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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    And now this pale Swan in her watrie nest,
    Begins the sad Dirge of her certaine ending,
    Few words (quoth shee) shall fit the trespasse best,
    Where no excuse can giue the fault amending.
    1615In me moe woes then words are now depending,
    And my laments would be drawn out too long,
    To tell them all with one poore tired tong.

    Then be this all the taske it hath to say,
    Deare husband in the interest of thy bed
    1620A stranger came, and on that pillow lay,
    Where thou wast wont to rest thy wearie head,
    And what wrong else may be imagined,
    By foule inforcement might be done to me,
    From that (alas) thy LVCRECE is not free.

    1625For in the dreadfull dead of darke midnight,
    With shining Fauchion in my chamber came
    A creeping creature with a flaming light,
    And softly cried, awake thou Romaine Dame,
    And entertaine my loue, else lasting shame
    1630 On thee and thine this night I will inflict,
    If thou my loues desire do contradict.
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