25617861786Yet sometime "Tarquin" was pronouncèd plain,
17871787But through his teeth, as if the name he tore.
17881788This windy tempest, till it blow up rain,
17891789Held back his sorrow's tide to make it more.
17901790At last it rains, and busy winds give o'er;
17911791Then son and father weep with equal strife
17921792Who should weep most, for daughter or for wife.
17941794Yet neither may possess the claim they lay.
17951795The father says, "She's mine." "O, mine she is,"
17961796Replies her husband. "Do not take away
17971797My sorrow's interest. Let no mourner say
17981798He weeps for her, for she was only mine,
17991799And only must be wailed by Collatine."
18011801Which she to early and too late hath spilled."
18021802"Woe, woe," quoth Collatine, "she was my wife.
18031803I owed her, and 'tis mine that she hath killed."
18041804"My daughter" and "my wife" with clamors filled
18051805The dispersed air, who, holding Lucrece' life,
18061806Answered their cries, "my daughter" and "my wife."
25918071807Brutus, who plucked the knife from Lucrece' side,
18081808Seeing such emulation in their woe,
18091809Began to clothe his wit in state and pride,
18101810Burying in Lucrece wound his folly's show.
18111811He with the Romans was esteemèd so
18121812As silly jeering idiots are with kings,
18131813For sportive words and utt'ring foolish things.
18151815Wherein deep policy did him disguise,
18161816And armed his long-hid wits advisedly
18171817To check the tears in Collatinus' eyes.
18181818"Thou wrongèd lord of Rome," quoth he, "arise.
18191819Let my unsounded self, supposed a fool,
18201820Now set thy long-experienced wit to school."