest of the dialogue." We think it is designed to show the impatience felt by these lords at having no opportunity of stating their anxiety respecting Pericles to Helicane; since he accords to no one the facilities of "private conference or council" which he accords to Escanes. They are jealous of the greater confidence reposed in Escanes, and the greater

Sec. Lord. It shall no longer grieve without

preference shown by Helicane; and they not only demonstrate their solicitude respecting the absent prince, but they seek to curry favour with his representative by electing him at once to sovereign power.

73. It shall no longer grieve..... that will not second it. "It" is here, in both instances, used in reference to an implied particular; the first "it" meaning this sense of our being treated by Helicanus with less confidence than Escanes,' and the second "it" signifying this intended remonstrance (or 'reproof") which we intend to make.'

74. Wrong not your prince you love. "Your" was altered by Steevens to the;' but whom' may be elliptically understood before "you."

75. Resolv'd. 'Satisfied,' 'fully informed.' See Note 74, Act i., "King Lear."

76. Whose death's, indeed, the strongest in our censure. "Death's" is printed 'death' in the old copies; as "leaves," in the previous line, has the final s omitted. Malone's correction. "The strongest implies the strongest probability,' or 'the most probable;' and "censure" is used for 'opinion.' 77. And knowing this kingdom is, &c. 'Thus,' or 'in that case,' is elliptically understood before "knowing."

80

If that you love Prince Pericles, forbear.
Take I your wish, I leap into the seas,79
Where's hourly trouble for a minute's ease.
A twelvemonth longer, let me entreat you
To forbear the absence of your king;
If in which time expir'd, he not return,
I shall with aged patience bear your yoke.
But if I cannot win you to this love,
Go search like nobles, like noble subjects,

And in your search spend your adventurous worth;

Whom if you find, and win unto return,
You shall like diamonds sit about his crown.

First Lord. To wisdom he's a fool that will not yield;

And since Lord Helicane enjoineth us,
We with our travels will endeavour it.81

Hel. Then you love us, we you, and we'll clasp hands:

When peers thus knit, a kingdom ever stands.

79.

Take I your wish, I leap into the seas. 'Were I to accept what you wish, I should plunge into a sea of difficulty.' 80. To forbear the absence of your king. This line is defective, and various attempts have been made to piece it out. If it be accepted as it stands, "forbear" must be taken in the sense of 'bear with,' 'tolerate,' 'bear patiently,' 'endure.' Shakespeare uses the word thus in "Second Part Henry IV.," Act iv., sc. 4, where the king says to his son, Prince Henry, "What! canst thou not forbear me half an hour?"

81. Will endeavour it. The old copies omit the final word "it." Steevens's addition.

82. For this twelvemonth she'll not undertake a married life. The expedient here devised by Simonides for having the suitors "well despatch'd" is, indeed, not very consonant with the dignity of truth; but it is quite characteristic of the waggish tendency to stratagem shown by the royal old gentleman, in

All fortune to the good Simonides ! Sim. To you as much, sir! I am beholden to

you

For your sweet music this last night: I do

Protest my ears were never better fed

With such delightful pleasing harmony.

Per. It is your grace's pleasure to commend; Not my desert.

Sim.

Sir, you are music's master. Per. The worst of all her scholars, my good lord.

Sim. Let me ask you one thing: What do you think of my daughter, sir? Per. As of a most virtuous princess.86 Sim. And she is fair too, is she not? Per.

As a fair day in summer,-wondrous fair.

proceeding to "dissemble" his satisfaction at his daughter's choice, and to play off a pretended anger at the lovers' mutual affection, that he may keep them in a flutter of suspense until he choose to join their hands and bid them wed at once as the penalty of their transgression, in daring to fall in love with each other without his leave. Steevens solemnly demurs to this conduct of Simonides; yet, though it may not be “ingenuous," it is perfectly in character-diplomatically as well as dramatically.

83. Though loath to bid farewell, we take our leaves. The old copies omit "though." Steevens's addition.

84. Now to my daughter's letter. The princess's revelation of her love for the Knight of Tyre in a letter to her father, occurs in the Confessio Amantis.

85. Have it be delay'd. "It" refers to the marriage implied in the previous word "choice." See Note 73, of the present

Sim. Sir, my daughter thinks very well of you; Ay, so well, that you must be her master, And she will be your scholar: therefore look to it. Per. I am unworthy for her schoolmaster. Sim. She thinks not so; peruse this writing else.

Per. [Aside.] What's here?

A letter, that she loves the knight of Tyre! 'Tis the king's subtilty to have my life.-[Aloud.] Oh, seek not to entrap me, gracious lord, A stranger and distressèd gentleman,

That never aim'd so high to love your daughter, But bent all offices to honour her.

Sim. Thou hast bewitch'd my daughter, and thou art

A villain.

Per. By the gods, I have not:

Never did thought of mine levy offence;