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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    Here pale with feare he doth premeditate,
    The daungers of his lothsome enterprise:
    185And in his inward mind he doth debate,
    What following sorrow may on this arise.
    Then looking scornfully, he doth despise
    His naked armour of still slaughtered lust,
    And iustly thus controlls his thoughts vniust.

    190Faire torch burne out thy light, and lend it not
    To darken her whose light excelleth thine:
    And die vnhallowed thoughts, before you blot
    With your vncleannesse, that which is deuine:
    Offer pure incense to so pure a shrine:
    195 Let faire humanitie abhor the deede,
    That spots & stains loues modest snow-white weed.

    O shame to knighthood, and to shining Armes,
    O foule dishonor to my houshoulds graue:
    O impious act including all foule harmes.
    200A martiall man to be soft fancies slaue,
    True valour still a true respect should haue,
    Then my digression is so vile, so base,
    That it will liue engrauen in my face.
    Yea
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