Tamburlaine the Great, Part 1 | Page 9

which the breath of heaven delights to play, Making it dance with wanton majesty; His arms and fingers long and sinewy,<67> Betokening valour and excess of strength;-- In every part proportion'd like the man Should make the world subdu'd<68> to Tamburlaine.
COSROE. Well hast thou pourtray'd in thy terms of life The face and personage of a wondrous man: Nature doth strive with Fortune<69> and his stars To make him famous in accomplish'd worth; And well his merits shew him to be made His fortune's master and the king of men, That could persuade, at such a sudden pinch, With reasons of his valour and his life, A thousand sworn and overmatching foes. Then, when our powers in points of swords are join'd, And clos'd in compass of the killing bullet, Though strait the passage and the port<70> be made That leads to palace of my brother's life, Proud is<71> his fortune if we pierce it not; And, when the princely Persian diadem Shall overweigh his weary witless head, And fall, like mellow'd fruit, with shakes of death, In fair<72> Persia noble Tamburlaine Shall be my regent, and remain as king.
ORTYGIUS. In happy hour we have set the crown Upon your kingly head, that seeks our honour In joining with the man ordain'd by heaven To further every action to the best.
CENEUS. He that with shepherds and a little spoil Durst, in disdain of wrong and tyranny, Defend his freedom 'gainst a monarchy, What will he do supported by a king, Leading a troop of gentlemen and lords, And stuff'd with treasure for his highest thoughts!
COSROE. And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine. Our army will be forty thousand strong, When Tamburlaine and brave Theridamas Have met us by the river Araris; And all conjoin'd to meet the witless king, That now is marching near to Parthia, And, with unwilling soldiers faintly arm'd, To seek revenge on me and Tamburlaine; To whom, sweet Menaphon, direct me straight.
MENAPHON. I will, my lord. [Exeunt.]

SCENE II.
Enter MYCETES, MEANDER, with other LORDS; and SOLDIERS.
MYCETES. Come, my Meander, let us to this gear. I tell you true, my heart is swoln with wrath On this same thievish villain Tamburlaine, And of<73> that false Cosroe, my traitorous brother. Would it not grieve a king to be so abus'd, And have a thousand horsemen ta'en away? And, which is worse,<74> to have his diadem Sought for by such scald knaves as love him not? I think it would: well, then, by heavens I swear, Aurora shall not peep out of her doors, But I will have Cosroe by the head, And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword. Tell you the rest, Meander: I have said.
MEANDER. Then, having pass'd Armenian deserts now, And pitch'd our tents under the Georgian hills, Whose tops are cover'd with Tartarian thieves, That lie in ambush, waiting for a prey, What should we do but bid them battle straight, And rid the world of those detested troops? Lest, if we let them linger here a while, They gather strength by power of fresh supplies. This country swarms with vile outragious men That live by rapine and by lawless spoil, Fit soldiers for the<75> wicked Tamburlaine; And he that could with gifts and promises Inveigle him that led a thousand horse, And make him false his faith unto his<76> king, Will quickly win such as be<77> like himself. Therefore cheer up your minds; prepare to fight: He that can take or slaughter Tamburlaine, Shall rule the province of Albania; Who brings that traitor's head, Theridamas, Shall have a government in Media, Beside<78> the spoil of him and all his train: But, if Cosroe (as our spials say, And as we know) remains with Tamburlaine, His highness' pleasure is that he should live, And be reclaim'd with princely lenity.
Enter a SPY.
SPY. An hundred horsemen of my company, Scouting abroad upon these champion<79> plains, Have view'd the army of the Scythians; Which make report it far exceeds the king's.
MEANDER. Suppose they be in number infinite, Yet being void of martial discipline, All running headlong, greedy after<80> spoils, And more regarding gain than victory, Like to the cruel brothers of the earth, Sprung<81> of the teeth of<82> dragons venomous, Their careless swords shall lance<83> their fellows' throats, And make us triumph in their overthrow.
MYCETES. Was there such brethren, sweet Meander, say, That sprung of teeth of dragons venomous?
MEANDER. So poets say, my lord.
MYCETES. And 'tis a pretty toy to be a poet. Well, well, Meander, thou art deeply read; And having thee, I have a jewel sure. Go on, my lord, and give your charge, I say; Thy wit will make us conquerors to-day.
MEANDER. Then, noble soldiers, to entrap these thieves That live confounded in disorder'd troops, If wealth or riches may prevail with them, We have