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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    1590Which when her sad beholding husband saw,
    Amazedlie in her sad face he stares:
    Her eyes though sod in tears look'd red and raw,
    Her liuelie colour kil'd with deadlie cares,
    He hath no power to aske her how shee fares,
    1595 Both stood like old acquaintance in a trance,
    Met far from home, wondring ech others chance.

    At last he takes her by the bloudlesse hand,
    And thus begins: what vncouth ill euent
    Hath thee befalne, that thou dost trembling stand?
    1600Sweet loue what spite hath thy faire colour spent?
    Why art thou thus attir'd in discontent?
    Vnmaske deare deare, this moodie heauinesse,
    And tell thy griefe, that we may giue redresse.

    Three times with sighes shee giues her sorrow fire,
    1605Ere once shee can discharge one word of woe:
    At length addrest to answer his desire,
    Shee modestlie prepares, to let them know
    Her Honor is tane prisoner by the Foe,
    While COLATINE and his consorted Lords,
    1610 With sad attention long to heare her words.
    L 3
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