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_ ACT II - SCENE III
[Enter COSROE, TAMBURLAINE, THERIDAMAS, TECHELLES, USUMCASANE, and ORTYGIUS, with others.]
COSROE.
Now, worthy Tamburlaine, have I repos'd
In 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 sworn
To 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 sway
To some [85] direction in your martial deeds,
The world will [86] strive with hosts of men-at-arms
To swarm unto the ensign I support.
The host of Xerxes, which by fame is said
To 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 eyes
That stand and muse at our admired arms.
[Footnote 85: some] So the 4to.--The 8vo "scorne."]
[Footnote 86: will] So the 8vo.--The 4to "shall."]
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 worth
As I shall be commended and excus'd
For 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'd
In such a great degree of amity.
[Footnote 87: top] i.e. rise above, surpass.--Old eds. "stop."]
[Footnote 88: renowmed] See note ||, p. 11.[i.e. note 52.] So the 8vo.
--The 4to "renowned."]
[Footnote 89: thirst] The 8vo "thrust": the 4to "thrist."]
TECHELLES.
With duty and [90] with amity we yield
Our utmost service to the fair [91] Cosroe.
[Footnote 90: and] So the 4to.--The 8vo "not."]
[Footnote 91: the fair] So the 8vo.--The 4to "THEE faire."]
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'd
To rooms of honour and nobility.
[Footnote 92: she] i.e. Nemesis.]
[Footnote 93: Rhamnus'] Old eds. "Rhamnis."]
[Footnote 94: meeds] So the 8vo.--The 4to "deeds."]
TAMBURLAINE.
Then haste, Cosroe, to be king alone,
That I with these my friends and all my men
May triumph in our long-expected fate.
The king, your brother, is now hard at hand:
Meet with the fool, and rid your royal shoulders
Of such a burden as outweighs the sands
And all the craggy rocks of Caspia.
[Enter a MESSENGER.]
MESSENGER.
My lord,
We have discovered the enemy
Ready 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.
[Footnote 95: into] Used here (as the word was formerly often used) for UNTO.]
TAMBURLAINE.
See where it is, the keenest curtle-axe
That e'er made passage thorough Persian arms!
These are the wings shall make it fly as swift
As doth the lightning or the breath of heaven,
And kill as sure [96] as it swiftly flies.
[Footnote 96: sure] A dissyllable here. In the next line "assure" is a trisyllable.]
COSROE.
Thy words assure me of kind success:
Go, valiant soldier, go before, and charge
The 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.] _
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