ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

Enter COSROE, MENAPHON, Ortygius, Ceneus, with other Soldiers.

Cos. 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?

Men. Of stature tall, and straightly fashioned,
Like his desire lift upward and divine,
So large of limbs, his joints so strongly knit,
Such breadth of shoulders as might mainly bear
Old Atlas' burthen ;-'twixt his manly pitch,1

A pearl, more worth than all the world, is placed,
Wherein by curious sovereignty of art

Are fixed his piercing instruments of sight,
Whose fiery circles bear encompassèd

ΙΟ

1 Originally the height to which a falcon soared; hence for height in general. Here it means the shoulders.

and

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 and1 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 which the breath of Heaven delights to play,
Making it dance with wanton majesty.—
His arms and fingers, long, and sinewy,2
Betokening valour and excess of strength ;-
In every part proportioned like the man
Should make the world subdued to Tamburlaine.

Cos. Well hast thou pourtrayed in thy terms of life

The face and personage of a wondrous man;
Nature3 doth strive with Fortune and his stars
To make him famous in accomplished worth;
And well his merits show 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.

20

30

1 So 4to.-8vo. "with."

2 This is Dyce's emendation for the 8vo.'s "snowy." reads:-"His armes long, his fingers snowy-white."

The 4to.

3 Dyce suggests that Shakespeare had this line in his mind when he wrote, "Nature and Fortune join'd to make thee great.”—King John, iii. I. But the form of expression is common.

Then, when our powers in points of swords are joined 40
And closed in compass of the killing bullet,

Though strait the passage and the port1 be made
That leads to palace of my brother's life,
Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not.

And when the princely Persian diadem
Shall overweigh his weary witless head,

And fall like mellowed fruit with shakes of death,
In fair Persia, noble Tamburlaine

Shall be my regent and remain as king.

Orty. In happy höur we have set the crown
Upon your kingly head that seeks our honour,
In joining with the man ordained by Heaven,
To further every action to the best.

Cen. 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 stuffed with treasure for his highest thoughts!

Cos. 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 conjoined to meet the witless king,
That now is marching near to Parthia,
And with unwilling soldiers faintly armed,
To seek revenge on me and Tamburlaine,

1 Gate.

50

60

To whom, sweet Menaphon, direct me straight.

Men. I will, my lord.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

1. Enter MYCETES, MEANDER, with other Lords and
Soldiers.

Myc. Come, my Meander, let us to this gear.1
I tell you true, my heart is swoln with wrath
On this same thievish villain, Tamburlaine,
And, on that false Cosroe, my traitorous brother.
Would it not grieve a king to be so abused
And have a thousand horsemen ta'en away?
And, which is worse, to have his diadem
Sought for by such scald2 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.

Meand. Then having past Armenian deserts now,
And pitched our tents under the Georgian hills,
Whose tops are covered with Tartarian thieves,
That lie in ambush, waiting for a prey,

1 Business. Cf. Edward II., v. 5:-" So now must I about this gear." 2 Henry VI., i. 4 :—“ Well said, my masters, and welcome all to this gear; the sooner the better."

2 Scurvy, low, paltry. Cf. Antony and Cleopatra, v. 2 :—

What should we do but bid them battle straight,
And rid the world of those detested troops?
Lest, if we let them linger here awhile,
They gather strength by power of fresh supplies.
This country swarms with vile outrageous men
That live by rapine and by lawless spoil,
Fit soldiers for the 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 king,
Will quickly win such as be 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 the spoil of him and all his train :
But if Cosroe, (as our spials1 say,
And as we know) remains with Tamburlaine,
His Highness' pleasure is that he should live,
And be reclaimed with princely lenity.
-A Spy. A hundred horsemen of my company
Scouting abroad upon these champion2 plains
Have viewed the army of the Scythians,
Which make report it far exceeds the king's.

Meand. Suppose they be in number infinite,

20

30

40

1 Espials, spies. Cf. 1 Henry VI. i. 4:-"The prince's spials have informed me."

2 The old form of "champain."