Persia, and the very legs our state doth lean as on a staff, ds us up and foils our neighbour foes: shalt be leader of this thousand horse, se foaming gall with rage and high disdain Lave sworn the death of wicked Tamburlaine. Go frowning forth; but come thou smiling home, As did Sir Paris with the Grecian dame: Return with speed; time passeth swift away; Our life is frail, and we may die to-day.

Ther. Before the moon renew her borrow'd

light,

Doubt not, my lord and gracious sovereign,
But Tamburlaine and that Tartarian rout*
Shall either perish by our warlike hands,
Or plead for mercy at your highness' feet.

Myc. Go, stout Theridamas; thy words are swords,

And with thy looks thou conquerest all thy foes.
I long to see thee back return from thence,
That I may view these milk-white steeds of mine
All loaden with the heads of killed men,
And, from their knees even to their hoofs below,
Besmear'd with blood that makes a dainty show.
Ther. Then now, my lord, I humbly take my
leave.

Myc. Theridamas, farewell ten thousand times. [Exit THERIDAMAS.

Ah, Menaphon, why stay'st thou thus behind,
When other men press + forward for renown?
Go, Menaphon, go into Scythia,
And foot by foot follow Theridamas.

Cos. Nay, pray you,‡ let him stay; a greater [task]

Fits Menaphon than warring with a thief:
reate him pro-rex of all § Africa,

at he may win the Babylonians' hearts,
ich will revolt from Persian government,
ess they have a wiser king than you.
c. Unless they have a wiser king than you!
are his words; Meander, set them down.
And add this to them,-that all Asia
nt to see the folly of their king. -

Fled to the Caspian or the Ocean main?
What shall I call thee? brother? no, a foe;
Monster of nature, shame unto thy stock,
That aur'st presume thy sovereign for to mock!-
Meander, come: I am abus'd, Meander.

[Exeunt all except COSROE and MENAPHON. Men. How now, my lord! what, mated and amaz'd

To hear the king thus threaten like himself!
Cos. Ah, Menaphon, I pass not for his threats!
The plot is laid by Persian noblemen
And captains of the Median garrisons
To crown me emperor of Asia :
But this it is that doth excruciate
The very substance of my vexèd soul,

To see our neighbours, that were wont to quake
And tremble at the Persian monarch's name,
Now sit and laugh our regiment to scorn;
And that which might resolve § me into tears,
Men from the farthest equinoctial line
Have swarm'd in troops into the Eastern India,
Lading their ships || with gold and precious stones,
And made their spoils from all our provinces.
Men. This should entreat your highness to
rejoice,

Since Fortune gives you opportunity
To gain the title of a conqueror
By curing of this maimèd empery.
Afric and Europe bordering on your land,
And continent to your dominions,

How easily may you, with a mighty host,
Pass into Græcia, as did Cyrus once,
And cause them to withdraw their forces home,
Lest
you ** subdue the pride of Christendom !
[Trumpet within.
Cos. But, Menaphon, what means this trumpet's

sound?

Men. Behold, my lord, Ortygius and the rest Bringing the crown to make you emperor !

Re-enter ORTYGIUS and CENEUS, tt with others, bearing

a crown.

seat

08. You may do well to kiss it, then.

1yc. Emboss'd with silk as best beseems my

state,

> be reveng'd for these contemptuous words! ), where is duty and allegiance now?

rout] i. e. crew.

↑ press] So the Svo.-The 4to "prease." you] So the 8vo.-Omitted in the 4to.

§ all] So the 4to.-Omitted in the 8vo.

Present thee with th' imperial diadem.

*mated] i. e. confounded.

t pass not] i. e. care not.

regiment] i. e. rule, government.

§ resolve] i. e. dissolve. So the 8vo.-The 4to "dissolue."

ships] So the 4to.-The Svo "shippe."
Pass] So the 8vo.-The 4to "Hast."

** you] So the Svo.-The 4to "they."

tt Ceneus] Here both the old eds. "Conerus."

‡‡ states] i. e. noblemen, persons of rank.

Cen. The warlike soldiers and the gentlemen, That heretofore have fill'd Persepolis With Afric captains taken in the field,

gold,

With costly jewels hanging at their ears,
And shining stones upon their lofty crests,
Now living idle in the wallèd towns,
Wanting both pay and martial discipline,
Begin in troops to threaten civil war,
And openly exclaim against their * king:
Therefore, to stay all sudden mutinies,
We will invest your highness emperor;
Whereat the soldiers will conceive more joy
Than did the Macedonians at the spoil
Of great Darius and his wealthy host.

Cos. Well, since I see the state of Persia droop
And languish in my brother's government,
I willingly receive th' imperial crown,
And vow to wear it for my country's good,
In spite of them shall malice my estate.

Orty. And, in assurance of desir'd success,
We here do crown thee monarch of the East.
Emperor of Asia and Persia; †

Great lord of Media and Armenia;
Duke of Africa and Albania,
Mesopotamia and of Parthia,

East India and the late-discover'd isles;
Chief lord of all the wide vast Euxine Sea,
And of the ever-raging‡ Caspian Lake.

All. § Long live Cosroe, mighty emperor !
Cos. And Jove may || never let me longer live
Than I may seek to gratify your love,
And cause the soldiers that thus honour me
To triumph over many provinces !
By whose desires of discipline in arms
I doubt not shortly but to reign sole king,
And with the army of Theridamas
(Whither we presently will fly, my lords,)
To rest secure against my brother's force.
Orty. We knew, my lord, before we brought

the crown,
Intending your investion so near
The residence of your despisèd brother,
The lords** would not be too exasperate

their] So the 8vo.-The 4to "the."

t and Persia] So the 8vo.-The 4to "and of Persia." tever-raging] So the 8vo.-The 4to "riuer raging." § ALL] Sothe 4to.-Omitted in the 8vo.

And Jove may, &c.] i. e. And may Jove, &c. This collocation of words is sometimes found in later writers: o in the Prologue to Fletcher's Woman's Prize,-" Which his may prove !"

Tknew] So the 8vo.-The 4to "knowe." ** lords] So the 4to.-The 8vo "Lord."

Cos. I know it well, my lord, and thank you all. Orty. Sound up the trumpets, then.

All.t God save the king!

SCENE II.

[Trumpets sounded. [Exeunt.

Enter TAMBURLAINE leading ZENOCRATE, TECHELLES, USUMCASANE, AGYDAS, MAGNETES, Lords, and Soldiers loaden with treasure.

Tamb. 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,
Even in the circle of your father's arms,
The mighty Soldan of Ægyptia.

Zeno. Ah, shepherd, pity my distressèd plight! (If, as thou seem'st, thou art so mean a man,) And seek not to enrich thy followers

By lawless rapine from a silly maid,
Who, travelling‡ with these Median lords
To Memphis, from my uncle's country of Media,
Where, all my youth, I have been governèd,
Have pass'd the army of the mighty Turk,
Bearing his privy-signet and his hand
To safe-conduct us thorough § Africa.

Mag. And, since we have arriv'd in Scythia,
Besides rich presents from the puissant Cham,/
We have his highness' letters to command
Aid and assistance, if we stand in need.

Tamb. But now you see these letters and com-
mands

Are countermanded by a greater man ;
And through my provinces you must expect
Letters of conduct from my mightiness,
If you intend to keep your treasure safe.
But, since I love to live at liberty,

ye, my lords, and sweet Zenocrate ! must be forced from me ere you go.housand horsemen ! we five hundred foot! odds too great for us to stand against. are they rich? and is their armour good? ld. Their plumèd helms are wrought with beaten gold,

r swords enamell'd, and about their necks

g massy chains of gold down to the waist;

very part exceeding brave + and rich.

His fiery eyes are fix'd upon the earth,
As if he now devis'd some stratagem,
Or meant to pierce Avernus' darksome vaults +
To pull the triple-headed dog from hell.
Tamb. Noble and mild this Persian seems
to be,

If outward habit judge the inward man.

Tech. His deep affections make him passionate. Tamb. With what a majesty he rears his looks!

In thee, thou valiant man of Persia,

ok you I should play the orator?

ch. No; cowards and faint-hearted runaways for orations when the foe is near: swords shall play the orators for us.

um. Come, let us meet them at the mountain-top,+

with a sudden and an hot alarum

all their horses headlong down the hill. h. Come, let us march.

mb. Stay, Techelles; ask a parle first.

The Soldiers enter.

the mails,§ yet guard the treasure sure: ut our golden wedges to the view, their reflections may amaze the Persians; ook we friendly on them when they come: they offer word or violence, fight, five hundred men-at-arms to one, we part with our possession;

ainst the general we will lift our swords, ther lance|| his greedy thirsting throat, e him prisoner, and his chain shall serve hanacles till he be ransom'd home.

I hear them come: shall we encounter them?

3. Keep all your standings, and not stir foot:

will bide the danger of the brunt.

Art thou but captain of a thousand horse,
That by characters graven in thy brows,
And by thy martial face and stout aspèct,
Deserv'st to have the leading of an host?
Forsake thy king, and do but join with me,
And we will triumph over all the world:
I hold the Fates bound fast in iron chains,
And with my hand turn Fortune's wheel about;
And sooner shall the sun fall from his sphere
Than Tamburlaine be slain or overcome.
Draw forth thy sword, thou mighty man-at-a
Intending but to raze my charmed skin,
And Jove himself will stretch his hand from

heaven

To ward the blow, and shield me safe from harm.

See, how he rains down heaps of gold in showers,
As if he meant to give my soldiers pay!
And, as a sure and grounded arguit
That I shall be the monarch of the 'ast,
He sends this Soldan's daughter rich and brave,§
To be my queen and portly emperess.

If thou wilt stay with me, renowmèd || man,

*this] So the 8vo.-The 4to "the."-Qy. "Where is this Scythian shepherd Tamburlaine"? Compare the next i words of Theridamas.

t vaults] Here the 8vo has "vauts,"-"which," says one of the modern editors, "was common in Marlowe's time:" and so it was; but in the Sec. Part of this play, act ii. sc. 4, the same Svo gives,

"As we descend into the infernal vaulis." thy] So the Evo.-The 4to "the."

§ brave] See note † in preceding column.

renowmed] i e. renowned.-So the Svo.-The 4tc "renowned."-The form "renowmed" (Fr. renommé) oc curs repeatedly afterwards in this play, according to the

And lead thy thousand horse with my conduct,
Besides thy share of this Egyptian prize,
Those thousand horse shall sweat with martial
spoil

Of conquer'd kingdoms and of cities sack'd:
Both we will walk upon the lofty cliffs *;

And Christian merchants, + that with Russian stems +

Plough up huge furrows in the Caspian Sea,
Shall vail § to us as lords of all the lake;
Both we will reign as consuls of the earth,
And mighty kings shall be our senators.
Jove sometime masked in a shepherd's weed;
And by those steps that he hath scal'd the
heavens

May we become immortal like the gods.
Join with me now in this my mean estate,
(I call it mean, because, being yet obscure,
The nations far-remov'd admire me not,)
And when my name and honour shall be spread
As far as Boreas claps his brazen wings,
Or fair Böotes || sends his cheerful light,
Then shalt thou be competitor¶ with me,
And sit with Tamburlaine in all his majesty.
Ther. Not Hermes, prolocutor to the gods,
Could use persuasions more pathetical.

Tamb. Nor are Apollo's oracles more true
Than thou shalt find my vaunts substantial.
Tech. We are his friends; and, if the Persian
king

uld offer present dukedoms to our state, We think it loss to make exchange for that We are assur'd of by our friend's success.

Usum. And kingdoms at the least we all expect,
Besides the honour in assurèd conquests,
Where kings shall crouch unto our conquering
swords,

And hosts of soldiers stand amaz'd at us,
When with their fearful tongues they shall confess,
These are the men that all the world admires.
Ther. What strong enchantments tice my
yielding soul

8vo.

It is occasionally found in writers posterior to Marlowe's time. e. g.

"Of Constantines great towne renoum'd in vaine." Verses to King James, prefixed to Lord Stirling's Monarchicke Tragedies, ed. 1607.

* cliffs] So the 8vo.-The 4to "cliftes."

✦ merchants] i. e. merchant-men, ships of trade. stems] i. e. prows.

§ vail) i. e. lower their flags.

Bootes] The Svo "Botees."-The 4tc "Boetes."

¶ competitor] i. e. associate, partner a sense in which the word is used by Shakespeare).

*

ACT I.

vers.

To these resolvèd, noble Scythians !
But shall I prove a traitor to my king?
Tamb. No; but the trusty friend of Tam
laine.

Ther. Won with thy words, and conqu
7 with thy looks,

I yield myself, my men, and horse to thee, To be partaker of thy good or ill,

As long as life maintains Theridamas.

Tamb. Theridamas, my friend, take here
hand,

Which is as much as if I swore by heaven,
And call'd the gods to witness of my vow.
Thus shall my heart be still combin'd with
Until our bodies turn to elements,
And both our souls aspire celestial thrones.-
Techelles and Casane, welcome him.
Tech. Welcome, renowmèd† Persian, t
all!

Usum. Long may Theridamas remain wit
Tamb. These are my friends, in whom I