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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 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。
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。＇
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
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 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