TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT. Dart the First. THE PROLOGUE. FROM jigging veins of rhyming mother wits, Where you shall hear the Scythian Tamburlaine : And then applaud his fortune as you please. CAPOLIN, an Egyptian Captain. BAJAZETH, Emperor of the Turks. King of Arabia. King of Fez. King of Morocco. King of Argier. Soldan of Egypt Governor of Damascus. PHILEMUS, a Messenger. ZENOCRATE, Daughter of the Soldan of Egypt. ZABINA, Empress of the Turks. EBEA, her Maid. Virgins of Damascus. 1 There is no list of characters in the old copies. TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT. Part the First. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE I. Enter MYCETESs, Cosroe, MEANDER, THERIDAMAS, ORTYGIUS, CENEUS, MENAPHON, with others. Myc. Brother Cosroe, I find myself aggrieved, For it requires a great and thundering speech:1 Cos. Unhappy Persia, that in former age ΤΟ 10 To shed their influence in his fickle brain ! Myc Brother, I see your meaning well enough, Meand. Not for so small a fault, my sovereign lord. Myc. I mean it not, but yet I know I might; Yet live; yea live, Mycetes wills it so. Meander, thou, my faithful counsellor, Declare the cause of my conceivèd grief, Which is, God knows, about that Tamburlaine, That, like a fox in midst of harvest time, Doth · And, as I hear, doth mean to pull my plumes: prey upon my flocks of passengers; To To make himself the monarch of the East; reign in Asia, and with barbarous arms 1 Old copies "his." 30 40 But ere he march in Asia, or display His vagrant ensign in the Persian fields, Your Grace hath taken order by Theridamas, And bring him captive to your Highness' throne. Whom I may term a Damon for thy love: Therefore 'tis best, if so it like you all, To send my thousand horse incontinent1 Cos. It cannot choose, because it comes from you. The hope of Persia, and the very legs Go frowning forth; but come thou smiling home, As did sir Paris with the Grecian dame; Return with speed-time passeth swift away; Ther. Before the moon renew her borrowed light, 1 Immediately. 50 ,60 70 |