Lucrece (Modern)

Author: William Shakespeare

Editor: Hardy M. Cook

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Lucrece (Modern)
- Work
- Stanza
  1. Dedication
  2. Argument
  3. 1 — 5
  4. 6 — 10
  5. 11 — 15
  6. 16 — 20
  7. 21 — 25
  8. 26 — 30
  9. 31 — 35
  10. 36 — 40
  11. 41 — 45
  12. 46 — 50
  13. 51 — 55
  14. 56 — 60
  15. 61 — 65
  16. 66 — 70
  17. 71 — 75
  18. 76 — 80
  19. 81 — 85
  20. 86 — 90
  21. 91 — 95
  22. 96 — 100
  23. 101 — 105
  24. 106 — 110
  25. 111 — 115
  26. 116 — 120
  27. 121 — 125
  28. 126 — 130
  29. 131 — 135
  30. 136 — 140
  31. 141 — 145
  32. 146 — 150
  33. 151 — 155
  34. 156 — 160
  35. 161 — 165
  36. 166 — 170
  37. 171 — 175
  38. 176 — 180
  39. 181 — 185
  40. 186 — 190
  41. 191 — 195
  42. 196 — 200
  43. 201 — 205
  44. 206 — 210
  45. 211 — 215
  46. 216 — 220
  47. 221 — 225
  48. 226 — 230
  49. 231 — 235
  50. 236 — 240
  51. 241 — 245
  52. 246 — 250
  53. 251 — 255
  54. 256 — 260
  55. 261 — 265
Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)
- Work
- Stanza
  1. Titlepage
  2. Dedication
  3. Argument
  4. 1 — 5
  5. 6 — 10
  6. 11 — 15
  7. 16 — 20
  8. 21 — 25
  9. 26 — 30
  10. 31 — 35
  11. 36 — 40
  12. 41 — 45
  13. 46 — 50
  14. 51 — 55
  15. 56 — 60
  16. 61 — 65
  17. 66 — 70
  18. 71 — 75
  19. 76 — 80
  20. 81 — 85
  21. 86 — 90
  22. 91 — 95
  23. 96 — 100
  24. 101 — 105
  25. 106 — 110
  26. 111 — 115
  27. 116 — 120
  28. 121 — 125
  29. 126 — 130
  30. 131 — 135
  31. 136 — 140
  32. 141 — 145
  33. 146 — 150
  34. 151 — 155
  35. 156 — 160
  36. 161 — 165
  37. 166 — 170
  38. 171 — 175
  39. 176 — 180
  40. 181 — 185
  41. 186 — 190
  42. 191 — 195
  43. 196 — 200
  44. 201 — 205
  45. 206 — 210
  46. 211 — 215
  47. 216 — 220
  48. 221 — 225
  49. 226 — 230
  50. 231 — 235
  51. 236 — 240
  52. 241 — 245
  53. 246 — 250
  54. 251 — 255
  55. 256 — 260
  56. 261 — 265
- Page
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35
  36. 36
  37. 37
  38. 38
  39. 39
  40. 40
  41. 41
  42. 42
  43. 43
  44. 44
  45. 45
  46. 46
  47. 47
  48. 48
  49. 49
  50. 50
  51. 51
  52. 52
  53. 53
  54. 54
  55. 55
  56. 56
  57. 57
  58. 58
  59. 59
  60. 60
  61. 61
  62. 62
  63. 63
  64. 64
  65. 65
  66. 66
  67. 67
  68. 68
  69. 69
  70. 70
  71. 71
  72. 72
  73. 73
  74. 74
  75. 75
  76. 76
  77. 77
  78. 78
  79. 79
  80. 80
  81. 81
  82. 82
  83. 83
  84. 84
  85. 85
  86. 86
  87. 87
  88. 88
  89. 89
  90. 90
  91. 91
  92. 92
  93. 93

¶"Yet am I guilty of thy honor's wrack;
¶Yet for thy honor did I entertain him.
¶Coming from thee, I could not put him back,
¶For it had been dishonor to disdain him.
845Besides, of weariness he did complain him
¶And talked of virtue. O, unlooked-for evil,
¶When virtue is profaned in such a devil."

¶"Why should the worm intrude the maiden bud?
¶Or hateful cuckoos hatch in sparrows' nests?
850Or toads infect fair founts with venom mud?
¶Or tyrant folly lurk in gentle breasts?
¶Or kings be breakers of their own behests?
¶But no perfection is so absolute
¶That some impurity doth not pollute."

855"The agèd man that coffers up his gold
¶Is plagued with cramps and gouts and painful fits
¶And scarce hath eyes his treasure to behold,
¶But like still-pining Tantalus he sits,
¶And useless barns the harvest of his wits,
860Having no other pleasure of his gain
¶But torment that it cannot cure his pain."

¶"So then he hath it when he cannot use it
¶And leaves it to be mastered by his young,
¶Who in their pride do presently abuse it.
865Their father was too weak, and they too strong
¶To hold their cursèd-blessèd fortune long.
¶The sweets we wish for turn to loathèd sours
¶Even in the moment that we call them ours."

¶"Unruly blasts wait on the tender spring;
870Unwholesome weeds take root with precious flowers;
¶The adder hisses where the sweet birds sing;
¶What virtue breeds, iniquity devours.
¶We have no good that we can say is ours
¶But ill-annexèd Opportunity
875Or kills his life or else his quality."

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Lucrece (Modern)

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Lucrece (Modern)