Marlowe, Christopher · published 1590 · first performed or written 1587 [1587-1588] (Annals) tragedy · Admiral's (Nottingham's) Men T17 Eastern conquest: Persians, Turks and so typicality 0.79 · 514 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T17: tamburlaine, persian, cyrus, king, mahomet, arms, mighty, assyrian, thousand, army.
Unworthy king, that by thy cruelty, Unlawfully usurpest the persian seat: Dar'st thou that never saw an Emperor, Before thou met my husband in the field, Being thy Captive, thus abuse his state, Keeping his kingly body in a Cage, That roofs of gold, and sun-bright Palaces, Should have prepared to entertain his Grace? And treading him beneath thy loathsome feet, Whose feet the kings of Africa have kissed. You must devise some torment worse, my Lord To make these captives rain their lavish tongues. zenocrate, look better to your slave: She is my handmaid's slave, and she shall look That these abuses flow not from her tongue: Chide her Anippe. Let these be warnings for you then my slave, How you abuse the person of the king: Or else I swear to have you whipped stark naked. Great tamburlaine, great in my overthrow, Ambitious pride shall make thee fall as low. For treading on the back of Bajazeth, That should be horsed on four mighty kings. Thy names and titles, and thy dignities Are fled from Bajazeth, and remain with me, That will maintain it against a world of Kings. Put him in again. Is this a place for mighty Bajazeth? Confusion light on him that helps thee thus. There whiles he lives, shall Bajazeth be kept, And where I go be thus in triumph drawn: And thou his wife shalt feed him with the scraps My servitures shall bring thee from my board. For he that gives him other food than this: Shall sit by him and starve to death himself. This is my mind, and I will have it so. Not all the Kings and Emperors of the Earth: If they would lay their crowns before my feet, Shall ransom him, or take him from his cage. The ages that shall talk of Tamburlaine, Even from this day to Plato's wondrous year, Shall talk how I have handled Bajazeth. These moor that drew him from Bithynia, To fair Damascus, where we now remain, Shall lead him with us wheresoe'er we go. Techelles, and my loving followers, Now may we see Damascus lofty towers, Like to the shadows of Pyramids, That with their beauties graced the memphian fields. The golden stature of their feathered bird That spreads her wings upon the city walls, Shall not defend it from our battering shot. The townsmen mask in silk and cloth of gold. And every house is as a treasury. The men, the treasure, and the town is ours. Your tents of white now pitched before the gates And gentle flags of amity displayed. I doubt not but the Governor will yield, Offering Damascus to your Majesty. So shall he have his life, and all the rest. But if he stay until the bloody flag Be once advanced on my vermilion Tent, He dies, and those that kept us out so long. And when they see me march in black array, With mournful streamers hanging down their heads, Were in that city all the world contained. Not one should scape: but perish by our swords.
seed 43: T18 · seed 44: T18 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Vnworthy king, that by thy crueltie, Vnlawfully vsurpest the Persean seat: Dar'st thou that neuer saw an Emperour, Before thou met my husband in the field, Being thy Captiue, thus abuse his state, Keeping his kingly body in a Cage, That rooffes of golde, and sun-bright Pallaces, Should haue prepar'd to entertaine his Grace? And treading him beneath thy loathsome feet, Whose feet the kings of Affrica haue kist. You must deuise some tormēt worsse, my Lord To make these captiues reine their lauish tongues. zenocrate, looke better to your slaue: She is my Handmaids slaue, and she shal looke That these abuses flow not from her tongue: Chide her Anippe. Let these be warnings for you then my slaue, How you abuse the person of the king: Or els I sweare to haue you whipt stark nak'd. Great tamburlaine, great in my ouerthrow, Ambitious pride shall make thee fall as low. For treading on the back of Baiazeth, That should be horsed on fower mightie kings. Thy names and tytles, and thy dignities Are fled from Baiazeth, and remaine with me, That will maintaine it against a world of Kings. Put him in againe. Is this a place for mighty Baiazeth? Confusion light on him that helps thee thus. There whiles he liues, shal Baiezeth be kept, And where I goe be thus in triumph drawne: And thou his wife shalt feed him with the scraps My seruitures shall bring the from my boord. For he that giues him other food than this: Shall sit by him and starue to death himselfe. This is my minde, and I will haue it so. Not all the Kings and Emperours of the Earth: If they would lay their crownes before my feet, Shall ransome him, or take him from his cage. The ages that shall talk of Tamburlain, Euen from this day to Platoes wondrous yeare, Shall talke how I haue handled Baiazeth. These Mores that drew him from Bythinia, To faire Damascus, where we now remaine, Shall lead him with vs wheresoere we goe. Techelles, and my louing followers, Now may we see Damascus lofty towers, Like to the shadowes of Pyramides, That with their beauties grac'd the Memphion fields▪ The golden stature of their feathered bird That spreads her wings vpon the citie wals, Shall not defend it from our battering shot. The townes-men maske in silke and cloath of gold. And euery house is as a treasurie. The men, the treasure, and the towne is ours. Your tentes of white now pitch'd before the gates And gentle flags of amitie displaid. I doubt not but the Gouernour will yeeld, Offering Damascus to your Maiesty. So shall he haue his life, and all the rest. But if he stay vntil the bloody flag Be once aduanc'd on my vermilion Tent, He dies, and those that kept vs out so long. And when they see me march in black aray, With mournfull streamers hanging down their heads, Were in that citie all the world contain'd. Not one should scape: but perish by our swords.