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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 with a sigh as if her heart would breake,
    Shee throwes forth TARQVINS name: he he, she saies,
    But more then he, her poore tong could not speake,
    Till after manie accents and delaies,
    1720Vntimelie breathings, sicke and short assaies,
    Shee vtters this, he he faire Lords, tis he
    That guides this hand to giue this wound to me.

    Euen here she sheathed in her harmlesse breast
    A harmfull knife, that thence her soule vnsheathed,
    1725That blow did baile it from the deepe vnrest
    Of that polluted prison, where it breathed:
    Her contrite sighes vnto the clouds bequeathed
    Her winged sprite, & through her woūds doth flie
    Liues lasting date, from cancel'd destinie.

    1730Stone still, astonisht with this deadlie deed,
    Stood COLATINE, and all his Lordly crew,
    Till LVCRECE Father that beholds her bleed,
    Himselfe, on her selfe-slaughtred bodie threw,
    And from the purple fountaine BRVTVS drew
    1735 The murdrous knife, and as it left the place,
    Her blood in poore reuenge, held it in chase.
    M 2
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