GOVERNOR What saith Maximus? MAXIMUS My lord, the breach the enemy hath made Gives such assurance of our overthrow That little hope is left to save our lives, Or hold our city from the conqueror’s hands. Then hang out flags, my lord, of humble truce, And satisfy the people’s general prayers That Tamburlaine’s intolerable wrath May be suppressed by our submission. GOVERNOR 10 Villain, respects thou more thy slavish life Than honour of thy country or thy name? Is not my life and state as dear to me, The city and my native country’s weal, As any thing of price with thy conceit? Have we not hope, for all our battered walls, To live secure and keep his forces out, When this our famous lake of Limnasphaltis Makes walls afresh with every thing that falls Into the liquid substance of his stream, 20 More strong than are the gates of death or hell? What faintness should dismay our courages When we are thus defenced against our foe And have no terror but his threat’ning looks?
