Tamburlaine the Great — Part 1

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  direction in your martial deeds,
     The world will  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.

     THERIDAMAS. You see, my lord, what working words he hath;
     But, when you see his actions top  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  friends, my lord,
     Would make one thirst  and strive to be retain'd
     In such a great degree of amity.

     TECHELLES. With duty and  with amity we yield
     Our utmost service to the fair  Cosroe.

     COSROE. Which I esteem as portion of my crown.
     Usumcasane and Techelles both,
     When she  that rules in Rhamnus'  golden gates,
     And makes a passage for all prosperous arms,
     Shall make me solely emperor of Asia,
     Then shall your meeds  and valours be advanc'd
     To rooms of honour and nobility.

     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  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-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  as it swiftly flies.

     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.]