1040 Where they resign their office and their light shakes, 1045 80. 1108 ''Tis true, 'tis true; thus was Adonis slain: 'Had I been tooth'd like him, I must confess, She looks upon his lips, and they are pale; 1125 She lifts the coffer-lids that close his eyes, Where, lo! two lamps, burnt out, in darkness lies; Two glasses where herself herself beheld 1128 1132 'Wonder of time,' quoth she, 'this is my spite, That, you being dead, the day should yet be light. 'It shall be cause of war and dire events, Sith in his prime Death doth my love destroy, Resembling well his pale cheeks, and the blood Which in round drops upon their whiteness THE RAPE OF LUCRECE TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLY EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON AND BARON OF TICHFIELD. THE love I dedicate to your lordship is without end; whereof this pamphlet, without beginning, is but a superfluous moiety. The warrant I have of your honourable disposition, not the worth of my untutored lines, makes it assured of acceptance. What I have done is yours; what I have to do is yours; being part in all I have, devoted yours. Were my worth greater, my duty would show greater; meantime, as it is, it is bound to your lordship, to whom I wish long life, still lengthened with happiness. Your lordship's in all duty, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. THE ARGUMENT. LUCIUS TARQUINIUS, -for his excessive pride surnamed Superbus, after he had caused his own father-in-law, Servius Tullius, to be cruelly murdered, and contrary to the Roman laws and customs, not requiring or staying for the people's suffrages, had possessed himself of the kingdom, went, accompanied with his sons and other noblemen of Rome, to besiege Ardea. During which siege the principal men of the army meeting one evening at the tent of Sextus Tarquinius, the king's son, in their discourses after supper, every one commended the virtues of his own wife: among whom Collatinus extolled the incomparable chastity of his wife Lucretia. In that pleasant humour they all posted to Rome; and intending, by their secret and sudden arrival, to make trial of that which every one had before avouched, only Collatinus finds his wife-though it were late in the night-spinning amongst her maids: the other ladies were all found dancing and revelling, or in several disports. Whereupon the noblemen yielded Collatinus the victory, and his wife the fame. At that time Sextus Tarquinius, being inflamed with Lucrece' beauty, yet smothering his passions for the present, departed with the rest back to the camp; from whence he shortly after privily withdrew himself, and was, according to his estate, royally entertained and lodged by Lucrece at Collatium. The same night he treacherously stealeth into her chamber, violently ravished her, and early in the morning speedeth away. Lucrece, in this lamentable plight, hastily dispatcheth messengers, one to Rome for her father, and another to the camp for Collatine. They came, the one accompanied with Junius Brutus, the other with Publius Valerius; and finding Lucrece attired in mourning habit, demanded the cause of her sorrow. She, first taking an oath of them for her revenge, revealed the actor, and the whole manner of his dealing, and withal suddenly stabbed herself. Which done, with. one consent they all vowed to root out the whole hated family of the Tarquins; and, bearing the dead body to Rome, Brutus acquainted the people with the doer and manner of the vile deed, with a bitter invective against the tyranny of the king: wherewith the people were so moved, that with one consent and a general acclamation the Tarquins were all exiled, and the state government changed from kings to consuls. His high-pitch'd thoughts, that meaner men should vaunt That golden hap which their superiors want. But some untimely thought did instigate This silent war of lilies and of roses, kill'd, The coward captive vanquished doth yield Now thinks he that her husband's shallow tongue The niggard prodigal that prais'd her so- owe Enchanted Tarquin answers with surmise, His all-too-timeless speed, if none of those: 44 Little suspecteth the false worshipper; 84 His honour, his affairs, his friends, his state, For unstain'd thoughts do seldom dream on Neglected all, with swift intent he goes evil, To quench the coal which in his liver glows. 49 Birds never lim'd no secret bushes fear: BS |