particular being wide enough at

particular being wide enough at
the top for roads, sometimes pro-
tected by parapets, to run along
them.
71. cavalieros] See 11. iv. 103, and
note, counterforts] The N.E.D.
quotes this passage and defines :
' A buttress or projecting piece of
masonry to support and strengthen
a wall or terrace.'
73-4. These two lines are almost
a word-for-word reproduction of
Paul Ive's account of fortification :
' It must also have countermines,
privie ditches, secret issuinges
out to defend the ditch.'
75. argins . . . covered^ways] Cun-
ningham explains an argin as an
earthwork and adds that it ' here
must mean the particular earth-
work called the glacis ' . The cov-
ered way is ' the protected road
between the argin and the coun-
terscarp '.
226 THE SECOND PART OF [actiii
To keep the bulwark fronts from battery,
And parapets to hide the musketeers,
Casemates to place the great artillery,
And store of ordnance, that from every flank
May scour the outward curtains of the fort, 80
Dismount the cannon of the adverse part,
Murder the foe and save the walls from breach.
When this is learn'd for service on the land.
By plain and easy demonstration
I'll teach you how to make the water mount.
That you may dry-foot march through lakes and pools,
Deep rivers, havens, creeks, and little seas.
And make a fortress in the raging waves,
Fenc'd with the concave of a monstrous rock,
Invincible by nature of the place. 90
When this is done, then are ye soldiers,
And worthy sons of Tamburlaine the Great.
Caly. My lord, but this is dangerous to be done ;
We may be slain or wounded ere we learn.
Tamb. Villain, art thou the son of Tamburlaine,
And fear'st to die, or with a curtle-axe
To hew thy flesh, and make a gaping wound ?
Hast thou beheld a peal of ordnance strike
A ring of pikes, mingled with shot and horse.
Whose shattered limbs, being tossed as high as heaven,
Hang in the air as thick as sunny motes, loi
yS. great] greatst O^. go . by] by the O ^^ gi. ye] you O^O^. g6.a]the02-
78. Casemates] The N.E.D. de- line presents some difficulty. As it
fines ' casemate 'as, 'A vaulted stands it may be paraphrased, ' A
chamber built in the thickness of ring of soldiers armed with pikes
the ramparts of a fortress, with and mingled with artillery and
embrasures for the defence of the cavalry ', which does not suggest a
place, and quotes Paul Ive : ' any wise military disposition. Cun-
. . . edifice that may be made ningham, whose word on military
in the ditch to defend the ditch matters should at least be con-
by '. sidered, emends to ' A ring of
80. curtains of the fort] the walls pikes, of mingled foot and horse ',
joining two bastions or towers while Mitford conjectures ' A ring
together, of pikes and horse, mangled with
99. A ring . . . and horse] This shot '.
sc. II] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 227
And canst thou, coward, stand in fear of death ?
Hast thou not seen my horsemen charge the foe.
Shot through the arms, cut overthwart the hands,
Djdng their lances with their streaming blood.
And yet at night carouse within my tent,
Filling their empty veins with airy wine.
That, being concocted, turns to crimson blood,
And wilt thou shun the field for fear of wounds ?
View me, thy father, that hath conquered kings, no
And with his host marched round about the earth,
Quite void of scars and clear from any wound.
That by the wars lost not a dram of blood.
And see him lance his flesh to teach you all.
[He cuts his arm.
A wound is nothing, be it ne'er so deep ;
Blood is the god of war's rich livery.
Now look I like a soldier, and this wound
As great a grace and majesty to me,
As if a chair of gold enamelled,
Enchas'd with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, 120
And fairest pearl of wealthy India,
Were mounted here under a canopy.
And I sat down, cloth'd with the massy robe
That late adorn'd the Afric potentate.
Whom I brought bound unto Damascus' walls.
Come, boys, and with your fingers search my wound,
And in my blood wash all your hands at once.
While I sit smiling to behold the sight.
Now, my boys, what think you of a wound ?
Caly. I know not what I should think of it ; methinks 'tis
a pitiful sight. 131
Cel. 'Tis nothing Give me a wound, father.
III. hisi this O3 O4. marched] martch Oj Og. 113. dram] drop O^-
123. the] a 02-4. 129. you] ye O^-
124-5. ^^^ Afric potentate] Baja- ing Tamburlaine's siege of Dam-
zet, so called by virtue of his African ascus (I, v. ii).
conquests, who killed himself dur-
228 THE SECOND PART OF [actiii
Amy. And me another, my lord.
Tamh. Come, sirrah, give me your arm.
Cel. Here, father, cut it bravely, as you did your own.
Tamh. It shall suffice thou darst abide a wound ;
My boy, thou shalt not lose a drop of blood
Before we meet the army of the Turk ;
But then run desperate through the thickest throngs,
Dreadless of blows, of bloody wounds and death ; 140
And let the burning of Larissa walls.
My speech of war, and this my wound you see,
Teach you, my boys, to bear courageous minds,
Fit for the followers of great Tamburlaine.
Usumcasane, now come, let us march
Towards Techelles and Theridamas,
That we have sent before to fire the towns,
The towers and cities of these hateful Turks,
And hunt that coward faint-heart runaway,
With that accursed traitor Almeda, 150
Till fire and sword have found them at a bay.
Usum. I long to pierce his bowels with my sword.
That hath betrayed my gracious sovereign.
That cursed and damned traitor Almeda.
Tamh. Then let us see if coward Callapine
Dare levy arms against our puissance,
That we may tread upon his captive neck,
And treble all his father's slaveries. [Exeunt.
SCENE III
Techelles, Theridamas, and their train.
Ther. Thus have we marched northward from Tamburlaine,
147. the towns] Townes O3. 150. accursed] cursed Og. 152. his] the Og.
Act III. Scene in.
Heading Scene Hi] Scaena 1 O^-^.
Scene Hi. Balsera] ' Northward ', says Cun-
1-3. Thus have we marched . . . ningham, ' should no doubt be
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 229
Unto the frontier point of Soria ;
And this is Balsera, their chiefest hold,
Wherein is all the treasure of the land.
Tech. Then let us bring our light artillery.
Minions, falc'nets, and sakers, to the trench.
Filling the ditches with the walls' wide breach.
And enter in to seize upon the gold.
How say ye, soldiers, shall we not ?
Soldiers. Yes, my lord, yes ; come, let's about it. lo
Ther. But stay a while ; summon a parle, drum.
It may be they will yield it quietly,
Knowing two kings, the friends to Tamburlaine,
Stand at the walls with such a mighty power.
{Summon the battle. Captain with his wife and son.
Capt. What require you, my masters ?
Ther. Captain, that thou yield up thy hold to us.
Capt. To you ! why, do you think me weary of it ?
Tech. Nay, captain, thou art weary of thy life.
If thou withstand the friends of Tamburlaine.
2. point] port O3 O4. 9. soldiers] souldious O3. 12. quietly] quickely
O4. 13. friends] friend O^ Og- 17. do you] do thou Og.
southward. It would not be easy as will be shown, Marlowe often
to march northward to Bassorah.' makes just such a choice. More-
But Marlowe's accuracy is again over, this particular episode is a
vindicated by Miss Seaton : ' We patchwork of borrowed scraps, and
have seen once already that Mar- it seems to be his practice to
lowe can be trusted in his points of situate his invented episodes in
the compass ; if, before emending places unimpeachable by their
to southward, we take him on very obscurity.' {Marlowe's Map,
trust here, we must assume that the p. 24.)
unknown town is on the northern 6. Minions, falc'nets, and sakers]
or Natolian frontier of Soria, for All ' small pieces of ordinance ',
the column has started from Larissa as Robinson remarks. The dis-
on the southern frontier. Ortelius tinctions between them are hardly
can help us out with a suggestion. relevant here, but the terms serve
In the map of Natolia, especially to show Marlowe's temporary pre-
noticeable in the coloured copies occupation with military tech-
as a frontier point, is the town nicalities.
Passera, with the first ' s ' long. 8. gold] The reading of the
This may well be Marlowe's Bal- octavos, followed by Robinson,
sera. The objection occurs that Cunningham, and Bullen. There
the arbitrary choice of an insigni- seems little need to emend to ' hold '
ficant town is not probable, but, with Dyce and Wagner.
230 THE SECOND PART OF [actiii
Ther. These pioners of Argier in Africa, 20
Even in the cannon's face, shall raise a hill
Of earth and faggots higher than thy fort,
And, over thy argins and covered ways.
Shall play upon the bulwarks of thy hold
Volleys of ordinance, till the breach be made
That with his ruin fills up all the trench ;
And, when we enter in, not heaven itself
Shall ransom thee, thy wife and family.
Tech. Captain, these Moors shall cut the leaden pipes
That bring fresh water to thy men and thee. 30
And lie in trench before thy castle walls,
That no supply of victual shall come in.
Nor [any] issue forth but they shall die ;
And therefore, captain, yield it quietly.
Capt. Were you, that are the friends of Tamburlaine,
Brothers to holy Mahomet himself,
I would not yield it ; therefore do your worst :
Raise mounts, batter, intrench and undermine,
Cut off the water, all convoys that can.
Yet I am resolute : and so, farewell. [Exeunt. 40
Ther. Pioners, away ! and where I stuck the stake.
Intrench with those dimensions I prescribed ;
Cast up the earth towards the castle wall.
Which till it may defend you, labour low,
And few or none shall perish by their shot.
Pioners, We will, my lord. [Exeunt.
Tech. A hundred horse shall scout about the plains,
21. iYi] to O4. 33. any] Add. Rob. om. 0],_4. 34. quietly] quick ely 0 1^.
35. you, that are the] all you that are the O3 all you that are O4. 36. to]
of Og. 40. / am] am I O4. S.D.] Add. Rob. etc.
20-6. These pioners . . . all the 25. ordinance] The original spell -
trench] The siege methods here ing has been retained instead of the
described are approximately those modern ' ordnance ' as alteration
by which Tamburlaine, according here would have affected the move-
to several accounts, subdued the ment of the line,
citadel of Damascus. For one of
the briefer of these accounts, see
Fortescue (Appendix C).
sc. IV] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 231
To spy what force comes to relieve the hold.
Both v;^e, Theridamas, will intrench our men,
And with the Jacob's staff measure the height 50
And distance of the castle from the trench,
That we may know if our artillery
Will carry full point blank unto their walls.
Ther. Then see the bringing of our ordinance
Along the trench into the battery.
Where we will have gabions of six foot broad.
To save our cannoneers from musket shot ;
Betwixt which shall our ordinance thunder forth,
And with the breach's fall, smoke, fire and dust.
The crack, the echo and the soldiers' cry, 60
Make deaf the air and dim the crystal sky.
Tech. Trumpets and drums, alarum presently !
And, soldiers, play the men ; the hold is yours !
[Exeunt,
SCENE IV
Enter the Captain, with his Wife and Son
Olym. Come, good my lord, and let us haste from hence.
Along the cave that leads beyond the foe ;
No hope is left to save this conquered hold.
Capt. A deadly bullet gliding through my side,
55. into] unto O4. 56. gabions] Broughton etc. Galions O^ galions Og
Gallions O3 O4. 63. hold] holds O^ Og. S.D.] Add. Rob. etc.
Scene iv.
Heading. Scene iv.] Add. Wag. S.D. Enter the] Enter O3 O4.
50. the Jacob's staff] An instru- or cannon-baskets, are great bas-
ment, then recently invented, by kets, which, being filled with earth,
which heights and distances could are placed upon the batteries,' the
be measured. rough equivalent of sand-bags.
56. gabions] The conjecture
offered by Broughton, Colher, Cun- Scene iv.
ningham, etc. seems unavoidable On the relation between this
here ; the consistent ' galions ' of episode and Ariosto's story of
the octavos appears meaningless. Isabella {Orlando Furioso, xxviii,
Cunningham explains : ' Gabions, xxix) see Introduction, pp. 44-5.
232 THE SECOND PART OF [act m
Lies heavy on my heart ; I cannot live.
I feel my liver pierc'd and all my veins,
That there begin and nourish every part,
Mangled and torn, and all my entrails bath'd
In blood that straineth from their orifex.
Farewell, sweet wife ! sweet son, farewell ! I die. lo
Olym. Death, whither art thou gone, that both we live ?
Come back again, sweet death, and strike us both !
One minute end our days, and one sepulchre
Contain our bodies ! Death, why com'st thou not ?
Well, this must be the messenger for thee.
Now, ugly death, stretch out thy sable wings.
And carry both our souls where his remains.
Tell me, sweet boy, art thou content to die ?
These barbarous Scythians, full of cruelty,
And Moors, in whom was never pity found, 20
Will hew us piecemeal, put us to the wheel,
Or else invent some torture worse than that ;
Therefore die by thy loving mother's hand,
Who gently now will lance thy ivory throat.
And quickly rid thee both of pain and life.
Son. Mother, despatch me, or I'll kill myself ;
For think you I can live and see him dead ?
Give me your knife, good mother, or strike home ;
The Scythians shall not tyrannise on me :
Sweet mother, strike, that I may meet my father. 30
[She stabs him.
Olym. Ah, sacred Mahomet, if this be sin.
Entreat a pardon of the God of heaven.
And purge my soul before it come to thee !
Enter Theridamas, Techelles, and all their train.
Ther. How now. Madam ! what are you doing ?
9 straineth] staineth Og.
6-9. For Marlowe's idea of 9. orifex] an erroneous form of
human physiology, compare I, ' orifice ', occurring also in Shake-
IV. iv. 96-100, and note. speare. Ci. Tr. and Cress. , v. ii. 151.
sc. IV] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 233
Olym. Killing myself, as I have done my son,
Whose body, with his father's, I have burnt,
Lest cruel Scythians should dismember him.
Tech. Twas bravely done, and like a soldier's wife.
Thou shalt with us to Tamburlaine the Great,
Who, when he hears how resolute thou wert, 40
Will match thee with a viceroy or a king.
Olym. My lord deceased was dearer unto me
Than any viceroy, king, or emperor ;
And for his sake here will I end my days.
Ther. But, lady, go with us to Tamburlaine,
And thou shalt see a man greater than Mahomet,
In whose high looks is much more majesty.
Than from the concave superficies
Of Jove's vast palace, the imperial orb.
Unto the shining bower where Cynthia sits, 50
Like lovely Thetis, in a crystal robe ;
That treadeth fortune underneath his feet.
And makes the mighty god of arms his slave ;
On whom death and the fatal sisters wait
With naked swords and scarlet liveries ;
Before whom, mounted on a lion's back,
Rhamnusia bears a helmet full of blood.
And strows the way with brains of slaughtered men ;
By whose proud side the ugly furies run,
Hearkening when he shall bid them plague the world ; 60
Over whose zenith, cloth'd in windy air.
And eagle's wings join'd to her feathered breast,
40. wertl art O4. 62. join'd] inioin'd Og.
47-51. In whose high looks . . . 49. imperial] see I, iv. iv. 30, and
robe] In Tamburlaine's looks there note.
dwells more majesty than is to be 57. Rhamnusia] Nemesis, called
found throughout the heavens, Rhamnusia Dea (Virgo), from her
from the hollow roof of Jove's temple at Rhamnus in Attica. See
palace to the shining bower where also I, 11. iii. 37.
the moon sits veiled in a crystal 61. ^em/A] crest or head, a mean-
robe like Thetis the ocean god- ing which is already approached
dess. in iii. ii. 6, above.
234 THE SECOND PART OF [act m
Fame hovereth, sounding of her golden trump,
That to the adverse poles of that straight line
Which measureth the glorious frame of heaven
The name of mighty Tamburlaine is spread ;
And him, fair, lady, shall thy eyes behold.
Come.
Olym. Take pity of a lady's ruthful tears,
That humbly craves upon her knees to stay, 70
And cast her body in the burning flame
That feeds upon her son's and husband's flesh.
Tech. Madam, sooner shall fire consume us both
Than scorch a face so beautiful as this.
In frame of which nature hath show'd more skill
Than when she gave eternal chaos form.
Drawing from it the shining lamps of heaven.
Ther. Madam, I am so far in love with you.
That you must go with us : no remedy.
Olym. Then carry me, I care not, where you will, 80
And let the end of this my fatal journey
Be likewise end to my accursed life.
Tech. No, madam, but the beginning of your joy :
Come willingly, therefore.
Ther. Soldiers, now let us meet the general.
Who by this time is at Natolia,
Ready to charge the army of the Turk.
The gold, the silver, and the pearl ye got.
Rifling this fort, divide in equal shares :
This lady shall have twice so much again 90
Out of the coffers of our treasury. [Exeunt.
63. Fame] Fume O3 O4. of] in O4. 86. time] times O3. 88. the silver]
and silver O^.
64-5. the adverse poles . . . frame
of heaven] the celestial diameter.
sc. v]
TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
235
SCENE V
Callapine, Orcanes, Jerusalem, Trebizon, Soria,
Almeda, with their train.
Mess. Renowmed emperor, mighty Callapine,
God's great lieutenant over all the world,
Here at Aleppo, with an host of men.
Lies Tamburlaine, this king of Persia,
In number more than are the quivering leaves
Of Ida's forest, where your highness' hounds
With open cry pursues the wounded stag,
Who means to girt Natolia's walls with siege,
Fire the town and over-run the land.
Call. My royal army is as great as his,
10
I. mighty] and mighty O4.
Scene v.
5. than] then O
3 O4.
Scene v.
On the site of the battle between
Tamburlaine and Callapine, Miss
Seaton comments as follows : ' For
the first time Ortelius affords no
help ; Marlowe seems, like a mis-
chievous " hare ", to have suc-
ceeded in putting us off the scent.
He has done two things to confuse :
he speaks of Natolia as if it were a
town ; then he introduces for the
site of his battle Asphaltis,' [see
IV. iii. 5] ' a place apparently not
known to classical or modern
geography.
' Yet there is a clue left. Twice,
and with some emphasis, does the
Sultan Callapine refer boastfully
to the coming conflict as " the
Perseans' sepulchre ". To any
classical student poring over this
cockpit of the world, remembrance
would inevitably come of other
campaigns, other conquerors, and
of these the greatest is that
" Chief e spectacle of the world's
preheminence ", Alexander the
Great, the most familiar of all
ancient worthies to the Eliza-
bethan. . . . The bituminous na-
ture of the Euphrates basin is a
commonplace of cosmography and
of the history of Alexander's cam-
paign. Plutarch's life of the con-
queror describes his naive surprise
and still more naive experiment,
when, after leaving Arbela, he
first saw what Tennyson has called
" the Memmian naphtha-pits ".
Marlowe, like Hakluyt, might have
heard the contemporary testimony
of the merchant, John Eldred, who
journeyed from Babylon to Aleppo
in 1583, and heard the many
" springs of tarre " blowing and
puffing like a smith's forge.'
[Marlowe's Map, p. 26.)
3. Aleppo] ' Again the scenes are
strictly linked. . . . That " Here "
is a splendid southward gesture,
telling whence the messenger has
come hot-foot, for the enemy is at
his heels and enters upon this very
scene. The Turks themselves are
" in Natolia ", and on its eastern
confines, for the snake-like trail
of their army covers the land . . .
" from the bounds of Phrygia to
the Sea
" Which washeth Cyprus with his
brinish waves." '
236 THE SECOND PART OF [act m
That, from the bounds of Phrygia to the sea
Which washeth Cyprus with his brinish waves,
Covers the hills, the valleys and the plains.
Viceroys and peers of Turkey, play the men ;
Whet all your swords to mangle Tamburlaine,
His sons, his captains, and his followers :
By Mahomet, not one of them shall live !
The field wherein this battle shall be fought
For ever term the Persians' sepulchre.
In memory of this our victory. 20
Ore. Now he that calls himself the scourge of Jove,
The emperor of the world, and earthly god.
Shall end the warlike progress he intends,
And travel headlong to the lake of hell.
Where legions of devils, knowing he must die
Here in Natolia by your highness' hands,
All brandishing their brands of quenchless fire.
Stretching their monstrous paws, grin with their teeth,
And guard the gates to entertain his soul.
Call. Tell me, viceroys, the number of your men, 30
And what our army royal is esteem'd.
Jer. From Palestina and Jerusalem,
Of Hebrews three score thousand fighting men
Are come, since last we showed your majesty.
Ore. So from Arabia Desert, and the bounds
Of that sweet land whose brave metropolis
Re-edified the fair Semiramis,
Came forty thousand warlike foot and horse.
Since last we numbered to your majesty.
Treb. From Trebizon in Asia the Less, 40
15. your'] our O^. 21. the] om.O 2- 26. your] our O^. 27. their] in their
Og- 28. with]om.02- 34. your] to your O4.
19. the Persians' sepulchre] See 36-7. that sweet land . . . Semir-
note above on the scene generally. amis] Babylon, the centre of the
28. paws] the reading of the Babylonian empire, was commonly
octavos ; Cunningham conjectured believed to have been rebuilt by
' jaws ', but the alteration seems Semiramis, wife of Ninus. (See
unnecessary. II, v. i. 73, and note.)
sc. V] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 237
Naturalized Turks and stout Bithynians
Came to my bands, full fifty thousand more,
That, fighting, know not what retreat doth mean.
Nor e'er return but with the victory.
Since last we numbered to your majesty.
Sor. Of Sorians from Halla is repaired.
And neighbour cities of your highness' land.
Ten thousand horse, and thirty thousand foot,
Since last we numbered to your majesty ;
So that the army royal is esteem'd 50
Six hundred thousand valiant fighting men.
Call. Then welcome, Tamburlaine, unto thy death !
Come, puissant viceroys, let us to the field,
The Persians' sepulchre, and sacrifice
Mountains of breathless men to Mahomet,
Who now, with Jove, opens the firmament
To see the slaughter of our enemies.
Tamburlaine with his three sons, Usumcasane, with other.
Tamh. How now, Casane ! see, a knot of kings.
Sitting as if they were a-telling riddles.
Usum. My lord, your presence makes them pale and wan :
Poor souls, they look as if their deaths were near.
Tamh. Why, so he is, Casane ; I am here. 62
But yet I'll save their lives and make them slaves.
Ye petty kings of Turkey, I am come,
As Hector did into the Grecian camp,
46. repair' d] prepar'd O4. 47. om. O4. 57. Heading Actus 2, Scaena i
Oi Actus 2 Scaena 2 O2 Actus 4 Scena i O3 O4. S.D. other'] others O^,-
62. he] it O4.
46. Halla] Miss Seaton remarks, 54-5- sacrifice . . . to Mahomet]
' might well be thought to be one Again, the mingling of the Ma-
of the many variants of Aleppo hometan and classical universe.
(Alepo, Halep, Aleb), but it ap- 65-8. As Hector . . . of his fame]
pears in the map of the world For this episode, we look in vain
[Ortelius] as a separate town to in the Iliad. It belongs to the
the south-east of Aleppo.' {Mar- post-Homeric Troy tale. It might
lowe's Map, p. 30.) well be familiar to Marlowe from
54. The Persians' sepulchre] See any one of several repetitions of
note on 1. i, above. the Trojan story, such as Lyd-
238 THE SECOND PART OF [actiii
To overdare the pride of Graecia,
And set his warlike person to the view
Of fierce Achilles, rival of his fame.
I do you honour in the simile ;
For if I should, as Hector did Achilles, 70
(The worthiest knight that ever brandished sword,)
Challenge in combat any of you all,
I see how fearfully ye would refuse.
And fly my glove as from a scorpion.
Ore. Now, thou art fearful of thy army's strength.
Thou wouldst with overmatch of person fight :
But, shepherd's issue, base born Tamburlaine,
Think of thy end ; this sword shall lance thy throat.
Tamh. Villain, the shepherd's issue, at whose birth
Heaven did afford a gracious aspect, 80
And join'd those stars that shall be opposite
Even till the dissolution of the world.
And never meant to make a conqueror
So famous as is mighty Tamburlaine,
Shall so torment thee and that Callapine,
That, like a roguish runaway, suborn'd
That villain there, that slave, that Turkish dog,
To false his service to his sovereign,
As ye shall curse the birth of Tamburlaine.
Call. Rail not, proud Scythian : I shall now revenge 90
My father's vile abuses and mine own.
Jer. By Mahomet, he shall be tied in chains,
Rowing with Christians in a brigandine
About the Grecian isles to rob and spoil,
77. shepherd's] Sepheard O3. 84. is] the O4.
gate's Troy Book, in which (Bk. (the positions of the stars) was more
III, 11. 3755 seq.) it is treated at favourable at Tamburlaine's birth
length. than it would ever be again, stars
80—2. Heaven did afford . . . the coming into conjunction then that
world] According to medieval as- would, for the rest of time, be in
trological theory, the temperament opposition,
of a man was determined by the 88. false] betray,
relations of the stars at the moment 93. brigandine] See II, i. v. 11,
of his birth. The aspect of heaven and note.
sc.v] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 239
And turn him to his ancient trade again ;
Methinks the slave should make a lusty thief.
Call. Nay, when the battle ends, all we will meet.
And sit in council to invent some pain
That most may vex his body and his soul.
Tamb. Sirrah Callapine, I'll hang a clog about your neck for
running away again ; you shall not trouble me thus to
come and fetch you. 102
But as for you, viceroy, you shall have bits.
And, harnessed like my horses, draw my coach ;
And, when ye stay, be lashed with whips of wire ;
ril have you learn to feed on provender.
And in a stable lie upon the planks.
Ore. But, Tamburlaine, first thou shalt kneel to us.
And humbly crave a pardon for thy life.
Treh. The common soldiers of our mighty host no
Shall bring thee bound unto the general's tent.
Sor. And all have jointly sworn thy cruel death.
Or bind thee in eternal torments' wrath.
Tamb. Well, sirs, diet yourselves ; you know I shall have
occasion shortly to journey you.
Cel. See, father, how Almeda the jailor looks upon us !
Tamb. Villain, traitor, damned fugitive,
I'll make thee wish the earth had swallowed thee !
Seest thou not death within my wrathful looks ?
Go, villain, cast thee headlong from a rock, 120
Or rip thy bowels, and rend out thy heart,
T' appease my wrath ; or else I'll torture thee,
Searing thy hateful flesh with burning irons
And drops of scalding lead, while all thy joints
Be racked and beat asunder with the wheel ;
104. harnessed^} harnesse O3 O4. 106. on] with O2. 108. thou shalt]
shalt thou O4. III. the] our O3 O4. 121. and rend] and rent Og or rend
O4.
100-2. Sirrah ... fetch you] The other abbreviation of Tambur-
prose lines here and at 11. 1 14-15 laine's address to Callapine and the
perhaps represent a paraphrase or allies.
240 THE SECOND PART OF [actiii
For, if thou livest, not any element
Shall shroud thee from the wrath of Tamburlaine.
Call. Well in despite of thee, he shall be king.
Come, Almeda ; receive this crown of me :
I here invest thee king of Ariadan, 130
Bordering on Mare Roso, near to Mecca.
Ore. What ! take it, man.
Aim. Good my lord, let me take it.
Call. Dost thou ask him leave ? here ; take it.
Tamb. Go to, sirrah ! take your crown, and make up the
half dozen. So, sirrah, now you are a king, you must
give arms.
Ore. So he shall, and wear thy head in his scutcheon.
Tamb. No ; let him hang a bunch of keys on his standard,
to put him in remembrance he was a jailor, that, when
I take him, I may knock out his brains with them, and
lock you in the stable, when you shall come sweating
from my chariot. 143
Treb. Away ! let us to the field, that the villain may be
slain.
Tamb. Sirrah, prepare whips, and bring my chariot to my
tent ; for, as soon as the battle is done, I'll ride in
triumph through the camp.
Enter Theridamas, Techelles, and their train.
How now, ye petty kings ? lo, here are bugs
Will make the hair stand upright on your heads, 150
135. Go to sirrah] Go too sirha O^ Og Goe to sirrha O3 Goe sirrha O4.
139. No'] Go O2.
1 30-1. Ariadan . . . Mecca] ' This Tamburlaine and many editors
exactly describes the position in indicate it by a stage direction,
the map of Africa of this unim- 136-7. you must give arms] The
portant town that Marlowe ar- pun, in this dubious prose passage,
bitrarily selected ; it appears again is not uncommon. It is best known
in Turcicum Imperium, but rrmch in the words of the gravedigger
less conspicuous, and the sea there {Hamlet, v. i. 37 seq.) : ' Is he a
is not called Mar Rosso ' (Seaton, gentleman ? A' was the first that
p. 28). ever bore arms.'
133. Good my lord, let me take it] 149. bugs] bugbears.
This line is obviously addressed to
sc. V] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 241
And cast your crowns in slavery at their feet.
Welcome, Theridamas and Techelles, both :
See ye this rout, and know ye this same king ?
Ther. Ay, my lord ; he was Callapine's keeper.
Tamh. Well now you see he is a king. Look to him, Theri-
damas, when we are fighting, lest he hide his crown as
the foolish king of Persia did.
Sor. No, Tamburlaine ; he shall not be put to that exigent,
I warrant thee.
Tamh. You know not, sir. i6o
But now, my followers and my loving friends,
Fight as you ever did, like conquerors,
The glory of this happy day is yours.
My stern aspect shall make fair Victory,
Hovering betwixt our armies, light on me,
Loaden with laurel wreaths to crown us all.
Tech. I smile to think how, when this field is fought
And rich Natolia ours, our men shall sweat
With carrying pearl and treasure on their backs.
Tamh. You shall be princes all, immediately. 170
Come, fight, ye Turks, or yield us victory.
Ore. No ; we will meet thee, slavish Tamburlaine.
[Exeunt.
1^^. know ye] know you 0:^0^. 155. you] ye 02- i6/^. aspect] aspects O^.
166. Loaden] Laden O3 O4.
156-7. lest he hide . . . Persia with its prose form, throws sus-
did] This reference to I, 11. iv. reads picion on this speech and, no less,
like actor's gag — a happy refer- on parts of the episode alluded
ence to a popular episode in the to. See notes to I, 11. iv.
earlier play. That fact, combined
16
ACT IV
SCENE I
Alarm. Amyras and Celebinus issues from the tent where
Calyphas sits asleep.
Amy. Now in their glories shine the golden crowns
Of these proud Turks, much like so many suns
That half dismay the majesty of heaven.
Now, brother, follow we our father's sword.
That flies with fury swifter than our thoughts,
And cuts down armies with his conquering wings.
Cel. Call forth our lazy brother from the tent,
For, if my father miss him in the field,
Wrath, kindled in the furnace of his breast,
Will send a deadly lightning to his heart. lo
Amy. Brother, ho ! what, given so much to sleep.
You cannot leave it, when our enemies' drums
And rattling cannons thunder in our ears
Our proper ruin and our father's foil ?
Caly. Away, ye fools ! my father needs not me.
Nor you, in faith, but that you will be thought
Act IV. Scene i.
I. Prefix Amy.] Add Dyce om. O^ 4. 6. conquering wings'] conquerings
wings Oi- 7. lazy] laize O3. 12. You cannot] Can you not O4.
Act iv. Scene i. some fierce bird of unknown
6. conquering wings] Wagner genealogy ; certainly Elizabethan
would read ' conquering swings ' syntax admits of ' father ' as the
(after the ' conquerings wings ' of subject of ' that '.
Oi), applying the phrase to the 14. proper] as often, in the six-
sword of Tamburlaine. The meta- teenth century, has here the
phor is perhaps somewhat cloudy, sense of own ; it is nearer in
but it is not hard to imagine meaning to the Latin ' proprius '
Tamburlaine rushing forward like than the modern usage.
242
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 243
More childish valour ous than manly wise.
If half our camp should sit and sleep with me.
My father were enough to scare the foe ;
You do dishonour to his majesty, 20
To think our helps will do him any good.
Amy. What, dar'st thou, then, be absent from the fight
Knowing my father hates thy cowardice.
And oft hath warn'd thee to be still in field.
When he himself amidst the thickest troops
Beats down our foes, to flesh our taintless swords ?
Caly^l know, sir, what it is to kill a man ;
. . I It works remorse of conscience in me.
Jf I take no pleasure to be murderous,
/ Nor care for blood when wine will quench my thirst. 30
Cef. O cowardly boy ! fie, for shame, come forth !
Thou dost dishonour manhood and thy house.
Caly. Go, go, tall stripling, fight you for us both ;
And take my other toward brother here.
For person like to prove a second Mars ;
'Twill please my mind as well to hear both you
Have won a heap of honour in the field.
And left your slender carcasses behind.
As if I lay with you for company.
Amy, You will not go then ? 40
Caly. You say true.
Amy. Were all the lofty mounts of Zona Mundi
That fill the midst of farthest Tartary
24. warn'd] wnrn'd O3. 36. both you] you both O4.
33. ^a//] here has its usual mean- blade, a very tall man."' {Rom.
ing, ' valiant ' or ' bold ', with per- and Jul., 11. iv.)
haps a touch of cynicism in Caly- 34. toward] promising,
phas's choice of the popular and 42-3. Zona Mundi . . . Tartary]
almost vulgarized word. Bullen ' In Europe and Russia, the range
draws attention to Mercutio's com- of Zona mundi montes, or Orbis
ment, which perhaps throws light Zona montes, runs southwards
upon Marlowe's use : ' The pox of through northernmost Tartary from
such antic, lisping, affecting fan- the coast near Waygatz and
tasticoes, these new tuners of Petsora, in the coloured maps
accents ! " By Jesu a very good most obviously " farthest Tar-
tary ".' [Marlowe's Map, p. 28.)
244 THE SECOND PART OF [activ
Turn'd into pearl and proffered for my stay,
I would not bide the fury of my father,
When, made a victor in these haughty arms.
He comes and finds his sons have had no shares
In all the honours he proposed for us.
Caly. Take you the honour, I will take my ease ;
My wisdom shall excuse my cowardice. 50
I go into the field before I need !
[Alarm, and Amy r as and Celehinus run in.
The bullets fly at random where they list ;
And should I go and kill a thousand men,
I were as soon rewarded with a shot.
And sooner far than he that never fights ;
And should I go and do nor harm nor good,
I might have harm, which all the good I have,
Join'd with my father's crown, would never cure,
ril to cards. — Perdicas !
Enter Perdicas.
Perd. Here, my lord. 60
Caly. Come, thou and I will go to cards to drive away the
time.
Perd. Content, my lord : but what shall we play for ?
Caly. Who shall kiss the fairest of the Turks' concubines
first, when my father hath conquered them.
Perd. Agreed, i'faith. [They play.
Caly. They say I am a coward, Perdicas, and I fear as little
their taratantaras, their swords or their cannons as I do
a naked lady in a net of gold, and, for fear I should be
afraid, would put it off and come to bed with me. 70
Perd. Such a fear, my lord, would never make ye retire.
Caly. I would my father would let me be put in the front of
such a battle once, to try my valour ! [Alarm.'] What
53. should r\ I should O4. 56. nor harm] no harme Og O4.
68. taratantaras] bugle-calls ; the tates the sound of a trumpet or
word is onomatopoeic and imi- bugle.
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 245
a coil they keep ! I believe there will be some hurt
done anon amongst them.
Enter Tamburlaine, Theridamas, Techelles, Usumca-
SANE, Amyras, Celebinus leading the Turkish Kings.
Tamh. See now, ye slaves, my children stoops your pride,
And leads your glories sheep-like to the sword !
Bring them, my boys, and tell me if the wars
Be not a life that may illustrate gods.
And tickle not your spirits with desire 8o
Still to be train'd in arms and chivalry ?
Amy. Shall we let go these kings again, my lord.
To gather greater numbers 'gainst our power.
That they may say, it is not chance doth this,
But matchless strength and magnanimity ?
Tamh. No, no, Amyras ; tempt not Fortune so.
Cherish thy valour still with fresh supplies.
And glut it not with stale and daunted foes.
But Where's this coward, villain, not my son,
But traitor to my name and majesty ? 90
\He goes in and brings him out.
Image of sloth, and picture of a slave,
The obloquy and scorn of my renown !
How may my heart, thus fired with mine eyes,
Wounded with shame and kill'd with discontent.
Shroud any thought may hold my striving hands
From martial justice on thy wretched soul ?
Ther. Yet pardon him, I pray your majesty.
Tech. and Ustim. Let all of us entreat your highness' pardon.
Tamh. Stand up, ye base, unworthy soldiers !
Know ye not yet the argument of arms ? 100
Amy. Good, my lord, let him be forgiven for once,
76. ye] my O4. 77. glories] bodies O^. 83. 'gainst] against O4.
93, mine] my O^. 101. once] one O^-
76. stoops] transitive, ' bends ' or 100. argument of arms] seems
' bows '. here to mean ' course or nature of
79. illustrate] become, adorn, military life ', The usage has no
beautify. exact parallel in the N.E.D., but
246 THE SECOND PART OF [act iv
And we will force him to the field hereafter.
Tamb. Stand up, my boys, and I will teach ye arms,
And what the jealousy of wars must do.
O Samarcanda, where I breathed first,
And joy'd the fire of this martial flesh.
Blush, blush, fair city, at thine honour's foil.
And shame of nature, which Jaertis' stream.
Embracing thee with deepest of his love.
Can never wash from thy distained brows ! no
Here, Jove, receive his fainting soul again ;
A form not meet to give that subject essence
Whose matter is the flesh of Tamburlaine,
Wherein an incorporeal spirit moves.
Made of the mould whereof thyself consists,
Which makes me valiant, proud, ambitious.
Ready to levy power against thy throne.
That I might move the turning spheres of heaven ;
For earth and all this airy region
Cannot contain the state of Tamburlaine. 120
[Stabs Calyphas.
103. ye] you O3 O4. 106. martial] materiall O3 O4. 107. thine] thy
O4. 108. which] Rob. etc., with O^^^. Jaertis] Laertis O4. 114. incor-
poreal] incorporall O3 O4. 120. S.D.] Add. Dyce.
it would appear that Tambur- 111-1.^. Here Jove ... thyself con-
laine's metaphor is borrowed from sists] ' Here Jove receive again the
the argument in which is set down soul of Calyphas, a spirit (i.e.
the lines along which a play or " form " almost in the sense of
story is destined to proceed. " idea ") not worthy to be the
104. jealousy] zeal. immortal part (essence) of that
105-8. O Samarcanda . . . Jaer- subject whose mortal part (matter)
tis' stream] Much less is made of is derived from the flesh of Tam-
Samarcand in this play than in burlaine — in whom moves an im-
most of the biographies of Tambur- mortal spirit of the same mould
laine, in whose life the city of his as thine own,' etc. The terms
birth played an important part. ' form ', ' subject ', ' essence ',
Jaertis here is undoubtedly the ' matter ' are used in strict accord-
Jaxartes which appears in Ortelius's ance with the tradition of six-
Persicum Regnum as ' Chesel fl. teenth-century Aristotelian logic,
olim laxartes ' and runs from and the whole passage (111-117)
Tartary due west into the Cas- throws an interesting light on
pian Sea. But Samarchand in Marlowe's conception of the divinity
this map is marked to the south of of man.
the laxartes, on one of the head-
waters of the Amu.
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 247
By Mahomet, thy mighty friend, I swear,
In sending to my issue such a soul,
Created of the massy dregs of earth,
The scum and tartar of the elements,
Wherein was neither courage, strength or wit.
But folly, sloth, and damned idleness.
Thou hast procur'd a greater enemy
Than he that darted mountains at thy head,
Shaking the burden mighty Atlas bears,
Whereat thou trembling hidd'st thee in the air, 130
Cloth'd with a pitchy cloud for being seen.
And now, ye cankered curs of Asia,
That will not see the strength of Tamburlaine,
Although it shine as brightly as the sun,
Now you shall feel the strength of Tamburlaine,
And, by the state of his supremacy.
Approve the difference 'twixt himself and you.
Ore. Thou showest the difference 'twixt ourselves and thee.
In this thy barbarous damned tyranny.
Jer. Thy victories are grown so violent, 140
That shortly heaven, filled with the meteors
Of blood and fire thy tyrannies have made.
Will pour down blood and fire on thy head,
Whose scalding drops will pierce thy seething brains,
And with our bloods revenge our bloods on thee.
128. Than] Then O3 O4. 135. you shall] shall ye O3 O4. 145. bloods
on] blood on O^.
12^. tartar] (bitartrate of potash) seen, to avoid being seen. This
is generally used in the sixteenth gradual crescendo of rage is not
century to describe the dregs of without value. From the death of
wine or the deposit upon the cask. Zenocrate onwards the ever-in-
Hence Tamburlaine's contemptuous creasing madness of Tamburlaine
figurative use of the word. Cf. reveals itself more and more
Donne, Serm., 11. xix. : ' Impa- clearly. The first indications are
tience in affliction ... a leaven so given in the speeches at Zeno-
kneaded into the nature of man, crate's death-bed, the frenzy rises
so innate a tartar.' with Tamburlaine's hatred of Caly-
128-131. that darted mountains phas, passing on to his murder and
. . . for being seen] For the wars of this challenge to Zeus, to culminate
Zeus with the Titans, seel, v.ii. 448. in the final challenge at the ap-
for being seen] for fear of being proach of Tamburlaine's own death.
248 THE SECOND PART OF [activ
Tamb. Villains, these terrors and these tyrannies
(If tyrannies war's justice ye repute),
I execute, enjoin'd me from above,
To scourge the pride of such as Heaven abhors ;
Nor am I made arch-monarch of the world, 150
Crown'd and invested by the hand of Jove,
For deeds of bounty or nobility ;
But since I exercise a greater name,
The scourge of God and terror of the world,
I must apply myself to fit those terms.
In war, in blood, in death, in cruelty,
And plague such peasants as resist in me
The power of heaven's eternal majesty.
Theridamas, Techelles and Casane,
Ransack the tents and the pavilions 160
Of these proud Turks and take their concubines.
Making them bury this effeminate brat ;
For not a common soldier shall defile
His manly fingers with so faint a boy :
Then bring those Turkish harlots to my tent,
And ril dispose them as it likes me best.
Meanwhile, take him in.
Soldiers. We will, my lord.
[Exeunt with the body of Calyphas.
Jer. O damned monster, nay, a fiend of hell.
Whose cruelties are not so harsh as thine, 170
Nor yet imposed with such a bitter hate !
Ore. Revenge it, Rhadamanth and iEacus,
And let your hates, extended in his pains,
146. Villains] Villain O4. 157. peasants'] parsants O4. resist in]
Broughton etc. resisting Oi_^. 168.] S.D, Add. Dyce. 1j2.it] om. O3 O4.
157. resist in] the emendation 172. Rhadamanth and ZEacus]
offered by Broughton and followed with Minos, the judges in Hades,
by most subsequent editors for Here, they are more strictly, the
' resisting ' of the octavos. distributors of rewards and pun-
160. the tents and the pavilions] ishments after death,
perhaps a reminiscence of Newton's
phrase (see Appendix D).
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 249
Expel the hate wherewith he pains our souls !
Treb. May never day give virtue to his eyes,
Whose sight, composed of fury and of fire,
Doth send such stern affections to his heart !
Sor. May never spirit, vein or artier feed
The cursed substance of that cruel heart ;
But, wanting moisture and remorseful blood, i8o
Dry up with anger, and consume with heat !
Tamb. Well, bark, ye dogs ; I'll bridle all your tongues,
And bind them close with bits of burnished steel,
Down to the channels of your hateful throats ;
And, with the pains my rigour shall inflict,
ril make ye roar, that earth may echo forth
The far resounding torments ye sustain ;
As when an herd of lusty Cimbrian bulls
Run mourning round about the females' miss,
And, stung with fury of their following, 190
Fill all the air with troublous bellowing.
I will, with engines never exercised.
Conquer, sack and utterly consume
Your cities and your golden palaces.
And with the flames that beat against the clouds.
Incense the heavens and make the stars to melt.
As if they were the tears of Mahomet
For hot consumption of his country's pride ;
And, till by vision or by speech I hear
Immortal Jove say ' Cease, my Tamburlaine,' 200
I will persist a terror to the world.
Making the meteors, that, like armed men,
183. close] clese O3. 186. ye\ you O3 O4.
177. affections] See I, i. ii. 163, of the females, a somewhat
and note. curious objective genitive. Wag-
178. artier] one, though not a ner parallels ' miss ' with Shake -
very common, variant of ' artery ' : speare's ' I should have a heavy
Marlowe, in this play, seems to miss of thee ' (i Henry IV, v. iv.
prefer this form. Cf. I, 11. vii. 10. 105). The same construction oc-
188. Cimbrian bulls] I am unable curs in the next line ; ' their
to account for this allusion. following ', for the ' following of
189. the females' miss] the los§ them '.
250 THE SECOND PART OF [act iv
Are seen to march upon the towers of heaven,
Run tilting round about the firmament,
And break their burning lances in the air,
For honour of my wondrous victories.
Come, bring them in to our pavilion. [Exeunt.
SCENE II
Olympia alone.
Olym. Distressed Olympia, whose weeping eyes.
Since thy arrival here, beheld no sun.
But, closed within the compass of a tent.
Hath stain'd thy cheeks, and made thee look like death,
Devise some means to rid thee of thy life.
Rather than yield to his detested suit,
Whose drift is only to dishonour thee ;
And since this earth, dew'd with thy brinish tears.
Affords no herbs whose taste may poison thee.
Nor yet this air, beat often with thy sighs, lo
Contagious smells and vapours to infect thee.
Nor thy close cave a sword to murder thee.
Let this invention be the instrument.
Enter Theridamas.
Ther. Well met, Olympia ; I sought thee in my tent,
But when I saw the place obscure and dark.
Which with thy beauty thou wast wont to light,
Enrag'd, I ran about the fields for thee.
Supposing amorous Jove had sent his son.
The winged Hermes, to convey thee hence ;
But now I find thee, and that fear is past, 20
Tell me, Olympia, wilt thou grant my suit ?
Olym. My lord and husband's death, with my sweet son's,
207. in td\ into O3 O4.
Scene ii.
Heading Scene ii.] Scena 3 Oi_4. 2. beheld] beholde O^ O4. 3. a] the O^.
6. than] then Og O4. 16. wast] was O^. 22. son's] son O3 O4.
sc. II] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 251
With whom I buried all affections
Save grief and sorrow, which torment my heart,
Forbids my mind to entertain a thought
That tends to love, but meditate on death,
A fitter subject for a pensive soul.
Ther. Olympia, pity him in whom thy looks
Have greater operation and more force
Than Cynthia's in the watery wilderness ; 30
For with thy view my joys are at the full,
And ebb again as thou depart st from me.
Olym. Ah, pity me, my lord, and draw your sword.
Making a passage for my troubled soul.
Which beats against this prison to get out,
And meet my husband and my loving son !
Ther. Nothing but still thy husband and thy son ?
Leave this, my love, and listen more to me ;
Thou shalt be stately queen of fair Argier ;
And, cloth'd in costly cloth of massy gold, 40
Upon the marble turrets of my court
Sit like to Venus in her chair of state.
Commanding all thy princely eye desires ;
And I will cast off arms and sit with thee,
Spending my life in sweet discourse of love.
Olym. No such discourse is pleasant in mine ears.
But that where every period ends with death,
And every line begins with death again.
I cannot love, to be an emperess.
Ther. Nay lady, then, if nothing will prevail, 50
I'll use some other means to make you yield.
Such is the sudden fury of my love,
44. and?^ to O2. 46. in] to O4.
Scene ii acquainted with the nautical world
than the average modern towns-
30-3. Cynthia's . . . departst man. The full moon causes the
from me] The influence of the high tides or springs (' my joys are
moon upon the tides was a familiar at the full '), which sink to the
fact to the Elizabethan poets, neaps (' And ebb again ') as she
perhaps on the whole better wanes.
252 THE SECOND PART OF [act iv
I must and will be pleased, and you shall yield.
Come to the tent again.
Olym. Stay, good my lord and, will you save my honour,
I'll give your grace a present of such price
As all the world can not afford the like.
Ther. What is it ?
Olym. An ointment which a cunning alchemist
Distilled from the purest balsamum 60
And simplest extracts of all minerals,
In which the essential form of marble stone,
Tempered by science metaphysical.
And spells of magic from the mouths of spirits,
With which if you but 'noint your tender skin,
Nor pistol, sword, nor lance can pierce your flesh.
Ther. Why, madam, think ye to mock me thus palpably ?
Olym. To prove it, I will 'noint my naked throat.
Which when you stab, look on your weapon's point.
And you shall see't rebated with the blow. 70
Ther. Why gave you not your husband some of it,
If you lov'd him, and it so precious ?
Olym. My purpose was, my lord, to spend it so,
But was prevented by his sudden end ;
And for a present easy proof hereof,
That I dissemble not, try it on me.
Ther. I will, Olympia, and will keep it for
55. good] now Og. and will you] if you will O4. 64. mouths] mother
Og. 67. ye] you O3 O4. 75. hereof] thereof Og. 77. and will] and I
will Og.
59. An ointment . . . alchemist] quality, almost the ' spirit ', of the
In Ariosto's version of the story, marble. For this use of ' form '
Isabella herself makes the oint- compare above, iv. i. 112, and
ment and goes out to gather the note.
herbs, jealously guarded by Rodo- 63. science metaphysical] black
monte. The narrative- is long and magic, the science that went
undramatic and Marlowe has con- beyond mere physical knowledge,
densed it aptly by this device. We may compare Lady Macbeth's
61-2. simplest extracts] What words, ' Which fate and meta-
alchemy terms the elements, or physical aid doth seem to have thee
elemental parts, of the minerals. crouned withal ' (i. v. 27-8),
essential form] the fundamental 70. rebated] blunted.
sc. II] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 253
The richest present of this eastern world.
[She 'noints her throat.
Olym. Now stab, my lord, and mark your weapon's point,
That will be blunted if the blow be great. 80
Ther. Here, then, Olympia. [Stabs her.
What, have I slain her ? Villain, stab thyself !
Cut off this arm that murdered my love.
In whom the learned Rabbis of this age
Might find as many wondrous miracles
As in the theoria of the world !
Now hell is fairer than Elisian ;
A greater lamp than that bright eye of heaven,
From whence the stars do borrow all their light.
Wanders about the black circumference ; 90
And now the damned souls are free from pain.
For every Fury gazeth on her looks ;
Infernal Dis is courting of my love.
Inventing masks and stately shows for her,
Opening the doors of his rich treasury
To entertain this queen of chastity ;
WTiose body shall be tomb'd with all the pomp
The treasure of my kingdom may afford.
[Exit taking her away.
81. S.D.] Add. Dyce. 87. than Elisian] then Elizian O3 O4. 88. than]
then O3 O4. 98. my] thy O^-
84-6. learned Rabbis . . . theoria what obscure ; the N.E.D. queries
of the world] The title Rabbi, now ' contemplation, survey ', which is
used only for a Jewish doctor of probably the meaning. Cf. Sir
the law, was during the sixteenth Thomas Browne's use of ' theory '
and seventeenth centuries some- in 1643 : ' Nor can I think I have
times applied to any man of great the true theory of death when I
and comparable learning. The contemplate a skull.' {Rel. Med.,
reference to ' the theoria ' is some- i. § 45.)
254
THE SECOND PART OF
[act IV
SCENE III
Tamburlaine, drawn in his chariot by Trebizon and Soria,
with bits in their mouths, reins in his left hand, and in
his right hand a whip with which he scourgeth them ;
Techelles, Theridamas, Usumcasane, Amyras, Cele-
BiNUS, Natolia and Jerusalem, led by five or six
common Soldiers.
Tamb. Holla, ye pampered jades of Asia !
What, can ye draw but twenty miles a day,
And have so proud a chariot at your heels,
And such a coachman as great Tamburlaine,
But from Asphaltis, where I conquered you,
To Byron here, where thus I honour you ?
The horse that guide the golden eye of heaven.
And blow the morning from their nostrils.
Making their fiery gait above the clouds,
Scene in.
Heading Scene Hi.] Add. Dyce Scaena 4 0^_^.
Scene Hi.
The absurd exaggeration of this
scene, which, nevertheless, appears
to have given the play an important
measure of its popularity, drew
down allusion and parody from con-
temporary writers as it has drawn
comment from its subsequent
editors. Broughton and Dyce cite,
between them, some dozen in-
stances of contemporary burlesque
or ironical allusion (see also C. F.
Tucker Brooke, The Reputation of
Christopher Marlowe, under Tam-
burlaine), of which the most famous
is Shakespeare's parody of the
opening lines of the scene (//
Henry IV, 11. iv. 178 seq.). I have
found no detailed accounts of this
episode in any of the histories
which Marlowe appears to have used
(see Introduction) and am driven
to conclude that he elaborated it
himself from slender hints, such as
this of Haytoun : ' Car il avoit
avecques soy plusieurs roys et
grans princes qui eussent mieulx
ayme vivre en povrete hors de sa
compaignie, que destre avecques
luy en grandes richesses et hon-
neurs.' {Les fleurs des hystoires . . .
1501, Part v. ch. vii. Sig. Rv)
5-6. from Asphaltis . . . to Byron]
By Asphaltis Marlowe means the
bituminous lake near Babylon
(see III. V. I seq., and note) : ' In
the maps of Asia and Turcicum
Imperium, Biron is only a few
miles up-stream from Babylon or
Bagdet itself.' {Marlowe's Map,
26.)
8. And blow . . . nostrils'] Dyce
points out that Chapman and the
anonymous author of Caesar and
Pompey have also drawn upon the
hues which Marlowe translates
here :
'. . . Cum primum alto se
gurgite toUunt
' Solis equi, lucemque elatis naribus
efflant.'
{Aeneid, xii. 114!)
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 255
Are not so honoured in their governor lo
As you, ye slaves, in mighty Tamburlaine.
The headstrong jades of Thrace Alcides tam'd,
That King .^geus fed with human flesh.
And made so wanton that they knew their strengths,
Were not subdu'd with valour more divine
Than you by this unconquered arm of mine.
To make you fierce, and fit my appetite.
You shall be fed with flesh as raw as blood.
And drink in pails the strongest muscadel ;
If you can live with it, then live and draw 20
My chariot swifter than the racking clouds ;
If not, then die like beasts, and fit for naught
But perches for the black and fatal ravens.
Thus am I right the scourge of highest Jove ;
And see the figure of my dignity,
By which I hold my name and majesty.
Amy. Let me have coach, my lord, that I may ride.
And thus be drawn with these two idle kings.
Tamb. Thy youth forbids such ease, my kingly boy ;
They shall to-morrow draw my chariot, 30
While these their fellow kings may be refreshed.
Ore. O thou that swayest the region under earth.
And art a king as absolute as Jove,
Come as thou didst in fruitful Sicily,
Surveying all the glories of the land,
10. iri] as O4. 21, than] then O3 O4. 27. coach'] a coch O3 a coach O4.
28. with] by O4.
12. Alcides tam'd] For Marlowe's of Zeus, had absolute power in the
references to Hercules, see I, iii. lower regions and was thus some-
iii. 104, note. times referred to as Jove of the
21. racking] moving before the underworld, ' Juppiter Stygius '
wind. {A en., iv. 638). For the story of
25. figure of my dignity] the very the rape of Persephone and the
image of my dignity. N.E.D. cites wanderings of Ceres, see Metam.,
Elyot, Gov., I. xxvi. : ' There is v. 385 ff., a passage which, like
not a more playne figure of idlenesse the other numerous classical refer-
than playinge at dise.' ences to the tale, seems to be
32-8. Thou that swayest . . . derived from Homeric Hymn 2
queen] Hades (Pluto), the brother (to Demeter).
256 THE SECOND PART OF [activ
And as thou took'st the fair Proserpina,
Joying the fruit of Ceres' garden plot,
For love, for honour, and to make her queen,
So, for just hate, for shame, and to subdue
This proud contemner of thy dreadful power, 40
Come once in fury, and survey his pride,
Haling him headlong to the lowest hell !
Ther. Your majesty must get some bits for these,
To bridle their contemptuous cursing tongues,
That, like unruly never broken jades.
Break through the hedges of their hateful mouths.
And pass their fixed bounds exceedingly.
Tech. Nay, we will break the hedges of their mouths.
And pull their kicking colts out of their pastures.
Usum. Your majesty already hath devised 50
A mean, as fit as may be, to restrain
These coltish coach-horse tongues from blasphemy.
Cel. How like you that, sir king ? why speak you not ?
Jer. Ah, cruel brat, sprung from a tyrant's loins !
How like his cursed father he begins
To practice taunts and bitter tyrannies !
Tamh. Ay, Turk, I tell thee, this same boy is he
That must, advanced in higher pomp than this,
Rifle the kingdoms I shall leave unsacked,
If Jove, esteeming me too good for earth, 60
37. garden] garded Og. 53. speak you] speak ye O^- 57- same] om.
O4. 58. than] then O3 O4.
48-49. hedges of their mouths evidences of youth," so erlaube
. . . pastures] This somewhat in- ich mir, ihm das Epitheton
effectual play of words has given " stupid " zu geeigneterer Ver-
more trouble to Marlowe's editors wendung zuriickzustellen, denn er
than it deserves. Wagner makes hat die Stelle nicht verstanden.
a plea for such meaning as the Es kommt gar nicht darauf an,
passage has and his words may be wie alt die besiegten Konige als
quoted : ' Wenn Cunningham in Menschen sind, sondern darauf,
seiner Anmerkung sagt " A stupid dass sie hier als coltish coach-
allusion to the first teeth, called horses ' (1. 52) ' vorgefiihrt werden,
colt's teeth, or milk teeth " und und als solche sind sie jung. Das
dies dann so begriindet " The Wortspiel ist nicht besser und
celebrated pampered jades of Asia nicht schlechter als unzahlige
must long before have lost those Shakespeare'sche " quibbles ".'
sc.iii] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 257
Raise me to match the fair Aldeboran,
Above the threefold astracism of heaven,
Before I conquer all the triple world.
Now fetch me out the Turkish concubines ;
I will prefer them for the funeral
They have bestowed on my abortive son.
\The Concubines are brought in.
Where are my common soldiers now, that fought
So lion-like upon Asphaltis' plains ?
Soldiers. Here, my lord.
Tamb. Hold ye, tall soldiers, take ye queens a piece, 70
I mean such queens as were kings' concubines ;
Take them ; divide them, and their jewels too.
And let them equally serve all your turns.
Soldiers. We thank your majesty.
Tamb. Brawl not, I warn you, for your lechery ;
For every man that so offends shall die.
Ore. Injurious tyrant, wilt thou so defame
The hateful fortunes of thy victory.
To exercise upon such guiltless dames
The violence of thy common soldiers' lust ? 80
Tamb. Live continent, then, ye slaves, and meet not me
With troops of harlots at your slothful heels.
Concubines. O pity us, my lord, and save our honours !
Tamb. Are ye not gone, ye villains, with your spoils ?
[They run away with the ladies.
Jer. O merciless, infernal cruelty !
Tamb. Save your honours ! 'twere but time indeed,
Lost long before you knew what honour meant.
61. match] march O3 O4. 62. Above] About O4. astracism]
Astrachisme O2. 72. their] om. Og- 81. continent] Rob. etc. content O^.^.
87. you] ye O^-
61-3. Aldeboran] The star in the outermost sphere but one (the
eye of the constellation Taurus. outermost was the /)nmww wo&z/e).
An astracism (more properly Why Marlowe applies to this the
' asterism ') is a constellation, that epithet ' threefold ' I have not been
is, from Marlowe's point of view, able to discover,
one of the twelve groups of fixed 70. tall] see II, iv. i. 33, and
stars of the zodiac which formed the note.
17
258 THE SECOND PART OF [activ
Ther. It seems they meant to conquer us, my lord,
And make us jesting pageants for their trulls.
Tamb. And now themselves shall make our pageant, 90
And common soldiers jest with all their trulls.
Let them take pleasure soundly in their spoils,
Till we prepare our march to Babylon,
Whether we next make expedition.
Tech. Let us not be idle, then, my lord.
But presently be prest to conquer it.
Tamb. We will, Techelles. Forward, then, ye jades !
Now crouch, ye kings of greatest Asia,
And tremble when ye hear this scourge will come
That whips down cities and controlleth crowns, 100
Adding their wealth and treasure to my store.
The Euxine sea, north to Natolia ;
The Terrene, west ; the Caspian, north north-east ;
And on the south. Sinus Arabicus ;
Shall all be loaden with the martial spoils
We will convey with us to Persia.
Then shall my native city Samarcanda,
And crystal waves of fresh Jaertis' stream,
The pride and beauty of her princely seat,
Be famous through the furthest continents ; no
For there my palace royal shall be plac'd.
Whose shining turrets shall dismay the heavens.
And cast the fame of Ilion's tower to hell ;
Thorough the streets, with troops of conquered kings,
I'll ride in golden armour like the sun ;
105. all] om. O4. 114. Thorough'] through O3 & through O4.
96. prest] see II, i. ii. 45, and note. owe little to anything but Mar-
io 7-8. Samarcanda . . . Jaertis'] lowe's imagination set to work by
see II, IV. i. 105, 108, and note. the statements (current in all the
111-18. my palace royal . . . of biographers and fairly full in
the three-fold world] This description Perondinus) that Tamburlaine built
of Samarcand does indeed recall or extended the city of Samar-
some of the more general parts of cand, filled it with his treasures
the reports made by travellers and captives, and made it the
such as Clavijo and Schiltberger. wealthiest and most extensive city
But upon closer view it is seen to of Asia.
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 259
And in my helm a triple plume shall spring,
Spangled with diamonds, dancing in the air.
To note me emperor of the three-fold world ;
Like to an almond tree ymounted high
Upon the lofty and celestial mount I20
Of ever green Selinus, quaintly decked
With blooms more white than Herycina's brows.
Whose tender blossoms tremble every one
At every little breath that thorough heaven is blown.
Then in my coach, like Saturn's royal son
Mounted his shining chariot gilt with fire,
And drawn with princely eagles through the path
Pav'd with bright crystal and enchas'd with stars,
When all the gods stand gazing at his pomp,
So will I ride through Samarcanda streets, 130
Until my soul, dissevered from this flesh.
Shall mount the milk-white way, and meet him there.
To Babylon, my lords, to Babylon ! [Exeunt.
Finis Actus Quarti.
121. ever] Rob. etc. every {everie) Oi_4. 122. brows] bowes O2. 124.
that thorough] from O4. 126. chariot] Dyce etc. Chariots O1.4.
119-24. Like to an almond-tree go under this name. Broughton
. . . is blown] These hnes occur, draws attention to Virgil's reference
with very shght modification, in {Aen., ill. 705).
the Faerie Queene, Book I, Canto 122. Herycina] This epithet of
VII. v. 32. As the first three Venus may have been suggested
books of the Faerie Queene were to Marlowe by Horace {Odes, i.
not published until 1590, there has 2-33) or by Ovid, Metam., v. 363,
been some speculation as to whether Her. xv. 57, Am., 11. 10, 11, The
or not Marlowe can have read the epithet is common, and is derived
manuscript of the poem before from the temple of Venus on
publication. Mt. Eryx in the west of Sicily.
121. 5e/wws] Presumably a refer- Cf. Volpone iii. vi : 'Then I like
ence to the Sicilian town and not Mars and thou like Erycine.'
to any of the several rivers that
ACT V
SCENE I
Enter the Governor of Babylon upon the walls with others.
Gov. What saith Maximus ?
Max. My lord, the breach the enemy hath made
Gives such assurance of our overthrow,
That little hope is left to save our lives.
Or hold our city from the conqueror's hands.
Then hang out flags, my lord, of humble truce,
And satisfy the people's general prayers.
That Tamburlaine's intolerable wrath
May be suppressed by our submission.
Gov. Villain, respects thou more thy slavish life lo
Than honour of thy country or thy name ?
Is not my life and state as dear to me,
The city and my native country's weal.
As any thing of price with thy conceit ?
Have we not hope, for all our battered walls.
To live secure and keep his forces out.
When this our famous lake of Limnasphaltis
Makes walls afresh with every thing that falls
Into the liquid substance of his stream,
Act V. Scene i.
6. out] our O 2-i' II. Than] Then O3O4. 14. ofJinO^.
Act V. Scene i.
have been indebted to Herodotus-
It would have been possible, how-
1/^. As . . . conceit] As anything ever, for him to find these descrip-
that is prized in your thoughts. tions repeated by contemporary
17. Limnasphaltis] For his de- travellers such as John Eldred,
scriptions of Babylon and for the to whom reference has already been
almost fabulous properties of its made by Miss Seaton (see note on
bituminous lake, Marlowe may II, iii. v. i seq.).
260
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 261
More strong than are the gates of death or hell ? 20
What faint ness should dismay our courages,
When we are thus defenc'd against our foe,
And have no terror but his threatening looks ?
Enter another, kneeling to the Governor.
Cit. My lord, if ever you did deed of ruth,
And now will work a refuge to our lives.
Offer submission, hang up flags of truce.
That Tamburlaine may pity our distress.
And use us like a loving conqueror.
Though this be held his last day's dreadful siege.
Wherein he spareth neither man nor child, 30
Yet are there Christians of Georgia here.
Whose state he ever pitied and reliev'd.
Will get his pardon, if your grace would send.
Gov. How is my soul environed !
And this eternised city Babylon
Fiird with a pack of faint-heart fugitives
That thus entreat their shame and servitude !
Another. My lord, if ever you will win our hearts.
Yield up the town, save our wives and children ;
For I will cast myself from off these walls, 40
Or die some death of quickest violence.
Before I bide the wrath of Tamburlaine.
Gov. Villains, cowards, traitors to our state !
Fall to the earth, and pierce the pit of hell,
24. Prefix Cit.'] Add. Dyce. 32. he] was Og. 38. you] ye O^,- 39- save]
and save O4.
31-2. Christians . . . he ever pitied set down here because it happened
and reliev'd] The historical Tambur- to come back to the memory,
laine was, of course, pecuHarly 34. How . . . environed] Various
merciless to Christians ; it was the emendations have been suggested
faithful followers of Islam who to complete this metrically defec-
sometimes obtained mercy from tive line. Wagner suggested pre-
him. It is difficult to say what fixing ' Alas ! ' or ' Ay me ! ' and
allusion gave Marlowe this idea, but Broughton, Bullen and Dyce sug-
it bears the marks of a piece of gested adding ' with cares ' or
more or less irrelevant information ' with grief '.
262 THE SECOND PART OF [actv
That legions of tormenting spirits may vex
Your slavish bosoms with continual pains !
I care not, nor the town will never yield
As long as any life is in my breast.
Enter Theridamas and Techelles, with other Soldiers.
Ther. Thou desperate governor of Babylon,
To save thy life, and us a little labour, 50
Yield speedily the city to our hands,
Or else be sure thou shalt be forc'd with pains
More exquisite than ever traitor felt.
Gov. Tyrant, I turn the traitor in thy throat.
And will defend it in despite of thee.
Call up the soldiers to defend these walls.
Tech. Yield, foolish governor ; we offer more
Than ever yet we did to such proud slaves
As durst resist us till our third day's siege.
Thou seest us prest to give the last assault, 60
And that shall bide no more regard of parlie.
Gov. Assault and spare not ; we will never yield.
[^Alarms : and they scale the walls.
Enter Tamburlaine, with Usumcasane, Amyras and
Celebinus, with others ; the two spare kings.
Tamh. The stately buildings of fair Babylon,
Whose lofty pillars, higher than the clouds,
Were wont to guide the seaman in the deep,
Being carried thither by the cannon's force,
Now fill the mouth of Limnasphaltis' lake.
And make a bridge unto the battered walls.
Where Belus, Ninus and great Alexander
49. Prefix Ther.'] Add. Rob. 58. Than] Then O3 O4. 64. than] then
O3 O4.
69-70. Where Belus . . . triumphs legendary founder, himself the son
Tamburlaine] The three successive of Poseidon ; Ninus, the hardly
masters of Babylon here come less legendary founder of the
before Tamburlaine : Belus, the empire of Nineveh, whose queen.
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 263
Have rode in triumph, triumphs Tamburlaine, 70
Whose chariot wheels have burst th' Assyrians' bones,
Drawn with these kings on heaps of carcasses.
Now in the place where fair Semiramis,
Courted by kings and peers of Asia,
Hath trod the measures, do my soldiers march ;
And in the streets, where brave Assyrian dames
Have rid in pomp like rich Saturnia,
With furious words and frowning visages
My horsemen brandish their unruly blades.
Enter Theridamas and Techelles, bringing the Governor
OF Babylon.
Who have ye there, my lords ? 80
Ther. The sturdy governor of Babylon,
That made us all the labour for the town,
And used such slender reckoning of your majesty.
Tamh. Go, bind the villain ; he shall hang in chains
Upon the ruins of this conquered town. —
Sirrah, the view of our vermilion tents,
Which threatened more than if the region
Next underneath the element of fire
Were full of comets and of blazing stars.
Whose flaming trains should reach down to the earth.
Could not affright you ; no, nor I myself, 91
The wrathful messenger of mighty Jove,
That with his sword hath quail'd all earthly kings,
Could not persuade you to submission.
But still the ports were shut : villain, I say,
83. of] for O4. your] you O^. 87. than] then O3 O4.
Semiramis, built the famous walls 77. Saturnia] a relatively fre-
of Babylon, and Alexander of quent epithet for Juno, occurs in
Macedon, who overcame the then the writings of both Ovid and
effete Babylonian empire in 331 B.C. Virgil. See, especially, Aen., i. 23
71. burst] broken. Broughton and Metam., iv. 464.
aptly cites, ' You will not pay for 95. ports] gates. Cf. I, 11. i.
glasses you have burst.' Tarn. 42.
Shrew {Induction).
264 THE SECOND PART OF [actv
Should I but touch the rusty gates of hell,
The triple headed Cerberus would howl,
And wake black Jove to crouch and kneel to me ;
But I have sent volleys of shot to you.
Yet could not enter till the breach was made. loo
Gov. Nor, if my body could have stopt the breach,
Shouldst thou have entered, cruel Tamburlaine.
Tis not thy bloody tents can make me yield.
Nor yet thyself, the anger of the highest ;
For, though thy cannon shook the city walls.
My heart did never quake, or courage faint.
Tamh. Well, now I'll make it quake. Go draw him up,
Hang him in chains upon the city walls,
And let my soldiers shoot the slave to death.
Gov. Vile monster, born of some infernal hag, no
And sent from hell to tryrannise on earth.
Do all thy worst ; nor death, nor Tamburlaine,
Torture, or pain, can daunt my dreadless mind.
Tamh. Up with him, then ! his body shall be scarred.
Gov. But, Tamburlaine, in Limnasphaltis' lake
There lies more gold than Babylon is worth,
Which, when the city was besieg'd, I hid :
Save but my life, and I will give it thee.
Tamh. Then, for all your valour, you would save your life ?
Whereabout lies it ? 120
Gov. Under a hollow bank, right opposite
Against the western gate of Babylon.
98. wake] make O4. 105. city] om. O4. 107. him] itO^. 114. scarred]
seard O3 O4. 116. than] then O ^ 0 1^.
98. black Jove] again Pluto, the 115-22. in Limnasphaltis' lake
Jove of the black, infernal regions. . . . gate of Babylon] None of the
114. scarred] The reading of sources which Marlowe is generally
Oi O2 is * scard ' which could believed to have used mention
stand equally for the modern this episode, but there is a curious
' scarred ' or ' scared ', of which, parallel in Schiltberger's account
' scarred ' seems preferable here. of the taking of Babylon ; the King
The reading of O3 O4, ' seard ', was of Babylon kept his treasure in a
adopted by Robinson (from O4 ; O3 fortress apart (possibly Alindsha
was, of course, unknown to pre- on the Araxes) and Timur diverted
vious editors). the river in order to reach it.
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 265
Tamb. Go thither, some of you, and take his gold : —
The rest forward with execution.
Away with him hence, let him speak no more.
I think I make your courage something quail.
When this is done, we'll march from Babylon,
And make our greatest haste to Persia.
These jades are broken winded and half tir'd ;
Unharness them, and let me have fresh horse. 130
So ; now their best is done to honour me.
Take them and hang them both up presently.
Treh. Vild tyrant ! barbarous, bloody Tamburlaine !
Tamb. Take them away, Theridamas ; see them despatched.
Ther. I will, my lord.
[Exit with the Kings of Trehizon and Soria.
Tamb. Come, Asian viceroys ; to your tasks a while,
And take such fortune as your fellows felt.
Ore. First let thy Scythian horse tear both our limbs.
Rather than we should draw thy chariot.
And, like base slaves, abject our princely minds 140
To vile and ignominious servitude.
Jer. Rather lend me thy weapon, Tamburlaine,
That I may sheathe it in this breast of mine.
A thousand deaths could not torment our hearts
More than the thought of this doth vex our souls.
Amy. They will talk still, my lord, if you do not bridle them.
Tamb. Bridle them, and let me to my coach.
They bridle them. — [The Governor of Babylon appears
hanging in chains on the walls. — Re-enter Theri-
damas.
Amy. See now, my lord, how brave the captain hangs.
Tamb. 'Tis brave indeed, my boy : well done !
Shoot first, my lord, and then the rest shall follow. 150
133. Vild] wild O4. 135. S.D.] Add. Dyce. 145. thafi] then O3 O4.
147. S.D. The . . . Theridamas] Add. Dyce.
133- Vild] a common form of 140. abject] abase. Cf. abjection
' vile ' which appears to be used of I, v. ii. 204.
interchangeably with it.
266 THE SECOND PART OF [act v
Ther. Then have at him, to begin withal.
Theridamas shoots.
Gov. Yet save my life, and let this wound appease
The mortal fury of great Tamburlaine !
Tamh. No, though Asphaltis' lake were liquid gold,
And offer'd me as ransom for thy life.
Yet shouldst thou die. — Shoot at him all at once.
They shoot.
So, now he hangs like Bagdet's governor.
Having as many bullets in his flesh
As there be breaches in her battered wall.
Go now, and bind the burghers hand and foot, i6o
And cast them headlong in the city's lake.
Tartars and Persians shall inhabit there ;
And, to command the city, I will build
A citadel, that all Africa,
Which hath been subject to the Persian king,
Shall pay me tribute for, in Babylon.
Tech. What shall be done with their wives and children, my
lord?
Tamh. Techelles, drown them all, man, woman and child ;
Leave not a Babylonian in the town. 170
Tech. I will about it straight. Come, soldiers.
[Exit.
Tamh. Now, Casane, where's the Turkish Alcaron,
157. Bagdet's] Budgets O3 O4.
164. A citadel . . . Africa] This be applied. For the significance
hne appears metrically defective, of the reference, see Introduction.
but perhaps the missing syllable There is no precedent that I know
may be accounted for by a dramatic for this conversion and attack upon
pause after' citadel '. BuUen conjee- Mahomet in the biographies. A
tured ' lofty citadel ' and Broughton few of the European historians,
'Arabia'. among them Perondinus, expressly
172, seq. Where's the Turkish Al- describe Tamburlaine's respect for
caron etc.] This passage has been Mahometan shrines and the esteem
generally regarded as the objec- in which he held their sages and
tive of Greene's denunciation when priests, while the fact is a common-
he speaks of ' daring God out of place in the oriental accounts and
heaven with that atheist Tambur- in Schiltberger's narrative. '. . .
laine ', though in point of fact it is Religione tactus, seu potius secret©
by no means the only passage in quodam (uti forsan credi par est)
the play to which these lines could afflatus numine, Mahomethanorum
SCI] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 267
And all the heaps of superstitious books
Found in the temples of that Mahomet
Whom I have thought a god ? they shall be burnt.
Usum. Here they are, my lord.
Tamb. Well said. Let there be a fire presently.
[They light a fire.
In vain, I see, men worship Mahomet :
My sword hath sent millions of Turks to hell,
Slew all his priests, his kinsmen and his friends, i8o
And yet I live untouched by Mahomet.
There is a God, full of revenging wrath,
From whom the thunder and the lightning breaks,
Whose scourge I am, and him will I obey.
So, Casane ; fling them in the fire.
[They burn the books. £^,
Now, Mahomet, if thou have any power, » j^^
Come down thyself and work a miracle. i|^ »f l' '
Thou art not worthy to be worshipped ^
That suffers flames of fire to burn the writ
Wherein the sum of thy religion rests. 190
Why send'st thou not a furious whirlwind down.
To blow thy Alcaron up to thy throne.
Where men report thou sitt'st by God himself.
Or vengeance on the head of Tamburlaine
That shakes his sword against thy majesty.
And spurns the abstracts of thy foolish laws ?
Well soldiers, Mahomet remains in hell ;
He cannot hear the voice of Tamburlaine :
Seek out another godhead to adore ;
The God that sits in heaven, if any god, 200
For he is God alone, and none but he.
[Re-enter Techelles
177. S.D.] Add. Dyce. 184. will /] I wil{l) O3 O4. 185. S.D.] Add.
Dyce. 191. send' St] sends O3 O4. 193. sitt'st] sits O3 O4. 194. head]
blood O4. 197. Mahomet] Mahowet O3. 201. S.D.] Add. Dyce.
delubris pepercit, quae adhuc ma visuntur ' {Perondinus, Cap.
praecellenti structura pulcherri- xxiii).
268 THE SECOND PART OF [act v
Tech. I have fulfill'd your highness' will, my lord ;
Thousands of men, drown'd in Asphaltis' lake,
Have made the water swell above the banks,
And fishes, fed by human carcasses.
Amazed, swim up and down upon the waves.
As when they swallow assafitida.
Which makes them fleet aloft and gasp for air.
Tamh. Well, then, my friendly lords, what now remains.
But that we leave sufficient garrison, 210
And presently depart to Persia,
To triumph after all our victories ?
Ther. Ay, good my lord, let us in haste to Persia ;
And let this captain be remov'd the walls
To some high hill about the city here.
Tamh. Let it be so ; about it, soldiers.
But stay ; I feel myself distempered suddenly.
Tech. What is it dares distemper Tamburlaine ?
Tamh. Something, Techelles ; but I know not what.
But, forth, ye vassals ! whatsoe'er it be, 220
Sickness or death can never conquer me.
Exeunt.
SCENE II
Enter Callapine, AMx\sia, with drums and trumpets.
Call. King of Amasia, now our mighty host
Marcheth in Asia Major, where the streams
Of Euphrates and Tigris swiftly runs ;
And here may we behold great Babylon,
205. fed] Rob. etc. feed Oi_4. 206. upon] om. O3 O4. 208. gasp] gape O^-
213. in] om. O3 O4. 220. whatsoe'er] what soever O4.
Scene ii.
4. may we] we may O4.
205.^5/5^5] Marlowe's imagination 208. 7?^^/] float,
misled him slightly when he intro-
duced fishes into the bituminous
lake of Babylon.
sc. II] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 269
Circled about with Limnasphaltis' lake,
Where Tamburlaine with all his army lies,
Which being faint and weary with the siege,
We may lie ready to encounter him
Before his host be full from Babylon,
And so revenge our latest grievous loss, lo
If God or Mahomet send any aid.
Ama. Doubt not, my lord, but we shall conquer him ;
The monster that hath drunk a sea of blood.
And yet gapes still for more to quench his thirst.
Our Turkish swords shall headlong send to hell ;
And that vile carcass, drawn by warlike kings,
The fowls shall eat ; for never sepulchre
Shall grace that base-born tyrant Tamburlaine.
Call. When I record my parents' slavish life.
Their cruel death, mine own captivity, 20
My viceroys' bondage under Tamburlaine,
Methinks I could sustain a thousand deaths.
To be reveng'd of all his villany.
Ah, sacred Mahomet, thou that hast seen
Millions of Turks perish by Tamburlaine,
Kingdoms made waste, brave cities sacked and burnt,
And but one host is left to honour thee,
Aid thy obedient servant Callapine,
And make him, after all these overthrows,
To triumph over cursed Tamburlaine ! 30
Ama. Fear not, my lord : I see great Mahomet,
Clothed in purple clouds, and on his head
A chaplet brighter than Apollo's crown,
Marching about the air with armed men,
To join with you against this Tamburlaine.
18. thaf] this Og. 19. parents'] Parens O3. 33. than] then O3 O4.
<. .. The N.E.D. cites Palsgr. 681-2:
^^^^^ "• ' When I recorde the gentyll
19. record] Frequent in EHza- wordes he hath had unto me, it
bethan English in the sense either maketh my herte full sorye for
of ' call to mind ' or of ' set down ', hym.'
270 THE SECOND PART OF [actv
Capt. Renowmed general, mighty Callapine,
Though God himself and holy Mahomet
Should come in person to resist your power.
Yet might your mighty host encounter all.
And pull proud Tamburlaine upon his knees 40
To sue for mercy at your highness' feet.
Call. Captain, the force of Tamburlaine is great.
His fortune greater, and the victories
Wherewith he hath so sore dismayed the world
Are greatest to discourage all our drifts ;
Yet when the pride of Cynthia is at full.
She wanes again ; and so shall his, I hope ;
For we have here the chief selected men
Of twenty several kingdoms at the least ;
Nor ploughman, priest, nor merchant stays at home ; 50
All Turkey is in arms with Callapine ;
And never will we sunder camps and arms
Before himself or his be conquered :
This is the time that must eternise me
For conquering the tyrant of the world.
Come, soldiers, let us lie in wait for him.
And if we find him absent from his camp.
Or that it be rejoin'd again at full.
Assail it, and be sure of victory. Exeunt.
SCENE III
Theridamas, Techelles, Usumcasane.
Ther. Weep, heavens, and vanish into liquid tears !
Fall, stars that govern his nativity.
And summon all the shining lamps of heaven
Scene in.
1. Prefix Ther] Add. Dyce om. Oi_4.
earlier part of this scene may be
Scene nt. compared with the early part of
The almost strophic form of the II, 11. iv.
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 271
To cast their bootless fires to the earth,
And shed their feeble influence in the air ;
Muffle your beauties with eternal clouds,
For hell and darkness pitch their pitchy tents.
And Death, with armies of Cimmerian spirits.
Gives battle 'gainst the heart of Tamburlaine.
Now, in defiance of that wonted love lo
Your sacred virtues pour'd upon his throne,
And made his state an honour to the heavens,
These cowards invisibly assail his soul.
And threaten conquest on our sovereign ;
But if he die, your glories are disgrac'd.
Earth droops and says that hell in heaven is plac'd.
Tech. O, then, ye powers that sway eternal seats.
And guide this massy substance of the earth.
If you retain desert of holiness,
As your supreme estates instruct our thoughts, 20
Be not inconstant, careless of your fame.
Bear not the burden of your enemies' joys.
Triumphing in his fall whom you advanced ;
But as his birth, life, health and majesty
Were strangely blest and governed by heaven,
So honour, heaven, till heaven dissolved be,
His birth, his life, his health and majesty !
Usum. Blush, heaven, to lose the honour of thy name,
To see thy footstool set upon thy head ;
And let no baseness in thy haughty breast 30
Sustain a shame of such inexcellence,
To see the devils mount in angels' thrones.
And angels dive into the pools of hell.
And, though they think their painful date is out.
And that their power is puissant as Jove's,
13. invisibly] invincible O 2- 31. inexcellence] inexcellencie O^.
4. bootless] unavailing. 29. To see . . . thy head] Aremin-
8. Cimmerian] black, infernal. iscence of Psalm ex. i.
20. estates] states, positions. 35. puissant] here trisyllabic, an
unusual accent.
272 THE SECOND PART OF [actv
Which makes them manage arms against thy state,
Yet make them feel the strength of Tamburlaine,
Thy instrument and note of majesty,
Is greater far than they can thus subdue ;
For, if he die, thy glory is disgrac'd, 40
Earth droops and says that hell in heaven is plac'd.
[Enter Tamburlaine, drawn by the captive kings, Amyras,
Celebinus, and Physicians.
Tamb. What daring god torments my body thus,
And seeks to conquer mighty Tamburlaine ?
Shall sickness prove me now to be a man.
That have been term'd the terror of the world ?
Techelles and the rest, come, take your swords,
And threaten him whose hand afflicts my soul :
Come, let us march against the powers of heaven,
And set black streamers in the firmament.
To signify the slaughter of the gods. 50
Ah, friends, what shall I do ? I cannot stand.
Come, carry me to war against the gods.
That thus envy the health of Tamburlaine.
Ther. Ah, good my lord, leave these impatient words,
Which add much danger to your malady !
Tamb. Why, shall I sit and languish in this pain ?
No, strike the drums, and, in revenge of this.
Come, let us charge our spears, and pierce his breast
Whose shoulders bear the axis of the world,
That, if I perish, heaven and earth may fade. 60
37. Tamburlaine] Tarburlain Og- 41. S.D.] Add. Wagner. 43. Tam-
burlaine] ramburlaine O3.
36. manage] a more technical Marlowe has no precedent for the
term in Elizabethan than in modern death-scene of Tamburlaine. Most
English applied to the expert of the historians pass it over
control of arms, horses or anything with a brief statement of the
else which can be handled. fact.
38. note] here with the force of 59. Whose shoulders . . . world]
the Latin nota, a distinguishing Atlas is more properly described as
quality or mark. supporting, not the world, but the
42 seq. What daring god, etc.] heavens and all the stars.
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 273
Theridamas, haste to the court of Jove ;
Will him to send Apollo hither straight,
To cure me, or I'll fetch him down myself.
Tech. Sit still, my gracious lord ; this grief will cease,
And cannot last, it is so violent.
Tamb. Not last, Techelles ! no, for I shall die.
See, where my slave, the ugly monster death.
Shaking and quivering, pale and wan for fear.
Stands aiming at me with his murdering dart.
Who flies away at every glance I give, 70
And, when I look away, comes stealing on !
Villain, away, and hie thee to the field !
I and mine army come to load thy bark
With souls of thousand mangled carcasses.
Look, where he goes ! but, see, he comes again.
Because I stay ! Techelles, let us march.
And weary Death with bearing souls to hell.
Phy. Pleaseth your majesty to drink this potion.
Which will abate the fury of your fit.
And cause some milder spirits govern you. 80
Tamb. Tell me, what think you of my sickness now ?
First Phy. I view'd your urine, and the hypostasis,
Thick and obscure, both make your danger great ;
Your veins are full of accidental heat,
Whereby the moisture of your blood is dried :
The humidum and calor, which some hold
64. cease] case O3. 73. bark] back{e) O3 O4. 82. hypostasis] Rob.
etc. Hipostates Oi_4. 85. moisture] moister O3.
67-71. See where . . . stealing on] the part played by the comet,
Miss Seaton {R.E.S., p. 398) finds described by Perondinus and others,
a parallel for these lines in the 73. bark] Death is here tempor-
description of the man with a arily identified with Charon,
spear, one of the three portents re- 82. hypostasis] is Robinson's con-
corded by Andre Thevet, Cosmo- jecture, followed by subsequent
graphie Universelle {[i^y^], I, i. ^oS) editors, for 'Hipostates' of the
as preceding the death of Tambur- octavos.
laine. Marlowe has naturally re- 84. accidental] in excess of the
jected the description of the ghost necessary and normal degree,
of Bajazet which terrified the 86. humidum and calor] mois-
Scythian to death and has reduced ture and warmth, presumably here
18
274 THE SECOND PART OF [actv
Is not a parcel of the elements,
But of a substance more divine and pure,
Is almost clean extinguished and spent ;
Which, being the cause of life, imports your death.
Besides, my lord, this day is critical, 91
Dangerous to those whose crisis is as yours :
Your artiers, which alongst the veins convey
The lively spirits which the heart engenders,
Are parched and void of spirit, that the soul,
Wanting those organons by which it moves.
Cannot endure, by argument of art.
Yet, if your majesty may escape this day,
No doubt but you shall soon recover all.
Tamb. Then will I comfort all my vital parts, 100
And live, in spite of death, above a day.
Alarm within.
[Enter a Messenger.
Mes. My lord, young Callapine, that lately fled from your
majesty, hath now gathered a fresh army, and, hearing
your absence in the field, offers to set upon us presently.
Tamb. See, my physicians, now, how Jove hath sent
A present medicine to recure my pain !
My looks shall make them fly ; and, might I follow.
There should not one of all the villain's power
101. S.D. Enter a Messenger] Add. Dyce. 104. upon] on Og.
in combination and therefore the planation is : ' Your arteries which
sanguine humour. The physician convey to the veins the sanguine
goes on to suggest that this humour spirit (i.e. blood) which the heart
is by some regarded as a divine produces, are dried and empty, so
essence and not a combination of that your soul is deprived of the
physical elements. spirit by which it moves and there-
91. critical] The physician is, fore, by all the rules of the physi-
presumably, something of an as- cian's art, cannot continue.' It
trologer and alchemist, and knows may be noted that, in Marlowe's
by the stars what days are favour- system of physiology, the blood is
able for certain diseases and for half a physical, half a spiritual
the attempting of cures. Cf. 11. thing, as the physician himself
98-9 below. suggests in 11. 86-8 above.
96. organons] are, properly, ' in- 106. recure] cure,
struments '. The physician's ex-
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 275
Live to give offer of another fight.
Usum. I joy, my lord, your highness is so strong, no
That can endure so well your royal presence,
Which only will dismay the enemy.
Tamb. I know it will, Casane. Draw, you slaves !
In spite of death, I will go show my face.
[Alarm. Tamburlaine goes in and comes out again
with all the rest.
Tamb. Thus are the villains, cowards fled for fear,
Like summer's vapours vanished by the sun ;
And, could I but a while pursue the field.
That Callapine should be my slave again.
But I perceive my martial strength is spent :
In vain I strive and rail against those powers 120
That mean t' invest me in a higher throne,
As much too high for this disdainful earth.
Give me a map ; then let me see how much
Is left for me to conquer all the world.
That these, my boys, may finish all my wants.
[One brings a map.
Here I began to march towards Persia,
Along Armenia and the Caspian Sea,
And thence unto Bithynia, where I took
The Turk and his great empress prisoners.
Then marched I into Egypt and Arabia ; 130
And here, not far from Alexandria,
122. too] to O3 O4. 128. unto'] to O4.
115. villains, cowards] the uni- already anticipated the Suez Canal,
form reading of the octavos ; by cutting a passage through from
Robinson and most subsequent the Mediterranean to the Red Sea.
editors would read ' villain ', thus His work was ultimately finished
making the first word an adjective. by Ptolemy Philadelphus II about
126 seq. Here I began to march 277 B.C. It silted up for a time, and
seq.] For comments upon the names was restored by Amron, the Arab
mentioned here, see the previous conqueror of Egypt, but was
references in the text, and notes. finally filled up by Ali Mansour in
1 3 1-5. not far from Alexandria 775. Nearer still to Marlowe's own
. . . sail to India] Ellis, in com- time came the project of Niccolo da
menting upon this passage, draws Conti, which the Mameluke Sultans
attention to Sesostris, who had of Egypt prevented the Vene-
276 THE SECOND PART OF [act v
Whereas the Terrene and the Red Sea meet,
Being distant less than full a hundred leagues,
I meant to cut a channel to them both,
That men might quickly sail to India.
From thence to Nubia near Borno lake.
And so along the Ethiopian sea.
Cutting the tropic line of Capricorn,
I conquered all as far as Zanzibar.
Then, by the northern part of Africa, 140
I came at last to Grsecia, and from thence
To Asia, where I stay against my will ;
Which is from Scythia, where I first began.
Backward and forwards near five thousand leagues.
Look here, my boys ; see what a world of ground
Lies westward from the midst of Cancer's line
Unto the rising of this earthly globe.
Whereas the sun, declining from our sight,
Begins the day with our Antipodes !
And shall I die, and this unconquered ? 150
Lo, here, my sons, are all the golden mines.
Inestimable drugs and precious stones.
More worth than Asia and the world beside ;
And from th Antarctic Pole eastward behold
As much more land, which never was descried,
Wherein are rocks of pearl that shine as bright
As all the lamps that beautify the sky !
And shall I die, and this unconquered ?
Here, lovely boys, what death forbids my life,
133. than] then O3 O4. 140. northern] Northren O3 O4. 143. began]
begun O4. I '^^. five] fine O 3. 147. this] the O4. 153. than] then O^O^.
tian Republic from, carrying out. of Spanish gold and the riches of
This latest attempt had probably the fabulous El Dorado),
come to Marlowe's ears and was 154-5. from th' Antarctic Pole
added to the list of Tamburlaine's eastward . . . descried] This is the
schemes and achievements. continent of Australasia never yet
149, our Antipodes'] here, the ' descried ' but already the subject
dwellers in the Western Hemi- of vague rumour,
sphere, and the southern half of it 159-60. what death forbids . . .
(that is, South America, the source in spite of death] Tamburlaine
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 277
That let your lives command in spite of death. i6o
Amy. Alas, my lord, how should our bleeding hearts,
Wounded and broken with your highness' grief.
Retain a thought of joy or spark of life ?
Your soul gives essence to our wretched subjects.
Whose matter is incorporate in your flesh.
CeL Your pains do pierce our souls ; no hope survives,
For by your life we entertain our lives.
Tamh. But sons, this subject, not of force enough
To hold the fiery spirit it contains.
Must part, imparting his impressions 170
By equal portions into both your breasts ;
My flesh, divided in your precious shapes.
Shall still retain my spirit, though I die,
And live in all your seeds immortally.
Then now remove me, that I may resign
My place and proper title to my son.
First, take my scourge and my imperial crown,
And mount my royal chariot of estate,
165. incorporate] incorporoatOi. lyi. into] unto O^. ly^. your'] our O^.
almost regains for a moment in relations of spirit and body is
these lines and those that precede derived from Aristotle's doctrine
them, the splendour of his early that the form of the parent is
years led by wonder and the desire repeated in the offspring. Collier's
of discovery rather than of aggres- suggested emendation of ' sub-
sion and destruction. stance ' for ' subject ' in 1. i68
164-5, 168-74. Your soul . . . seems not to take account of this
your flesh, this subject . . . immor- phraseology, with which Marlowe
tally] With these lines may be com- was obviously familiar,
pared the words of Tamburlaine in 166-7. ^ our pains . . . our lives]
IV. i. 112-15 (see notes ad loc). The words of Celebinus are a suf&-
The soul of Tamburlaine has im- cient promise of his future failure
parted to his sons the spirit that as ruler of his father's empire ;
animates them, their bodies being indeed, the speeches of the two
similarly part of his flesh. Tambur- sons throughout this scene suggest
laine replies that he himself, how- only imitative docility and give no
ever (' this subject '), is not strong hint of originality. Marlowe must
enough to hold any longer the have recalled here the accounts of
fiery spirit it contains and must the historians who, whether they
divide the power of that spirit commend or disparage the sons of
(' his impressions ') between his Tamburlaine, agree that they were
two sons, who are thus the in- incapable of carrying on their
heritors alike of his body and of father's work.
his soul. This conception of the
278 THE SECOND PART OF [actv
That I may see thee crown'd before I die.
Help me, my lords, to make my last remove. i8o
Ther. A woeful change, my lord, that daunts our thoughts
More than the ruin of our proper souls.
Tamh. Sit up, my son, let me see how well
Thou wilt become thy father's majesty.
[They crown him.
Amy. With what a flinty bosom should I joy
The breath of life and burden of my soul,
If not resolv'd into resolved pains,
My body's mortified lineaments
Should exercise the motions of my heart,
Pierc'd with the joy of any dignity ! 190
O father, if the unrelenting ears
Of death and hell be shut against my prayers,
And that the spiteful influence of heaven
Deny my soul fruition of her joy.
How should I step or stir my hateful feet
Against the inward powers of my heart.
Leading a life that only strives to die.
And plead in vain unpleasing sovereignty ?
Tamh. Let not thy love exceed thine honour, son.
Nor bar thy mind that magnanimity 200
That nobly must admit necessity.
Sit up, my boy, and with those silken reins
Bridle the steeled stomachs of those jades.
182. than] then O3 O4. 183-4. {Pi'i'f^ied as prose in O3 O4.) 188. linea-
ments'] laments O3 O4. 202. those] these O3 O4. 203. those] these O3 O4.
185-90. With what a flinty bosom that was touched to joy by such
. . . any dignity] This passage is a things as earthly dignities.' The
httle obscure, partly, I think, from idea behind the words ' burden '
extreme condensation. Amyras's and ' mortified ' is slightly con-
words may be interpreted : ' How fused ; Amyras, while describing
hard a heart I should have if the insensitiveness that must have
I could enjoy my life and the been his had he rejoiced at this
possession of my soul and if my moment, applies to himself words
body were not dissolved in extreme that indicate the suffering, incon-
pain (1. 187) and sympathetically sistent with that insensitiveness,
afflicted (1. 188) and could still which he does indeed feel,
direct the movements of a heart
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 279
Ther. My lord, you must obey his majesty,
Since fate commands and proud necessity.
Amy. Heavens witness me with what a broken heart
And damned spirit I ascend this seat.
And send my soul, before my father die,
His anguish and his burning agony !
Tamh. Now fetch the hearse of fair Zenocrate ; 210
Let it be plac'd by this my fatal chair.
And serve as parcel of my funeral.
Usum. Then feels your majesty no sovereign ease.
Nor may our hearts, all drown'd in tears of blood,
Joy any hope of your recovery ?
Tamh. Casane, no ; the monarch of the earth.
And eyeless monster that torments my soul,
Cannot behold the tears ye shed for me,
And therefore still augments his cruelty.
Tech. Then let some god oppose his holy power 220
Against the wrath and tyranny of death.
That his tear-thirsty and unquenched hate
May be upon himself reverberate !
[They bring in the hearse.
Tamh. Now, eyes, enjoy your latest benefit.
And, when my soul hath virtue of your sight.
Pierce through the coffin and the sheet of gold,
And glut your longings with a heaven of joy.
So reign, my son ; scourge and control those slaves,
Guiding thy chariot with thy father's hand.
As precious is the charge thou undertak'st 230
As that which Clymene's brain-sick son did guide
230. undertak'st] undetakest O^ undertakest O^. 231. Clymene's'] Clymeus
Oi O3 O4.
225. when my soul hath virtue of power of vision now vested only
your sight] The implication in this in the eyes of his body, he will see
line is the familiar stoic belief that the spirit of Zenocrate.
the body and its senses clog the 231. Clymene's brain-sick son]
spirit, which will exercise finer See I, iv. ii. 49, and note. Here
spiritual senses when it is freed again the octavos read Clymeus,
from the body. When Tambur- with the exception of Og.
laine's soul is freed and has the
280 TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT [act v
When wandering Phoebe's ivory cheeks were scorched,
And all the earth, like ^tna, breathing fire.
Be warned by him, then ; learn with awful eye
To sway a throne as dangerous as his ;
For, if thy body thrive not full of thoughts
As pure and fiery as Phyteus' beams.
The nature of these proud rebelling jades
Will take occasion by the slenderest hair,
And draw thee piecemeal, like Hippolytus, 240
Through rocks more steep and sharp than Caspian clifts :
The nature of thy chariot will not bear
A guide of baser temper than myself.
More than heaven's coach the pride of Phaeton.
Farewell, my boys ! my dearest friends, farewell !
My body feels, my soul doth weep to see
Your sweet desires depriv'd my company.
For Tamburlaine, the scourge of God, must die.
Amy. Meet heaven and earth, and here let all things end.
For earth hath spent the pride of all her fruit, 250
And heaven consumed his choicest living fire !
Let earth and heaven his timeless death deplore.
For both their worths will equal him no more.
FINIS
232. Phoebe's] Phoebus O4. 239. slenderesf] slenderst O3. 240. thee]
me O4. 243. than] then O3 O4.
236. Here there is, for a moment, 240. For the story of Hippolytus,
a complete recovery of the Tambur- the account of Virgil {Aen., vii.
laine of the earlier play, ' Like his 761) and Seneca's play are likelier
desire, lift upward and divine.' sources than Euripides.
Phyteus] Pythius, an unusual form, 249-53. Meet heaven and earth
but the spelling ' Phyton ' for . . . him no more] An epitaph worthy
' Python ' occurs in Lydgate's of a nobler object than the Tam-
Warres of Troy (II. sig. K.vi.) as burlaine of the later play. The
Dyce pointed out : ' And of Phy- general effect of these lines is very
ton that Phoebus made thus fine.' close to the choric epitaph of
Lydgate's reference is to Python, Faustus.
the fabulous serpent slain by 252. timeless] untimely, occurring
Apollo, Marlowe's to Apollo him- out of its due time. N.E.D. cites
self, Pythius, named thus from the Trag. Richard, 11. (1560) : ' lie
slaying of the serpent, revenge thy^tymlesse tragedye.'
APPENDICES
APPENDIX A
THE TEXT OF TAMBURLAINE, I AND II
IN discussing the relations of the three then known texts of
Tamburlaine in 1885/ Wagner demonstrated that the edition
then known as the octavo of 1592 was derived from the
1590 (taking over a large number of its errors). Nothing has
occurred since to suggest that it might be derived rather from
any hypothetical intermediate edition, or independently from
the same manuscript source, or, much less, from a different
manuscript. Wagner's conclusion continues to stand. He then
went on to demonstrate that the 1605/6 edition could not pos-
sibly be derived from the 1593 (1592), for none of the 130 errors
(which he tabulated) by which the 1593 differ from the 1590,
appear in 1605/6. In the absence of any other known edition,
this led Wagner to his next conclusion, that 1605/6 must bear
the same relation to 1590 as 1593 does, a conclusion which
appeared to be confirmed by his note of some sixty-two apparent
errors, appearing in all three editions. ^ It is interesting to be
able to add to-day that in all these cases, without exception,
the 1597 reading agrees with those of 1590, 1593 and 1605/6
even when they appear manifest errors, so that the supposition
that the 1597 was intermediate between the 1590 and the 1605/6
is not invalidated by Wagner's evidence.
A consideration of the collations, indeed, makes the position
of the 1597 octavo clear. In Part I of the play, for example,
the 1597 text agrees with the 1590 only or with the 1590 and
one other, in about 35 per cent, of the total number of varia-
tions, whereas it never once agrees with the 1593 alone and only
in about 22 per cent, cases with the 1593 in conjunction also
^ Marlowes Werke. i. Tamburlaine. Introduction, pp. xxiii-xxxi.
2 A few of the versions which Wagner classifies as errors have been
retained in the present edition as they seem, in the Hght of later criticism,
to represent normal Elizabethan usages.
281
282 TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
with the 1590 or the 1605/6. This suggests clearly that it is
derived from the 1590 rather than from the 1593. Further,
correspondence between 1593 and 1605/6 exclusively is, as has
been shown by Wagner, extremely rare (about i per cent.) as is
also that between 1605/6 and 1590 only (less than 7 per cent .) . But
the correspondences between 1597 and 1605/6 exclusively amount
to 26 per cent, of the cases noted and those between 1597 and
1605/6 in combination with one other edition amount to some
43 per cent, cases. This suggests equally clearly that the 1597
text and not the 1590 or 1593 is the immediate source of the
1605/6 text.
Statistics such as these are liable to mislead unless we can
be sure that the cases we have examined are all deliberately
introduced and not fortuitous variations, but one or two instances
of resemblance between 1597 and 1-605/6 to which my atten-
tion was drawn by Professor Tucker Brooke, taken in conjunc-
tion with the foregoing evidence, place the matter in a less
dubious light. In a certain number of cases the 1597 reading
appears clearly intermediate to that of 1590 (or 1590 + i593)
and 1605/6. Thus, in Part I, iv. iv. 44 where 1590 and 1593
read * slice ' , 1^97 reads * flice ', explaining the nonsensical
version 'fleece' of 1605. ^ But even more conclusive is the
evidence of Part II, i. i. 63-4, where, as Professor Brooke says,
1. 63, ' Is in 1597 the last line on page F, (recto). The catch-
word is " Illici = " ; but 1. 118 ^ is inserted as the first line of
F7 (verso), i.e. in the same erroneous sequence as in ed. 1606.
The catchword at the foot of Fg (recto) is " Fred ", but Fg
(verso) commences with 1. 119.^ Thus the confused order of
lines in ed. 1606 is explained : the edition of 1597 transposed
line 118 2 from the top of Fg (verso) to the top of F7 (verso), after
the catchwords had been properly indicated. The printer of
1606 simply followed what he found in ed. 1597.*
In conclusion, then, the relations may be summarized thus :
The text of 1590 is the editio prtnceps from which are derived,
independently of each other, 1593 and 1597. The 1605/6 is
derived from 1597.
^ See also the reading cottges (1597) in the important and much-dis-
cussed Une, V. ii. 124 and Part II, i. i. 29.
^ The numbering here runs continuously from the beginning of Part II.
APPENDICES 283
APPENDIX B
LATER EDITIONS
(a) Collected
1. 1826. The Works of Christopher Marlowe. 3 vols. London.
1826. W. Pickering. 8vo.
No editor's name appears in this edition, but it has always
been assumed to be by George Robinson. The edition is care-
lessly supervised and appears to have been put together with
little regard for accuracy or even veracity. Dyce, coming after
it, says : * I characterize it as abounding in the grossest errors,' ^
and Professor Brooke sums up its editor's position when he says :
* Marlowe scholarship owes a considerable debt to his publishers,
but practically nothing to him.' 2 It is in his copy of this edition
that J. Broughton's valuable MS. notes on Marlowe's life and
works are to be found. ^
2. 1850. The Works of Christopher Marlowe, with notes and
some account of his life and writings. 3 vols. 8vo, by the
Rev. Alexander Dyce. London. Wm. Pickering. 1850.
(i vol. 1858.)
The introduction and notes to this edition contain much
material which is still of great value. It is unlikely, as Professor
Brooke says, ' that any other book will ever bring together more
new information relating to this writer.' * The value of the text
is a little diminished by the fact that Dyce set up his version
from the 1593 octavo, a text which has been shown elsewhere ^
to be full of errors which are not common to the other texts.
Dyce knew of the existence of the Bodleian copy of the 1590
octavo, but assumed, somewhat casually, that ' Perhaps the
8vo at Oxford and that in the British Museum (for I have not
had an opportunity of comparing them) are the same impression
differing only in the title-pages ® ', a statement of which the
^ The Works of Christopher Marlowe, etc. (1850). Preface.
2 The Reputation of Christopher Marlowe, p. 390.
3B.M. 11771. d. 4.
* Reputation, p. 405,
^ See Introduction and Appendix A.
• The Works of Christopher Marlowe (1858), p. 3.
284 TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
portion enclosed in brackets drew from Collier the laconic pencil
note ' Why not ? ' i
3. 1870. The Works of Christopher Marlowe . . . with notes
and introduction by Lt.-Col. Francis Cunningham. 1870.
This edition has some interesting notes upon the military
terms in the play, but in other respects falls far below Dyce's
edition and is based, of course, upon the same unsatisfactory
1593 text (though apparently only indirectly through Dyce's
text.) 2 Cunningham also mentions a fictitious 1590 octavo
in the Garrick collection of the British Museum Library, appar-
ently meaning to refer to the 1593.^
4. 1885. The Works of Christopher Marlowe, edited by A. H.
BuUen, B.A. London, 1885. 3 vols.
The assumption that the 1590 and 1593 texts could be, for
practical purposes, regarded as identical, persists also in this
edition,* though BuUen examined for himself the 1593 ^^^
1605/6 texts. The introduction contains one of the best general
critical estimates of Marlowe that appears in any edition, though
Bullen's enthusiastic praise tends to exalt Marlowe at the
expense of other pre-Shakespearian dramatists.
5. 1885. The Dramatic Works of Christopher Marlowe [selected)
with a prefatory notice, Biographical and Critical. By
Percy E. Pinkerton. London. Walter Scott. 1885.
Tamburlaine is here represented by selections only. The
introduction has some interesting suggestions and the editor's
comments upon the lyric power of Tamburlaine are more judicious
than some of his more general reflections.
6. 1887. Christopher Marlowe (The Best Plays of the Old Drama-
tists : Mermaid Series), ed. Havelock Ellis. 1887.
This edition again adds little to the elucidation of the text.
1 See the copy B.M. 11 771. 666. 6, which contains J. P. Collier's pencil
notes.
2 On the condition of the text in this edition, Wagner speaks with some
vigour : ' Ich habe Veranlassung gehabt, den Tamburlaine-text Cunning-
hams genau durchzupriifen und finde keine einzige Stelle, die darauf
hindeutete, dass er eine der alten Ausgaben auch nur angesehen hat.'
(Einleitung, XXXV.)
^The Works of Christopher Marlowe, p. 309.
* See Vol. I, pp. 3-4.
APPENDICES 285
Its strength lies in the fine critical appreciations of Ellis and of
J. A. Symonds (who contributed the general introduction to the
series) and of occasional comments of the same kind in the
annotations.
7-9. 1 905-1 909. Three serviceable reprints of Tamburlaine
in collected editions of Marlowe's works were produced by
Newnes (The Plays and Poems of Christopher Marlowe. 1905),
by Routledge [Marlowe's Dramatic Works. [1906]) and by
Dent in Everyman's Library (The Plays of Christopher
Marlowe. 1909) with the valuable addition of the True
Tragedy.
10. 1 910. The Works of Christopher Marlowe, edited by C. F.
Tucker Brooke. Oxford. 1910.
This is the standard edition of Marlowe's collected works
and the text of Tamburlaine here presented is a more reliable
reproduction of the 1590 text than is that of Wagner. The
collations are not in all respects so exhaustive as those of Wagner,
but the later editor has availed himself of much subsequent
textual criticism and conjecture and has produced a text which
only departs from 1590 in cases of strict necessity. This volume
and that of Wagner are the only attempts that have been
made to present a textually precise version of this play, while
the introduction to the play sums up what was then known
on the subject of its date, texts, stage history, authorship and
sources.
11. 1912. Christopher Marlowe (Masterpieces of English Drama),
ed. F. E. Schelling. With an introduction by W. L. Phelps.
1912.
(b) Separate Editions
I. 1818. An edition was apparently prepared by J. Broughton,
but seems not to have been published. Professor Brooke has
not been able to trace a copy of it,^ and the only contemporary
mention of it known to me is Broughton 's MS. note in his copy
of the 1826 edition of Marlowe's works : ^ * In an edition of
Tamburlaine printed (but not published) 1818, I enumerated
various circumstances which had occasioned me to be sceptical
as to Marlowe's property in the play.'
1 The Reputation of Christopher Marlowe, p. 389.
2 See Vol. I, p. xxi. B.M. 11771. d. 4.
286 TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
2. 1885. Marlowes Werke : i. Tamhurlaine. her. v. Albrecht
Wagner. Heilbronn. 1885.
This is the first attempt to estabHsh accurately a text that
should serve as the basis for future editions of this play, to
examine the states and relations of the three then known early
editions and to show, by an exhaustive series of collations, what
were the variants and upon what material the deductions in
the introduction were based. Following upon the article by the
editor and Dr. C. H. Herford in the Academy two years earlier,
there is also some account of the relation of Marlowe's text to
two of its sources with reproductions of significant passages. No
separate critical edition of Tamhurlaine of any importance has
followed Wagner's, but there may be mentioned here (3-5) the
acting version prepared for the Yale University Dramatic
Association in 1919, the plain text edited by W. A. Neilson in
1924, and the selected scenes edited by A. A. Cock {Black's
English Literature Series) in 1927.
APPENDIX C
THE FORESTE. (Book II, Chap. xiv. 1571.)
\The Foreste or Collection of Histories no lesse profitable than pleasant
and necessarie, dooen out of Frenche into Englische, by Thomas Fortescue,
is not a literal version of Mexia's life of Tamhurlaine. Silva de Varia
Lection, by Pedro Mexia, appeared first in Seville in 1542, and was reprinted
and translated frequently for the rest of the century. The first translator
was apparently Mambrino da Fabriano, whose volume La selva di varia
lettione (1544) translates the Spanish fairly closely but abridges an impor-
tant repetition of Mexia's. In the original, the story of ^Bajazet's relations
with Tamhurlaine is twice told, once in Part I, Chapter xiv, and again in
the main entry under ' Tamhurlaine ' in Part II, Chapter xxviii. Mam-
brino, having translated the description of Tamburlaine's treatment of
Bajazet at his meals and his use of him as a footstool in the first part, so
abbreviates this passage in the second that no reference to the ' footstool '
is found in the second version, though it is translated accurately (from
Mexia's practically similar earlier account) in the first part. In 1552
Claude Gruget translated the book into French, using, as he implies, the
Spanish and the Italian, but, as we suspect, mainly the Italian. In the
passages that concern Bajazet and Tamhurlaine, at least, he follows the
Italian faithfully, even to the abridging of the same passage in the life of
Tamhurlaine. He tells us ' . . . j'y ay donne quelque peu du mien en
des passages qui, selon mon jugement, le requeroient.' More probably,
he, like Fielding's Author, preferred to translate his Virgil out of Dryden.
Fortescue (whose version of the life of Tamhurlaine is given here)
follows the same high-handed method with his original, with one notable
advance, that he omits a series of five chapters in Part I, the last of which
happens to be that which alone preserved the full account of the Turkish
APPENDICES 287
emperor's fate. So that the story, by the time it reached English readers,
had lost, by a gradual process of abridgement and omission, one essential
detail at least of Mexia's story. The most important differences between
Fortescue's version and Mexia's will be indicated, where they occur, in
the footnotes.]
FoRTEScuE Chap. 14
There hath been amonge the Grekes, Romaines, the people
of Carthage, and others, mightie [innitfie], worthy and famous
capitaines, which as they were right vaHaunt, and fortunate
in war : so were they no lesse fortunate, in that some
others by writynge commended their chiualrie to the pos-
teritie for euer. But in our tyme we haue had one, in no
respect inferiour to any of the others, in this one pointe not
withstandyng lesse happie, that no man hath vouchsaued,
by hys penne in any sorte to commende him, to the pos-
teritie following. So that I, who moste desired some 10
thynge to speake of hym, haue been forced to gether here,
and there little peeces, and pamphlets, scarce lendyng you
any shewe of his conquirous exploytes, the same also con-
fusely, and with out any order. This then, of whom we
speake, was that greate and mightie Tamhurlaine : who
in hys tender yeres was a poore labourer, or husbandman, or
(as other some report e) a common Soldiar, how be it, in the
ende he became Lorde, of suche greate kingdomes and seig-
nories, that he in no pointe was inferiour to that prince of
the worlde, Alexander : or if he were, he yet came nexte him 20
of any other, that euer lined. He raigned in the yere of our
Lord God, a thousande, three hundred fower score and
tenne. Some suppose that he was a Parthian borne, a people
lesse honorable, then dread of the Romaines : his father
[farher] and mother, were verie poore, and needie : he not-
withstanding was of honest and vertuous conditions, wel
fewtred, valiant, healthie, quicke and nimble, sharpe witted
16. The sory of Tamburlaine's feat, and Marlowe alone, treating
low birth is popular with the it as high poetry and not as his-
European historians and appears tory or romance, has induced us to
in the accounts of Chalcondylas, give to it that willing suspension
Fregoso, Cambinus, Cuspinian, of disbelief for the moment which
Perondinus, Curio, Granucci, etc. can accept it.
It is unhistorical and does not 24. Fortescue has mistranslated,
appear in the majority of the Mexia reads : ' Gente que tan
eastern sources. Although it serves temida fue en tiempo de los
at first glance, to heighten the Romanos, y que estava ya olvi-
miraculous impression of the saga, dada ' ; Mambrino, ' gente cosi
it is manifestly an impossible temuta nel campo di Romani et
288 TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
also, of ripe, and mature deliberation, and iudgement,
imaginyng, and deuising, haute and greate enterprises, euen
in that his most, and extreame penurie, as though he some
times shoulde be a maister of many thinges. He was of a
valiant and inuincible corage, so that from his Cradle, and
infancie, it seemed he was vowed to Mars and merciall
affaires onely. Where vnto he gaue hym selfe, with suche
paineful indeuour, that hardlye a man might iudge, whether
he were more happie in deede, in advised counsel [cousel],
or princely dexteritie. By meane of which his vertues, and lo
others, that we shall here after remember, he in shorte tyme
acquired such honour, and reputation, as is to be supposed
man neuer shall do againe. His first beginning was, as
writeth Baptista Fulgotius, that beyng the soonne of a poore
manne, kepying cattle in the filde, liuyng there with other
boyes of his age, and condition, was chosen in sport by the
others for their kyng, and althought they had made in deede,
this their election in plaie, he whose spirites were rauished,
with greate, and high matters, forst theim to swere to him
loialtie in al thinges, obeying hym as king, wher, or when, 20
it should please hym, in any matter to commaunde theim.
After this othe then, in solemne sorte ministred, he charged
cache of theim forthwith, to sell their troope and cattell,
leaning this seruile and base trade of life, seeking to serue in
warre acceptyng hym for capitaine : whiche indeede they did,
beyng quickly assembled of other worke men, and past ours,
to the full number, at leaste, of fine hundred : with whom the
firste attempte, that euer he tooke in hande, was that they
robde all suche marchauntes as anie where paste nigh theim,
and after he imparted the spoyle so iustlie, that all his com- 30
panions serued hym, with no lesse faithe then loue, and
loyaltie, whiche occasioned sundrie others, a newe to seeke,
and followe hym. Of whiche newes in the ende, the Kinge
hoggi cosi poco ricordata ' ; Gruget, 14. See Baptiste Fulgosi [=Fre-
' peuple tant redoute du temps des goso] de dictis factisque memorabili-
Romains, et neanmoins peu re- bus (1518), Book III. Section
nommez ' (which shows incidentally ' De iis qui humili fortuna orti
that Gruget occasionally trans- clarum sibi nomen vendicarunt.'
lated or mistranslated directly from The episode which follows is not
the Spanish). mentioned by Marlowe, though it
1. seq. The description of Tam- appears also in Perondinus. The
burlaine's character here is a cento germ of the story is to be found in
of comments from European his- the Timur-N ameh of Arabshah.
torians which tally in many respects 29. Compare Taw&wy/aiwe, Part I,
with those of the more favourable Act i. Sc. ii.
oriental accounts.
APPENDICES 289
of Persia aduertised, sent forth vnder the conducte of one,
of his capitaines, a thousande horses well appointed to appre-
hende and take hym : at whose commyng he so well knewe
in this matter howe to beare hym, that of his enimie he soone
had made hym, his assured frende, and companion : in suche
sorte that they ioigned both their companies together,
attempting, then before, enterprises much more greate, and
more difhcill. In the meane tyme a certaine discorde, or
breache of amitie grewe, betwixte the Kyng of Persia and
his brother, by occasion where of Tamburlaine tooke parte lo
with the Kynges brother, where he so ordered the matter
in suche sorte, that he deposed the King and aduaunced the
Dther. After this, by this newe prince, in recompence of
his seruice, he was ordained generall of the greater parte
3f his armie who vnder pretexte that he woulde conquire,
ind [ad] subdue, other prouinces to the Persians, mustered
still, and gathered, more Souldiars at hys pleasure, with
ivhom he so practised, that they easely reuolted like Rebels
followyng hym, subduyng their Leage, and Soueraigne. This
^au5mge no we deposed, whom he before aduaunced, he 20
:rouned hymself Kyng and Lorde of that countrie. Now
moued with compassion, towardes his owne countrie, whiche
[ong tymes had been tributorie, to the Princes of Persia, and
to the Sarrazins, did theim to be free, from all seruice, and
exactions, lott5mg to theim for Prince him selfe, and none
Dther. After this consideryng with him selfe, that he pres-
sntlie hadde gathered a houge and greate armie, moued
priuie mutenies and rebellions in other countries, by meanes
ivherof, in prosis of tyme he conquired Syria, Armenia,
Babylon, Mesopotamia, Scythia Asiatica, Albania and Media, 30
kvith others, manie territories, riche also and famous cities.
\nd although we finde written nothing, of any his warres
^hatsoeuer, yet is it to be presumed that he fought many
1 bataile in open filde with the ennimie, before he had
mbdued so many, kingdomes and territories : for as muche
2. seq. The following episode, ize with his character as the eternal
;o 1. 21, appears in Fregoso, Mexia, conqueror. Perondinus and Cam-
Perondinus and Primaudaye only, binus (= Shute) both mention
md is followed closely by Mar- Tamburlaine 's freeing of his own
owe. country specifically.
24. Marlowe omits this epi- 34. seq. These battles are in
iode and altogether reduces Tarn- fact chronicled at considerable
Durlaine's affection for his own length by his oriental biographers,
country, which would not harmon- who were not available to Mexia.
19
290 TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
as all those that remember of hym anie thyng, commende to
vs the haute exploytes, of this moste valiaunte personage,
and farther that hee so circumspectly ordered his companie,
that in his Campe was neuer knowen, any brawle, or mutenie.
He was verie courteous, liberall, doyng honour to all menne,
accordynge to their demerites that woulde accompanie,
or follow him, feared therefore equally, and loued of the
people. He so painfullie, and with suche care instructed his
Souldiars, that in an instante alwaies, if it were behouefull,
either by sounde of Trompette, or any other, one, onely signe lo
geuen, euerie man was founde in his charge, or quarter,
yea though his armie were sutche, so greate, and so nu-
merous, as neuer besides him selfe, conducted anie other.
In fewe his Campe resembled one of the best, and richest
Cities in the worlde, for all kinde of offices were there founde
in order, as also greate heapes of marchauntes to furnishe
it with all necessaries. He in no case permitted any rob-
beries, priuie figgyng, force, or violence, but with seueritie
and rigour punished, whom soeuer he founde thereof, giltie,
or culpable, by meanes where of his Campe, was no worse 20
of all prouisions furnished, then the best Citie in the worlde,
in time of most safe, and assured securitie. His desire was,
that his Soldiars shoulde euermore glory, in their martiall
prowes, their vertue, and wisedome onely. He paide them
their salerie, and wage, without fraude, he honoured, he
praised, he imbrast, and kiste theim, kepyng theim not-
withstandyng in awe and subiection. This beyng king
nowe and Emperour, of sundrie Realmes, and Countries in
Asia, greate troupes came to him still, out of euery quarter,
besides these that were in anie respect his subiectes, for the 30
onely fame, of his honour, and vertue. So that his Campe
grewe in short time to be greater, then euer was that of Darius
4. The orderliness of his camp compared with Clavijo's descrip-
and the excellence of his disci- tion of the permanent camp out-
pline are facts noted almost uni- side Samarqand. There is no
versally by his biographers east- reason why Mexia, the Sevillian
ern and western. Without their historian and cosmographer, should
superlative military organization, not have read one of the many
the conquests of the great Tartar MS. copies of the account of
Khans could not have been achieved. Timur's capital written by Henry
5. Here, again, all but a few Hi's ambassador, but it is a little
of his most bitter enemies agree in puzzling to find him make no use
attributing liberality and gener- of it (except perhaps in this pass-
osity to Tamburlaine. age) and give no reference to it in
14-17. This passage may be his list of authorities.
APPENDICES 291
or Xerxes, for soche as write of hym, reporte that he had fower
hundred thousand horsemen, but of foote men a greater
number, by two hundred thousande more, whiche all he ladde
with him, at the conqueste of Asia the lesse : where of the
greate Turke advertised, who then hight Baiaceth, Lorde and
Prince of that countrie, but present then in person, at the
siege of Constantinople, hauyng a little before subdued
sundrie prouinces, and partes of Grece, with other territories
adiacent, and Tounes there aboute, thence growen to more
wealth, and more feared, then any Prince in the world, was lo
neuer the lesse constrained to raise his siege incontinentlie,
passyng thence into Asia with all his armie, taking vppe
still by the way, as many as was possible, so that as some
afhrme, he had as many horsemen as had the greate Tarn-
burlaine, with a merueilous number of other Souldiars, bothe
olde, and of much experience, especially by meanes of the
continuall warres, which he had still with the christians.
This Baiaceth now like a good, and like an expert Capitaine,
seing that he no waie els might resiste, this puissante Em-
perour, determined to meete him, and to geue hym present 20
battaile, hauyng merueilous affiance in the approued man-
hoode, and vertue of his Souldiars. Wherefore marchyng
on within fewe dales, they mette cache with other vppon
the confines of Armenia, where both of theim, orderyng as
became good Capitaines their people, beganne in the breake
of day, the most cruell, and most terrible battaile that earst
was euer harde of, consideryng the nomber on both partes,
their .experience, and pollicie, with the valiant currage, and
prowes of their capitaines. This continued they in fighte
euen almoste vntill night, with merueilous sloughter on bothe 30
sides, the victorie yet doubtfull, til, in the ende the Turkes
beganne to fainte and to flee, more indeede opprest with
the multitude, then that thei feared or other wise, the moste
I. seq. The historians almost place it at or near Ancora. Thus,
universally emphasize the mag- ' Ancyre ' (Chalcondylas, Ducas,
nitude of both armies, the balance Schiltberger), ' Engurim ' (Leun-
of the conflict, the courage of clavius), ' Phrygia ' (Phrantzes),
the Turks and the heroism of ' Mount Stella ' in ' Bithynia ' (Cus-
Bajazet. Marlowe naturally re- pinian, Giovio (= Ashton) ; Peron-
duces the size of Tamburlaine's dinus ; Curio (= Newton) ; Gran-
army and, less happily, the valour ucci). ' On the confines of Armenia '
and nobility of Bajazet. (Cuspinian, an alternative ; Cambi-
24. The position of the battle nus ; Perondinus). Arabshah and
is variously named, but by far Kwand Amir also refer to ' Ancre '
the larger number of historians and ' Angurieh '.
292
TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
|