Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)

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

¶VVhat win I if I gaine the thing I seeke?
¶A dreame, a breath, a froth of fleeting ioy,
¶VVho buies a minutes mirth to waile a weeke?
¶Or sels eternitie to get a toy?
215For one sweete grape who will the vine destroy?
¶_Or what fond begger, but to touch the crowne,
¶_VVould with the scepter straight be strokē down?

¶If COLATINVS dreame of my intent,
¶VVill he not wake, and in a desp'rate rage
220Post hither, this vile purpose to preuent?
¶This siege that hath ingirt his marriage,
¶This blur to youth, this sorrow to the sage,
¶_This dying vertue, this suruiuing shame,
¶_VVhose crime will beare an euer-during blame.

225O what excuse can my inuention make
¶VVhen thou shalt charge me with so blacke a deed?
¶VVil not my tongue be mute, my fraile ioints shake?
¶Mine eies forgo their light, my false hart bleede?
¶The guilt beeing great, the feare doth still exceede;
230_And extreme feare can neither fight nor flie,
¶_But cowardlike with trembling terror die.

¶Had COLATINVS kild my sonne or sire,
¶Or laine in ambush to betray my life,
¶Or were he not my deare friend, this desire
235Might haue excuse to worke vppon his wife:
¶As in reuenge or quittall of such strife.
¶_But as he is my kinsman, my deare friend,
¶_The shame and fault finds no excuse nor end.

¶Shamefull it is: I, if the fact be knowne,
240Hatefull it is: there is no hate in louing,
¶Ile beg her loue: but she is not her owne:
¶The worst is but deniall and reproouing.
¶My will is strong past reasons weake remoouing:
¶_VVho feares a sentence or an old mans saw,
245_Shall by a painted cloth be kept in awe.

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Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)

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Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)