part of the play, were probably
suggested to Marlowe by a study
of the maps of Eastern Europe
and Western Asia.
Gazellus. This name is men-
tioned by Bizarus and others,
but it belongs, like that of
Techelles in the first play, to a
later period of history. Marlowe
has perhaps, again, transported
it from the pages of his authority
to serve a different purpose in
his own writing.
SiGiSMUND. For the historical
Sigismund and his relation to
Marlowe's story, see the Intro-
duction (sources of Part II) and
the notes on II, i and 11 passim.
The names of Frederick and
Baldwin could have been derived
from the same sources that
supplied Marlowe with that of
Sigismund.
Callapine. The son and suc-
cessor of Bajazet is necessarily
mentioned in all the histories
of the Turkish Empire. As
Calepinus Cyriscelebes (or a
variant of this name) he appears
in the accounts of Sagundinus,
Granucci, Mexia, Newton and
others. But, as ' Calepinus Cy-
ricelibes, otherwise Cybelius ', as
Miss Seaton points out,^ he
appears only in Lonicerus, who
' alone gives the full title, head-
ing thus the chapter on this
individual, whom he calls the
fifth emperor of the Turks :
Calepinus Cyricelibes Qui et
Cibelinus, quintus Turcorum Im-
perator.'
' Fresh Sources for Marlowe, p. 388.
Oct., 1929.)
{R.E.S.,
" Fresh Sources for Marlowe, pp. 388-9
{R.E.S., Oct., 1929.)
181
The second part of | The bloody Conquests [ of mighty Tamburlaine. |
With his impassionate fury, for the death of | his Lady and love, faire
Zenocrate : his fourme | of exhortation and discipline to his three j sons,
and the maner of his own death.
THE PROLOGUE
The general welcomes Tamburlaine receiv'd,
When he arrived last upon our stage,
Hath made our poet pen his second part,
Where death cuts off the progress of his pomp,
And murderous Fates throws all his triumphs down.
But what became of fair Zenocrate,
And with how many cities' sacrifice
He celebrated her sad funeral.
Himself in presence shall unfold at large.
Heading.
With his impassionate Jury . . . own death] om. O4.
Prologue.
2. our] the O4. 5. triumphs] tryumph O4. 8. sad] Rob., etc. said O^^^.
The Prologue.
1-3. The general welcomes . . .
second part] The reference in these
lines to the success of the first part
of Tamburlaine and the writing of
the second part have been used as
the basis of most arguments for
the dating of the composition.
(See Introduction, section 2.)
8. sad] The conjecture adopted
by Robinson and most subsequent
editors is here retained instead of
the reading ' said ' of the octavos.
182
ACT I
SCENE I
Orcanes king of Natolta, Gazellus viceroy of Byron,
Uribassa, and their train, with drums and trumpets.
Ore. Egregious viceroys of these eastern parts,
Plac'd by the issue of great Bajazeth,
And sacred lord, the mighty Callapine,
Who lives in Egypt prisoner to that slave
Which kept his father in an iron cage.
Now have we marched from fair Natolia
Two hundred leagues, and on Danubius' banks
Our warlike host in complete armour rest.
Where Sigismund, the king of Hungary,
Should meet our person to conclude a truce. lo
What ? shall we parle with the Christian,
Or cross the stream, and meet him in the field ?
Byr. King of Natolia, let us treat of peace ;
We are all glutted with the Christians' blood,
Act I. Scene i.
Heading. Uribassa] Upihassa 0^_^ {and in Prefix to I. 20).
Act I. Scene i. episodes introduced here have been
I. E^ye^foMs] noble, distinguished. described in the Introduction.
4. Who lives . . . prisoner] Th.e Some of the characters are historical
capture of the sons of Bajazet is figures belonging to the period of
only mentioned by the Oriental the battle of Varna (1444).
and Byzantine historians. Mexia Natolia] see Seaton, Marlowe's
says that Tamburlaine's sons, after Map, p. 20 : ' Natolia is much more
his death, lost the empire to the than the modern Anatolia ; it is
sons of Bajazet. (See Fortescue, the whole promontory of Asia
Appendix C.) The names of Ba- Minor, with a boundary running
jazet'ssonsare, however, frequently approximately from the modem
mentioned. Bay of Iskenderun eastward to-
6 seq. Now have we ... a truce] wards Aleppo, and then north to
The source and relations of the Batum on the Black Sea.'
183
184
THE SECOND PART OF
[act I
And have a greater foe to fight against,
Proud Tamburlaine, that now in Asia,
Near Guyron's head, doth set his conquering feet,
And means to fire Turkey as he goes :
'Gainst him, my lord, must you address your power.
Uri. Besides, King Sigismund hath brought from Chris-
tendom 20
More than his camp of stout Hungarians,
Slavonians, Almains, Rutters, Muffs and Danes,
That with the halberd, lance and murdering axe,
Will hazard that we might with surety hold.
Ore. Though from the shortest northern parallel,
Vast Gruntland, compassed with the frozen sea.
Inhabited with tall and sturdy men.
ig. must youlyoumustO^- 22. Slavonians'] Sclavonians O^^O 2-
Rutters] Almans Rutters O3. 25. Prefix Ore] Add. Dyce
26. Gruntland] Grantland O3 O4.
A Imains,
O1.4.
om
16. Proud Tamburlaine .
Asia] Tamburlaine here slips easily
into the place of the later Scan-
derbeg, whose success against the
Turks at Dybra disposed Amurath
II to treat for peace. By ' Asia '
in this line it seems that Asia
Minor is meant, the district more
usually called by Marlowe Na-
tolia. ' Marlowe only twice uses
the names of Asia Minor or Asia the
Less, while Asia and Asia Major
denote either the whole continent,
or the part of Asia beyond this
boundary.' (Seaton, Marlowe's
Map, p. 20.)
17. Guyron's head] ' Guyron is
not an invention of Marlowe's,
but occurs twice in the Theatrum,
as Guiron in the Turcicum Im-
perium ; it is a town near the
Upper Euphrates, north-east of
Aleppo, in the latter map not far
from the confines of Natolia, and
therefore a possible outpost.' (Sea-
ton, Marlowe's Map, pp. 22-3.)
22. Almains, Rutters] Collier
would have conjectured ' Almain
Rutters ' (i.e. German horsemen) ;
it seems preferable, however, to
allow the text to stand, in spite of
the evidence of Faustus, I. : ' Like
Almain Rutters, with their horse-
men's staves.' Muffs] Collier
would also suggest ' Russ ', not an
altogether satisfactory substitute.
25-6. from the shortest . . . frozen
sea'] The shortest northern parallel
is the smallest circle of latitude
described on the globe towards the
north, hence the line within which
fall the most northerly regions.
There is no need to emend ' Grunt-
land ' to ' Greenland ' (the modern
form), still less to read ' Grant-
land ' with O3 O4, as Robinson and
some subsequent editors do. In
Ortelius, Septentrionalium Regionum
Descriptio (1570), Groenlandt (Green-
land) appears to the N. of Iceland,
not directly touched by the Mare
Congelatum, but bounded by the
Oceanus Hyperboreus. Ortelius's
name is the normal Dutch form of
the period and Marlowe or his
printer has accidentally added an
infixed ' t ' while also anglicizing
the oe to u.
27-8. tall and sturdy men. Giants]
There is no authority for Marlowe's
giants, nor are the inhabitants of
polar regions generally large. Per-
SC. l]
TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
185
Giants as big as hugy Polypheme,
Millions of soldiers cut the arctic line,
Bringing the strength of Europe to these arms, 30
Our Turkey blades shall glide through all their throats,
And make this champion mead a bloody fen ;
Danubius' stream, that runs to Trebizon,
Shall carry, wrapt within his scarlet waves.
As martial presents to our friends at home,
The slaughtered bodies of these Christians ;
The Terrene main, wherein Danubius falls.
Shall by this battle be the bloody sea ;
The wandering sailors of proud Italy
29. cut the] out the O3 out 0/O4.
haps he was prompted by the con-
trasting (and much more probable)
statement, on the almost unmapped
territory of ' Sententrio ' in the map
referred to above, ' Pigmei hie
habitant '. Polypheme'] the legend
of Polyphemus, originally derived
from the Odessey, Marlowe could
again find in Ovid. {Metam., xiii.
772 ff., XIV. 167 if.).
29. cut the arctic line] : Cross
the arctic circle southward.
32. champion] See Part I, 11. ii. 40.
33-41. Danubius' stream . . .
against their argosies] The notorious
difficulty contained in this passage
has, after years of indulgent or
contemptuous comment on the part
of Marlowe's editors, been ex-
plained by Miss Seaton, who quotes
Shakespeare's similar reference to
the ' compulsive course ' of the
Pontick Sea {Othello, iii. iii), and
' an even clearer description of the
violent flow of the Bosporus from
north to south ' given by Petrus
Gyllius. ' This last ', she con-
tinues, ' is precisely Marlowe's
idea. He sees the waters of the
Danube sweeping from the river
mouths in two strong currents,
the one racing across the Black
Sea to Trebizond, the other swirl-
ing southward to the Bosporus,
and so onward to the Hellespont
and the Aegean. Both currents
bear the slaughtered bodies of
Christian soldiers, the one to bring
proof of victory to the great Turk-
ish town, the other to strike terror
to the Italian merchants cruising
round the Isles of Greece. Nicholas
Nicholay, one of Marlowe's recog-
nized authorities, definitely con-
nects the " compulsive course "
with the flow of rivers : " But for
so much as many great rivers . . .
from Europe doe fall into the Blacke
and Euxine Sea, it commeth to
pass that beyng full, she gusheth
out through the mouth of her wyth
great vyolence intoo the Sea
Pontique (i.e. Propontic) and from
thence through the streit of Helles-
ponthus . . . into the Sea of
Egee." Perondinus, another source,
in speaking of Bajazeth's defeat
by Tamburlaine, uses an expres-
sion that may have given the idea
to Marlowe : Euf rates . . . maiore
sanguinis at aquarum vi ad mare
Rubrum volveretur ; here, like Mar-
lowe, he considers the main sea
into which the inland sea opens
to be the outlet of the river, for
Mare Rubrum can include the
modern Arabian Sea, as it does
in the Turcicum Imperium of Or-
telius.' (Seaton, Marlowe's Map,
PP- 32-3-)
186 THE SECOND PART OF [acti
Shall meet those Christians fleeting with the tide, 40
Beating in heaps against their argosies,
And make fair Europe, mounted on her bull.
Trapped with the wealth and riches of the world,
Alight and wear a woful mourning weed.
Byr. Yet, stout Orcanes, Prorex of the world,
Since Tamburlaine hath mustered all his men.
Marching from Cairon northward with his camp
To Alexandria and the frontier towns.
Meaning to make a conquest of our land,
'Tis requisite to parle for a peace 50
With Sigismund; the king of Hungary,
And save our forces for the hot assaults
Proud Tamburlaine intends Natolia.
Ore. Viceroy of Byron, wisely hast thou said.
My realm, the centre of our empery.
Once lost, all Turkey would be overthrown ;
And for that cause the Christians shall have peace.
Slavonians, Almains, Rutters, Muffs and Danes
Fear not Orcanes, but great Tamburlaine ;
Nor he, but Fortune that hath made him great. 60
We have revolted Grecians, Albanese,
58. Almains] Almans O3 O4.
41. argosies] The large merchant 59. Fear] frighten.
vessels of the late sixteenth cen- 61-3. Grecians . . . Sorians] Al-
tury, especially those of Ragusa banians of this period belonged to
and Venice. The name ' argosy ', the district between the Caucasus
whose eariiest form is frequently and the west coast of the Caspian
' ragusye ', is now generally con- Sea ; for ' Cicilians ' Brooke queries
sidered to have been formed from ' Cilicians ' ; ' Sorians ' appears in
that of the port. O2 as ' Syrians ', while Dyce ex-
42. Europe mounted on her hull] plains it as dwellers in ' Tyre,
For the legend of Europa and the anciently called Zur or Zor '. Miss
bull Marlowe may again be in- Seaton remarks that ' Soria ' ' re-
debted to Ovid, Metam., 11. 836 ff. places in Part II the form Siria of
and VI. 104. Part I. Egyptia in Part I includes
45. Prorex] Cf. Part I, i. i. 89, Siria, for Damascus is Egyptian ;
Marlowe reduces this rather curious in Part II, Egypt is distinct from
word ad absurdum in the present Soria, and its capital is Cairo,
phrase. named for the first time ' (p.
58. Almains . . . Muffs] See 1. 22, 21).
above, and note.
SC. l]
TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT
187
Cicilians, Jews, Arabians, Turks and Moors,
Natolians, Sorians, black Egyptians,
Illyrians, Thracians and Bithynians,
Enough to swallow forceless Sigismund,
Yet scarce enough t' encounter Tamburlaine.
He brings a world of people to the field.
From Scythia to the oriental plage
Of India, where raging Lantchidol
Beats on the regions with his boisterous blows.
70
63. Sorians] Syrians Og. black] and black O3 O4. 64. Illyrians]
Illicians O1-2 HHriansO^ O4 [Between I. 63 and I. 64, O3 O4 insert I. 41 of
Scene II, which, in these editions, is missing from between I. 40 and I. 42.
In O3 the catchword of Sig. Fj is ' Illici ' but the second line of Sig. Fjy has
the form ' Illirians '.) 68. plage] Place O3 O4.
68. oriental plage] The region or
district (of India). Miss Seaton
{R.E.S., p. 397) points out that
' it is strongly reminiscent of the
cosmographers ' and cites Clausems
and Bibliander for similar uses.
Cf. also I, IV. iv. 125 and note.
69-76. Lantchidol . . . Tambur-
laine] Again we may turn to Miss
Seaton's elucidation of geographical
references in Marlowe's Map :
' Brough ton's note, " Lantchidol
was the name of the part of the
Indian Ocean lying between Java
and New Holland ", was possibly
due to the reproduction of the
Typus Orbis Terrarum in Hakluyt,
or to the mention of the sea in
Willes's translation of Pigafetta's
voyage in his History of Travayle
(1577, f. 446 verso). Marlowe
could read of it there or could,
before Hakluyt, find it in the
original map, where Lantchidol
Mare borders a promontory of yet
unexplored land, in outline sug-
gesting the north-west of Aus-
tralia, but here merely designated
Beach. The name, apparently a
native one, may have recalled to
Marlowe's mind, through its Eng-
lish synonym, the phrase that he
knew from other sources, ' ' Oriental
Plage ". But with that map of
the world before him, and with the
map of Africa in his head, Marlowe
did not make the mistake that
almost every editor has made for
him by altering the punctuation
of the Octavo of 1592. He did
not think that Asia, or even its
farthest isles, extended " under
Capricorne " ; yet that is how
almost every editor punctuates the
lines. No, the sense-division is at
" Tamburlaine " ; from Scythia to
the farthest East Indies, all Asia
is in arms with Tamburlaine ; from
the Canaries (the juncture of
Cancer and the Meridian) south-
ward to Amazonum Regio and the
land under Capricorne, and thence
northward again to the islands of
the Mediterranean, all Africa is
in arms with Tamburlaine. The
second part is a summary of the
general's campaigns in Africa, to
be expanded and detailed later.
The colons at discouered and at
A rchipellago are attractive examples
of their use to denote the " actor's
pause ", the rhetorical upward in-
tonation and emphasis at the end
of the line, before the drop to the
end of the sense-paragraph, such
as it is still heard at the Com6die
Frangaise. Here they do not im-
ply a division of sense ; that comes
on the name that tolls four strokes
throughout the speech like a knell of
doom' (p. 31-2).
188 THE SECOND PART OF [acti
That never seaman yet discovered,
All Asia is in arms with Tamburlaine ;
Even from the midst of fiery Cancer's tropic
To Amazonia under Capricorn,
And thence, as far as Archipelago,
All Afric is in arms with Tamburlaine ;
Therefore, viceroys, the Christians must have peace.
SCENE II
SiGiSMUND, Frederick, Baldwin, and their train,
with drums and trumpets.
Sig. Orcanes, as our legates promised thee.
We, with our peers, have crossed Danubius' stream.
To treat of friendly peace or deadly war.
Take which thou wilt ; for, as the Romans used,
I here present thee with a naked sword ;
Wilt thou have war, then shake this blade at me ;
If peace, restore it to my hands again.
And I will sheathe it, to confirm the same.
Ore. Stay, Sigismund ; forgetst thou I am he
That with the cannon shook Vienna walls, lo
And made it dance upon the continent.
As when the massy substance of the earth
Quiver about the axle-tree of heaven ?
Forgetst thou that I sent a shower of darts.
Mingled with powdered shot and feathered steel,
So thick upon the blink-ey'd burghers' heads,
77. viceroys] Viceroie Og.
I. Prefix Sigis.] om. O3.
Scene ii.
' Such are the spheares,
^(^^^^ ii- ' Mutually folded in each others
13. axle-tree of heaven] The pole orbe, . . .
upon which not only the earth but ' All jointly move upon one axle-
the spheres, co-axial with it, were tree,
supposed to turn. Compare Faus- ' Whose terminine is tearmd the
tus, 649-54 : worlds wide pole.'
sc. II] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 189
That thou thyself, then County Palatine,
The King of Boheme, and the Austric Duke,
Sent heralds out, which basely on their knees,
In all your names, desired a truce of me ? 20
Forgetst thou that, to have me raise my siege.
Waggons of gold were set before my tent,
Stampt with the princely fowl that in her wings
Carries the fearful thunderbolts of Jove ?
How canst thou think of this, and offer war ?
Sig. Vienna was besieg'd, and I was there.
Then County Palatine, but now a king,
And what we did was in extremity.
But now, Orcanes, view my royal host.
That hides these plains, and seems as vast and wide 30
As doth the desert of Arabia
To those that stand on Badgeth's lofty tower,
Or as the ocean to the traveller
That rests upon the snowy Appenines ;
And tell me whether I should stoop so low,
Or treat of peace with the Natolian king.
Byr, Kings of Natolia and of Hungary,
We came from Turkey to confirm a league.
And not to dare each other to the field.
A friendly parle might become ye both. 40
Fred. And we from Europe, to the same intent ;
Which if your general refuse or scorn.
Our tents are pitched, our men stand in array,
Ready to charge you ere you stir your feet.
Nat So prest are we : but yet, if Sigismund
Speak as a friend, and stand not upon terms,
^o. ye] you O^- 41.0m. O3O4; insert, after 6^ Scene I. 43. stand] are
O3O4.
31-2. the desert of Arabia . . . this specific reference may be a
lofty tower] To Marlowe, looking map such as Ortelius, Persicum
west in imagination from Bagdad Regium or Turcicum Imperium.
across the Euphrates, the Arabian 45. prest] ready,
desert was in sight. The source for
190 THE SECOND PART OF [acti
Here is his sword ; let peace be ratified
On these conditions specified before,
Drawn with advice of our ambassadors.
Sig. Then here I sheathe it and give thee my hand, 50
Never to draw it out, or manage arms
Against thyself or thy confederates ;
But whilst I live will be at truce with thee.
Nat. But, Sigismund, confirm it with an oath.
And swear in sight of heaven and by thy Christ.
Sig. By him that made the world and sav'd my soul.
The son of God and issue of a maid,
Sweet Jesus Christ, I solemnly protest
And vow to keep this peace inviolable.
Nat. By sacred Mahomet, the friend of God, 60
Whose holy Alcaron remains with us.
Whose glorious body, when he left the world.
Closed in a cofhn mounted up the air.
And hung on stately Mecca's temple roof,
I swear to keep this truce inviolable !
Of whose conditions and our solemn oaths,
Sign'd with our hands, each shall retain a scroll.
As memorable witness of our league.
Now, Sigismund, if any Christian king
Encroach upon the confines of thy realm, 70
Send word, Orcanes of Natolia
Confirmed this league beyond Danubius' stream.
And they will, trembling, sound a quick retreat ;
So am I fear'd among all nations.
Sig. If any heathen potentate or king
Invade Natolia, Sigismund will send
A hundred thousand horse trained to the war.
And back'd by stout lanceres of Germany,
51. or] and O3 O4. 78. by] with O3 O4.
55-9. swear . . . inviolable] With Amurath II and the Christians
this oath we may compare Bon- {Rerum Ungaricarum, Dec. iii.
finius's account of the pact between Lib. vi. and see Introduction).
sc.iii] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 191
The strength and sinews of the imperial seat.
Ore. I thank thee, Sigismund ; but when I war, 80
All Asia Minor, Africa, and Greece
Follow my standard and my thundering drums.
Come, let us go and banquet in our tents :
I will despatch chief of my army hence
To fair Natolia and to Trebizon,
To stay my coming 'gainst proud Tamburlaine :
Friend Sigismund, and peers of Hungary,
Come, banquet and carouse with us a while.
And then depart we to our territories. [Exeunt.
SCENE III
Callapine with Almeda his keeper.
Call. Sweet Almeda, pity the ruthful plight
Of Callapine, the son of Bajazeth,
Born to be monarch of the western world,
Yet here detain'd by cruel Tamburlaine.
Aim. My lord, I pity it, and with my heart
Wish your release ; but he whose wrath is death.
My sovereign lord, renowmed Tamburlaine,
Forbids you further liberty than this.
Call. Ah, were I now but half so eloquent
To paint in words what I'll perform in deeds, 10
I know thou wouldst depart from hence with me !
Aim. Not for all Afric ; therefore move me not.
Call. Yet hear me speak, my gentle Almeda.
Aim. No speech to that end, by your favour, sir.
Call. By Cario runs —
84. / will dispatch . . . hence] ish empire is the ' western world '
This was, in effect, precisely what from the Asiatic point of view,
the historical Amurath II did, 15. Cario] The reading of the
withdrawing his forces from the octavos, emended by Robinson and
west to lead them against the King others to ' Cairo ', is here retained,
of Carmania. though Cairo indeed appears to be
Scene Hi.
The western world] The Turk-
meant.
192 THE SECOND PART OF [acti
Aim. No talk of running, I tell you, sir.
Call. A little further, gentle Almeda.
Aim. Well sir, what of this ?
Call. By Carlo runs to Alexandria bay
Darotes' streams, wherein at anchor lies 20
A Turkish galley of my royal fleet.
Waiting my coming to the river side,
Hoping by some means I shall be released ;
Which, when I come aboard, will hoist up sail,
And soon put forth into the Terrene sea,
Where, 'twixt the isles of Cyprus and of Crete,
We quickly may in Turkish seas arrive.
Then shalt thou see a hundred kings and more,
Upon their knees, all bid me welcome home.
Amongst so many crowns of burnished gold, 30
Choose which thou wilt, all are at thy command :
A thousand galleys, mann'd with Christian slaves,
I freely give thee, which shall cut the Straits,
And bring armadoes, from the coasts of Spain,
Fraughted with gold of rich America :
The Grecian virgins shall attend on thee.
Skilful in music and in amorous lays,
As fair as was Pygmalion's ivory girl
Or lovely lo metamorphosed :
With naked negroes shall thy coach be drawn, 40
Scene in.
28. a] an O3 O4. 34. from] to Og.
20. D aretes' streams] ' In Africa of Elizabethan piracy, imagines
and Turcicum Imperium, Darote the ships taken on their return
or Derote is a town at the bend of journey, when, on the coast of Spain,
the westernmost arm of the Nile they are nearing the home ports,
delta, that is, on the river-way 38-9. Pygmalion's ivory girl . . .
from Cairo to Alexandria.' (Sea- metamorphosed^ Ovid, again, would
ton, p. 28.) give Marlowe the metamorphoses
34. armadoes] An armado (ar- of Pygmalion's ivory statue and
mada) was, properly, a large war of lo {Metam., x. 243 ff. and
vessel, though the word was more i. 588 ff.), though Aeschylus's ac-
generally used of a fleet of ships count {Prom., 640-86) seems to be
of war. the source of most of the detail
Callapine, with a fine anticipation in later references.
sc. Ill] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 193
And, as thou rid'st in triumph through the streets,
The pavement underneath thy chariot wheels
With Turkey carpets shall be covered,
And cloth of arras hung about the walls,
Fit objects for thy princely eye to pierce ;
A hundred bassoes, cloth'd in crimson silk,
Shall ride before thee on Barbarian steeds ;
And, when thou goest, a golden canopy
Enchas'd with precious stones, which shine as bright
As that fair veil that covers all the world, 50
When Phoebus, leaping from his hemisphere,
Descendeth downward to th' Antipodes —
And more than this, for all I cannot tell.
Aim. How far hence lies the galley, say you ?
Call. Sweet Almeda, scarce half a league from hence.
Aim. But need we not be spied going aboard ?
Call. Betwixt the hollow hanging of a hill,
And crooked bending of a craggy rock,
The sails wrapt up, the mast and tacklings down.
She lies so close that none can find her out. 60
Aim. I like that well : but, tell me, my lord, if I should let
you go, would you be as good as your word ? shall I be
made a king for my labour ?
Call. As I am Callapine the emperor.
And by the hand of Mahomet I swear.
Thou shalt be crown'd a king and be my mate !
Aim. Then here I swear, as I am Almeda,
Your keeper under Tamburlaine the Great,
47. thee] the Oj.
43-4. Turkey carpets . . . cloth Elizabethans. The N.E.D. cites
o/ayyas] East and West are mingled Blundeville, Horsemanship (1580):
in these lines. Cloth of arras was ' Those horses which we commonly
originally that made at Arras call Barbarians, do come out of the
(France) and the word was used king of Tunis land.'
generally by the Elizabethans for 56. need we not ?] shall we not
any rich tapestry or tapestry inevitably ?
hangings. 61-3. / like . . . labour] The lapse
47. Barbarian steeds] Barbary into prose is suspicious,
horses, the familiar ' barbs ' of the
13
194 THE SECOND PART OF [act i
(For that's the style and title I have yet,)
Although he sent a thousand armed men 70
To intercept this haughty enterprise,
Yet would I venture to conduct your grace,
And die before I brought you back again !
Call. Thanks, gentle Almeda ; then let us haste.
Lest time be past, and lingering let us both.
Aim. When you will, my lord ; I am ready.
Call. Even straight : and farewell, cursed Tamburlaine !
Now go I to revenge my father's death. \Exeunt.
SCENE IV
Tamburlaine, with Zenocrate, and his three sons,
Calyphas, Amyras, and Celebinus, with drums and
trumpets.
Tamb. Now, bright Zenocrate, the world's fair eye.
Whose beams illuminate the lamps of heaven.
Whose cheerful looks do clear the cloudy air.
And clothe it in a crystal livery.
Now rest thee here on fair Larissa plains.
Where Egypt and the Turkish empire parts,
75. let] hinder.
Scene iv.
Heading Scene IV] Scena 6 O4.
Scene iv. of the comma after parts, that in
5. Larissa plains] Broughton sug- t^^^ Octavo of 1590 completes the
„ 4. J 4.U 4. ''li,- 4.1? J- 4. -4. needed isolation of the line. It
gested that this was the district • ,-. , -j.- ■ i.- t_
deferred to by Milton : f"^^ ^^^ .^^^^^. P°f^*^°^ ^^ which we
■' nnd Larissa m the map of the
'. . . from the bordering flood Turkish Empire, a sea-coast town,
' Of old Euphrates and the brook south of Gaza ; in the map of
that parts Africa already cited, it lies a little
' Egypt from Syrian ground.' to the north of the dotted boun-
(P.L., I. 419-20.) dary line. It is on the biblical
Brook of Egypt, and is the Rhino-
and Miss Seaton comments upon colura of the classical period, the
the passage : ' It is, in fact, by the " most ancient city Larissa " of the
brook itself, but Marlowe's exact Crusades, the El Arish of the
description of the site has been modern map.' {Marlowe's Map,
obscured by the frequent omission p. 23.)
sc. IV] TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT 195
Between thy sons, that shall be emperors,
And every one commander of a world.
Zeno. Sweet Tamburlaine, when wilt thou leave these arms,
And save thy sacred person free from scathe, lo
And dangerous chances of the wrathful war ?
Tamb. When heaven shall cease to move on both the poles,
And when the ground, whereon my soldiers march.
Shall rise aloft and touch the horned moon ;
And not before, my sweet Zenocrate.
Sit up, and rest thee like a lovely queen.
So ; now she sits in pomp and majesty.
When these my sons, more precious in mine eyes
Than all the wealthy kingdoms I subdued,
Plac'd by her side, look on their mother's face. 20
But yet methinks their looks are amorous,
Not martial as the sons of Tamburlaine ;
Water and air, being symbolised in one.
Argue their want of courage and of wit ;
Their hair as white as milk and soft as down,
Which should be like the quills of porcupines.
As black as jet and hard as iron or steel,
Bewrays they are too dainty for the wars ;
Their fingers made to quaver on a lute,
Their arms to hang about a lady's neck, 30
Their legs to dance and caper in the air,
Would make me think them bastards, not my sons.
But that I know they issued from thy womb,
25. anc[\ as O3 O4.
21-2. But yet . . . martial] The 23-4. Water and air . . . ze;i/]The
misgivings of Tamburlaine and the moist and cold qualities of water
fulfilment of his fears in the charac- (corresponding to the phlegmatic
ter of Calyphas (iii. ii. passim and humour) and the moist and hot
IV. i.) may be traced to the accounts qualities of air (corresponding to
of the dissolution of Tamburlaine's the sanguine humour) argue ill
empire through the weakness of for the temperament which is over-
his successors. They have also a balanced in these directions and
dramatic value here, introducing lacks the firmness and fierceness
that hint of frustration and anxiety due to a just admixture of the bile
which grows more definite as this and choler (earth and fire),
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