Online Library of Liberty: The Works of Christopher Marlowe vol. 1 Portable Library of Liberty

Alarms.—A battle; enterCosroe, wounded,Therida-mas, Tamburlaine, Techelles,
Usumcasane, with others.
C
OS
.
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 grievéd soul,
And death arrests the organ of my voice,
Who, entering at the breach thy sword hath made,
Sacks every vein and artier
1
of my heart—
Bloody and insatiate Tamburlaine!
T
AMB
.
The thirst of reign and sweetness of a crown
That caused the eldest son of heavenly Ops,
To thrust his doting father from his chair,
And place himself in the empyreal heaven,
Moved me to manage arms against thy state.
What better precedent than mighty Jove?
Nature that framed 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,
Wills 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.
T
HER
.
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
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Doth mean to soar above the highest sort.
T
ECH
.
And that made us the friends of Tamburlaine,
To lift our swords against the Persian king.
Usum, For as when Jove did thrust old Saturn down,
Neptune and Dis gained each of them a crown,
So do we hope to reign in Asia,
If Tamburlaine be placed in Persia.
C
OS
.
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,
Is dry and cold; and now doth ghastly death,
With greedy talents
1
gripe my bleeding heart,
And like a harpy tires
1
on my life.
Theridamas and Tamburlaine, I die:
And fearful vengeance light upon you both!
[COSROE dies.—Tamburlainetakes the crown and puts it on.
T
AMB
.
Not all the curses which the
2
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?
A
LL
.
Tamburlaine! Tamburlaine!
T
AMIL
.
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.
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A
LL
.
Long live Tamburlaine and reign in Asia!
T
AMB
.
So now it is more surer on my head,
Than if the gods had held a Parliament,
And all pronounced me king of Persia.
[Exeunt.
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ACT THE THIRD.
SCENE I.