The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine Part 1


Act: 2 Scene: 3
And so mistake you not a whit my Lord.
For Fates and Oracles of heaven have sworne,
To roialise the deedes of Tamburlaine:
And make them blest that share in his attemptes.
And doubt you not, but if you favour me,
And let my Fortunes and my valour sway,
To some direction in your martiall deeds,
The world will strive with hostes of men at armes,
To swarme unto the Ensigne I support.
The host of Xerxes, which by fame is said
To drinke the mightie Parthian Araris,
Was but a handful to that we will have.
Our quivering Lances shaking in the aire,
And bullets like Joves dreadfull Thunderbolts,
Enrolde in flames and fiery smoldering misses,
Shall threat the Gods more than Cyclopian warres,
And with our Sun-bright armour as we march,
Weel chase the Stars from heaven, and dim their eies
That stand and muse at our admyred armes.
Then haste Cosroe to be king alone,
That I with these my friends and all my men,
May triumph in our long expected Fate.
The King your Brother is now hard at hand,
Meete with the foole, and rid your royall shoulders
Of such a burthen, as outwaies the sands
And all the craggie rockes of Caspea.
See where it is, the keenest Cutle-axe ,
That ere made passage thorow Persean Armes.
These are the wings shall make it flie as swift,
As dooth the lightening, or the breath of heaven:
And kill as sure as it swiftly flies.
Usumcasane and Techelles come,
We are enough to scarre the enemy,
And more than needes to make an Emperour.

Act: 2 Scene: 4
What, fearful coward , stragling from the camp
When Kings themselves are present in the field?
Base villaine, darst thou give the lie?
Are you the witty King of Persea?
I would intreat you to speak but three wise wordes.
Is this your Crowne?
You will not sell it, wil ye?
No, I tooke it prisoner.
Then tis mine.
Wel, I meane you shall have it againe.
Here take it for a while, I lend it thee,
Till I may see thee hem'd with armed men.
Then shalt thou see me pull it from thy head:
Thou art no match for mightie Tamburlaine.

Act: 2 Scene: 5
Holde thee Cosroe, weare two imperiall Crownes.
Thinke thee invested now as royally,
Even by the mighty hand of Tamburlaine,
As if as many kinges as could encompasse thee,
With greatest pompe had crown'd thee Emperour.
And ride in triumph through Persepolis ?
Is it not brave to be a King, Techelles?
Usumcasane and Theridamas,
Is it not passing brave to be a King,
And ride in triumph through Persepolis?
Why say Theridamas, wilt thou be a king?
What saies my other friends, wil you be kings?
Why, that's wel said Techelles, so would I,
And so would you my maisters, would you not?
Why then Casane ,shall we wish for ought
The world affoords in greatest noveltie,
And rest attemplesse, faint and destitute?
Me thinks we should not, I am strongly moov'd,
That if I should desire the Persean Crowne,
I could attaine it with a woondrous ease,
And would not all our souldiers soone consent,
If we should aime at such a dignitie?
Why then Theridamas, Ile first assay,
To get the Persean Kingdome to my selfe:
Then thou for Parthia, they for Scythia and Medea.
And if I prosper, all shall be as sure,
As if the Turke, the Pope, Affrike and Greece,
Came creeping to us with their crownes apace.
Twil proove a pretie jest (in faith) my friends.
Judge by thy selfe Theridamas, not me,
For presently Techelles here shal haste,
To bid him battaile ere he passe too farre,
And lose more labor than the gaine will quight.
Then shalt thou see the Scythian Tamburlaine,
Make but a jest to win the Persean crowne.
Techelles, take a thousand horse with thee,
And bid him turne him back to war with us,
That onely made him King to make us sport.
We will not steale upon him cowardly,
But give him warning and more warriours.
Haste thee Techelles, we will follow thee.
What saith Theridamas?

Act: 2 Scene: 7
The thirst of raigne and sweetnes of a crown,
That causde the eldest sonne of heavenly Ops,
To thrust his doting father from his chaire,
And place himselfe in the Emperiall heaven,
Moov'd me to manage armes against thy state.
What better president than mightie Jove?
Nature that fram'd us of foure Elements,
Warring within our breasts for regiment,
Doth teach us all to have aspyring minds:
Our soules, whose faculties can comprehend
The wondrous Architecture of the world:
And measure every wandring plannets course:
Still climing after knowledge infinite,
And alwaies mooving as the restles Spheares,
Wils us to weare our selves and never rest,
Untill we reach the ripest fruit of all,
That perfect blisse and sole felicitie,
The sweet fruition of an earthly crowne.
Not all the curses which the furies breathe,
Shall make me leave so rich a prize as this:
Theridamas, Techelles, and the rest,
Who thinke you now is king of Persea?
Tamburlaine, Tamburlaine.
Though Mars himselfe the angrie God of armes,
And all the earthly Potentates conspire,
To dispossesse me of this Diadem:
Yet will I weare it in despight of them,
As great commander of this Easterne world,
If you but say that Tamburlaine shall raigne.
Long live Tamburlaine, and raigne in Asia.
So, now it is more surer on my head,
Than if the Gods had held a Parliament:
And all pronounst me king of Persea .