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

¶Thinke but how vile a spectacle it were,
¶To view thy present trespasse in another:
¶Mens faults do seldome to themselues appeare,
¶Their own transgressions partiallie they smother,
635This guilt would seem death-worthie in thy brother.
¶_O how are they wrapt in with infamies,
¶_That frō their own misdeeds askaunce their eyes?

¶To thee, to thee, my heau'd vp hands appeale,
¶Not to seducing lust thy rash relier:
640I sue for exil'd maiesties repeale,
¶Let him returne, and flattring thoughts retire.
¶His true respect will prison false desire,
¶_And wipe the dim mist from thy doting eien,
¶_That thou shalt see thy state, and pittie mine.

645Haue done, quoth he, my vncontrolled tide
¶Turnes not, but swels the higher by this let.
¶Small lightes are soone blown out, huge fires abide,
¶And with the winde in greater furie fret:
¶The petty streames that paie a dailie det
650_To their salt soueraigne with their fresh fals hast,
¶_Adde to his flowe, but alter not his tast.

¶Thou art, quoth shee, a sea, a soueraigne King,
¶And loe there fals into thy boundlesse flood,
¶Blacke lust, dishonor, shame, mis-gouerning,
655VVho seeke to staine the Ocean of thy blood.
¶If all these pettie ils shall change thy good,
¶_Thy sea within a puddels wombe is hersed,
¶_And not the puddle in thy sea dispersed.

¶So shall these slaues be King, and thou their slaue,
660Thou noblie base, they baselie dignified:
¶Thou their faire life, and they thy fowler graue:
¶Thou lothed in their shame, they in thy pride,
¶The lesser thing should not the greater hide.
¶_The Cedar stoopes not to the base shrubs foote,
665_But low-shrubs wither at the Cedars roote.

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Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)

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Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)