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Read Ebook: Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2 by Marlowe Christopher Dyce Alexander Editor
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Ebook has 446 lines and 40459 words, and 9 pages
The general welcomes Tamburlaine receiv'd, When he arrived last upon the stage, Have made our poet pen his Second Part, Where Death cuts off the progress of his pomp, And murderous Fates throw all his triumphs down. But what became of fair Zenocrate, And with how many cities' sacrifice He celebrated her sad funeral, Himself in presence shall unfold at large.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
ZENOCRATE, wife to TAMBURLAINE. OLYMPIA, wife to the CAPTAIN OF BALSERA. Turkish Concubines.
THE SECOND PART OF TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.
Enter ORCANES king of Natolia, GAZELLUS viceroy of Byron, URIBASSA, and their train, with drums and trumpets.
ORCANES. Egregious viceroys of these eastern parts, Plac'd by the issue of great Bajazeth, And sacred lord, the mighty Callapine, Who lives in Egypt prisoner to that slave Which kept his father in an iron cage,-- Now have we march'd from fair Natolia Two hundred leagues, and on Danubius' banks Our warlike host, in complete armour, rest, Where Sigismund, the king of Hungary, Should meet our person to conclude a truce: What! shall we parle with the Christian? Or cross the stream, and meet him in the field?
GAZELLUS. King of Natolia, let us treat of peace: We all are glutted with the Christians' blood, And have a greater foe to fight against,-- Proud Tamburlaine, that now in Asia, Near Guyron's head, doth set his conquering feet, And means to fire Turkey as he goes: 'Gainst him, my lord, you must address your power.
URIBASSA. Besides, King Sigismund hath brought from Christendom More than his camp of stout Hungarians,-- Sclavonians, Almains, Rutters, Muffs, and Danes, That with the halberd, lance, and murdering axe, Will hazard that we might with surety hold.
ORCANES. Though from the shortest northern parallel, Vast Grantland, compass'd with the Frozen Sea, Millions of soldiers cut the arctic line, Bringing the strength of Europe to these arms, Our Turkey blades shall glide through all their throats, And make this champion mead a bloody fen: Danubius' stream, that runs to Trebizon, Shall carry, wrapt within his scarlet waves, As martial presents to our friends at home, The slaughter'd bodies of these Christians: The Terrene main, wherein Danubius falls, Shall by this battle be the bloody sea: The wandering sailors of proud Italy Shall meet those Christians, fleeting with the tide, Beating in heaps against their argosies, And make fair Europe, mounted on her bull, Trapp'd with the wealth and riches of the world, Alight, and wear a woful mourning weed.
GAZELLUS. Yet, stout Orcanes, pro-rex of the world, Since Tamburlaine hath muster'd all his men, Marching from Cairo northward, with his camp, To Alexandria and the frontier towns, Meaning to make a conquest of our land, 'Tis requisite to parle for a peace With Sigismund, the king of Hungary, And save our forces for the hot assaults Proud Tamburlaine intends Natolia.
Enter SIGISMUND, FREDERICK, BALDWIN, and their train, with drums and trumpets.
SIGISMUND. Orcanes, We, with our peers, have cross'd Danubius' stream, To treat of friendly peace or deadly war. Take which thou wilt; for, as the Romans us'd, I here present thee with a naked sword: Wilt thou have war, then shake this blade at me; If peace, restore it to my hands again, And I will sheathe it, to confirm the same.
ORCANES. Stay, Sigismund: forgett'st thou I am he That with the cannon shook Vienna-walls, And made it dance upon the continent, As when the massy substance of the earth Quiver about the axle-tree of heaven? Forgett'st thou that I sent a shower of darts, Mingled with powder'd shot and feather'd steel, So thick upon the blink-ey'd burghers' heads, That thou thyself, then County Palatine, The King of Boheme, and the Austric Duke, Sent heralds out, which basely on their knees, In all your names, desir'd a truce of me? Forgett'st thou that, to have me raise my siege, Waggons of gold were set before my tent, Stampt with the princely fowl that in her wings Carries the fearful thunderbolts of Jove? How canst thou think of this, and offer war?
SIGISMUND. Vienna was besieg'd, and I was there, Then County Palatine, but now a king, And what we did was in extremity But now, Orcanes, view my royal host, That hides these plains, and seems as vast and wide As doth the desert of Arabia To those that stand on Bagdet's lofty tower, Or as the ocean to the traveller That rests upon the snowy Appenines; And tell me whether I should stoop so low, Or treat of peace with the Natolian king.
GAZELLUS. Kings of Natolia and of Hungary, We came from Turkey to confirm a league, And not to dare each other to the field. A friendly parle might become you both.
FREDERICK. And we from Europe, to the same intent; Which if your general refuse or scorn, Our tents are pitch'd, our men stand in array, Ready to charge you ere you stir your feet.
ORCANES. So prest are we: but yet, if Sigismund Speak as a friend, and stand not upon terms, Here is his sword; let peace be ratified On these conditions specified before, Drawn with advice of our ambassadors.
SIGISMUND. Then here I sheathe it, and give thee my hand, Never to draw it out, or manage arms Against thyself or thy confederates, But, whilst I live, will be at truce with thee.
ORCANES. But, Sigismund, confirm it with an oath, And swear in sight of heaven and by thy Christ.
SIGISMUND. If any heathen potentate or king Invade Natolia, Sigismund will send A hundred thousand horse train'd to the war, And back'd by stout lanciers of Germany, The strength and sinews of the imperial seat.
ORCANES. I thank thee, Sigismund; but, when I war, All Asia Minor, Africa, and Greece, Follow my standard and my thundering drums. Come, let us go and banquet in our tents: I will despatch chief of my army hence To fair Natolia and to Trebizon, To stay my coming 'gainst proud Tamburlaine: Friend Sigismund, and peers of Hungary, Come, banquet and carouse with us a while, And then depart we to our territories.
Enter CALLAPINE, and ALMEDA his keeper.
CALLAPINE. Sweet Almeda, pity the ruthful plight Of Callapine, the son of Bajazeth, Born to be monarch of the western world, Yet here detain'd by cruel Tamburlaine.
ALMEDA. My lord, I pity it, and with my heart Wish your release; but he whose wrath is death, My sovereign lord, renowmed Tamburlaine, Forbids you further liberty than this.
CALLAPINE. Ah, were I now but half so eloquent To paint in words what I'll perform in deeds, I know thou wouldst depart from hence with me!
ALMEDA. Not for all Afric: therefore move me not.
CALLAPINE. Yet hear me speak, my gentle Almeda.
ALMEDA. No speech to that end, by your favour, sir.
ALMEDA. No talk of running, I tell you, sir.
CALLAPINE. A little further, gentle Almeda.
ALMEDA. Well, sir, what of this?
ALMEDA. How far hence lies the galley, say you?
CALLAPINE. Sweet Almeda, scarce half a league from hence.
ALMEDA. But need we not be spied going aboard?
CALLAPINE. Betwixt the hollow hanging of a hill, And crooked bending of a craggy rock, The sails wrapt up, the mast and tacklings down, She lies so close that none can find her out.
ALMEDA. I like that well: but, tell me, my lord, if I should let you go, would you be as good as your word? shall I be made a king for my labour?
CALLAPINE. As I am Callapine the emperor, And by the hand of Mahomet I swear, Thou shalt be crown'd a king, and be my mate!
ALMEDA. Then here I swear, as I am Almeda, Your keeper under Tamburlaine the Great, Although he sent a thousand armed men To intercept this haughty enterprize, Yet would I venture to conduct your grace, And die before I brought you back again!
CALLAPINE. Thanks, gentle Almeda: then let us haste, Lest time be past, and lingering let us both.
ALMEDA. When you will, my lord: I am ready.
CALLAPINE. Even straight:--and farewell, cursed Tamburlaine! Now go I to revenge my father's death.
Enter TAMBURLAINE, ZENOCRATE, and their three sons, CALYPHAS, AMYRAS, and CELEBINUS, with drums and trumpets.
TAMBURLAINE. Now, bright Zenocrate, the world's fair eye, Whose beams illuminate the lamps of heaven, Whose cheerful looks do clear the cloudy air, And clothe it in a crystal livery, Now rest thee here on fair Larissa-plains, Where Egypt and the Turkish empire part Between thy sons, that shall be emperors, And every one commander of a world.
ZENOCRATE. Sweet Tamburlaine, when wilt thou leave these arms, And save thy sacred person free from scathe, And dangerous chances of the wrathful war?
TAMBURLAINE. When heaven shall cease to move on both the poles, And when the ground, whereon my soldiers march, Shall rise aloft and touch the horned moon; And not before, my sweet Zenocrate. Sit up, and rest thee like a lovely queen. So; now she sits in pomp and majesty, When these, my sons, more precious in mine eyes Than all the wealthy kingdoms I subdu'd, Plac'd by her side, look on their mother's face. But yet methinks their looks are amorous, Not martial as the sons of Tamburlaine: Water and air, being symboliz'd in one, Argue their want of courage and of wit; Their hair as white as milk, and soft as down, Bewrays they are too dainty for the wars; Their fingers made to quaver on a lute, Their arms to hang about a lady's neck, Their legs to dance and caper in the air, Would make me think them bastards, not my sons, But that I know they issu'd from thy womb, That never look'd on man but Tamburlaine.
ZENOCRATE. My gracious lord, they have their mother's looks, But, when they list, their conquering father's heart. This lovely boy, the youngest of the three, Not long ago bestrid a Scythian steed, Trotting the ring, and tilting at a glove, Which when he tainted with his slender rod, He rein'd him straight, and made him so curvet As I cried out for fear he should have faln.
TAMBURLAINE. Well done, my boy! thou shalt have shield and lance, Armour of proof, horse, helm, and curtle-axe, And I will teach thee how to charge thy foe, And harmless run among the deadly pikes. If thou wilt love the wars and follow me, Thou shalt be made a king and reign with me, Keeping in iron cages emperors. If thou exceed thy elder brothers' worth, And shine in complete virtue more than they, Thou shalt be king before them, and thy seed Shall issue crowned from their mother's womb.
CELEBINUS. Yes, father; you shall see me, if I live, Have under me as many kings as you, And march with such a multitude of men As all the world shall tremble at their view.
TAMBURLAINE. These words assure me, boy, thou art my son. When I am old and cannot manage arms, Be thou the scourge and terror of the world.
AMYRAS. Why may not I, my lord, as well as he, Be term'd the scourge and terror of the world?
TAMBURLAINE. Be all a scourge and terror to the world, Or else you are not sons of Tamburlaine.
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