I will prefer them for the funeral They have bestow'd on my abortive son.
[The CONCUBINES are brought in.]
Where are my common soldiers now, that fought So lion-like upon Asphaltis' plains?
SOLDIERS.Here, my lord.
TAMBURLAINE.
Hold ye, tall<241> soldiers, take ye queens a-piece,--
I mean such queens as were kings' concubines;
Take them; divide them, and their<242> jewels too, And let them equally serve all your turns.
SOLDIERS.We thank your majesty.
TAMBURLAINE.Brawl not, I warn you, for your lechery;
For every man that so offends shall die.
ORCANES.Injurious tyrant, wilt thou so defame The hateful fortunes of thy victory, To exercise upon such guiltless dames The violence of thy common soldiers' lust?
TAMBURLAINE.
Live continent,<243> then, ye slaves, and meet not me With troops of harlots at your slothful heels.
CONCUBINES.O, pity us, my lord, and save our honours!
TAMBURLAINE.Are ye not gone, ye villains, with your spoils?
[The SOLDIERS run away with the CONCUBINES.]
KING OF JERUSALEM.O, merciless, infernal cruelty!
TAMBURLAINE.Save your honours! 'twere but time indeed, Lost long before ye knew what honour meant.
THERIDAMAS.It seems they meant to conquer us, my lord, And make us jesting pageants for their trulls.
TAMBURLAINE.And now themselves shall make our pageant, And common soldiers jest<244> with all their trulls.
Let them take pleasure soundly in their spoils, Till we prepare our march to Babylon, Whither we next make expedition.
TECHELLES.Let us not be idle, then, my lord, But presently be prest<245> to conquer it.
TAMBURLAINE.We will, Techelles.--Forward, then, ye jades!
Now crouch, ye kings of greatest Asia, And tremble, when ye hear this scourge will come That whips down cities and controlleth crowns, Adding their wealth and treasure to my store.
The Euxine sea, north to Natolia;
The Terrene,<246> west; the Caspian, north northeast;
And on the south, Sinus Arabicus;
Shall all<247> be loaden with the martial spoils We will convey with us to Persia.
Then shall my native city Samarcanda, And crystal waves of fresh Jaertis'<248> stream, The pride and beauty of her princely seat, Be famous through the furthest<249> continents;
For there my palace royal shall be plac'd, Whose shining turrets shall dismay the heavens, And cast the fame of Ilion's tower to hell:
Thorough<250> the streets, with troops of conquer'd kings, I'll ride in golden armour like the sun;
And in my helm a triple plume shall spring, Spangled with diamonds, dancing in the air, To note me emperor of the three-fold world;
Like to an almond-tree<251> y-mounted<252> high Upon the lofty and celestial mount Of ever-green Selinus,<253> quaintly deck'd With blooms more white than Erycina's<254> brows,<255>
Whose tender blossoms tremble every one At every little breath that thorough heaven<256> is blown.
Then in my coach, like Saturn's royal son Mounted his shining chariot<257> gilt with fire, And drawn with princely eagles through the path Pav'd with bright crystal and enchas'd with stars, When all the gods stand gazing at his pomp, So will I ride through Samarcanda-streets, Until my soul, dissever'd from this flesh, Shall mount the milk-white way, and meet him there.
To Babylon, my lords, to Babylon!
[Exeunt.]
