Tamburlaine the Great — Part 1

GOVERNOR. Still doth this man, or rather god of war, Batter our walls and beat our turrets down; And to resist with longer stubbornness, Or hope of rescue from the Soldan's powe...

TAMBURLAINE. Basso, by this thy lord and master knows I mean to meet him in Bithynia: See, how he comes! tush, Turks are full of brags, And menace [155] more than they can well...

TAMBURLAINE. Come, lady, let not this appal your thoughts; The jewels and the treasure we have ta'en Shall be reserv'd, and you in better state Than if you were arriv'd in Syria...

"rather on Nilus' mud Lay me STARK NAK'D, and let the water-flies Blow me into abhorring!" Shakespeare's ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA, act v. sc. 2. (where the modern editors print "nak...

MYCETES. Brother Cosroe, I find myself agriev'd; Yet insufficient to express the same, For it requires a great and thundering speech: Good brother, tell the cause unto my lords;...

TAMBURLAINE. Now hang our bloody colours by Damascus, Reflexing hues of blood upon their heads, While they walk quivering on their city-walls, Half-dead for fear before they fee...

BAJAZETH. Ye holy priests of heavenly Mahomet, That, sacrificing, slice and cut your flesh, Staining his altars with your purple blood, Make heaven to frown, and every fixed sta...

AGYDAS. Madam Zenocrate, may I presume To know the cause of these unquiet fits That work such trouble to your wonted rest? 'Tis more than pity such a heavenly face Should by hea...

TAMBURLAINE. Hold thee, Cosroe; wear two imperial crowns; Think thee invested now as royally, Even by the mighty hand of Tamburlaine, As if as many kings as could encompass thee...

MYCETES. Come, my Meander, let us to this gear. I tell you true, my heart is swoln with wrath On this same thievish villain Tamburlaine, And of [73] that false Cosroe, my traito...

BAJAZETH. Great kings of Barbary, and my portly bassoes, [130] We hear the Tartars and the eastern thieves, Under the conduct of one Tamburlaine, Presume a bickering with your e...

COSROE. Barbarous [122] and bloody Tamburlaine, Thus to deprive me of my crown and life!-- Treacherous and false Theridamas, Even at the morning of my happy state, Scarce being...

COSROE. Now, worthy Tamburlaine, have I repos'd In thy approved fortunes all my hope. What think'st thou, man, shall come of our attempts? For, even as from assured oracle, I ta...

SOLDAN. Awake, ye men of Memphis! [186] hear the clang Of Scythian trumpets; hear the basilisks, [187] That, roaring, shake Damascus' turrets down! The rogue of Volga holds Zeno...

COSROE. Thus far are we towards Theridamas, And valiant Tamburlaine, the man of fame, The man that in the forehead of his fortune Bears figures of renown and miracle. But tell m...

SOLDAN. Methinks we march as Meleager did, Environed with brave Argolian knights, To chase the savage Calydonian [215] boar, Or Cephalus, with lusty [216] Theban youths, Against...

MYCETES. Accurs'd be he that first invented war! They knew not, ah, they knew not, simple men, How those were [98] hit by pelting cannon-shot Stand staggering [99] like a quiver...

COSROE. What means this devilish shepherd, to aspire With such a giantly presumption, To cast up hills against the face of heaven, And dare the force of angry Jupiter? But, as h...