The 8vo has, "I thus conceiuing and subduing both. That which hath STOPT the TEMPEST of the Gods, Euen from the fiery spangled vaile of heauen, To feele the louely warmth of shepheards flames, And MARTCH in cottages of strowed WEEDS," &c.
The 4to has, "I thus concieuing and subduing both, That which hath STOPT the TEMPEST of the Gods, Euen from the SPANGLED FIRIE vaile of heauen, To feele the louely warmth of Shepheardes flames, And MARCH in COATCHES of strowed WEEDES," &c.
The alterations which I have made in this corrupted passage aresupported by the following lines of the play;"See now, ye slaves, my children STOOP YOUR PRIDE [i.e. make your pride to stoop], And lead your bodies sheep-like to the sword." Part Second,--act iv. sc. 1.
"The chiefest god, FIRST MOVER OF THAT SPHERE", &c. Part First,--act iv. sc. 2.
"Jove SOMETIME masked IN A SHEPHERD'S WEED", &c. Part First,--act i. sc. 2.
Perhaps in the third line of the present passage "fiery-spangled" should be "FIRE-YSPANGLED." Attend.] Old eds. "An." (a misprint probably), which the modern editors understand as "Anippe" (the waiting-maid of Zenocrate).
March on us with] So the 4to.--The 8vo "MARTCHT on WITH vs with." As if there were no way but one with us] i.e. as if we were to lose our lives. This phrase, which is common in our early writers, was not obsolete in Dryden's time: "for, if he heard the malicious trumpeter proclaiming his name before his betters, he knew THERE WAS BUT ONE WAY WITH HIM." Preface to ALL FOR LOVE.
pore] So the 8vo.--The 4to "dore."
in] i.e. on.
stay] Old eds. "aie" and "aye."
retorqued] i.e. bent back in reflections on our former happiness. So the 8vo.--The 4to "retortued." A] Old eds. "As."
Elysium] Old eds. "Elisian."
thoughts] So the 8vo.--The 4to "thought." parbreak] i.e. vomit.
abjection] Old eds. "obiection."
villainess] i.e. servant, slave,
ruth] So the 8vo.--The 4to "truth." resolve] i.e. dissolve.
bann'd] i.e. cursed.
the] So the 4to.--The 8vo "thy."
ever-living] So the 8vo.--The 4to. "euerlasting." give] So the 4to.--The 8vo "AND giue." her] Must mean Zenocrate, whom Zabina fancies herself to be addressing.
Let the soldiers be buried.--Hell, death, Tamburlaine] So the 8vo.--Omitted in the 4to. (Where the modern editors got their reading, "Let the soldiers be CURSED," I know not.) Make ready my coach] Shakespeare seems to have remembered this passage when he made Ophelia say, "Come, my coach," &c. HAMLET, act iv. sc. 5.
I come, I come, I come] So the 8vo.--The 4to "I come, I come." Egyptians'] So the 4to.--The 8vo "Egiptian.'
The] Old eds. "Thy."
thy] So the 8vo.--The 4to "thine."
war] So the 8vo.--The 4to "warres." Come] Old eds. "Comes" and "Comep." Armed] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Armes." final] So the 4to.--The 8vo "small." King of Arabia] i.e. Alcidamus; see p. 10, l. 9, sec. col.
thy] So the 4to.--The 8vo "my."
conceit] i.e. fancy, imagination.
have] So the 8vo.--The 4to "hath."
Euphrates] So our old poets invariably, I believe, accentuate this word.
should] So the 8vo.--The 4to "shall." sweat] So the 8vo.--The 4to "sweare." wide-gaping] Old eds. "wide GASPING." resolv'd] i.e. dissolved.
Millions] So the 8vo.--The 4to "Million." Elysium] Old eds. "Elisian."
Renowmed] See note ||, p. 11. So the 8vo. --The4to "Renowned."
record] i.e. take to witness.
no further time] i.e. no more distant time.
the] So the 8vo.--The 4to "my."
I not] So the 8vo.--The 4to "not I." Else] So the 4to.--The 8vo "Then."
on] So the 4to.--Omitted in the 8vo.
as beseems] So the 4to.--The 8vo "as BEST beseemes." We will our rites, &c.] Old eds. "We will our CELEBRATED rites," &c.--"The word 'CELEBRATED' occurs in both the old editions, but may well be dispensed with as regards both the sense and measure." Ed. 1826. "I think this word got into the text from either the author or printer, who was perhaps the editor, doubting whether to use 'SOLEMNIZE' or 'CELEBRATE;' and it slipt from the margin, where it was probably placed, into the verse itself." J. M. in GENT. MAG. for Jan. 1841.
End of the Project Gutenberg Etext of Tamburlaine the Great, PT 1 by Christopher Marlowe
