A guest has been long at the court of Sicilia. He is Polixenes, king of Bohemia. The two men grew up together from boyhood.
After nine months the guest says he must go home. Leontes presses him to stay and gets nowhere. So he tells his wife to try.
Hermione says a few words to him. Polixenes changes his mind at once and agrees to stay. Leontes watches that from where he stands.