Tamburlaine the Great - Part 1 E-Book

Christopher Marlowe

• Herausgeber: Phoemixx Classics Ebooks
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Seitenzahl: 130

Beschreibung

Tamburlaine the Great Part 1 Christopher Marlowe - Tamburlaine the Great Part 1 by Christopher MarlowePart 1 opens in Persepolis. The Persian emperor, Mycetes, sends troops to get rid of Tamburlaine, a Scythian shepherd and, at that point, a nomadic bandit. In the same scene, Mycetes' brother Chosroes plots to overthrow Mycetes and take the throne.The scene shifts to Scythia, where Tamburlaine is shown courting, capturing and conquering Zenocrates, the daughter of the Egyptian king. Confronted by the soldiers of Mycetes, he convinces first the soldiers and then Chosroes to join him in a fight against Mycetes. Although he promises Chosroes the Persian throne, Tamburlaine reneges on this promise and, after defeating Mycetes, takes personal control of the Persian Empire.Now a powerful figure, Tamburlaine turns her attention to Bajazeth, emperor of the Turks. He defeats Bajazeth and his tributary kings, capturing the emperor and his wife Zabina. The victorious Tamburlaine keeps the defeated ruler in a cage and feeds him the leftovers from his table, freeing Bajazeth only to use him as a stool. Bajazeth later kills himself on stage by banging his head against the bars after hearing of Tamburlaine's upcoming victory. After finding his body, Zabina does the same.Having conquered Africa and appointed himself emperor of that continent, Tamburlaine sets his sights on Damascus, a goal that places the Egyptian sultan, his future father-in-law, directly on his path. Zenocrates begs her future husband to spare her father. He obeys, making the sultan a tributary king instead. The show ends with the marriage of Tamburlaine and Zenocrate, who is crowned Empress of Persia.

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Christopher Marlowe

Tamburlaine the Great - Part 1

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Tamburlaine the Great.  Who, from a Scythian Shephearde   by his rare and woonderfull Conquests, became a most   puissant and mightye Monarque.  And (for his tyranny,   and terrour in Warre) was tearmed, The Scourge of God.   Deuided into two Tragicall Discourses, as they were   sundrie times shewed vpon Stages in the Citie of London.   By the right honorable the Lord Admyrall, his seruauntes.   Now first, and newlie published.  London.  Printed by   Richard Ihones:  at the signe of the Rose and Crowne   neere Holborne Bridge.  1590.  4to.

The above title-page is pasted into a copy of the FIRST PART OF TAMBURLAINE in the Library at Bridge-water House; which copy, excepting that title-page and the Address to the Readers, is the impression of 1605. I once supposed that the title-pages which bear the dates 1605 and 1606 (see below) had been added to the 4tos of the TWO PARTS of the play originally printed in 1590; but I am now convinced that both PARTS were really reprinted, THE FIRST PART in 1605, and THE SECOND PART in 1606, and that nothing remains of the earlier 4tos, except the title-page and the Address to the Readers, which are preserved in the Bridge- water collection.

In the Bodleian Library, Oxford, is an 8vo edition of both PARTS OF TAMBURLAINE, dated 1590: the title-page of THE FIRST PART agrees verbatim with that given above; the half-title-page of THE SECOND PART is as follows;

The Second Part of The bloody Conquests of mighty   Tamburlaine.  With his impassionate fury, for the death   of his Lady and loue faire Zenocrate; his fourme of   exhortacion and discipline to his three sons, and the   maner of his own death.

In the Garrick Collection, British Museum, is an 8vo edition of both PARTS dated 1592: the title-page of THE FIRST PART runs thus;

Tamburlaine the Great.  Who, from a Scythian Shepheard,   by his rare and wonderfull Conquestes, became a most   puissant and mightie Mornarch [sic]:  And (for his   tyrannie, and terrour in warre) was tearmed, The Scourge   of God.  The first part of the two Tragicall discourses,   as they were sundrie times most stately shewed vpon   Stages in the Citie of London.  By the right honorable   the Lord Admirall, his seruauntes.  Now newly published.   Printed by Richard Iones, dwelling at the signe of the   Rose and Crowne neere Holborne Bridge.

The half-title-page of THE SECOND PART agrees exactly with that already given. Perhaps the 8vo at Oxford and that in the British Museum (for I have not had an opportunity of comparing them) are the same impression, differing only in the title-pages.

Langbaine (ACCOUNT OF ENGL. DRAM. POETS, p. 344) mentions an 8vo dated 1593.

The title-pages of the latest impressions of THE TWO PARTS are as follows;

Tamburlaine the Greate.  Who, from the state of a   Shepheard in Scythia, by his rare and wonderfull   Conquests, became a most puissant and mighty Monarque.   London Printed for Edward White, and are to be solde   at the little North doore of Saint Paules-Church, at   the signe of the Gunne, 1605.  4to.   Tamburlaine the Greate.  With his impassionate furie,   for the death of his Lady and Loue fair Zenocrate:  his   forme of exhortation and discipline to his three Sonnes,   and the manner of his owne death.  The second part.   London Printed by E. A. for Ed. White, and are to be   solde at his Shop neere the little North doore of Saint   Paules Church at the Signe of the Gun.  1606.  4to.

The text of the present edition is given from the 8vo of 1592, collated with the 4tos of 1605-6.

TO THE GENTLEMEN-READERS 1 AND OTHERS THAT TAKE PLEASURE

IN READING HISTORIES. 2

Gentlemen and courteous readers whosoever:  I have here published in print, for your sakes, the two tragical discourses of the Scythian shepherd Tamburlaine, that became so great a conqueror and so mighty a monarch.  My hope is, that they will be now no less acceptable unto you to read after your serious affairs and studies than they have been lately delightful for many of you to see when the same were shewed in London upon stages.  I have purposely omitted and left out some fond 3 and frivolous gestures, digressing, and, in my poor opinion, far unmeet for the matter, which I thought might seem more tedious unto the wise than any way else to be regarded, though haply they have been of some vain-conceited fondlings greatly gaped at, what time they were shewed upon the stage in their graced deformities:  nevertheless now to be mixtured in print with such matter of worth, it would prove a great disgrace to so honourable and stately a history. Great folly were it in me to commend unto your wisdoms either the eloquence of the author that writ them or the worthiness of the matter itself.  I therefore leave unto your learned censures 4both the one and the other, and myself the poor printer of them unto your most courteous and favourable protection; which if you vouchsafe to accept, you shall evermore bind me to employ what travail and service I can to the advancing and pleasuring of your excellent degree.      Yours, most humble at commandment,           R[ichard] J[ones], printer.

THE FIRST PART OF TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.

THE PROLOGUE.       From jigging veins of rhyming mother-wits,       And such conceits as clownage keeps in pay,       We'll lead you to the stately tent of war,       Where you shall hear the Scythian Tamburlaine       Threatening the world with high astounding terms,       And scourging kingdoms with his conquering sword.       View but his picture in this tragic glass,       And then applaud his fortunes as you please.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.      MYCETES, king of Persia.      COSROE, his brother.      MEANDER,     ]      THERIDAMAS,  ]      ORTYGIUS,    ] Persian lords.      CENEUS,      ]      MENAPHON,    ]      TAMBURLAINE, a Scythian shepherd.      TECHELLES,   ]      USUMCASANE,  ] his followers.      BAJAZETH, emperor of the Turks.      KING OF FEZ.      KING OF MOROCCO.      KING OF ARGIER.      KING OF ARABIA.      SOLDAN OF EGYPT.      GOVERNOR OF DAMASCUS.      AGYDAS,      ]      MAGNETES,    ] Median lords.      CAPOLIN, an Egyptian.      PHILEMUS, Bassoes, Lords, Citizens, Moors, Soldiers, and      Attendants.      ZENOCRATE, daughter to the Soldan of Egypt.      ANIPPE, her maid.      ZABINA, wife to BAJAZETH.      EBEA, her maid.

THE FIRST PART OF TAMBURLAINE THE GREAT.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Enter MYCETES, COSROE, MEANDER, THERIDAMAS, ORTYGIUS,           CENEUS, MENAPHON, with others.      MYCETES. Brother Cosroe, I find myself agriev'd;      Yet insufficient to express the same,      For it requires a great and thundering speech:      Good brother, tell the cause unto my lords;      I know you have a better wit than I.      COSROE. Unhappy Persia,—that in former age      Hast been the seat of mighty conquerors,      That, in their prowess and their policies,      Have triumph'd over Afric, 5 and the bounds      Of Europe where the sun dares scarce appear      For freezing meteors and congealed cold,—      Now to be rul'd and govern'd by a man      At whose birth-day Cynthia with Saturn join'd,      And Jove, the Sun, and Mercury denied      To shed their 6 influence in his fickle brain!      Now Turks and Tartars shake their swords at thee,      Meaning to mangle all thy provinces.      MYCETES. Brother, I see your meaning well enough,      And through 7 your planets I perceive you think      I am not wise enough to be a king:      But I refer me to my noblemen,      That know my wit, and can be witnesses.      I might command you to be slain for this,—      Meander, might I not?      MEANDER. Not for so small a fault, my sovereign lord.      MYCETES. I mean it not, but yet I know I might.—      Yet live; yea, live; Mycetes wills it so.—      Meander, thou, my faithful counsellor,      Declare the cause of my conceived grief,      Which is, God knows, about that Tamburlaine,      That, like a fox in midst of harvest-time,      Doth prey upon my flocks of passengers;      And, as I hear, doth mean to pull my plumes:      Therefore 'tis good and meet for to be wise.      MEANDER. Oft have I heard your majesty complain      Of Tamburlaine, that sturdy Scythian thief,      That robs your merchants of Persepolis      Trading by land unto the Western Isles,      And in your confines with his lawless train      Daily commits incivil 8 outrages,      Hoping (misled by dreaming prophecies)      To reign in Asia, and with barbarous arms      To make himself the monarch of the East:      But, ere he march in Asia, or display      His vagrant ensign in the Persian fields,      Your grace hath taken order by Theridamas,      Charg'd with a thousand horse, to apprehend      And bring him captive to your highness' throne.      MYCETES. Full true thou speak'st, and like thyself, my lord,      Whom I may term a Damon for thy love:      Therefore 'tis best, if so it like you all,      To send my thousand horse incontinent 9     To apprehend that paltry Scythian.      How like you this, my honourable lords?      Is it not a kingly resolution?      COSROE. It cannot choose, because it comes from you.      MYCETES. Then hear thy charge, valiant Theridamas,      The chiefest 10 captain of Mycetes' host,      The hope of Persia, and the very legs      Whereon our state doth lean as on a staff,      That holds us up and foils our neighbour foes:      Thou shalt be leader of this thousand horse,      Whose foaming gall with rage and high disdain      Have sworn the death of wicked Tamburlaine.      Go frowning forth; but come thou smiling home,      As did Sir Paris with the Grecian dame:      Return with speed; time passeth swift away;      Our life is frail, and we may die to-day.      THERIDAMAS. Before the moon renew her borrow'd light,      Doubt not, my lord and gracious sovereign,      But Tamburlaine and that Tartarian rout 11     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 12 forward for renown?      Go, Menaphon, go into Scythia,      And foot by foot follow Theridamas.      COSROE. Nay, pray you, 13 let him stay; a greater [task]      Fits Menaphon than warring with a thief:      Create him pro-rex of all 14 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 15 and amaz'd      To hear the king thus threaten like himself!      COSROE. Ah, Menaphon, I pass not 16 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 17 to scorn;      And that which might resolve 18 me into tears,      Men from the farthest equinoctial line      Have swarm'd in troops into the Eastern India,      Lading their ships 19 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 20 into Graecia, as did Cyrus once,      And cause them to withdraw their forces home,      Lest you 21 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, 22 with others, bearing a           crown.      ORTYGIUS. Magnificent and mighty prince Cosroe,      We, in the name of other Persian states 23     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 24 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; 25     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 26 Caspian Lake.      ALL. 27 Long live Cosroe, mighty emperor!      COSROE. And Jove may 28 never let me longer live      Than I may seek to gratify your love,

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!