The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works

by William Shakespeare

  Sweet issue of a more sweet-smelling sire—

  For every little grief to wet his eyes.

  To grow unto himself was his desire,

  And so ’tis thine; but know it is as good

  To wither in my breast as in his blood.

  ‘Here was thy father’s bed, here in my breast.

  Thou art the next of blood, and ’tis thy right.

  Lo, in this hollow cradle take thy rest;

  My throbbing heart shall rock thee day and night.

  There shall not be one minute in an hour

  Wherein I will not kiss my sweet love’s flower.’

  Thus, weary of the world, away she hies,

  And yokes her silver doves, by whose swift aid

  Their mistress, mounted, through the empty skies

  In her light chariot quickly is conveyed,

  Holding their course to Paphos, where their queen

  Means to immure herself, and not be seen.

  THE RAPE OF LUCRECE

  DEDICATING Venus and Adonis to the Earl of Southampton in I953, Shakespeare promised, if the poem pleased, to ‘take advantage of all idle hours’ to honour the Earl with ‘some graver labour’. The Rape of Lucrece, also dedicated to Southampton, was entered in the Stationers’ Register on May I594, and printed in the same year. The warmth of the dedication suggests that the Earl was by then a friend as well as a patron.

  Like Venus and Adonis, The Rape of Lucrece is an erotic narrative based on Ovid, but this time the subject matter is historical, the tone tragic. The events took place in 509 BC, and were already legendary at the time of the first surviving account, by Livy in his history of Rome published between 27 and 27 5 BC. Shakespeare’s main source was Ovid’s Fasti, but he seems also to have known Livy’s and other accounts.

  Historically, Lucretia’s rape had political consequences. Her ravisher, Tarquin, was a member of the tyrannical ruling family of Rome. During the siege of Ardea, a group of noblemen boasted of their wives’ virtue, and rode home to test them; only Collatine’s wife, Lucretia, lived up to her husband’s claims, and Sextus Tarquinius was attracted to her. Failing to seduce her, he raped her and returned to Rome. Lucretia committed suicide, and her husband’s friend, Lucius Junius Brutus, used the occasion as an opportunity to rouse the Roman people against Tarquinius’ rule and to constitute themselves a republic.

  Shakespeare concentrates on the private side of the story; Tarquin is lusting after Lucrece in the poem’s opening lines, and the ending devotes only a few lines to the consequence of her suicide. As in Venus and Adonis, Shakespeare makes a little narrative material go a long way. At first, the focus is on Tarquin; after he has threatened Lucrece, it swings over to her. The opening sequence, with its marvellously dramatic account of Tarquin’s tormented state of mind as he approaches Lucrece’s chamber, is the more intense. Tarquin disappears from the action soon after the rape, when Lucrece delivers herself of a long complaint, apostrophizing night, opportunity, and time and cursing Tarquin with rhetorical fervour, before deciding to kill herself. After summoning her husband, she seeks consolation in a painting of Troy which is described (I373-I442) in lines indebted to the first and second books of Virgil’s Aeneid and to Book I3 of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. After she dies, her husband and father mourn, but Brutus calls for deeds not words, and determines on revenge. The last lines of the poem look forward to the banishment of the Tarquins, but nothing is said of the establishment of a republic.

  Like Venus and Adonis, Lucrece, initially popular (with six editions in Shakespeare’s lifetime and another three by I655), was later neglected. Coleridge admired it, and more recent criticism has recognized in it a profoundly dramatic quality combined with, if sometimes dissipated by, a remarkable force of rhetoric. The writing of the poem seems to have been a formative experience for Shakespeare. In it he not only laid the basis for his later plays on Roman history, but also explored themes that were to figure prominently in his later work. This is especially apparent in the portrayal of a man who ‘still pursues his fear’ (308), the relentless power of self-destructive evil that Shakespeare remembered when he made Macbeth, on his way to murder Duncan, speak of ‘withered murder’ which, ‘With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, towards his design ǀ Moves like a ghost’.

  TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLEY, EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON AND BARON OF TITCHFIELD

  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 all 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 everyone 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 everyone 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 enflamed 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, 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,

  Borne by the trustless wings of false desire,

  Lust-breathèd Tarquin leaves the Roman host

  And to Collatium bears the lightless fire

  Which, in pale embers hid, lurks to aspire

  And girdle with embracing flames the waist

  Of Collatine’s fair love, Lucrece the chaste.

  Haply that name of chaste unhapp’ly set

  This bateless edge on his keen appetite,

  When Collatine unwisely did not let

  To praise the clear unmatched red and white

  Which triumphed in that sky of his delight,

  Where mortal stars as bright as heaven’s beauties

  With pure aspects did him peculiar duties.

  For he the night before in Tarquin’s tent

  Unlocked the treasure of his happy state,

  What priceless wealth the heav
ens had him lent

  In the possession of his beauteous mate,

  Reck’ning his fortune at such high-proud rate

  That kings might be espoused to more fame,

  But king nor peer to such a peerless dame.

  O happiness enjoyed but of a few,

  And, if possessed, as soon decayed and done

  As is the morning’s silver melting dew

  Against the golden splendour of the sun,

  An expired date cancelled ere well begun!

  Honour and beauty in the owner’s arms

  Are weakly fortressed from a world of harms.

  Beauty itself doth of itself persuade

  The eyes of men without an orator.

  What needeth then apology be made

  To set forth that which is so singular?

  Or why is Collatine the publisher

  Of that rich jewel he should keep unknown

  From thievish ears, because it is his own?

  Perchance his boast of Lucrece’ sov’reignty

  Suggested this proud issue of a king,

  For by our ears our hearts oft tainted be.

  Perchance that envy of so rich a thing,

  Braving compare, disdainfully did sting

  His high-pitched thoughts, that meaner men should vaunt

  That golden hap which their superiors want.

  But some untimely thought did instigate

  His all-too-timeless speed, if none of those.

  His honour, his affairs, his friends, his state

  Neglected all, with swift intent he goes

  To quench the coal which in his liver glows.

  O rash false heat, wrapped in repentant cold,

  Thy hasty spring still blasts and ne’er grows old!

  When at Collatium this false lord arrived,

  Well was he welcomed by the Roman dame,

  Within whose face beauty and virtue strived

  Which of them both should underprop her fame.

  When virtue bragged, beauty would blush for shame;

  When beauty boasted blushes, in despite

  Virtue would stain that or with silver white.

  But beauty, in that white entitulèd

  From Venus’ doves, doth challenge that fair field.

  Then virtue claims from beauty beauty’s red,

  Which virtue gave the golden age to gild

  Their silver cheeks, and called it then their shield,

  Teaching them thus to use it in the fight:

  When shame assailed, the red should fence the

  white.

  This heraldry in Lucrece’ face was seen,

  Argued by beauty’s red and virtue’s white.

  Of either’s colour was the other queen,

  Proving from world’s minority their right.

  Yet their ambition makes them still to fight,

  The sovereignty of either being so great

  That oft they interchange each other’s seat.

  This silent war of lilies and of roses

  Which Tarquin viewed in her fair face’s field

  In their pure ranks his traitor eye encloses,

  Where, lest between them both it should be killed,

  The coward captive vanquished doth yield

  To those two armies that would let him go

  Rather than triumph in so false a foe.

  Now thinks he that her husband’s shallow tongue,

  The niggard prodigal that praised her so,

  In that high task hath done her beauty wrong,

  Which far exceeds his barren skill to show.

  Therefore that praise which Collatine doth owe

  Enchanted Tarquin answers with surmise

  In silent wonder of still-gazing eyes.

  This earthly saint adored by this devil

  Little suspecteth the false worshipper,

  For unstained thoughts do seldom dream on evil.

  Birds never limed no secret bushes fear,

  So guiltless she securely gives good cheer

  And reverent welcome to her princely guest,

  Whose inward ill no outward harm expressed,

  For that he coloured with his high estate,

  Hiding base sin in pleats of majesty,

  That nothing in him seemed inordinate

  Save sometime too much wonder of his eye,

  Which, having all, all could not satisfy,

  But poorly rich so wanteth in his store

  That, cloyed with much, he pineth still for more.

  But she that never coped with stranger eyes

  Could pick no meaning from their parling looks,

  Nor read the subtle shining secrecies

  Writ in the glassy margins of such books.

  She touched no unknown baits nor feared no hooks,

  Nor could she moralize his wanton sight

  More than his eyes were opened to the light.

  He stories to her ears her husband’s fame

  Won in the fields of fruitful Italy,

  And decks with praises Collatine’s high name

  Made glorious by his manly chivalry

  With bruised arms and wreaths of victory.

  Her joy with heaved-up hand she doth express,

  And wordless so greets heaven for his success.

  Far from the purpose of his coming thither

  He makes excuses for his being there.

  No cloudy show of stormy blust’ring weather

  Doth yet in his fair welkin once appear

  Till sable night, mother of dread and fear,

  Upon the world dim darkness doth display

  And in her vaulty prison stows the day.

  For then is Tarquin brought unto his bed,

  Intending weariness with heavy sprite;

  For after supper long he questioned

  With modest Lucrece, and wore out the night.

  Now leaden slumber with life’s strength doth fight,

  And everyone to rest himself betakes

  Save thieves, and cares, and troubled minds that

  wakes.

  As one of which doth Tarquin lie revolving

  The sundry dangers of his will’s obtaining,

  Yet ever to obtain his will resolving,

  Though weak-built hopes persuade him to abstaining.

  Despair to gain doth traffic oft for gaining,

  And when great treasure is the meed proposed,

  Though death be adjunct, there’s no death supposed.

  Those that much covet are with gain so fond

  That what they have not, that which they possess,

  They scatter and unloose it from their bond,

  And so by hoping more they have but less,

  Or, gaining more, the profit of excess

  Is but to surfeit and such griefs sustain

  That they prove bankrupt in this poor-rich gain.

  The aim of all is but to nurse the life

  With honour, wealth, and ease in waning age,

  And in this aim there is such thwarting strife

  That one for all, or all for one, we gage,

  As life for honour in fell battle’s rage,

  Honour for wealth; and oft that wealth doth cost

  The death of all, and all together lost.

  So that, in vent’ring ill, we leave to be

  The things we are for that which we expect,

  And this ambitious foul infirmity

  In having much, torments us with defect

  Of that we have; so then we do neglect

  The thing we have, and all for want of wit

  Make something nothing by augmenting it.

  Such hazard now must doting Tarquin make,

  Pawning his honour to obtain his lust,

  And for himself himself he must forsake.

  Then where is truth if there be no self-trust?

  When shall he think to find a stranger just

  When he himself himself confounds, betrays

  To
sland’rous tongues and wretched hateful days?

  Now stole upon the time the dead of night

  When heavy sleep had closed up mortal eyes.

  No comfortable star did lend his light,

  No noise but owls’ and wolves’ death-boding cries

  Now serves the season, that they may surprise

  The silly lambs. Pure thoughts are dead and still,

  While lust and murder wakes to stain and kill.

  And now this lustful lord leapt from his bed,

  Throwing his mantle rudely o‘er his arm,

  Is madly tossed between desire and dread.

  Th’one sweetly flatters, th’other feareth harm,

  But honest fear, bewitched with lust’s foul charm,

  Doth too-too oft betake him to retire,

  Beaten away by brainsick rude desire.

  His falchion on a flint he softly smiteth,

  That from the cold stone sparks of fire do fly,

  Whereat a waxen torch forthwith he lighteth,

  Which must be lodestar to his lustful eye,

  And to the flame thus speaks advisedly:

  ‘As from this cold flint I enforced this fire,

  So Lucrece must I force to my desire.’

  Here pale with fear he doth premeditate

  The dangers of his loathsome enterprise,

  And in his inward mind he doth debate

  What following sorrow may on this arise.

  Then, looking scornfully, he doth despise

  His naked armour of still-slaughtered lust,

  And justly thus controls his thoughts unjust: