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usurps the glorious name of war。 See； Capolin； the fair Arabian
king； That hath been disappointed by this slave Of my fair daughter
and his princely love； May have fresh warning to go war with us； And be
reveng'd for her disparagement。 ＇Exeunt。＇
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
SCENE II。
Enter TAMBURLAINE； TECHELLES； THERIDAMAS；
USUMCASANE； ZENOCRATE； ANIPPE； two MOORS drawing
BAJAZETH in a cage； and ZABINA following him。
TAMBURLAINE。 Bring out my footstool。 ＇They take BAJAZETH out
of the cage。＇
BAJAZETH。 Ye holy priests of heavenly Mahomet； That； sacrificing；
slice and cut your flesh； Staining his altars with your purple blood； Make
heaven to frown； and every fixed star To suck up poison from the moorish
fens； And pour it in this glorious tyrant's throat！
TAMBURLAINE。 The chiefest god； first mover of that sphere
Enchas'd with thousands ever…shining lamps； Will sooner burn the glorious
frame of heaven Than it should so conspire my overthrow。 But；
villain； thou that wishest this to me； Fall prostrate on the low
disdainful earth； And be the footstool of great Tamburlaine； That I may
rise into my royal throne。
BAJAZETH。 First shalt thou rip my bowels with thy sword； And
sacrifice my heart to death and hell； Before I yield to such a slavery。
TAMBURLAINE。 Base villain； vassal； slave to Tamburlaine；
Unworthy to embrace or touch the ground That bears the honour of my
royal weight； Stoop； villain； stoop！ stoop； for so he bids That may
command thee piecemeal to be torn； Or scatter'd like the lofty cedar…trees
Struck with the voice of thundering Jupiter。
BAJAZETH。 Then； as I look down to the damned fiends； Fiends； look
on me！ and thou； dread god of hell； With ebon sceptre strike this hateful
earth； And make it swallow both of us at once！ ＇TAMBURLAINE gets up
on him into his chair。＇
TAMBURLAINE。 Now clear the triple region of the air； And let the
Majesty of Heaven behold Their scourge and terror tread on emperors。
Smile； stars that reign'd at my nativity； And dim the brightness of
your neighbour lamps； Disdain to borrow light of Cynthia！ For I；
the chiefest lamp of all the earth； First rising in the east with mild aspect；
But fixed now in the meridian line； Will send up fire to your turning
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
spheres； And cause the sun to borrow light of you。 My sword struck fire
from his coat of steel； Even in Bithynia； when I took this Turk； As when a
fiery exhalation； Wrapt in the bowels of a freezing cloud； Fighting for
passage； make＇s＇ the welkin crack； And casts a flash of lightning to
the earth： But； ere I march to wealthy Persia； Or leave Damascus and th'
Egyptian fields； As was the fame of Clymene's brain…sick son That almost
brent the axle…tree of heaven； So shall our swords； our lances； and
our shot Fill all the air with fiery meteors； Then； when the sky shall wax as
red as blood； It shall be said I made it red myself； To make me think of
naught but blood and war。
ZABINA。 Unworthy king； that by thy cruelty Unlawfully usurp'st the
Persian seat； Dar'st thou； that never saw an emperor Before thou met my
husband in the field； Being thy captive； thus abuse his state； Keeping his
kingly body in a cage； That roofs of gold and sun…bright palaces Should
have prepar'd to entertain his grace？ And treading him beneath thy
loathsome feet； Whose feet the kings of Africa have kiss'd？
TECHELLES。 You must devise some torment worse； my lord； To
make these captives rein their lavish tongues。
TAMBURLAINE。 Zenocrate； look better to your slave。
ZENOCRATE。 She is my handmaid's slave； and she shall look That
these abuses flow not from her tongue。 Chide her； Anippe。
ANIPPE。 Let these be warnings； then； for you； my slave； How
you abuse the person of the king； Or else I swear to have you whipt stark
nak'd。
BAJAZETH。 Great Tamburlaine； great in my overthrow； Ambitious
pride shall make thee fall as low； For treading on the back of Bajazeth；
That should be horsed on four mighty kings。
TAMBURLAINE。 Thy names； and titles； and thy dignities Are
fled from Bajazeth； and remain with me； That will maintain it 'gainst a
world of kings。 Put him in again。 ＇They put him into the cage。＇
BAJAZETH。 Is this a place for mighty Bajazeth？ Confusion light on
him that helps thee thus！
TAMBURLAINE。 There； whiles he lives； shall Bajazeth be kept；
And； where I go； be thus in triumph drawn； And thou； his wife； shalt
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
feed him with the scraps My servitors shall bring thee from my board； For
he that gives him other food than this； Shall sit by him； and starve to death
himself： This is my mind； and I will have it so。 Not all the kings and
emperors of the earth； If they would lay their crowne before my feet； Shall
ransom him； or take him from his cage： The ages that shall talk of
Tamburlaine； Even from this day to Plato's wondrous year； Shall talk how
I have handled Bajazeth： These Moors； that drew him from Bithynia To
fair Damascus； where we now remain； Shall lead him with us wheresoe'er
we go。 Techelles； and my loving followers； Now may we see Damascus'
lofty towers； Like to the shadows of Pyramides That with their beauties
grace the Memphian fields。 The golden stature of their
feather'd bird； That spreads her wings upon the city…walls； Shall not
defend it from our battering shot： The townsmen mask in silk and cloth of
gold； And every house is as a treasury； The men； the treasure； and the
town are ours。
THERIDAMAS。 Your tents of white now pitch'd before the gates； And
gentle flags of amity display'd； I doubt not but the governor will yield；
Offering Damascus to your majesty。
TAMBURLAINE。 So shall he have his life； and all the rest： But； if he
stay until the bloody flag Be once advanc'd on my vermilion tent； He dies；
and those that kept us out so long； And； when they see me march in black
array； With mournful streamers hanging down their heads； Were in that
city all the world contain'd； Not one should scape； but perish by our
swords。
ZENOCRATE。 Yet would you have some pity for my sake； Because it
is my country and my father's。
TAMBURLAINE。 Not for the world； Zenocrate； if I have sworn。
Come； bring in the Turk。 ＇Exeunt。＇
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
SCENE III。
Enter SOLDAN； KING OF ARABIA； CAPOLIN； and
SOLDIERS； with streaming colours。
SOLDAN。 Methinks we march as Meleager did； Environed with brave
Argolian knights； To chase the savage Calydonian boar； Or
Cephalus； with lusty Theban youths； Against the wolf that angry
Themis sent To waste and spoil the sweet Aonian fields。 A monster of five
hundred thousand heads； Compact of rapine； piracy； and spoil； The scum
of men； the hate and scourge of God； Raves in Aegyptia； and annoyeth us：
My lord； it is the bloody Tamburlaine； A sturdy felon； and a base…
bred thief； By murder raised to the Persian crown； That dare control us in
our territories。 To tame the pride of this presumptuous beast； Join your
Arabians with the Soldan's power； Let us unite our royal bands in one；
And hasten to remove Damascus' siege。 It is a blemish to the majesty And
high estate of mighty emperors； That such a base usurping vagabond
Should brave a king； or wear a princely crown。
KING OF ARABIA。 Renowmed Soldan； have you lately heard
The overthrow of mighty Bajazeth About the confines of Bithynia？ The