Tamburlaine the Great — Part 1

SCENE VII.

          Alarms of battle within.  Then enter COSROE wounded,
          TAMBURLAINE, THERIDAMAS, TECHELLES, USUMCASANE, with others.

     COSROE. Barbarous  and bloody Tamburlaine,
     Thus to deprive me of my crown and life!—
     Treacherous and false Theridamas,
     Even at the morning of my happy state,
     Scarce being seated in my royal throne,
     To work my downfall and untimely end!
     An uncouth pain torments my grieved soul;
     And death arrests the organ of my voice,
     Who, entering at the breach thy sword hath made,
     Sacks every vein and artier  of my heart.—
     Bloody and insatiate Tamburlaine!

     TAMBURLAINE. The thirst of reign and sweetness of a crown,
     That caus'd the eldest son of heavenly Ops
     To thrust his doting father from his chair,
     And place himself in the empyreal heaven,
     Mov'd me to manage arms against thy state.
     What better precedent than mighty Jove?
     Nature, that fram'd us of four elements
     Warring within our breasts for regiment, 
     Doth teach us all to have aspiring minds:
     Our souls, whose faculties can comprehend
     The wondrous architecture of the world,
     And measure every wandering planet's course,
     Still climbing after knowledge infinite,
     And always moving as the restless spheres,
     Will us to wear ourselves, and never rest,
     Until we reach the ripest fruit  of all,
     That perfect bliss and sole felicity,
     The sweet fruition of an earthly crown.

     THERIDAMAS. And that made me to join with Tamburlaine;
     For he is gross and like the massy earth
     That moves not upwards, nor by princely deeds
     Doth mean to soar above the highest sort.

     TECHELLES. And that made us, the friends of Tamburlaine,
     To lift our swords against the Persian king.

     USUMCASANE. For as, when Jove did thrust old Saturn down,
     Neptune and Dis gain'd each of them a crown,
     So do we hope to reign in Asia,
     If Tamburlaine be plac'd in Persia.

     COSROE. The strangest men that ever nature made!
     I know not how to take their tyrannies.
     My bloodless body waxeth chill and cold,
     And with my blood my life slides through my wound;
     My soul begins to take her flight to hell,
     And summons all my senses to depart:
     The heat and moisture, which did feed each other,
     For want of nourishment to feed them both,
     Are  dry and cold; and now doth ghastly Death
     With greedy talents  gripe my bleeding heart,
     And like a harpy  tires on my life.—
     Theridamas and Tamburlaine, I die:
     And fearful vengeance light upon you both!

          [Dies.—TAMBURLAINE takes COSROE'S crown, and puts it on
          his own head.]

     TAMBURLAINE. Not all the curses which the  Furies breathe
     Shall make me leave so rich a prize as this.
     Theridamas, Techelles, and the rest,
     Who think you now is king of Persia?

     ALL. Tamburlaine!  Tamburlaine!

     TAMBURLAINE. Though Mars himself, the angry god of arms,
     And all the earthly potentates conspire
     To dispossess me of this diadem,
     Yet will I wear it in despite of them,
     As great commander of this eastern world,
     If you but say that Tamburlaine shall reign.

     ALL. Long live Tamburlaine, and reign in Asia!

     TAMBURLAINE. So; now it is more surer on my head
     Than if the gods had held a parliament,
     And all pronounc'd me king of Persia.

          [Exeunt.]