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  • Title: Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)
  • Editor: Hardy M. Cook

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-411-0

    Copyright Hardy M. Cook. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Hardy M. Cook
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Lucrece (Quarto, 1594)

    THE RAPE OF LVCRECE.

    225O what excuse can my inuention make
    When thou shalt charge me with so blacke a deed?
    Wil 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:
    Who feares a sentence or an old mans saw,
    245 Shall by a painted cloth be kept in awe.
    Thus
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