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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    In vaine I raile at oportunitie,
    At time, at TARQVIN, and vnchearfull night,
    1025In vaine I cauill with mine infamie,
    In vaine I spurne at my confirm'd despight,
    This helplesse smoake of words doth me no right:
    The remedie indeede to do me good,
    Is to let forth my fowle defiled blood.

    1030Poore hand why quiuerst thou at this decree?
    Honor thy selfe to rid me of this shame,
    For if I die, my Honor liues in thee,
    But if I liue thou liu'st in my defame;
    Since thou couldst not defend thy loyall Dame,
    1035 And wast affeard to scratch her wicked Fo,
    Kill both thy selfe, and her for yeelding so.

    This said, from her betombled couch shee starteth,
    To finde some desp'rat Instrument of death,
    But this no slaughter house no toole imparteth,
    1040To make more vent for passage of her breath,
    Which thronging through her lips so vanisheth,
    As smoake from AETNA, that in aire consumes,
    Or that which from discharged Cannon fumes.
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