按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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
54
… Page 55…
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； are they not？
THERIDAMAS。 Ay； my lord： but none save kings must feed with
these。
TECHELLES。 'Tis enough for us to see them； and for Tamburlaine
only to enjoy them。
TAMBURLAINE。 Well； here is now to the Soldan of Egypt； the King
55
… Page 56…
TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
of Arabia； and the Governor of Damascus。 Now； take these three crowns；
and pledge me； my contributory kings。 I crown you here； Theridamas；
king of Argier； Techelles； king of Fez； and Usumcasane； king of
Morocco。How say you to this； Turk？ these are not your
contributory kings。
BAJAZETH。 Nor shall they long be thine； I warrant them。
TAMBURLAINE。 Kings of Argier； Morocco； and of Fez； You that
have march'd with happy Tamburlaine As far as from the frozen
plage of heaven Unto the watery Morning's ruddy bower； And
thence by land unto the torrid zone； Deserve these titles I endow you with
By valour and by magnanimity。 Your births shall be no blemish to
your fame； For virtue is the fount whence honour springs； And they are
worthy she investeth kings。
THERIDAMAS。 And； since your highness hath so well vouchsaf'd； If
we deserve them not with higher meeds Than erst our states and actions
have retain'd； Take them away again； and make us slaves。
TAMBURLAINE。 Well said； Theridamas： when holy Fates Shall
stablish me in strong Aegyptia； We mean to travel to th' antarctic pole；
Conquering the people underneath our feet； And be renowm'd as
never emperors were。 Zenocrate； I will not crown thee yet； Until with
greater honours I be grac'd。 ＇Exeunt。＇
56
… Page 57…
TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
ACT V。
57
… Page 58…
TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
SCENE I。
Enter the GOVERNOR OF DAMASCUS with three or four
CITIZENS； and four VIRGINS with branches of laurel in their hands。
GOVERNOR。 Still doth this man； or rather god of war； Batter our
walls and beat our turrets down； And to resist with longer stubbornness；
Or hope of rescue from the Soldan's power； Were but to bring our wilful
overthrow； And make us desperate of our threaten'd lives。 We see his tents
have now been altered With terrors to the last and cruel'st hue； His coal…
black colours； every where advanc'd； Threaten our city with a general
spoil； And； if we should with common rites of arms Offer our safeties to
his clemency； I fear the custom proper to his sword； Which he observes as
parcel of his fame； Intending so to terrify the world； By any innovation or
remorse Will never be dispens'd with till our deaths。 Therefore； for
these our harmless virgins' sakes； Whose honours and whose lives
rely on him； Let us have hope that their unspotted prayers； Their
blubber'd cheeks； and hearty humble moans； Will melt his fury into
some remorse； And use us like a loving conqueror。
FIRST VIRGIN。 If humble suite or imprecations （Utter'd with tears of
wretchedness and blood Shed from the heads and hearts of all our sex；
Some made your wives； and some your children；） Might have entreated
your obdurate breasts To entertain some care of our securities
Whiles only danger beat upon our walls； These more than danger