Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2

ALMEDA.  No talk of running, I tell you, sir.

CALLAPINE.  A little further, gentle Almeda.

ALMEDA.  Well, sir, what of this?

CALLAPINE.  By Cairo runs to Alexandria-bay
Darotes' stream, 30 (#x5_x_5_i486) wherein at 31 (#x5_x_5_i489) anchor lies
A Turkish galley of my royal fleet,
Waiting my coming to the river-side,
Hoping by some means I shall be releas'd;
Which, when I come aboard, will hoist up sail,
And soon put forth into the Terrene 32 (#x5_x_5_i492) sea,
Where, 33 (#x5_x_5_i495) 'twixt the isles of Cyprus and of Crete,
We quickly may in Turkish seas arrive.
Then shalt thou see a hundred kings and more,
Upon their knees, all bid me welcome home.
Amongst so many crowns of burnish'd gold,
Choose which thou wilt, all are at thy command:
A thousand galleys, mann'd with Christian slaves,
I freely give thee, which shall cut the Straits,
And bring armadoes, from 34 (#x6_x_6_i4) the coasts of Spain,
Fraughted with gold of rich America:
The Grecian virgins shall attend on thee,
Skilful in music and in amorous lays,
As fair as was Pygmalion's ivory girl
Or lovely Io metamorphosed:
With naked negroes shall thy coach be drawn,
And, as thou rid'st in triumph through the streets,
The pavement underneath thy chariot-wheels
With Turkey-carpets shall be covered,
And cloth of arras hung about the walls,
Fit objects for thy princely eye to pierce:
A hundred bassoes, cloth'd in crimson silk,
Shall ride before thee on Barbarian steeds;
And, when thou goest, a golden canopy
Enchas'd with precious stones, which shine as bright
As that fair veil that covers all the world,
When Phoebus, leaping from his hemisphere,
Descendeth downward to th' Antipodes:—
And more than this, for all I cannot tell.

ALMEDA.  How far hence lies the galley, say you?

CALLAPINE.  Sweet Almeda, scarce half a league from hence.

ALMEDA.  But need 35 (#x6_x_6_i7) 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,
(For that's the style and title I have yet,)
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 36 (#x6_x_6_i10) 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.

[Exeunt.]

SCENE III

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,