“Accurst be he that first invented war.”
Christopher Marlowe Tamburlaine
Mycetes, Part 1, Act II, scene iv, line 1
Tamburlaine (c. 1588)
Quotes from workTamburlaine
Tamburlaine the Great is a play in two parts by Christopher Marlowe. It is loosely based on the life of the Central Asian emperor, Timur . Written in 1587 or 1588, the play is a milestone in Elizabethan public drama; it marks a turning away from the clumsy language and loose plotting of the earlier Tudor dramatists, and a new interest in fresh and vivid language, memorable action, and intellectual complexity. Along with Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy, it may be considered the first popular success of London's public stage.
“Time passeth swift away;
Our life is frail, and we may die to-day.”
Christopher Marlowe Tamburlaine
Mycetes, Act I, scene i, line 68
Tamburlaine (c. 1588)
“Let Earth and Heaven his timeless death deplore,
For both their worths shall equal him no more.”
Christopher Marlowe Tamburlaine
Amyras, Part 2, Act V, scene iii, lines 252–253
Tamburlaine (c. 1588)
“Our swords shall play the orators for us.”
Christopher Marlowe Tamburlaine
Techelles, Act I, scene ii, line 132
Tamburlaine (c. 1588)
