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KING OF ARABIA。 Renowmed Soldan； have you lately heard
The overthrow of mighty Bajazeth About the confines of Bithynia？ The
slavery wherewith he persecutes The noble Turk and his great emperess？
SOLDAN。 I have； and sorrow for his bad success； But； noble lord of
great Arabia； Be so persuaded that the Soldan is No more dismay'd with
tidings of his fall； Than in the haven when the pilot stands； And views a
stranger's ship rent in the winds； And shivered against a craggy rock： Yet
in compassion to his wretched state； A sacred vow to heaven and him I
make； Confirming it with Ibis' holy name； That Tamburlaine shall
rue the day； the hour； Wherein he wrought such ignominious wrong
Unto the hallow'd person of a prince； Or kept the fair Zenocrate so long；
As concubine； I fear； to feed his lust。
KING OF ARABIA。 Let grief and fury hasten on revenge； Let
Tamburlaine for his offences feel Such plagues as heaven and we can pour
on him： I long to break my spear upon his crest； And prove the weight of
his victorious arm； For fame； I fear； hath been too prodigal In sounding
through the world his partial praise。
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
SOLDAN。 Capolin； hast thou survey'd our powers？
CAPOLIN。 Great emperors of Egypt and Arabia； The number of your
hosts united is； A hundred and fifty thousand horse； Two hundred thousand
foot； brave men…at…arms； Courageous and full of hardiness； As frolic
as the hunters in the chase Of savage beasts amid the desert woods。
KING OF ARABIA。 My mind presageth fortunate success； And；
Tamburlaine； my spirit doth foresee The utter ruin of thy men and thee。
SOLDAN。 Then rear your standards； let your sounding drums Direct
our soldiers to Damascus' walls。 Now； Tamburlaine； the mighty Soldan
comes； And leads with him the great Arabian king； To dim thy baseness
and obscurity； Famous for nothing but for theft and spoil； To raze
and scatter thy inglorious crew Of Scythians and slavish Persians。
＇Exeunt。＇
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
SCENE IV。
A banquet set out； and to it come TAMBURLAINE all in scarlet；
ZENOCRATE； THERIDAMAS； TECHELLES； USUMCASANE；
BAJAZETH drawn in his cage； ZABINA； and others。
TAMBURLAINE。 Now hang our bloody colours by Damascus；
Reflexing hues of blood upon their heads； While they walk quivering on
their city…walls； Half…dead for fear before they feel my wrath。 Then let us
freely banquet； and carouse Full bowls of wine unto the god of war； That
means to fill your helmets full of gold； And make Damascus' spoils as rich
to you As was to Jason Colchos' golden fleece。 And now； Bajazeth； hast
thou any stomach？
BAJAZETH。 Ay； such a stomach； cruel Tamburlaine； as I could
willingly feed upon thy blood…raw heart。
TAMBURLAINE。 Nay； thine own is easier to come by： pluck out that；
and 'twill serve thee and thy wife。Well； Zenocrate； Techelles； and the rest；
fall to your victuals。
BAJAZETH。 Fall to； and never may your meat digest！ Ye Furies； that
can mask invisible； Dive to the bottom of Avernus' pool； And in
your hands bring hellish poison up； And squeeze it in the cup of
Tamburlaine！ Or； winged snakes of Lerna； cast your stings； And leave your
venoms in this tyrant's dish？
ZABINA。 And may this banquet prove as ominous As Progne's to th'
adulterous Thracian king That fed upon the substance of his child！
ZENOCRATE。 My lord； how can you suffer these Outrageous
curses by these slaves of yours？
TAMBURLAINE。 To let them see； divine Zenocrate； I glory in the
curses of my foes； Having the power from the empyreal heaven To turn
them all upon their proper heads。
TECHELLES。 I pray you； give them leave； madam； this speech is a
goodly refreshing for them。
THERIDAMAS。 But； if his highness would let them be fed； it would
do them more good。
TAMBURLAINE。 Sirrah； why fall you not to？ are you so daintily
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
brought up； you cannot eat your own flesh？
BAJAZETH。 First； legions of devils shall tear thee in pieces。
USUMCASANE。 Villain； knowest thou to whom thou speakest？
TAMBURLAINE。 O； let him alone。Here； eat； sir； take it
from my sword's point； or I'll thrust it to thy heart。 ＇BAJAZETH
takes the food； and stamps upon it。＇
THERIDAMAS。 He stamps it under his feet； my lord。
TAMBURLAINE。 Take it up； villain； and eat it； or I will make thee
slice the brawns of thy arms into carbonadoes and eat them。
USUMCASANE。 Nay； 'twere better he killed his wife； and then she
shall be sure not to be starved； and he be provided for a month's victual
beforehand。
TAMBURLAINE。 Here is my dagger： despatch her while she is fat；
for； if she live but a while longer； she will fall into a consumption
with fretting； and then she will not be worth the eating。
THERIDAMAS。 Dost thou think that Mahomet will suffer this？
TECHELLES。 'Tis like he will； when he cannot let it。
TAMBURLAINE。 Go to； fall to your meat。 What； not a bit！Belike he
hath not been watered to…day： give him some drink。 ＇They give
BAJAZETH water to drink； and he flings it on the ground。＇ Fast； and
welcome； sir； while hunger make you eat。How now； Zenocrate！
doth not the Turk and his wife make a goodly show at a banquet？
ZENOCRATE。 Yes； my lord。
THERIDAMAS。 Methinks 'tis a great deal better than a consort
of music。
TAMBURLAINE。 Yet music would do well to cheer up Zenocrate。
Pray thee； tell why art thou so sad？ if thou wilt have a song； the Turk shall
strain his voice： but why is it？
ZENOCRATE。 My lord； to see my father's town besieg'd； The country
wasted where myself was born； How can it but afflict my very soul？ If any
love remain in you； my lord； Or if my love unto your majesty May merit
favour at your highness' hands； Then raise your siege from fair Damascus'
walls； And with my father take a friendly truce。
TAMBURLAINE。 Zenocrate； were Egypt Jove's own land； Yet would
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TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
I with my sword make Jove to stoop。 I will confute those blind
geographers That make a triple region in the world； Excluding regions
which I mean to trace； And with this pen reduce them to a map；
Calling the provinces； cities； and towns； After my name and thine；
Zenocrate： Here at Damascus will I make the point That shall begin the
perpendicular： And wouldst thou have me buy thy father's love With such
a loss？ tell me； Zenocrate。
ZENOCRATE。 Honour still wait on happy Tamburlaine！ Yet give me
leave to plead for him； my lord。
TAMBURLAINE。 Content thyself： his person shall be safe； And all
the friends of fair Zenocrate； If with their lives they will be pleas'd to yield；
Or may be forc'd to make me emperor； For Egypt and Arabia must be
mine。 Feed； you slave； thou mayst think thyself happy to be fed from my
trencher。
BAJAZETH。 My empty stomach； full of idle heat； Draws bloody
humours from my feeble parts； Preserving life by hastening cruel
death。 My veins are pale； my sinews hard and dry； My joints benumb'd；
unless I eat； I die。
ZABINA。 Eat； Bajazeth； let us live in spite of them； looking some
happy power will pity and enlarge us。
TAMBURLAINE。 Here； Turk； wilt thou have a clean trencher？
BAJAZETH。 Ay； tyrant； and more meat。
TAMBURLAINE。 Soft； sir！ you must be dieted； too much eating will
make you surfeit。
THERIDAMAS。 So it would； my lord； 'specially having so
small a walk and so little exercise。 ＇A second course is brought in of
crowns。＇
TAMBURLAINE。 Theridamas； Techelles； and Casane； here are the
cates you desire to finger；