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Cosroe
Calyphas is the lazy one of Tamburlaine’s three sons. Finding war boring and distasteful, he openly disdains taking part in it, enraging his father. He prefers wine and women to bloodshed. When he skips out on a crucial battle, Tamburlaine is so infuriated that he fatally stabs him, despite the entreaties of his men and his other sons. This moment highlights the extent of Tamburlaine’s brutality in his rigid adherence to a masculine code of honor. Had Zenocrate still been living, she could possibly have swayed him, but in her absence, his wrath is unchecked.
Calyphas Quotes in Tamburlaine
The Tamburlaine quotes below are all either spoken by Calyphas or refer to Calyphas . 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:
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Part 2 Quotes
AMYRAS: Why may not I, my lord, as well as he,
Be termed a scourge and terror of the world?
TAMBURLAINE: Be all a scourge and terror to the world,
Or else you are not sons of Tamburlaine.
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Explanation and Analysis:
But now, my boys, leave off, and list to me,
That mean to teach you rudiments of war.
I'll have you learn to sleep upon the ground,
March in your armour thorough watery fens,
Sustain the scorching heat and freezing cold,
Hunger and thirst, right adjuncts of the war.
And after this, to scale a castle wall,
Besiege a fort, […]
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I know, sir, what it is to kill a man—
It works remorse of conscience in me;
I take no pleasure to be murderous
Nor care for blood when wine will quench my thirst.
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Calyphas Character Timeline in Tamburlaine
The timeline below shows where the character Calyphas appears in Tamburlaine. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 2
Act 1, Scene 4. In Larissa, Tamburlaine and Zenocrate arrive with their three sons, Calyphas, Amyras, and Celebinus. Tamburlaine frets that they are not warlike, but Zenocrate assures him they...
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...elaborate shrines to Zenocrate. Then, he takes to teaching his son the “rudiments of war.” Calyphas again expresses unmanly disdain for bloodshed. Again enraged, Tamburlaine gives a violent speech, cutting his...
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Act 4, Scene 1. Amyras and Celebinus eagerly prepare for battle. They try to rouse Calyphas, but he will not go; he remains dandyish and does not “care for blood when...
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Tamburlaine returns, having routed the Turks. He drags the cowardly Calyphas from his tent. His other sons and his men plead for him to forgive Calyphas,...
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