Previous
Zenocrate
Theridamaswas originally the Persian king Mycetes’s military commander, but one brief meeting with Tamburlaine convinces him to switch sides. From then on, he serves as one of Tamburlaine’s closest confidants and a crucial commander and right-hand man in the Scythian’s military campaigns. His early defection serves to illuminate the power and charisma that Tamburlaine impresses upon all he meets. Tamburlaine promises Theridamas power and glory, and he eventually delivers on this by making him the new king of Argier. Theridamas occasionally reigns in his boss’s madness, suggesting that he spare the Soldan of Egypt’s life, or take mercy on Calyphas. During his siege of Balsera in Part 2, Theridamas comes upon the newly widowed Olympia, whose beauty stuns him. He takes her with him, hoping to win her heart, but she merely wants to join her husband and son in death. To this end, she dupes Theridamas into killing her himself. The episode brings out a previously unseen romantic side of his personality, as well as the uncharacteristic foolishness to which love makes him subject.
Theridamas Quotes in Tamburlaine
The Tamburlaine quotes below are all either spoken by Theridamas or refer to Theridamas . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1
Quotes
Art thou but captain of a thousand horse,
That by characters graven in thy brows
And by thy martial face and stout aspect
Deservest to have the leading of an host?
Forsake thy king and do but join with me
And we will triumph over all the world.
I hold the Fates bound fast in iron chains
And with my hand turn Fortune’s wheel about,
And sooner shall the sun fall from his sphere
Than Tamburlaine be slain or overcome.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
A god is not so glorious as a king.
I think the pleasure they enjoy in heaven
Cannot compare with kingly joys in earth.
Part 2
Quotes
Ah, good my lord, be patient, she is dead,
And all this raging cannot make her live.
If words might serve, our voice hath rent the air,
If tears, our eyes have watered all the earth,
If grief, our murdered hearts have strained forth blood.
Nothing prevails, for she is dead, my lord.
Get the entire Tamburlaine LitChart as a printable PDF.
Theridamas Quotes in Tamburlaine
The Tamburlaine quotes below are all either spoken by Theridamas or refer to Theridamas . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 1
Quotes
Art thou but captain of a thousand horse,
That by characters graven in thy brows
And by thy martial face and stout aspect
Deservest to have the leading of an host?
Forsake thy king and do but join with me
And we will triumph over all the world.
I hold the Fates bound fast in iron chains
And with my hand turn Fortune’s wheel about,
And sooner shall the sun fall from his sphere
Than Tamburlaine be slain or overcome.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
A god is not so glorious as a king.
I think the pleasure they enjoy in heaven
Cannot compare with kingly joys in earth.
Part 2
Quotes
Ah, good my lord, be patient, she is dead,
And all this raging cannot make her live.
If words might serve, our voice hath rent the air,
If tears, our eyes have watered all the earth,
If grief, our murdered hearts have strained forth blood.
Nothing prevails, for she is dead, my lord.
