Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2

And that shall bide no more regard of parle. 266 (#x7_x_7_i339)

GOVERNOR.  Assault and spare not; we will never yield.

[Alarms:  and they scale the walls.]

Enter TAMBURLAINE, drawn in his chariot (as before) by the KINGS OF TREBIZON and SORIA; AMYRAS, CELEBINUS, USUMCASANE;

ORCANES king of Natolia, and the KING OF JERUSALEM, led by

SOLDIERS; 267 (#x7_x_7_i342) and others.

TAMBURLAINE.  The stately buildings of fair Babylon,
Whose lofty pillars, higher than the clouds,
Were wont to guide the seaman in the deep,
Being carried thither by the cannon's force,
Now fill the mouth of Limnasphaltis' lake,
And make a bridge unto the batter'd walls.
Where Belus, Ninus, and great Alexander
Have rode in triumph, triumphs Tamburlaine,
Whose chariot-wheels have burst 268 (#x7_x_7_i345) th' Assyrians' bones,
Drawn with these kings on heaps of carcasses.
Now in the place, where fair Semiramis,
Courted by kings and peers of Asia,
Hath trod the measures, 269 (#x7_x_7_i348) do my soldiers march;
And in the streets, where brave Assyrian dames
Have rid in pomp like rich Saturnia,
With furious words and frowning visages
My horsemen brandish their unruly blades.

Re-enter THERIDAMAS and TECHELLES, bringing in the

GOVERNOR OF BABYLON.
Who have ye there, my lords?

THERIDAMAS.  The sturdy governor of Babylon,
That made us all the labour for the town,
And us'd such slender reckoning of 270 (#x7_x_7_i351) your majesty.

TAMBURLAINE.  Go, bind the villain; he shall hang in chains
Upon the ruins of this conquer'd town.—
Sirrah, the view of our vermilion tents
(Which threaten'd more than if the region
Next underneath the element of fire
Were full of comets and of blazing stars,
Whose flaming trains should reach down to the earth)
Could not affright you; no, nor I myself,
The wrathful messenger of mighty Jove,
That with his sword hath quail'd all earthly kings,
Could not persuade you to submission,
But still the ports 271 (#x7_x_7_i354) were shut:  villain, I say,
Should I but touch the rusty gates of hell,
The triple-headed Cerberus would howl,
And make 272 (#x7_x_7_i357) black Jove to crouch and kneel to me;
But I have sent volleys of shot to you,
Yet could not enter till the breach was made.

GOVERNOR.  Nor, if my body could have stopt the breach,
Shouldst thou have enter'd, cruel Tamburlaine.
'Tis not thy bloody tents can make me yield,
Nor yet thyself, the anger of the Highest;
For, though thy cannon shook the city-walls, 273 (#x7_x_7_i360)
My heart did never quake, or courage faint.

TAMBURLAINE.  Well, now I'll make it quake.—
Go draw him 274 (#x7_x_7_i363) up,
Hang him in 275 (#x7_x_7_i366) chains upon the city-walls,
And let my soldiers shoot the slave to death.

GOVERNOR.  Vile monster, born of some infernal hag,
And sent from hell to tyrannize on earth,
Do all thy worst; nor death, nor Tamburlaine,
Torture, or pain, can daunt my dreadless mind.

TAMBURLAINE.  Up with him, then! his body shall be scar'd. 276 (#x7_x_7_i369)

GOVERNOR.  But, Tamburlaine, in Limnasphaltis' lake
There lies more gold than Babylon is worth,
Which, when the city was besieg'd, I hid:
Save but my life, and I will give it thee.

TAMBURLAINE.
Then, for all your valour, you would save your life?
Whereabout lies it?

GOVERNOR.  Under a hollow bank, right opposite
Against the western gate of Babylon.

TAMBURLAINE.  Go thither, some of you, and take his gold:—

[Exeunt some ATTENDANTS.]

The rest forward with execution.
Away with him hence, let him speak no more.—
I think I make your courage something quail.—

[Exeunt ATTENDANTS with the GOVERNOR or BABYLON.]

When this is done, we'll march from Babylon,
And make our greatest haste to Persia.