Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)
Author: William ShakespeareEditor: Hardy M. CookNot Peer Reviewed


¶VVrapt and confounded in a thou
sand feares,
¶Like to a new-kild bird
shee trembling lies:
¶Shee dares not looke, yet winking there appeares
¶Quicke-
shifting Antiques vglie in her eyes.
460"Such
shadowes are the weake-brains forgeries,
¶_VVho angrie that the eyes flie from their lights,
¶_In darknes daunts thē with more dreadfull
sights.
¶His hand that yet remaines vppon her bre
st,
¶(Rude Ram to batter
such an Iuorie wall:)
465May feele her heart (poore Cittizen) di
stre
st,
¶VVounding it
selfe to death, ri
se vp and fall;
¶Beating her bulke, that his hand
shakes withall.
¶_This moues in him more rage and le
sser pittie,
¶_To make the breach and enter this
sweet Citty.
470Fir
st like a Trompet doth his tongue begin,
¶To
sound a parlie to his heartle
sse foe,
¶VVho ore the white
sheet peers her whiter chin,
¶The rea
son of this ra
sh allarme to know,
¶VVhich he by dum demeanor
seekes to
show.
475_But
shee with vehement prayers vrgeth
_still,
¶_Vnder what colour he commits this ill.
¶Thus he replies, the colour in thy face,
¶That euen for anger makes the Lilly pale,
¶And the red ro
se blu
sh at her owne di
sgrace,
480Shall plead for me and tell my louing tale.
¶Vnder that colour am I come to
scale
¶_Thy neuer conquered Fort, the fault is thine,
¶_For tho
se thine eyes betray thee vnto mine.
¶Thus I fore
stall thee, if thou meane to chide,
485Thy beauty hath en
snar'd thee to this night,
¶VVhere thou with patience mu
st my will abide,
¶My will that markes thee for my earths delight,
¶VVhich I to conquer
sought with all my might.
¶_But as reproofe and rea
son beat it dead,
490_By thy bright beautie was it newlie bred.

