Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2

KING OF SORIA.  From Soria 104 (#x6_x_6_i256) with seventy thousand strong,
Ta'en from Aleppo, Soldino, Tripoly,
And so unto my city of Damascus, 105 (#x6_x_6_i259)
I march to meet and aid my neighbour kings;
All which will join against this Tamburlaine,
And bring him captive to your highness' feet.

ORCANES.  Our battle, then, in martial manner pitch'd,
According to our ancient use, shall bear
The figure of the semicircled moon,
Whose horns shell sprinkle through the tainted air
The poison'd brains of this proud Scythian.

CALLAPINE.  Well, then, my noble lords, for this my friend
That freed me from the bondage of my foe,
I think it requisite and honourable
To keep my promise and to make him king,
That is a gentleman, I know, at least.

ALMEDA.  That's no matter, 106 (#x6_x_6_i266) sir, for being a king;
or Tamburlaine came up of nothing.

KING OF JERUSALEM.  Your majesty may choose some 'pointed time,
Performing all your promise to the full;
'Tis naught for your majesty to give a kingdom.

CALLAPINE.  Then will I shortly keep my promise, Almeda.

ALMEDA.  Why, I thank your majesty.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE II

Enter TAMBURLAINE and his three sons, CALYPHAS, AMYRAS, and CELEBINUS; USUMCASANE; four ATTENDANTS bearing the hearse of ZENOCRATE, and the drums sounding a doleful march; the town burning.

TAMBURLAINE.  So burn the turrets of this cursed town,
Flame to the highest region of the air,
And kindle heaps of exhalations,
That, being fiery meteors, may presage
Death and destruction to the inhabitants!
Over my zenith hang a blazing star,
That may endure till heaven be dissolv'd,
Fed with the fresh supply of earthly dregs,
Threatening a dearth 107 (#x6_x_6_i273) and famine to this land!
Flying dragons, lightning, fearful thunder-claps,
Singe these fair plains, and make them seem as black
As is the island where the Furies mask,
Compass'd with Lethe, Styx, and Phlegethon,
Because my dear Zenocrate is dead!

CALYPHAS.  This pillar, plac'd in memory of her,
Where in Arabian, Hebrew, Greek, is writ,

THIS TOWN, BEING BURNT BY TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT,

FORBIDS THE WORLD TO BUILD IT UP AGAIN

AMYRAS.  And here this mournful streamer shall be plac'd,
Wrought with the Persian and th' 108 (#x6_x_6_i276) Egyptian arms,
To signify she was a princess born,
And wife unto the monarch of the East.

CELEBINUS.  And here this table as a register
Of all her virtues and perfections.

TAMBURLAINE.  And here the picture of Zenocrate,
To shew her beauty which the world admir'd;
Sweet picture of divine Zenocrate,
That, hanging here, will draw the gods from heaven,
And cause the stars fix'd in the southern arc,
(Whose lovely faces never any view'd
That have not pass'd the centre's latitude,)
As pilgrims travel to our hemisphere,
Only to gaze upon Zenocrate.
Thou shalt not beautify Larissa-plains,
But keep within the circle of mine arms:
At every town and castle I besiege,
Thou shalt be set upon my royal tent;
And, when I meet an army in the field,
Those 109 (#x6_x_6_i279) looks will shed such influence in my camp,
As if Bellona, goddess of the war,
Threw naked swords and sulphur-balls of fire
Upon the heads of all our enemies.—
And now, my lords, advance your spears again;
Sorrow no more, my sweet Casane, now:
Boys, leave to mourn; this town shall ever mourn,
Being burnt to cinders for your mother's death.

CALYPHAS.  If I had wept a sea of tears for her,
would not ease the sorrows 110 (#x6_x_6_i282) I sustain.

AMYRAS.  As is that town, so is my heart consum'd
With grief and sorrow for my mother's death.

CELEBINUS.  My mother's death hath mortified my mind,
And sorrow stops the passage of my speech.

TAMBURLAINE.  But now, my boys, leave off, and list to me,