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