It must have high argins and cover'd ways To keep the bulwark-fronts from battery, And parapets to hide the musketeers, Casemates to place the great artillery, And store of ordnance, that from every flank May scour the outward curtains of the fort, Dismount the cannon of the adverse part, Murder the foe, and save the walls from breach.
When this is learn'd for service on the land, By plain and easy demonstration I'll teach you how to make the water mount, That you may dry-foot march through lakes and pools, Deep rivers, havens, creeks, and little seas, And make a fortress in the raging waves, Fenc'd with the concave of a monstrous rock, Invincible by nature of the place.
When this is done, then are ye soldiers, And worthy sons of Tamburlaine the Great.
CALYPHAS.My lord, but this is dangerous to be done;
We may be slain or wounded ere we learn.
TAMBURLAINE.Villain, art thou the son of Tamburlaine, And fear'st to die, or with a curtle-axe To hew thy flesh, and make a gaping wound?
Hast thou beheld a peal of ordnance strike A ring of pikes, mingled with shot and horse,
Whose shatter'd limbs, being toss'd as high as heaven, Hang in the air as thick as sunny motes, And canst thou, coward, stand in fear of death?
Hast thou not seen my horsemen charge the foe, Shot through the arms, cut overthwart the hands, Dying their lances with their streaming blood, And yet at night carouse within my tent, Filling their empty veins with airy wine, That, being concocted, turns to crimson blood, And wilt thou shun the field for fear of wounds?
View me, thy father, that hath conquer'd kings, And, with his host, march'd round about the earth, Quite void of scars and clear from any wound, That by the wars lost not a drop of blood, And see him lance his flesh to teach you all.
[He cuts his arm.]
A wound is nothing, be it ne'er so deep;
Blood is the god of war's rich livery.
Now look I like a soldier, and this wound As great a grace and majesty to me, As if a chair of gold enamelled, Enchas'd with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, And fairest pearl of wealthy India, Were mounted here under a canopy, And I sat down, cloth'd with a massy robe That late adorn'd the Afric potentate, Whom I brought bound unto Damascus' walls.
Come, boys, and with your fingers search my wound, And in my blood wash all your hands at once, While I sit smiling to behold the sight.
Now, my boys, what think ye of a wound?
CALYPHAS.I know not what I should think of it;
methinks 'tis a pitiful sight.
CELEBINUS.'Tis nothing.--Give me a wound, father.
AMYRAS.And me another, my lord.
TAMBURLAINE.Come, sirrah, give me your arm.
CELEBINUS.Here, father, cut it bravely, as you did your own.
TAMBURLAINE.It shall suffice thou dar'st abide a wound;
My boy, thou shalt not lose a drop of blood Before we meet the army of the Turk;
But then run desperate through the thickest throngs, Dreadless of blows, of bloody wounds, and death;
And let the burning of Larissa-walls, My speech of war, and this my wound you see, Teach you, my boys, to bear courageous minds, Fit for the followers of great Tamburlaine.--
Usumcasane, now come, let us march Towards Techelles and Theridamas, That we have sent before to fire the towns, The towers and cities of these hateful Turks, And hunt that coward faint-heart runaway, With that accursed traitor Almeda, Till fire and sword have found them at a bay.
USUMCASANE.I long to pierce his bowels with my sword, That hath betray'd my gracious sovereign,--
That curs'd and damned traitor Almeda.
TAMBURLAINE.Then let us see if coward Callapine Dare levy arms against our puissance, That we may tread upon his captive neck, And treble all his father's slaveries.
[Exeunt.]
