Tamburlaine the Great, Part 1 | Page 8

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 argument That I shall be the monarch of the East, He sends this Soldan's daughter rich and brave,<51> To be my queen and portly emperess. If thou wilt stay with me, renowmed<52> man, 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;<53> And Christian merchants,<54> that with Russian stems<55> Plough up huge furrows in the Caspian Sea, Shall vail<56> 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 Bootes<57> sends his cheerful light, Then shalt thou be competitor<58> with me, And sit with Tamburlaine in all his majesty.
THERIDAMAS. Not Hermes, prolocutor to the gods, Could use persuasions more pathetical.
TAMBURLAINE. Nor are Apollo's oracles more true Than thou shalt find my vaunts substantial.
TECHELLES. We are his friends; and, if the Persian king Should 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.
USUMCASANE. And kingdoms at the least we all expect, Besides the honour in assured 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.
THERIDAMAS. What strong enchantments tice my yielding soul To these<59> resolved, noble Scythians! But shall I prove a traitor to my king?
TAMBURLAINE. No; but the trusty friend of Tamburlaine.
THERIDAMAS. Won with thy words, and conquer'd 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.
TAMBURLAINE. Theridamas, my friend, take here my 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 thine Until our bodies turn to elements, And both our souls aspire celestial thrones.-- Techelles and Casane, welcome him.
TECHELLES. Welcome, renowmed<60> Persian, to us all!
USUMCASANE. Long may Theridamas remain with us!
TAMBURLAINE. These are my friends, in whom I more rejoice Than doth the king of Persia in his crown; And, by the love of Pylades and Orestes, Whose statues<61> we adore in Scythia, Thyself and them shall never part from me Before I crown you kings<62> in Asia. Make much of them, gentle Theridamas, And they will never leave thee till the death.
THERIDAMAS. Nor thee nor them,<63> thrice-noble Tamburlaine, Shall want my heart to be with gladness pierc'd, To do you honour and security.
TAMBURLAINE. A thousand thanks, worthy Theridamas.-- And now, fair madam, and my noble lords, If you will<64> willingly remain with me, You shall have honours as your merits be; Or else you shall be forc'd with slavery.
AGYDAS. We yield unto thee, happy Tamburlaine.
TAMBURLAINE. For you, then, madam, I am out of doubt.
ZENOCRATE. I must be pleas'd perforce,--wretched Zenocrate! [Exeunt.]

ACT II.

SCENE I.
Enter COSROE, MENAPHON, ORTYGIUS, and CENEUS, with SOLDIERS.
COSROE. Thus far are we towards Theridamas, And valiant Tamburlaine, the man of fame, The man that in the forehead of his fortune Bears figures of renown and miracle. But tell me, that hast seen him, Menaphon, What stature wields he, and what personage?
MENAPHON. Of stature tall, and straightly fashioned, Like his desire, lift upwards and divine; So large of limbs, his joints so strongly knit, Such breadth of shoulders as might mainly bear Old Atlas' burden; 'twixt his manly pitch,<65> A pearl more worth than all the world is plac'd, Wherein by curious sovereignty of art Are fix'd his piercing instruments of sight, Whose fiery circles bear encompassed A heaven of heavenly bodies in their spheres, That guides his steps and actions to the throne Where honour sits invested royally; Pale of complexion, wrought in him with passion, Thirsting with sovereignty and<66> love of arms; His lofty brows in folds do figure death, And in their smoothness amity and life; About them hangs a knot of amber hair, Wrapped in curls, as fierce Achilles' was, On