Scene III
Enter COSROE, TAMBURLAINE, THERIDAMAS, TECHELLES,USUMCASANE,and ORTYGIUS, with others.
COSROE. Now, worthy Tamburlaine, have I repos’dIn thy approved fortunes all my hope.What think’st thou, man, shall come of our attempts?For, even as from assured oracle,I take thy doom for satisfaction.
TAMBURLAINE. And so mistake you not a whit, my lord;For fates and oracles [of] heaven have swornTo royalize the deeds of Tamburlaine,And make them blest that share in his attempts:And doubt you not but, if you favour me,And let my fortunes and my valour swayTo some 85 direction in your martial deeds,The world will 86 strive with hosts of men-at-armsTo swarm unto the ensign I support.The host of Xerxes, which by fame is saidTo drink the mighty Parthian Araris,Was but a handful to that we will have:Our quivering lances, shaking in the air,And bullets, like Jove’s dreadful thunderbolts,Enroll’d in flames and fiery smouldering mists,Shall threat the gods more than Cyclopian wars;And with our sun-bright armour, as we march,We’ll chase the stars from heaven, and dim their eyesThat stand and muse at our admired arms.
THERIDAMAS. You see, my lord, what working words he hath;But, when you see his actions top 87 his speech,Your speech will stay, or so extol his worthAs I shall be commended and excus’dFor turning my poor charge to his direction:And these his two renowmed 88 friends, my lord,Would make one thirst 89 and strive to be retain’dIn such a great degree of amity.
COSROE. Which I esteem as portion of my crown.Usumcasane and Techelles both,When she 92 that rules in Rhamnus’ 93 golden gates,And makes a passage for all prosperous arms,Shall make me solely emperor of Asia,Then shall your meeds 94 and valours be advanc’dTo rooms of honour and nobility.
TAMBURLAINE. Then haste, Cosroe, to be king alone,That I with these my friends and all my menMay triumph in our long-expected fate.The king, your brother, is now hard at hand:Meet with the fool, and rid your royal shouldersOf such a burden as outweighs the sandsAnd all the craggy rocks of Caspia.
Enter a MESSENGER.
MESSENGER. My lord,We have discovered the enemyReady to charge you with a mighty army.
COSROE. Come, Tamburlaine; now whet thy winged sword,And lift thy lofty arm into 95 the clouds,That it may reach the king of Persia’s crown,And set it safe on my victorious head.
TAMBURLAINE. See where it is, the keenest curtle-axeThat e’er made passage thorough Persian arms!These are the wings shall make it fly as swiftAs doth the lightning or the breath of heaven,And kill as sure 96 as it swiftly flies.
COSROE. Thy words assure me of kind success:Go, valiant soldier, go before, and chargeThe fainting army of that foolish king.
TAMBURLAINE. Usumcasane and Techelles, come:We are enow to scare the enemy,And more than needs to make an emperor.
[Exeunt to the battle.]