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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    Eu'n in this thought through the dark-night he stea-(leth,
    730A captiue victor that hath lost in gaine,
    Bearing away the wound that nothing healeth,
    The scarre that will dispight of Cure remaine,
    Leauing his spoile perplext in greater paine.
    Shee beares the lode of lust he left behinde,
    735 And he the burthen of a guiltie minde.

    Hee like a theeuish dog creeps sadly thence,
    Shee like a wearied Lambe lies panting there,
    He scowles and hates himselfe for his offence,
    Shee desperat with her nailes her flesh doth teare.
    740He faintly flies sweating with guiltie feare;
    Shee staies exclayming on the direfull night,
    He runnes and chides his vanisht loth'd delight.

    He thence departs a heauy conuertite,
    Shee there remaines a hopelesse cast-away,
    745He in his speed lookes for the morning light:
    Shee prayes shee neuer may behold the day.
    For daie, quoth shee, nights scapes doth open lay,
    And my true eyes haue neuer practiz'd how
    To cloake offences with a cunning brow.
    They
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