The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• 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 VII.

Alarms.—A battle; enterCosroe, wounded,Therida-mas, Tamburlaine, Techelles, Usumcasane, with others.

Cos.

• Barbarous and bloody Tamburlaine,
• Thus to deprive me of my crown and life!
• Treacherous and false Theridamas,
• Even at the morning of my happy state,
• Scarce being seated in my royal throne,
• To work my downfall and untimely end!
• An uncouth pain torments my grievéd soul,
• And death arrests the organ of my voice,
• Who, entering at the breach thy sword hath made,
• Sacks every vein and artier1 of my heart—

  10

• Bloody and insatiate Tamburlaine!

Tamb.

• The thirst of reign and sweetness of a crown
• That caused the eldest son of heavenly Ops,
• To thrust his doting father from his chair,
• And place himself in the empyreal heaven,
• Moved me to manage arms against thy state.
• What better precedent than mighty Jove?
• Nature that framed us of four elements,
• Warring within our breasts for regiment,
• Doth teach us all to have aspiring minds:

  20

• Our souls, whose faculties can comprehend
• The wondrous architecture of the world,
• And measure every wandering planet's course,
• Still climbing after knowledge infinite,
• And always moving as the restless spheres,
• Wills us to wear ourselves, and never rest,
• Until we reach the ripest fruit of all,
• That perfect bliss and sole felicity,
• The sweet fruition of an earthly crown.

Ther.

• And that made me to join with Tamburlaine:

  30

• For he is gross and like the massy earth,
• That moves not upwards, nor by princely deeds
• Doth mean to soar above the highest sort.

Tech.

• And that made us the friends of Tamburlaine,
• To lift our swords against the Persian king.
• Usum, For as when Jove did thrust old Saturn down,
• Neptune and Dis gained each of them a crown,
• So do we hope to reign in Asia,
• If Tamburlaine be placed in Persia.

Cos.

• The strangest men that ever nature made!

  40

• I know not how to take their tyrannies.
• My bloodless body waxeth chill and cold,
• And with my blood my life slides through my wound;
• My soul begins to take her flight to hell,
• And summons all my senses to depart.—
• The heat and moisture, which did feed each other,
• For want of nourishment to feed them both,
• Is dry and cold; and now doth ghastly death,
• With greedy talents1 gripe my bleeding heart,
• And like a harpy tires1 on my life.

  50

• Theridamas and Tamburlaine, I die:
• And fearful vengeance light upon you both!
• [COSROE dies.—Tamburlainetakes the crown and puts it on.

Tamb.

• Not all the curses which the2 furies breathe,
• Shall make me leave so rich a prize as this.
• Theridamas, Techelles, and the rest,
• Who think you now is king of Persia?

All.

• Tamburlaine! Tamburlaine!

Tamil.

• Though Mars himself, the angry god of arms,
• And all the earthly potentates conspire
• To dispossess me of this diadem,

  60

• Yet will I wear it in despite of them,
• As great commander of this eastern world,
• If you but say that Tamburlaine shall reign.

All.

• Long live Tamburlaine and reign in Asia!

Tamb.

• So now it is more surer on my head,
• Than if the gods had held a Parliament,
• And all pronounced me king of Persia.
• [Exeunt.

ACT THE THIRD.

[1]Dyce quotes several instances of this form of the word “artery.”

[1]“Talon” was not unfrequently spelt “talent” Cf. Love's Labour's Lost, iv. 2—”If a talent be a claw.”—Pistol's “Let vultures gnpe thy guts,” may be, as Steevens suggested, a parody of this passage.

[1]Preys.

[2]So 410.—8vo. “thy.”