Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2

Teach you, my boys, to bear courageous minds,
Fit for the followers of great Tamburlaine.—
Usumcasane, now come, let us march
Towards Techelles and Theridamas,
That we have sent before to fire the towns,
The towers and cities of these hateful Turks,
And hunt that coward faint-heart runaway,
With that accursed 129 (#x6_x_6_i339) traitor Almeda,
Till fire and sword have found them at a bay.

USUMCASANE.  I long to pierce his 130 (#x6_x_6_i342) bowels with my sword,
That hath betray'd my gracious sovereign,—
That curs'd and damned traitor Almeda.

TAMBURLAINE.  Then let us see if coward Callapine
Dare levy arms against our puissance,
That we may tread upon his captive neck,
And treble all his father's slaveries.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE III

Enter TECHELLES, THERIDAMAS, and their train.

THERIDAMAS.  Thus have we march'd northward from Tamburlaine,
Unto the frontier point 131 (#x6_x_6_i345) of Soria; 132 (#x6_x_6_i348)
And this is Balsera, their chiefest hold,
Wherein is all the treasure of the land.

TECHELLES.  Then let us bring our light artillery,
Minions, falc'nets, and sakers, 133 (#x6_x_6_i351) to the trench,
Filling the ditches with the walls' wide breach,
And enter in to seize upon the hold.— 134 (#x6_x_6_i354)
How say you, soldiers, shall we not?

SOLDIERS.  Yes, my lord, yes; come, let's about it.

THERIDAMAS.  But stay a while; summon a parle, drum.
It may be they will yield it quietly, 135 (#x6_x_6_i357)
Knowing two kings, the friends 136 (#x6_x_6_i360) to Tamburlaine,
Stand at the walls with such a mighty power.

[A parley sounded.—CAPTAIN appears on the walls,

with OLYMPIA his wife, and his SON.]

CAPTAIN.  What require you, my masters?

THERIDAMAS.  Captain, that thou yield up thy hold to us.

CAPTAIN.  To you! why, do you 137 (#x6_x_6_i363) think me weary of it?

TECHELLES.  Nay, captain, thou art weary of thy life,
If thou withstand the friends of Tamburlaine.

THERIDAMAS.  These pioners 138 (#x6_x_6_i366) of Argier in Africa,
Even in 139 (#x6_x_6_i373) the cannon's face, shall raise a hill
Of earth and faggots higher than thy fort,
And, over thy argins 140 (#x6_x_6_i376) and cover'd ways,
Shall play upon the bulwarks of thy hold
Volleys of ordnance, till the breach be made
That with his ruin fills up all the trench;
And, when we enter in, not heaven itself
Shall ransom thee, thy wife, and family.

TECHELLES.  Captain, these Moors shall cut the leaden pipes
That bring fresh water to thy men and thee,
And lie in trench before thy castle-walls,
That no supply of victual shall come in,
Nor [any] issue forth but they shall die;
And, therefore, captain, yield it quietly. 141 (#x6_x_6_i379)

CAPTAIN.  Were you, that are the friends of Tamburlaine, 142 (#x6_x_6_i382)
Brothers of 143 (#x6_x_6_i385) holy Mahomet himself,
I would not yield it; therefore do your worst:
Raise mounts, batter, intrench, and undermine,
Cut off the water, all convoys that can, 144 (#x6_x_6_i388)     Yet I am 145 (#x6_x_6_i391) resolute:  and so, farewell.

[CAPTAIN, OLYMPIA, and SON, retire from the walls.]

THERIDAMAS.  Pioners, away! and where I stuck the stake,
Intrench with those dimensions I prescrib'd;
Cast up the earth towards the castle-wall,
Which, till it may defend you, labour low,
And few or none shall perish by their shot.

PIONERS.  We will, my lord.

[Exeunt PIONERS.]

TECHELLES.  A hundred horse shall scout about the plains,
To spy what force comes to relieve the hold.
Both we, Theridamas, will intrench our men,
And with the Jacob's staff measure the height
And distance of the castle from the trench,
That we may know if our artillery
Will carry full point-blank unto their walls.

THERIDAMAS.  Then see the bringing of our ordnance