GOVERNOR.Vile monster, born of some infernal hag, And sent from hell to tyrannize on earth, Do all thy worst; nor death, nor Tamburlaine, Torture, or pain, can daunt my dreadless mind.
TAMBURLAINE.Up with him, then! his body shall be scar'd.<276>
GOVERNOR.But, Tamburlaine, in Limnasphaltis' lake There lies more gold than Babylon is worth, Which, when the city was besieg'd, I hid:
Save but my life, and I will give it thee.
TAMBURLAINE.
Then, for all your valour, you would save your life?
Whereabout lies it?
GOVERNOR.Under a hollow bank, right opposite Against the western gate of Babylon.
TAMBURLAINE.Go thither, some of you, and take his gold:--
[Exeunt some ATTENDANTS.]
The rest forward with execution.
Away with him hence, let him speak no more.--
I think I make your courage something quail.--
[Exeunt ATTENDANTS with the GOVERNOR or BABYLON.]
When this is done, we'll march from Babylon, And make our greatest haste to Persia.
These jades are broken-winded and half-tir'd;
Unharness them, and let me have fresh horse.
[ATTENDANTS unharness the KINGS or TREBIZON and SORIA]
So; now their best is done to honour me, Take them and hang them both up presently.
KING OF TREBIZON.
Vile<277> tyrant! barbarous bloody Tamburlaine!
TAMBURLAINE.Take them away, Theridamas; see them despatch'd.
THERIDAMAS.I will, my lord.
[Exit with the KINGS or TREBIZON and SORIA.]
TAMBURLAINE.Come, Asian viceroys; to your tasks a while, And take such fortune as your fellows felt.
ORCANES.First let thy Scythian horse tear both our limbs, Rather than we should draw thy chariot, And, like base slaves, abject our princely minds To vile and ignominious servitude.
KING OF JERUSALEM.Rather lend me thy weapon, Tamburlaine, That I may sheathe it in this breast of mine.
A thousand deaths could not torment our hearts More than the thought of this doth vex our souls.
AMYRAS.
They will talk still, my lord, if you do not bridle them.
TAMBURLAINE.Bridle them, and let me to my coach.
[ATTENDANTS bridle ORCANES king of Natolia, and the KING OF JERUSALEM, and harness them to the chariot.--
The GOVERNOR OF BABYLON appears hanging in chains on the walls.--Re-enter THERIDAMAS.]
AMYRAS.See, now, my lord, how brave the captain hangs!
TAMBURLAINE.'Tis brave indeed, my boy:--well done!--
Shoot first, my lord, and then the rest shall follow.
THERIDAMAS.Then have at him, to begin withal.
[THERIDAMAS shoots at the GOVERNOR.]
GOVERNOR.Yet save my life, and let this wound appease The mortal fury of great Tamburlaine!
TAMBURLAINE.No, though Asphaltis' lake were liquid gold, And offer'd me as ransom for thy life, Yet shouldst thou die.--Shoot at him all at once.
[They shoot.]
So, now he hangs like Bagdet's<278> governor, Having as many bullets in his flesh As there be breaches in her batter'd wall.
Go now, and bind the burghers hand and foot, And cast them headlong in the city's lake.
Tartars and Persians shall inhabit there;
And, to command the city, I will build A citadel,<279> that all Africa, Which hath been subject to the Persian king, Shall pay me tribute for in Babylon.
TECHELLES.
What shall be done with their wives and children, my lord?
TAMBURLAINE.Techelles, drown them all, man, woman, and child;
Leave not a Babylonian in the town.
TECHELLES.I will about it straight.--Come, soldiers.
[Exit with SOLDIERS.]
TAMBURLAINE.Now, Casane, where's the Turkish Alcoran, And all the heaps of superstitious books Found in the temples of that Mahomet Whom I have thought a god? they shall be burnt.
USUMCASANE.Here they are, my lord.
TAMBURLAINE.Well said!<280> let there be a fire presently.
[They light a fire.]
In vain, I see, men worship Mahomet:
My sword hath sent millions of Turks to hell, Slew all his priests, his kinsmen, and his friends, And yet I live untouch'd by Mahomet.
There is a God, full of revenging wrath, >From whom the thunder and the lightning breaks, Whose scourge I am, and him will I<281> obey.
So, Casane; fling them in the fire.--
[They burn the books.]
Now, Mahomet, if thou have any power, Come down thyself and work a miracle:
Thou art not worthy to be worshipped That suffer'st<282> flames of fire to burn the writ Wherein the sum of thy religion rests:
Why send'st<283> thou not a furious whirlwind down, To blow thy Alcoran up to thy throne, Where men report thou sitt'st<284> by God himself?
Or vengeance on the head<285> of Tamburlaine That shakes his sword against thy majesty, And spurns the abstracts of thy foolish laws?--
Well, soldiers, Mahomet remains in hell;
He cannot hear the voice of Tamburlaine:
Seek out another godhead to adore;
The God that sits in heaven, if any god, For he is God alone, and none but he.
Re-enter TECHELLES.
TECHELLES.I have fulfill'd your highness' will, my lord:
Thousands of men, drown'd in Asphaltis' lake, Have made the water swell above the banks, And fishes, fed<286> by human carcasses, Amaz'd, swim up and down upon<287> the waves, As when they swallow assafoetida, Which makes them fleet<288> aloft and gape<289> for air.
TAMBURLAINE.Well, then, my friendly lords, what now remains, But that we leave sufficient garrison, And presently depart to Persia, To triumph after all our victories?
THERIDAMAS.Ay, good my lord, let us in<290> haste to Persia;
And let this captain be remov'd the walls To some high hill about the city here.
TAMBURLAINE.Let it be so;--about it, soldiers;--
But stay; I feel myself distemper'd suddenly.
TECHELLES.What is it dares distemper Tamburlaine?
TAMBURLAINE.Something, Techelles; but I know not what.--
But, forth, ye vassals!<291> whatsoe'er<292> it be, Sickness or death can never conquer me.
[Exeunt.]
