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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine Part 1

Act: 4 Scene: 4<<

The Banquet, and to it commeth Tamburlain al in scarlet, Theridamas , Techelles, Usumcasane, the Turke, with others.

Tamburlaine

Now hang our bloody collours by Damascus ,

Reflexing hewes of blood upon their heads,

While they walke quivering on their citie walles,

Halfe dead for feare before they feele my wrath:

Then let us freely banquet and carouse

Full bowles of wine unto the God of war,

That meanes to fill your helmets full of golde:

And make Damascus spoiles as rich to you,

As was to Jason Colchos golden fleece.

And now Bajazeth, hast thou any stomacke?

Bajazeth

I, such a stomacke (cruel Tambulaine) as I could willinglyfeed upon thy blood-raw hart.

Tamburlaine

Nay, thine owne is easier to come by, plucke out that, andtwil serve thee and thy wife: Wel Zenocrate, Techelles, and the rest, fall to your victuals.

Bajazeth

Fall to, and never may your meat digest.

Ye Furies that can maske invisible,

Dive to the bottome of Avernus poole,

And in your hands bring hellish poison up,

And squease it in the cup of Tamburlain

Or winged snakes of Lerna cast your stings,

And leave your venoms in this Tyrants dish.

Zabina

And may this banquet proove as omenous,

As Prognes toth'adulterous Thracian King,

That fed upon the substance of his child.

Zenocrate

My Lord, how can you suffer these outragious curses bythese slaves of yours?

Tamburlaine

To let them see (divine Zenocrate)）

I glorie in the curses of my foes,

Having the power from the Emperiall heaven,

To turne them al upon their proper heades.

Techelles

I pray you give them leave Madam, this speech is a goodly refreshing to them.

Theridamas

But if his highnesse would let them be fed, it would doe them more good.

Tamburlaine

Sirra, why fall you not too, are you so daintily brought up, you cannot eat your owne flesh?

Bajazeth

First legions of devils shall teare thee in peeces.

Usumcasane

Villain, knowest thou to whom thou speakest?

Tamburlaine

O let him alone: here, eat sir, take it from my swords point, or Ile thrust it to thy heart.

He takes it and stamps upon it.

Theridamas

He stamps it under his feet my Lord.

Tamburlaine

Take it up Villaine , and eat it, or I will make thee slice the brawnes of thy armes into carbonadoes, and eat them.

Usumcasane

Nay, twere better he kild his wife, and then she shall be sure not to be starv'd, and he be provided for a mon- eths victuall before hand.

Tamburlaine

Here is my dagger, dispatch her while she is fat, for if she live but a while longer, shee will fall into a con- sumption with freatting, and then she will not bee woorth the eating.

Theridamas

Doost thou think that Mahomet wil suffer this?

Techelles

Tis like he wil, when he cannot let it.

Tamburlaine

Go to, fal to your meat: what, not a bit? belike he hath not bene watered to day, give him some drinke. They give him water to drinke, and he flings it on the ground. Faste and welcome sir, while hunger make you eat. How now Zenocrate, dooth not the Turke and his wife make a goodly showe at a banquet?

Zenocrate

Yes, my Lord.

Theridamas

Me thinks, tis a great deale better than a consort of musicke.

Tamburlaine

Yet musicke woulde doe well to cheare up Zenocrate: pray thee tel, why art thou so sad? If thou wilt have a song, the Turke shall straine his voice: but why is it?

Zenocrate

My lord, to see my fathers towne besieg'd,

The countrie wasted where my selfe was borne,

How can it but afflict my verie soule?

If any love remaine in you my Lord,

Or if my love unto your majesty

May merit favour at your highnesse handes,

Then raise your siege from faire Damascus walles,

And with my father take a frindly truce.

Tamburlaine

Zenocrate, were Egypt Joves owne land,

Yet would I with my sword make Jove to stoope.

I will confute those blind Geographers

That make a triple region in the world,

Excluding Regions which I meane to trace,

And with this pen reduce them to a Map,

Calling the Provinces, Citties and townes

After my name and shine Zenocrate:

Here at Damascus will I make the Point

That shall begin the Perpendicular.

And wouldst thou have me buy thy Fathers love

With such a losse? Tell me Zenocrate?

Zenocrate

Honor still weight on happy Tamburlaine:

Yet give me leave to plead for him my Lord.

Tamburlaine

Content thy selfe, his person shall be safe,

And all the friendes of faire Zenocrate,

If with their lives they will be pleasde to yeeld,

Or may be forc'd, to make me Emperour.

For Egypt and Arabia must be mine.

Feede you slave, thou maist thinke thy selfe happie to be fed from my trencher.

Bajazeth

My empty stomacke ful of idle heat,

Drawes bloody humours from my feeble parses,

Preserving life, by hastingquell death.

My vaines are pale, my sinowes hard and drie,

My jointes benumb'd, unlesse I eat, I die.

Zabina

Eat Bajazeth . Let us live in spite of them, looking some happie power will pitie and inlarge us.

Tamburlaine

Here Turk, wilt thou have a cleane trencher?

Bajazeth

I 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 smal a walke, and so litle exercise.

Enter a second course of Crownes.

Tamburlaine

Theridamas, Techelles and Casane, here are the cates you desire to finger, are they not?

Theridamas

I (my Lord) but none save kinges must feede with these.

Techelles

Tis enough for us to see them, and for Tamburlaine onely to enjoy them.

Tamburlaine

Wel, hereis now to the Souldane of Egypt , the King of Arabia, and the Governour of Damascus Now take these three crownes, and pledge me, my contributorie Kings. I crowne you here (Theridamas) King of Argier : Techelles King of Fesse, and Usumcasane King of Morocus. How say you to this (Turke) these are not your contributorie kings.

Bajezeth

Nor shall they long be shine, I warrant them.

Tamburlaine

Kings of Argier, Morocus, and of Fesse ,

You that have martcht with happy Tamburlaine,

As far as from the frozen plage of heaven,

Unto the watry mornings ruddy bower ,

And thence by land unto the Torrid Zone,

Deserve these tytles I endow you with,

By valure and by magnanimity.

Your byrthes shall be no blemish to your fame,

For vertue is the fount whence honor springs.

And they are worthy she investeth kings.

Theridames

And since your highnesse hath so well vouchsaft,

If we deserve them not with higher meeds

Then erst our states and actions have retain'd,

Take them away againe and make us slaves.

Tamburlaine

Wel said Theridamas, when holy Fates

Shall stablish me in strong Egyptia ,

We meane to traveile to th' Antartique Pole,

Conquering the people underneath our feet.

And be renowm'd, as never Emperours were.

Zenocrate, I will not crowne thee yet,

Until with greater honors I be grac'd.

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