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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.

    1800O, quoth LVCRETIVS, I did giue that life
    Which shee to earely and too late hath spil'd.
    Woe woe, quoth COLATINE, shee was my wife,
    I owed her, and tis mine that shee hath kil'd.
    My daughter and my wife with clamors fild
    1805 The disperst aire, who holding LVCRECE life,
    Answer'd their cries, my daughter and my wife.

    BRVTVS who pluck't the knife from LVCRECE side,
    Seeing such emulation in their woe,
    Began to cloath his wit in state and pride,
    1810Burying in LVCRECE wound his follies show,
    He with the Romains was esteemed so
    As seelie ieering idiots are with Kings,
    For sportiue words, and vttring foolish things.

    But now he throwes that shallow habit by,
    1815Wherein deepe pollicie did him disguise,
    And arm'd his long hid wits aduisedlie,
    To checke the teares in COLATINVS eies.
    Thou wronged Lord of Rome, quoth he, arise,
    Let my vnsounded selfe suppos'd a foole,
    1820 Now set thy long experienc't wit to schoole.
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