Tamb. Well said, Theridamas; speak in that mood; 40 For will and shall best fitteth Tamburlaine, Whose smiling stars give him assured hope Of martial triumph ere he meet his foes. I that am termed the scourge and wrath of God, Will first subdue the Turk, and then enlarge Those Christian captives, which you keep as slaves, And when they chance to rest or breathe a space, That they lie panting on the galley's side, And strive for life at every stroke they give. That damned train, the scum of Africa, Inhabited with straggling runagates, That make quick havoc of the Christian blood; That Tamburlaine set foot in Africa. 50 60 Enter BAJAZETH with his Bassoes and contributory Kings. 1 "Mr. Dyce says, ' bastones, i.e. bastinadoes;' but the bastinado, as I have seen it, was applied to the soles of the feet, and was therefore a punishment inapplicable to rowers, whom it would have rendered unfit for work. 'Bastones' simply means batons, sticks.”—Cunningham, 2 Tamb. Techelles, and the rest, prepare your swords; I mean to encounter with that Bajazeth. Baj. Kings of Fez, Moroccus,1 and Argier, I tell thee, villain; those that lead my horse, And dar'st thou bluntly call me Bajazeth? 70 Tamb. And know, thou Turk, that those which lead my horse, Shall lead thee captive thorough Africa; And dar'st thou bluntly call me Tamburlaine? Baj. By Mahomet my kinsman's sepulchre, He shall be made a chaste and lustless eunuch, Tamb. By this my sword, that conquered Persia, K. of Fez. What means the mighty Turkish emperor, To talk with one so base as Tamburlaine? 1 Cf. Peele's Battle of Alczar, i. 2:— "Those plots of ground That to Morrocus lead the lower way." 30 2 Seraglio (Fr. serail). K. of Mor. Ye Moors and valiant men of Barbary, How can ye suffer these indignities? 90 K. of Arg. Leave words, and let them feel your lances' points Which glided through the bowels of the Greeks. Baj. Well said, my stout contributory kings: Your threefold army and my hugy1 host Shall swallow up these base-born Persians. Tech. Puissant, renowmed, and mighty Tamburlaine, Why stay we thus prolonging of their lives? Ther. I long to see those crowns won by our swords, That we may rule as kings of Africa. Usum. What coward would not fight for such a prize? 100 Tamb. Fight all courageously, and be you kings; I speak it, and my words are oracles. Baj. Zabina, mother of three braver boys Than Hercules, that in his infancy 1 Old form of "huge." 2 Strike violently, dash. So Greene (in Orlando Furioso) :— "But as the son of Saturn in his wrath Pash'd all the mountains at Typhæus' head." 110 Until I bring this sturdy Tamburlaine, Zab. Such good success happen to Bajazeth! Whose eyes are brighter than the lamps of heaven, Zeno. And may my love the king of Persia, Return with victory and free from wound! Baj. Now shalt thou feel the force of Turkish arms, I have of Turks, Arabians, Moors, and Jews, Let thousands die; their slaughtered carcasses 120 130 140 So many blows as I have heads for thee.1 Thou know'st not, foolish, hardy 2 Tamburlaine, That leave no ground for thee to march upon. Tamb. Our conquering swords shall marshal us the way We use to march upon the slaughtered foe, Direct our bullets and our weapons' points, And make your strokes to wound the senseless light,* 150 160 [Exit, with his followers. 66 them." 1 Dyce needlessly altered "thee" to Dyce reads "foolish-hardy." Fleet-float, swim. In his sonnet on the Return of Spring, Surrey writes: "The fishes flete with new repaired scale." The old copies give our for your and lure for light. Ed. 1826 corrected lure into light, a reading which I adopt doubtfully, and Dyce made the other correction. Peele imitates this line in David and Bethseba: "And make their weapons wound the senseless winds." |