National Poetry Month: Kit Marlowe

Of course, as we all know, Shakespeare didn't really write Shakespeare.  Instead his contemporary Christopher Marlowe, in between being the most socially unacceptable person possible (probably atheist AND probably gay), spying, and dying in Mysterious Tavern Brawls, somehow found time to write a vast opus in a style different from what he wrote under his own name.  The dude was talented. Excerpts below from Tamburlaine the Great Part 1.

[Soldan]  Methinks we march as Meleager did.

Environed with brave Argolian knights.

To chase the savage Calydonian boar.

Or Cephalus, with lusty Theban youths.

Against the wolf that angry Themis sent

To waste and spoil the sweet Aonian fields.

A monster of five hundred thousand heads,

Compact of rapine, piracy and spoil,

The scum of men, the hate and scourge of God,

Raves in Egyptia, and annoyeth us. 

I hate it when the scourge of god annoys me.  Also, more of the lusty Theban youths, please. 

[Tamburlaine] The world will strive with hosts of men at arms

To swarm unto the ensign I support.

The hosts of Xerxes, which by fame is said

To drink the mighty Parthian Araris,

Was but a handful to that we will have ; Our quivering lances shaking in the air

And bullets like Jove's dreadful thunderbolts

Enrolled in flames and fiery smouldering mists

Shall threat the gods more than Cyclopian wars;

And with our sun-bright armour as we march.

We'll chase the stars from heaven and dim their eyes

That stand and muse at our admired arms.

It's not yet Caturday, but have a picture of my little cat Tamerlane anyway. He would absolutely chase the stars from heaven.