第 4 节
作者:
丁格 更新:2021-02-27 01:21 字数:9214
Techelles and Casane; welcome him。
TECHELLES。 Welcome; renowmed Persian; to us all!
USUMCASANE。 Long may Theridamas remain with us!
TAMBURLAINE。 These are my friends; in whom I more rejoice
Than doth the king of Persia in his crown;
And; by the love of Pylades and Orestes;
Whose statues we adore in Scythia;
Thyself and them shall never part from me
Before I crown you kings in Asia。
Make much of them; gentle Theridamas;
And they will never leave thee till the death。
THERIDAMAS。 Nor thee nor them; thrice…noble Tamburlaine;
Shall want my heart to be with gladness pierc'd;
To do you honour and security。
TAMBURLAINE。 A thousand thanks; worthy Theridamas。
And now; fair madam; and my noble lords;
If you will willingly remain with me;
You shall have honours as your merits be;
Or else you shall be forc'd with slavery。
AGYDAS。 We yield unto thee; happy Tamburlaine。
TAMBURLAINE。 For you; then; madam; I am out of doubt。
ZENOCRATE。 I must be pleas'd perforce;wretched Zenocrate!
'Exeunt。'
ACT II。
SCENE I。
Enter COSROE; MENAPHON; ORTYGIUS; and CENEUS; with SOLDIERS。
COSROE。 Thus far are we towards Theridamas;
And valiant Tamburlaine; the man of fame;
The man that in the forehead of his fortune
Bears figures of renown and miracle。
But tell me; that hast seen him; Menaphon;
What stature wields he; and what personage?
MENAPHON。 Of stature tall; and straightly fashioned;
Like his desire; lift upwards and divine;
So large of limbs; his joints so strongly knit;
Such breadth of shoulders as might mainly bear
Old Atlas' burden; 'twixt his manly pitch;
A pearl more worth than all the world is plac'd;
Wherein by curious sovereignty of art
Are fix'd his piercing instruments of sight;
Whose fiery circles bear encompassed
A heaven of heavenly bodies in their spheres;
That guides his steps and actions to the throne
Where honour sits invested royally;
Pale of complexion; wrought in him with passion;
Thirsting with sovereignty and love of arms;
His lofty brows in folds do figure death;
And in their smoothness amity and life;
About them hangs a knot of amber hair;
Wrapped in curls; as fierce Achilles' was;
On which the breath of heaven delights to play;
Making it dance with wanton majesty;
His arms and fingers long and sinewy;
Betokening valour and excess of strength;
In every part proportion'd like the man
Should make the world subdu'd to Tamburlaine。
COSROE。 Well hast thou pourtray'd in thy terms of life
The face and personage of a wondrous man:
Nature doth strive with Fortune and his stars
To make him famous in accomplish'd worth;
And well his merits shew him to be made
His fortune's master and the king of men;
That could persuade; at such a sudden pinch;
With reasons of his valour and his life;
A thousand sworn and overmatching foes。
Then; when our powers in points of swords are join'd;
And clos'd in compass of the killing bullet;
Though strait the passage and the port be made
That leads to palace of my brother's life;
Proud is his fortune if we pierce it not;
And; when the princely Persian diadem
Shall overweigh his weary witless head;
And fall; like mellow'd fruit; with shakes of death;
In fair Persia noble Tamburlaine
Shall be my regent; and remain as king。
ORTYGIUS。 In happy hour we have set the crown
Upon your kingly head; that seeks our honour
In joining with the man ordain'd by heaven
To further every action to the best。
CENEUS。 He that with shepherds and a little spoil
Durst; in disdain of wrong and tyranny;
Defend his freedom 'gainst a monarchy;
What will he do supported by a king;
Leading a troop of gentlemen and lords;
And stuff'd with treasure for his highest thoughts!
COSROE。 And such shall wait on worthy Tamburlaine。
Our army will be forty thousand strong;
When Tamburlaine and brave Theridamas
Have met us by the river Araris;
And all conjoin'd to meet the witless king;
That now is marching near to Parthia;
And; with unwilling soldiers faintly arm'd;
To seek revenge on me and Tamburlaine;
To whom; sweet Menaphon; direct me straight。
MENAPHON。 I will; my lord。
'Exeunt。'
SCENE II。
Enter MYCETES; MEANDER; with other LORDS; and SOLDIERS。
MYCETES。 Come; my Meander; let us to this gear。
I tell you true; my heart is swoln with wrath
On this same thievish villain Tamburlaine;
And of that false Cosroe; my traitorous brother。
Would it not grieve a king to be so abus'd;
And have a thousand horsemen ta'en away?
And; which is worse; to have his diadem
Sought for by such scald knaves as love him not?
I think it would: well; then; by heavens I swear;
Aurora shall not peep out of her doors;
But I will have Cosroe by the head;
And kill proud Tamburlaine with point of sword。
Tell you the rest; Meander: I have said。
MEANDER。 Then; having pass'd Armenian deserts now;
And pitch'd our tents under the Georgian hills;
Whose tops are cover'd with Tartarian thieves;
That lie in ambush; waiting for a prey;
What should we do but bid them battle straight;
And rid the world of those detested troops?
Lest; if we let them linger here a while;
They gather strength by power of fresh supplies。
This country swarms with vile outragious men
That live by rapine and by lawless spoil;
Fit soldiers for the wicked Tamburlaine;
And he that could with gifts and promises
Inveigle him that led a thousand horse;
And make him false his faith unto his king;
Will quickly win such as be like himself。
Therefore cheer up your minds; prepare to fight:
He that can take or slaughter Tamburlaine;
Shall rule the province of Albania;
Who brings that traitor's head; Theridamas;
Shall have a government in Media;
Beside the spoil of him and all his train:
But; if Cosroe (as our spials say;
And as we know) remains with Tamburlaine;
His highness' pleasure is that he should live;
And be reclaim'd with princely lenity。
Enter a SPY。
SPY。 An hundred horsemen of my company;
Scouting abroad upon these champion plains;
Have view'd the army of the Scythians;
Which make report it far exceeds the king's。
MEANDER。 Suppose they be in number infinite;
Yet being void of martial discipline;
All running headlong; greedy after spoils;
And more regarding gain than victory;
Like to the cruel brothers of the earth;
Sprung of the teeth of dragons venomous;
Their careless swords shall lance their fellows' throats;
And make us triumph in their overthrow。
MYCETES。 Was there such brethren; sweet Meander; say;
That sprung of teeth of dragons venomous?
MEANDER。 So poets say; my lord。
MYCETES。 And 'tis a pretty toy to be a poet。
Well; well; Meander; thou art deeply read;
And having thee; I have a jewel sure。
Go on; my lord; and give your charge; I say;
Thy wit will make us conquerors to…day。
MEANDER。 Then; noble soldiers; to entrap these thieves
That live confounded in disorder'd troops;
If wealth or riches may prevail with them;
We have our camels laden all with gold;
Which you that be but common soldiers
Shall fling in every corner of the field;
And; while the base…born Tartars take it up;
You; fighting more for honour than for gold;
Shall massacre those greedy…minded slaves;
And; when their scatter'd army is subdu'd;
And you march on their slaughter'd carcasses;
Share equally the gold that bought their lives;
And live like gentlemen in Persia。
Strike up the drum; and march courageously:
Fortune herself doth sit upon our crests。
MYCETES。 He tells you true; my masters; so he does。
Drums; why sound ye not when Meander speaks?
'Exeunt; drums sounding。'
SCENE III。
Enter COSROE; TAMBURLAINE; THERIDAMAS; TECHELLES;
USUMCASANE;
and ORTYGIUS; with others。
COSROE。 Now; worthy Tamburlaine; have I repos'd
In thy approved fortunes all my hope。
What think'st thou; man; shall come of our attempts?
For; even as from assured oracle;
I take thy doom for satisfaction。
TAMBURLAINE。 And so mistake you not a whit; my lord;
For fates and oracles 'of' heaven have sworn
To royalize the deeds of Tamburlaine;
And make them blest that share in his attempts:
And doubt you not but; if you favour me;
And let my fortunes and my valour sway
To some direction in your martial deeds;
The world will strive with hosts of men…at…arms
To swarm unto the ensign I support。
The host of Xerxes; which by fame is said
To drink the mighty Parthian Araris;
Was but a handful to that we will have:
Our quivering lances; shaking in the air;
And bullets; like Jove's dreadful thunderbolts;
Enroll'd in flames and fiery smouldering mists;
Shall threat the gods more than Cycl