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tamburlaine the great, pt 1-第2部分
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Doubt not; my lord and gracious sovereign;
But Tamburlaine and that Tartarian rout
Shall either perish by our warlike hands;
Or plead for mercy at your highness' feet。
MYCETES。 Go; stout Theridamas; thy words are swords;
And with thy looks thou conquerest all thy foes。
I long to see thee back return from thence;
That I may view these milk…white steeds of mine
All loaden with the heads of killed men;
And; from their knees even to their hoofs below;
Besmear'd with blood that makes a dainty show。
THERIDAMAS。 Then now; my lord; I humbly take my leave。
MYCETES。 Theridamas; farewell ten thousand times。
'Exit THERIDAMAS。'
Ah; Menaphon; why stay'st thou thus behind;
When other men press forward for renown?
Go; Menaphon; go into Scythia;
And foot by foot follow Theridamas。
COSROE。 Nay; pray you; let him stay; a greater 'task'
Fits Menaphon than warring with a thief:
Create him pro…rex of all Africa;
That he may win the Babylonians' hearts;
Which will revolt from Persian government;
Unless they have a wiser king than you。
MYCETES。 Unless they have a wiser king than you!
These are his words; Meander; set them down。
COSROE。 And add this to them;that all Asia
Lament to see the folly of their king。
MYCETES。 Well; here I swear by this my royal seat
COSROE。 You may do well to kiss it; then。
MYCETES。 Emboss'd with silk as best beseems my state;
To be reveng'd for these contemptuous words!
O; where is duty and allegiance now?
Fled to the Caspian or the Ocean main?
What shall I call thee? brother? no; a foe;
Monster of nature; shame unto thy stock;
That dar'st presume thy sovereign for to mock!
Meander; come: I am abus'd; Meander。
'Exeunt all except COSROE and MENAPHON。'
MENAPHON。 How now; my lord! what; mated and amaz'd
To hear the king thus threaten like himself!
COSROE。 Ah; Menaphon; I pass not for his threats!
The plot is laid by Persian noblemen
And captains of the Median garrisons
To crown me emperor of Asia:
But this it is that doth excruciate
The very substance of my vexed soul;
To see our neighbours; that were wont to quake
And tremble at the Persian monarch's name;
Now sit and laugh our regiment to scorn;
And that which might resolve me into tears;
Men from the farthest equinoctial line
Have swarm'd in troops into the Eastern India;
Lading their ships with gold and precious stones;
And made their spoils from all our provinces。
MENAPHON。 This should entreat your highness to rejoice;
Since Fortune gives you opportunity
To gain the title of a conqueror
By curing of this maimed empery。
Afric and Europe bordering on your land;
And continent to your dominions;
How easily may you; with a mighty host;
Pass into Graecia; as did Cyrus once;
And cause them to withdraw their forces home;
Lest you subdue the pride of Christendom!
'Trumpet within。'
COSROE。 But; Menaphon; what means this trumpet's sound?
MENAPHON。 Behold; my lord; Ortygius and the rest
Bringing the crown to make you emperor!
Re…enter ORTYGIUS and CENEUS; with others; bearing a
crown。
ORTYGIUS。 Magnificent and mighty prince Cosroe;
We; in the name of other Persian states
And commons of this mighty monarchy;
Present thee with th' imperial diadem。
CENEUS。 The warlike soldiers and the gentlemen;
That heretofore have fill'd Persepolis
With Afric captains taken in the field;
Whose ransom made them march in coats of gold;
With costly jewels hanging at their ears;
And shining stones upon their lofty crests;
Now living idle in the walled towns;
Wanting both pay and martial discipline;
Begin in troops to threaten civil war;
And openly exclaim against their king:
Therefore; to stay all sudden mutinies;
We will invest your highness emperor;
Whereat the soldiers will conceive more joy
Than did the Macedonians at the spoil
Of great Darius and his wealthy host。
COSROE。 Well; since I see the state of Persia droop
And languish in my brother's government;
I willingly receive th' imperial crown;
And vow to wear it for my country's good;
In spite of them shall malice my estate。
ORTYGIUS。 And; in assurance of desir'd success;
We here do crown thee monarch of the East
Emperor of Asia and Persia;
Great lord of Media and Armenia;
Duke of Africa and Albania;
Mesopotamia and of Parthia;
East India and the late…discover'd isles;
Chief lord of all the wide vast Euxine Sea;
And of the ever…raging Caspian Lake。
ALL。 Long live Cosroe; mighty emperor!
COSROE。 And Jove may never let me longer live
Than I may seek to gratify your love;
And cause the soldiers that thus honour me
To triumph over many provinces!
By whose desires of discipline in arms
I doubt not shortly but to reign sole king;
And with the army of Theridamas
(Whither we presently will fly; my lords;)
To rest secure against my brother's force。
ORTYGIUS。 We knew; my lord; before we brought the crown;
Intending your investion so near
The residence of your despised brother;
The lords would not be too exasperate
To injury or suppress your worthy title;
Or; if they would; there are in readiness
Ten thousand horse to carry you from hence;
In spite of all suspected enemies。
COSROE。 I know it well; my lord; and thank you all。
ORTYGIUS。 Sound up the trumpets; then。
'Trumpets sounded。'
ALL。 God save the king!
'Exeunt。'
SCENE II。
Enter TAMBURLAINE leading ZENOCRATE; TECHELLES; USUMCASANE;
AGYDAS; MAGNETES; LORDS; and SOLDIERS loaden with treasure。
TAMBURLAINE。 Come; lady; let not this appal your thoughts;
The jewels and the treasure we have ta'en
Shall be reserv'd; and you in better state
Than if you were arriv'd in Syria;
Even in the circle of your father's arms;
The mighty Soldan of Aegyptia。
ZENOCRATE。 Ah; shepherd; pity my distressed plight!
(If; as thou seem'st; thou art so mean a man;)
And seek not to enrich thy followers
By lawless rapine from a silly maid;
Who; travelling with these Median lords
To Memphis; from my uncle's country of Media;
Where; all my youth; I have been governed;
Have pass'd the army of the mighty Turk;
Bearing his privy…signet and his hand
To safe…conduct us thorough Africa。
MAGNETES。 And; since we have arriv'd in Scythia;
Besides rich presents from the puissant Cham;
We have his highness' letters to command
Aid and assistance; if we stand in need。
TAMBURLAINE。 But now you see these letters and commands
Are countermanded by a greater man;
And through my provinces you must expect
Letters of conduct from my mightiness;
If you intend to keep your treasure safe。
But; since I love to live at liberty;
As easily may you get the Soldan's crown
As any prizes out of my precinct;
For they are friends that help to wean my state
Till men and kingdoms help to strengthen it;
And must maintain my life exempt from servitude。
But; tell me; madam; is your grace betroth'd?
ZENOCRATE。 I am; my lord;for so you do import。
TAMBURLAINE。 I am a lord; for so my deeds shall prove;
And yet a shepherd by my parentage。
But; lady; this fair face and heavenly hue
Must grace his bed that conquers Asia;
And means to be a terror to the world;
Measuring the limits of his empery
By east and west; as Phoebus doth his course。
Lie here; ye weeds; that I disdain to wear!
This complete armour and this curtle…axe
Are adjuncts more beseeming Tamburlaine。
And; madam; whatsoever you esteem
Of this success; and loss unvalued;
Both may invest you empress of the East;
And these that seem but silly country swains
May have the leading of so great an host
As with their weight shall make the mountains quake;
Even as when windy exhalations;
Fighting for passage; tilt within the earth。
TECHELLES。 As princely lions; when they rouse themselves;
Stretching their paws; and threatening herds of beasts;
So in his armour looketh Tamburlaine。
Methinks I see kings kneeling at his feet;
And he with frowning brows and fiery looks
Spurning their crowns from off their captive heads。
USUMCASANE。 And making thee and me; Techelles; kings;
That even to death will follow Tamburlaine。
TAMBURLAINE。 Nobly resolv'd; sweet friends and followers!
These lords perhaps do scorn our estimates;
And think we prattle with distemper'd spirits:
But; since they measure our deserts so mean;
That in conceit bear empires on our spears;
Affecting thoughts coequal with the clouds;
They shall be kept our forced followers
Till with their eyes they view us emperors。
ZENOCRATE。 The gods; defenders of the innocent。
Will never prosper your intended drifts;
That thus oppress poor friendless passengers。
Therefore at least admit us liberty;
Even as thou hop'st to be eternized
By living Asia's mighty emperor。
AGYDAS。 I hope our lady's treasure and our own
May serve for ransom to our liberties:
Return our mules and empty camels back;
That we may travel into Syria;
Where her betrothed lord; Alcidamus;
Expects the arrival of her highness' person。
MAGNETES。 And wheresoever we repose ourselves;
We will report but well of Tamburlaine。
TAMBURLAINE。 Disdains Zenocrate to live with me?
Or you; my lords; to be my followers?
Think you I weigh this treasure more than you?
Not all the gold in India's wealthy arms
Shall buy the meanest soldier in my train。
Zenocrate; lovelier than the love of Jove;
Brighter than is the silver Rhodope;
Fairer than whitest snow on Scythian hills;
Thy person is more worth to Tamburlaine
Than the possession of the Persian crown;
Which gracious stars have promis'd at my birth。
A hundred Tartars shall attend on thee;
Mounted on steeds swifter than Pegasus;
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