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 despatcheth messengers, one to Rome for her father, 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 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. THE RAPE OF LUCRECE. FROM the besieged Ardea all in post, Where mortal stars, as bright as heaven's beauties, For he the night before, in Tarquin's tent, O happiness enjoy'd but of a few! And, if possess'd, as soon decay'd and done b a Let-forbear. Done. The word is here used as in a previous passage of the Venus and Adonis:' "Wasted, thaw'd, and done, As mountain-snow melts with the midday sun." Against the golden splendour of the sun! Beauty itself doth of itself persuade Of that rich jewel he should keep unknown a Perchance his boast of Lucrece' sovereignty His high-pitch'd thoughts, that meaner men should vaunt That golden hap which their superiors want. But some untimely thought did instigate b When at Collatium this false lord arriv'd, Which of them both should underprop her fame : a Suggested-tempted. b Blasts is here used as a verb neuter. When beauty boasted blushes, in despite But beauty, in that white intituled,b From Venus' doves doth challenge that fair field: This heraldry in Lucrece' face was seen, This silent war of lilies and of roses a Or. The line usually stands thus: "Virtue would stain that o'er with silver white." The original has ore. Malone has suggested, but he does not act upon the suggestion, that "the word intended was perhaps or, i.e. gold, to which the poet compares the deep colour of a blush." We have no doubt whatever of the matter. The lines in the subsequent stanza complete the heraldic allusion:"Then virtue claims from beauty beauty's red, Which virtue gave the golden age, to gild Their silver cheeks, and call'd it then their shield." b Intituled-having a title to, or in. Now thinks he that her husband's shallow tongue This earthly saint, adored by this devil, For that he colour'd with his high estate, But poorly rich, so wanteth in his store But she, that never cop'd with stranger eyes, Writ in the glassy margents of such books; He stories to her ears her husband's fame, And decks with praises Collatine's high name, |