To gratify the sweet Zenocrate,
Egyptians, Moors, and men of Asia,
From Barbary unto the western India,
Shall pay a yearly tribute to thy sire :
And from the bounds of Afric to the banks

Of Ganges shall his mighty arm extend.

And now, my lords and loving followers,

That purchased kingdoms by your martial deeds,
Cast off your armour, put on scarlet robes,
Mount up your royal places of estate,
Environed with troops of noblemen,
And there make laws to rule your provinces.
Hang up your weapons on Alcides' post,1

520

530

For Tamburlaine takes truce with all the world.

Thy first-betrothed love, Arabia,

Shall we with honour, as beseems, entomb
With this great Turk and his fair Emperess.
Then, after all these solemn exequies,

We will our rites 2 of marriage solemnise.

1 Dyce reads "post[s]," and Cunningham follows. I prefer the reading of the old copies, for I suspect that Marlowe had in his remem. brance Horace's Epistles, i. 1 (11. 4, 5),—

"Veianius armis

Herculis ad postem fixis latet abditus agro."

It was customary among the ancients on retiring from a profession to dedicate the implements of it to the patron deity.

2 Old copies read "celebrated rites." It is one of the numerous cases where a marginal note has been imported into the text. The author being doubtful whether to say our rites of marriage celebrate " or "our rites of marriage solemnise," the compositor promptly printed "our celebrated rites of marriage solemnise."

TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.

PART THE SECOND.

TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.

Part the Second.

PROLOGUE.

THE general welcomes Tamburlaine received,
When he arrived last upon the 1 stage,

Hath made our poet pen his Second Part,
Where death cuts off the progress of his pomp,

And murderous fates throw, all his triumphs down.
But what became of fair Zenocrate,

And with how many cities' sacrifice

He celebrated her sad 2 funeral,

Himself in presence shall unfold at large.

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

2 Old copies "said."