Tamburlaine monologue (Act 5) — Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2

Now, eyes, enjoy your latest benefit, And, when my soul hath virtue of your sight, Pierce through the coffin and the sheet of gold, And glut your longings with a heaven of joy. So, reign, my son; scourge and control those slaves, Guiding thy chariot with thy father's hand. As precious is the charge thou undertak'st As that which Clymene's [319] brain-sick son did guide, When wandering Phoebe's [320] ivory cheeks were scorch'd, And all the earth, like Aetna, breathing fire: Be warn'd by him, then; learn with awful eye To sway a throne as dangerous as his; For, if thy body thrive not full of thoughts As pure and fiery as Phyteus' [321] beams, The nature of these proud rebelling jades Will take occasion by the slenderest hair, And draw thee [322] piecemeal, like Hippolytus, Through rocks more steep and sharp than Caspian cliffs: [323] The nature of thy chariot will not bear A guide of baser temper than myself, More than heaven's coach the pride of Phaeton. Farewell, my boys! my dearest friends, farewell! My body feels, my soul doth weep to see Your sweet desires depriv'd my company, For Tamburlaine, the scourge of God, must die. [Dies.]