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 II.

EnterZenocrate, Agydas, Anippe, with others.

Agyd.

• Madam Zenocrate, may I presume
• To know the cause of these unquiet fits,
• That work such trouble to your wonted rest?
• ’Tis more than pity such a heavenly face
• Should by heart's sorrow wax so wan and pale,
• When your offensive rape by Tamburlaine,
• (Which of your whole displeasures should be most,)
• Hath seemed to be digested long ago.

Zeno.

• Although it be digested long ago,
• As his exceeding favours have deserved,

  10

• And might content the Queen of Heaven, as well
• As it hath changed my first conceived disdain,
• Yet since a farther passion feeds my thoughts
• With ceaseless and disconsolate conceits,
• Which dyes my looks so lifeless as they are,
• And might, if my extremes had full events,
• Make me the ghastly counterfeit1 of death.

Agyd.

• Eternal heaven sooner be dissolved,
• And all that pierceth Phcebus’ silver eye,
• Before such hap fall to Zenocrate!

  20

Zeno.

• Ah, life and soul, still hover in his breast
• And leave my body senseless as the earth.
• Or else unite you to his life and soul,
• That I may live and die with Tamburlaine!

Enter behindTamburlaine, Techelles,and others.

Agyd.

• With Tamburlaine! Ah, fair Zenocrate,
• Let not a man so vile and barbarous,
• That holds you from your father in despite,
• And keeps you from the honours of a queen,
• (Being supposed his worthless concubine,)
• Be honoured with your love but for necessity.

  30

• So, now the mighty soldan hears of you,
• Your highness needs not doubt but in short time
• He will with Tamburlaine's destruction
• Redeem you from this deadly servitude.

Zeno.

• [Agydas] leave to wound me with these words,
• And speak of Tamburlaine as he deserves.
• The entertainment we have had of him
• Is far from villany1 or servitude,
• And might in noble minds be counted princely.

Agyd.

• How can you fancy one that looks so fierce,

  40

• Only disposed to martial stratagems?
• Who, when he shall embrace you in his arms,
• Will tell you how many thousand men he slew;
• And when you look for amorous discourse,
• Will rattle forth his facts of war and blood,
• Too harsh a subject for your dainty ears.

Zeno.

• As looks the Sun through Nilus’ flowing stream.
• Or when the Morning holds him in her arms,
• So looks my lordly love, fair Tamburlaine;
• His talk much sweeter than the Muses’ song

  50

• They sung for honour ‘gainst Pierides;
• Or when Minerva did with Neptune strive:
• And higher would I rear my estimate
• Than Juno, sister to the highest god,
• If I were matched with mighty Tamburlaine.

Agyd.

• Yet be not so inconstant in your love;
• But let the young Arabian1 live in hope
• After your rescue to enjoy his choice.
• You see though first the king of Persia,
• Being a shepherd, seemed to love you much,

  60

• Now in his majesty he leaves those looks,
• Those words of favour, and those comfortings,
• And gives no more than common courtesies.

Zeno.

• Thence rise the tears that so distain my cheeks Fearing his love through my unworthiness. —

[Tamburlainegoes to her and takes her away lovingly by the band, looking wrathfully on AGYDAS, and says nothing. Exeunt all butAgydas.

Agyd.

• Betrayed by fortune and suspicious love,
• Threatened with frowning wrath and jealousy,
• Surprised with fear of2 hideous revenge,
• I stand aghast; but most astonied
• To see his choler shut in secret thoughts,

  70

• And wrapt in silence of his angry soul.
• Upon his brows was pourtrayed ugly death;
• And in his eyes the furies of his heart
• That shine as comets, menacing revenge,
• And casts a pale complexion on his cheeks.
• As when the seaman sees the Hyades
• Gather an army of Cimmerian clouds,
• (Auster and Aquilon with winged steeds,
• All sweating, tilt about the watery heavens,
• With shivering spears enforcing thunder claps,

  80

• And from their shields strike flames of lightening,)
• All-fearful folds his sails and sounds the main,
• Lifting his prayers to the Heavens for aid
• Against the terror of the winds and waves,
• So fares Agydas for the late-felt frowns,
• That sent a tempest to my daunted thoughts,
• And make my soul divine her overthrow.

EnterUsumcasaneandTechelleswith a naked dagger.

Tech.

• See you, Agydas, how the king salutes you?
• He bids you prophesy what it imports.

Agyd.

• I prophesied before, and now I prove

  90

• The killing frowns of jealousy and love.
• He needed not with words confirm my fear,
• For words are vain where working tools present
• The naked action of my threatened end:
• It says, Agydas, thou shalt surely die,
• And of extremities elect the least;
• More honour and less pain it may procure
• To die by this resolved hand of thine,
• Than stay the torments he and Heaven have sworn.
• Then haste, Agydas, and prevent the plagues

  100

• Which thy prolonged fates may draw on thee.
• Go, wander, free from fear of tyrant's rage,
• Removed from the torments and the hell,
• Wherewith he may excruciate thy soul,
• And let Agydas by Agydas die,
• And with this stab slumber eternally.
• Stabs himself.

Tech.

• Usumcasane, see, how right the man Hath hit the meaning of my lord, the king.

Usum.

• ‘Faith, and Techelles, it was manly done;
• And since he was so wise and honourable,
• Let us afford him now the bearing hence,
• And crave his triple-worthy burial.

Tech.

• Agreed, Casane; we will honour him.
• [Excunt bearing out the body.

[1]Image, picture.

[1]Subjection, slavery.

[1]Alcidamas, to whom Zenocrate had been betrothed.

[2]So 4to.—8vo. “and.”