hipped
That suffer'st [282] flames of fire to burn the writ
Wherein the sum of thy religion rests:
Why send'st [283] thou not a furious whirlwind down,
To blow thy Alcoran up to thy throne,
Where men report thou sitt'st [284] by God himself?
Or vengeance on the head [285] of Tamburlaine
That shakes his sword against thy majesty,
And spurns the abstracts of thy foolish laws?--
Well, soldiers, Mahomet remains in hell;
He cannot hear the voice of Tamburlaine:
Seek out another godhead to adore;
The God that sits in heaven, if any god,
For he is God alone, and none but he.

Re-enter TECHELLES.

TECHELLES. I have fulfill'd your highness' will, my lord:
Thousands of men, drown'd in Asphaltis' lake,
Have made the water swell above the banks,
And fishes, fed [286] by human carcasses,
Amaz'd, swim up and down upon [287] the waves,
As when they swallow assafoetida,
Which makes them fleet [288] aloft and gape [289] for air.

TAMBURLAINE. Well, then, my friendly lords, what now remains,
But that we leave sufficient garrison,
And presently depart to Persia,
To triumph after all our victories?

THERIDAMAS. Ay, good my lord, let us in [290] haste to Persia;
And let this captain be remov'd the walls
To some high hill about the city here.

TAMBURLAINE. Let it be so;--about it, soldiers;--
But stay; I feel myself distemper'd suddenly.

TECHELLES. What is it dares distemper Tamburlaine?

TAMBURLAINE. Something, Techelles; but I know not what.--
But, forth, ye vassals! [291] whatsoe'er [292] it be,
Sickness or death can never conquer me.
[Exeunt.]

SCENE II.

Enter CALLAPINE, KING OF AMASIA, a CAPTAIN, and train,
with drums and trumpets.

CALLAPINE. King of Amasia, now our mighty host
Marcheth in Asia Major, where the streams
Of Euphrates [293] and Tigris swiftly run;
And here may we [294] behold great Babylon,
Circled about with Limnasphaltis' lake,
Where Tamburlaine with all his army lies,
Which being faint and weary with the siege,
We may lie ready to encounter him
Before his host be full from Babylon,
And so revenge our latest grievous loss,
If God or Mahomet send any aid.

KING OF AMASIA. Doubt not, my lord, but we shall conquer him: