The Works of Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine Part 2


Act: 1 Scene: 3
But while my brothers follow armes my lord,
Let me accompany my gratious mother,
They are enough to conquer all the world
And you have won enough for me to keep.
If any man will hold him, I will strike,
And cleave him to the channell with my sword.

Act: 3 Scene: 2
This Piller plac'd in memorie of her,
Where in Arabian, Hebrew, Greek, is writ
This towne being burnt by Tamburlaine the great,
Forbids the world to build it up againe.
If I had wept a sea of teares for her,
It would not ease the sorrow I sustaine.
My Lord, but this is dangerous to be done,
We may be slaine or wounded ere we learne.
I know not what I should think of it. Me thinks tis a pitifull sight.

Act: 4 Scene: 1
Away ye fools, my father needs not me,
Nor you in faith, but that you wil be thought
More childish valourous than manly wise:
If halfe our campe should sit and sleepe with me,
My father were enough to scar the foe:
You doo dishonor to his majesty,
To think our helps will doe him any good.
I know sir, what it is to kil a man,
It works remorse of conscience in me,
I take no pleasure to be murtherous,
Nor care for blood when wine wil quench my thirst.
Goe, goe tall stripling, fight you for us both,
And take my other toward brother here,
For person like to proove a second Mars .
Twill please my mind as wel to heare both you
Have won a heape of honor in the field,
And left your slender carkasses behind,
As if I lay with you for company.
You say true.
Take you the honor, I will take my ease,
My wisedome shall excuse my cowardise:
I goe into the field before I need?
Alarme, and Amyras and Celebinus run in.
The bullets fly at random where they list.
And should I goe and kill a thousand men,
I were as soone rewarded with a shot,
And sooner far than he that never fights.
And should I goe and do nor harme nor good,
I might have harme, which all the good I have
Join'd with my fathers crowne would never cure.
Ile to cardes: Perdicas.
Come, thou and I wil goe to cardes to drive away the time.
Who shal kisse the fairest of the Turkes Concubines first, when my father hath conquered them.
They say I am a coward, (Perdicas) and I feare as litle their tara, tantaras, their swordes or their cannons, as I doe a naked Lady in a net of golde, and for feare I should be affraid, would put it off and come to bed with me.
I would my father would let me be put in the front of such a battaile once, to trie my valour. Alarme. What a coyle they keepe, I beleeve there will be some hurt done anon amongst them.