Pericles · Chapter
Scene III explained
At a banquet in Pentapolis, King Simonides welcomes the knights after the tournament.
What happens
At a banquet in Pentapolis, King Simonides welcomes the knights after the tournament. Thaisa crowns Pericles victor, and the feast proceeds with dancing. Pericles remains melancholic, reflecting on his lost fortunes. Simonides prompts Thaisa to engage him, and Pericles reveals his identity as a gentleman of Tyre, shipwrecked on the shore. The scene ends with the knights retiring for the night.
Themes in this chapter
Fortune and Divine Justice
Pericles reflects on his fall from princely glory to a shipwrecked stranger, highlighting the capricious nature of fortune.
Appearance vs. Reality
Pericles appears as a simple country gentleman but is revealed to be a prince of Tyre; Thaisa's outward obedience masks her inner desire.
Kingship and Governance
Simonides models a gracious king who honors guests and commands respect, contrasting with the corrupt Antiochus.
Characters to notice
- King Simonides
Hosts the banquet, encourages mirth, and prompts Thaisa to interact with Pericles.
- Thaisa
Crowns Pericles victor, feels attraction to him, and reluctantly obeys her father's command to engage the stranger knight.
- Pericles
Wins the tournament but sits melancholy, reflecting on his lost status; reveals his identity as a gentleman of Tyre.
- First Knight
Courteously reassures Pericles that no one envies his victory.
Key passages
“To place upon the volume of your deeds, As in a title-page, your worth in arms, Were more than you expect, or more than's fit, Since every worth in show commends itself.”
To add praise to your accomplishments would be unnecessary, because your deeds already speak for themselves.
Simonides welcomes the knights, acknowledging their merit without excessive flattery.
“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.”
I realize that time rules over all people, creating and destroying them, granting what it chooses rather than what they desire.
Pericles muses on the power of time to elevate and diminish human fortunes.
“A gentleman of Tyre; my name, Pericles; My education been in arts and arms; Who, looking for adventures in the world, Was by the rough seas reft of ships and men, And after shipwreck driven upon this shore.”
I am a nobleman from Tyre named Pericles, trained in both learning and combat, who lost his ships and crew in a storm and was cast ashore here after a shipwreck.
Pericles reveals his identity and tragic story to Thaisa and Simonides.