按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
TAMBURLAINE。 Virgins； in vain you labour to prevent
That which mine honour swears shall be perform'd。
Behold my sword； what see you at the point？
FIRST VIRGIN。 Nothing but fear and fatal steel； my lord。
TAMBURLAINE。 Your fearful minds are thick and misty； then；
For there sits Death； there sits imperious Death；
Keeping his circuit by the slicing edge。
But I am pleas'd you shall not see him there；
He now is seated on my horsemen's spears；
And on their points his fleshless body feeds。
Techelles； straight go charge a few of them
To charge these dames； and shew my servant Death；
Sitting in scarlet on their armed spears。
VIRGINS。 O； pity us！
TAMBURLAINE。 Away with them； I say； and shew them Death！
＇The VIRGINS are taken out by TECHELLES and others。＇
I will not spare these proud Egyptians；
Nor change my martial observations
For all the wealth of Gihon's golden waves；
Or for the love of Venus； would she leave
The angry god of arms and lie with me。
They have refus'd the offer of their lives；
And know my customs are as peremptory
As wrathful planets； death； or destiny。
Re…enter TECHELLES。
What； have your horsemen shown the virgins Death？
TECHELLES。 They have； my lord； and on Damascus' walls
Have hoisted up their slaughter'd carcasses。
TAMBURLAINE。 A sight as baneful to their souls； I think；
As are Thessalian drugs or mithridate：
But go； my lords； put the rest to the sword。
＇Exeunt all except TAMBURLAINE。＇
Ah； fair Zenocrate！divine Zenocrate！
Fair is too foul an epithet for thee；
That in thy passion for thy country's love；
And fear to see thy kingly father's harm；
With hair dishevell'd wip'st thy watery cheeks；
And； like to Flora in her morning's pride；
Shaking her silver tresses in the air；
Rain'st on the earth resolved pearl in showers；
And sprinklest sapphires on thy shining face；
Where Beauty； mother to the Muses； sits；
And comments volumes with her ivory pen；
Taking instructions from thy flowing eyes；
Eyes； when that Ebena steps to heaven；
In silence of thy solemn evening's walk；
Making the mantle of the richest night；
The moon； the planets； and the meteors； light；
There angels in their crystal armours fight
A doubtful battle with my tempted thoughts
For Egypt's freedom and the Soldan's life；
His life that so consumes Zenocrate；
Whose sorrows lay more siege unto my soul
Than all my army to Damascus' walls；
And neither Persia's sovereign nor the Turk
Troubled my senses with conceit of foil
So much by much as doth Zenocrate。
What is beauty； saith my sufferings； then？
If all the pens that ever poets held
Had fed the feeling of their masters' thoughts；
And every sweetness that inspir'd their hearts；
Their minds； and muses on admired themes；
If all the heavenly quintessence they still
From their immortal flowers of poesy；
Wherein； as in a mirror； we perceive
The highest reaches of a human wit；
If these had made one poem's period；
And all combin'd in beauty's worthiness；
Yet should there hover in their restless heads
One thought； one grace； one wonder； at the least；
Which into words no virtue can digest。
But how unseemly is it for my sex；
My discipline of arms and chivalry；
My nature； and the terror of my name；
To harbour thoughts effeminate and faint！
Save only that in beauty's just applause；
With whose instinct the soul of man is touch'd；
And every warrior that is rapt with love
Of fame； of valour； and of victory；
Must needs have beauty beat on his conceits：
I thus conceiving； and subduing both；
That which hath stoop'd the chiefest of the gods；
Even from the fiery…spangled veil of heaven；
To feel the lovely warmth of shepherds' flames；
And mask in cottages of strowed reeds；
Shall give the world to note； for all my birth；
That virtue solely is the sum of glory；
And fashions men with true nobility。
Who's within there？
Enter ATTENDANTS。
Hath Bajazeth been fed to…day？
ATTEND。 Ay； my lord。
TAMBURLAINE。 Bring him forth； and let us know if the town be
ransacked。
＇Exeunt ATTENDANTS。＇
Enter TECHELLES； THERIDAMAS； USUMCASANE； and others。
TECHELLES。 The town is ours； my lord； and fresh supply
Of conquest and of spoil is offer'd us。
TAMBURLAINE。 That's well； Techelles。 What's the news？
TECHELLES。 The Soldan and the Arabian king together
March on us with such eager violence
As if there were no way but one with us。
TAMBURLAINE。 No more there is not； I warrant thee； Techelles。
ATTENDANTS bring in BAJAZETH in his cage； followed by
ZABINA。
Exeunt ATTENDANTS。
THERIDAMAS。 We know the victory is ours； my lord；
But let us save the reverend Soldan's life
For fair Zenocrate that so laments his state。
TAMBURLAINE。 That will we chiefly see unto； Theridamas；
For sweet Zenocrate； whose worthiness
Deserves a conquest over every heart。
And now； my footstool； if I lose the field；
You hope of liberty and restitution？
Here let him stay； my masters； from the tents；
Till we have made us ready for the field。
Pray for us； Bajazeth； we are going。
＇Exeunt all except BAJAZETH and ZABINA。＇
BAJAZETH。 Go； never to return with victory！
Millions of men encompass thee about；
And gore thy body with as many wounds！
Sharp forked arrows light upon thy horse！
Furies from the black Cocytus' lake；
Break up the earth； and with their fire…brands
Enforce thee run upon the baneful pikes！
Vollies of shot pierce through thy charmed skin；
And every bullet dipt in poison'd drugs！
Or roaring cannons sever all thy joints；
Making thee mount as high as eagles soar！
ZABINA。 Let all the swords and lances in the field
Stick in his breast as in their proper rooms！
At every pore let blood come dropping forth；
That lingering pains may massacre his heart；
And madness send his damned soul to hell！
BAJAZETH。 Ah； fair Zabina！ we may curse his power；
The heavens may frown； the earth for anger quake；
But such a star hath influence in his sword
As rules the skies and countermands the gods
More than Cimmerian Styx or Destiny：
And then shall we in this detested guise；
With shame； with hunger； and with horror stay；
Griping our bowels with retorqued thoughts；
And have no hope to end our ecstasies。
ZABINA。 Then is there left no Mahomet； no God；
No fiend； no fortune； nor no hope of end
To our infamous； monstrous slaveries。
Gape； earth； and let the fiends infernal view
A hell as hopeless and as full of fear
As are the blasted banks of Erebus；
Where shaking ghosts with ever…howling groans
Hover about the ugly ferryman；
To get a passage to Elysium！
Why should we live？O； wretches； beggars； slaves！
Why live we； Bajazeth； and build up nests
So high within the region of the air；
By living long in this oppression；
That all the world will see and laugh to scorn
The former triumphs of our mightiness
In this obscure infernal servitude？
BAJAZETH。 O life； more loathsome to my vexed thoughts
Than noisome parbreak of the Stygian snakes；
Which fills the nooks of hell with standing air；
Infecting all the ghosts with cureless griefs！
O dreary engines of my loathed sight；
That see my crown； my honour； and my name
Thrust under yoke and thraldom of a thief；
Why feed ye still on day's accursed beams；
And sink not quite into my tortur'd soul？
You see my wife； my queen； and emperess；
Brought up and propped by the hand of Fame；
Queen of fifteen contributory queens；
Now thrown to rooms of black abjection；
Smeared with blots of basest drudgery；
And villainess to shame； disdain； and misery。
Accursed Bajazeth； whose words of ruth；
That would with pity cheer Zabina's heart；
And make our souls resolve in ceaseless tears；
Sharp hunger bites upon and gripes the root
From whence the issues of my thoughts do break！
O poor Zabina！ O my queen； my queen！
Fetch me some water for my burning breast；
To cool and comfort me with longer date；
That； in the shorten'd sequel of my life；
I may pour forth my soul into thine arms
With words of love； whose moaning intercourse
Hath hitherto been stay'd with wrath and hate
Of our expressless bann'd inflictions。
ZABINA。 Sweet Bajazeth； I will prolong thy life
As long as any blood or spark of breath
Can quench or cool the torments of my grief。
＇Exit。＇
BAJAZETH。 Now； Bajazeth； abridge thy baneful days；
And beat the brains out of thy conquer'd head；
Since other means are all forbidden me；
That may be ministers of my decay。
O highest lamp of ever…living Jove；
Accursed day； infected with my griefs；
Hide now thy stained face in endless night；
And shut the windows of the lightsome heavens！
Let ugly Darkness with her rusty coach；
Engirt with tempests； wrapt in pitchy clouds；