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• Preface
• Publisher's Notice
• Introduction
• Tamburlaine the Great. In Two Parts.
• Tamburlaine the Great, Part Tbe First.
• The Prologue.
• Persons Represented. 1
• Tamburlaine the Great. Part the First.: Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Scene VII.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Tamburlaine the Great. Part the Second
• Prologue.
• Persons Represented.
• Tamburlaine the Great. Part the Second: Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.
• Persons Represented.
• The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI. 1
• Scene VII.
• Scene VIII.
• Scene IX.
• Scene X.
• Scene XI.
• Scene XII.
• Scene XIII.
• Scene XIV.
• Scene XV.
• Scene XVI.
• Appendix to Dr. Faustus.
• Ballad of Faustus.

SCENE III.

EnterCosroe, Tamburlaine, Theridamas, Techelles, Usumcasane,andOrtygius, with others.

Cos.

• Now, worthy Tamburlaine, have I reposed
• In thy approvèd fortunes all my hope.
• What thmk'st thou, man, shall come of our attempts?
• For even as from assurèd oracle,
• I take thy doom for satisfaction.

Tamb.

• And so mistake you not a whit, my Lord;
• For fates and oraclès [of] Heaven have sworn
• To royalise the deeds of Tamburlaine,
• And make them blest that share in his attempts.
• And doubt you not but, if you favour me,

  10

• And let my fortunes and my valour sway
• To some1 direction in your martial deeds,
• The world will strive with hosts of men at arms,
• To swarm unto the ensign I support:
• The host of Xerxes, which by fame is said
• To have drank the mighty Parthian Araris,
• Was but a handful to that we will have.
• Our quivering lances, shaking in the air,
• And bullets, like Jove's dreadful thunderbolts,
• Enrolled in flames and fiery smouldering mists,

  20

• Shall threat the gods more than Cyclopian wars:
• And with our sun-bright armour as we march,
• We'll chase the stars from heaven and dim their eyes
• That stand and muse at our admired arms.

Ther.

• You see, my Lord, what working words he hath;
• But when you see his actions stop1 his speech,
• Your speech will stay or so extol his worth
• As I shall be commended and excused
• For turning my poor charge to his direction.
• And these his two renowmèd friends, my lord,

  30

• Would make one thirst2 and strive to be retained
• In such a great degree of amity.

Tech.

• With duty and3 with amity we yield
• Our utmost service to the fair Cosroe.

Cos.

• Which I esteem as portion of my crown.
• Usumcasane and Techelles both,
• When she that rules in Rhamnus'4 golden gates,
• And makes a passage for all prosperous arms,
• Shall make me solely emperor of Asia,
• Then shall your meeds5 and valours be advanced

  40

• To rooms of honour and nobility.

Tamb.

• 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;
• Meet with the fool, and rid your royal shoulders
• Of such a burthen as outweighs the sands
• And all the craggy rocks of Caspia.
• Enter a Messenger.

Mes.

• My lord, we have discoveréd the enemy
• Ready to charge you with a mighty army.

  50

Cos.

• Come, Tamburlaine! now whet thy wingéd sword,
• And lift thy lofty arm into the clouds,
• That it may reach the king of Persia's crown,
• And set it safe on my victorious head.

Tamb.

• See where it is, the keenest curtle axe
• That e'er made passage thorough Persian arms.
• These are the wings shall make it fly as swift
• As doth the lightning or the breath of Heaven.
• And kill as sure as it swiftly flies.

Cos.

• Thy words assure me of kind success;

  60

• Go, valiant soldier, go before and charge
• The fainting army of that foolish king.

Tamb.

• Usumcasane and Techelles, come!
• We are enow to scare the enemy,
• And more than needs to make an emperor.
• [They go out to the battle

[1]So 4to.—8vo. “scorne,”

[1]Dyce reads “top,” which gives excellent sense.

[2]8vo. “thrust.”—4t0. “thrist.”

[3]So 4t0.—8vo. “not.”

[4]Broughton quotes from Locrine:—

• “She that rules fair Rhamnus' golden gates
• Grant us the honour of the victory.”

The old copies read “Rhamnus.” The allusion is of course to Nemesis, who had a temple at Rhamnus in Attica.

[5]So 8vo.—4t0. “deeds.”