8

Her hair, like golden threads, play'd with her breath;
O modest wantons! wanton modesty !
Showing life's triumph in the map of death,
And death's dim look in life's mortality:
Each in her sleep themselves so beautify,

As if between them twain there were no strife,
But that life lived in death, and death in life.

Her breasts, like ivory globes circled with blue,
A pair of maiden worlds unconqueréd,
Save of their lord no bearing yoke they knew,
And him by oath they truly honouréd.
These worlds in Tarquin new ambition bred;
Who, like a foul usurper, went about

From this fair throne to heave the owner out.

What could he see but mightily he noted?
What did he note but strongly he desired?
What he beheld, on that he firmly doted,
And in his will his wilful eye he tired.
With more than admiration he admired

Her azure veins, her alabaster skin,
Her coral lips, her snow-white dimpled chin.

As the grim lion fawneth o'er his prey,
Sharp hunger by the conquest satisfied,

So o'er this sleeping soul doth Tarquin stay,
His rage of lust by gazing qualified ;9

Slack'd, not suppress'd; for, standing by her side,

His eye, which late this mutiny restrains,

Unto a greater uproar tempts his veins :

8 Shakespeare uses map several times for picture. The usage was comSee vol. x. page 223, note 3.

mon.

9 Qualified is weakened or diluted. See vol. xvii. page 208, note 2.

And they, like straggling slaves for pillage fighting,
Obdurate vassals fell exploits effecting,

In bloody death and ravishment delighting,

Nor children's tears nor mothers' groans respecting,
Swell in their pride, the onset still expecting:
Anon his beating heart, alarum striking,

Gives the hot charge, and bids them do their liking.

His drumming heart cheers up his burning eye,
His eye commends 10 the leading to his hand;
His hand, as proud of such a dignity,

Smoking with pride, march'd on to make his stand
On her bare breast, the heart of all her land;

Whose ranks of blue veins, as his hand did scale,
Left their round turrets destitute and pale.

They, mustering to the quiet cabinet
Where their dear governess and lady lies,

Do tell her she is dreadfully beset,

And fright her with confusion of their cries:

She, much amazed, breaks ope her lock'd-up eyes,
Who, peeping forth this tumult to behold,

Are by his flaming torch dimm'd and controll'd."

Imagine her as one in dead of night
From forth dull sleep by dreadful fancy waking,
That thinks she hath beheld some ghastly sprite,
Whose grim aspéct sets every joint a-shaking;
What terror 'tis ! but she, in worser taking,1

10 Commends in the sense of commits or entrusts. Repeatedly so.

11 Controll'd here is checked or abashed. See vol. x. page 6, note 2.

1 Here taking has the same sense as the phrase still in use, to take on, that is, to grieve, or to be troubled.

From sleep disturbed, heedfully doth view
The sight which makes supposèd 2 terror true.

Rapt 3 and confounded in a thousand fears,
Like to a new-kill'd bird she trembling lies;
She dares not look; yet, winking, there appears
Quick-shifting antics, ugly in her eyes :
Such shadows are the weak brain's forgeries ;
Who, angry that the eyes fly from their lights,

In darkness daunts them with more dreadful sights.

His hand, that yet remains upon her breast,-
Rude ram, to batter such an ivory wall !
May feel her heart - poor citizen! - distress'd,
Wounding itself to death, rise up and fall,
Beating her bulk,4 that his hand shakes withal.

This moves in him more rage, and lesser pity,
To make the breach, and enter this sweet city.

First, like a trumpet, doth his tongue begin
To sound a parley to his heartless 5 foe;
Who o'er the white sheet peers her whiter chin,
The reason of this rash alarm to know,
Which he by dumb demeanour seeks to show ;
But she with vehement prayers urgeth still
Under what colour he commits this ill.

Thus he replies: "The colour in thy face-
That even for anger makes the lily pale,

2 Supposed for imaginary, unreal, or illusive. Repeatedly so.

3 Rapt is cast into a rapture, trance, or fit. A frequent usage.

4 Bulk was formerly used for breast. See vol. xiv. page 189, note 19.

5 Heartless must evidently be used here in the sense of disheartened; that is, frightened, or astonished: for foe refers, of course, to Lucretia.

And the red rose blush at her own disgrace
Shall plead for me, and tell my loving tale:
Under that colour am I come to scale

Thy never-conquer'd fort: the fault is thine,
For those thine eyes betray thee unto mine..

"Thus I forestall thee, if thou mean to chide :
Thy beauty hath ensnared thee to this night,
Where thou with patience must my will abide;
My will that marks thee for my earth's delight,
Which I to conquer sought with all my might;

But as reproof and reason beat it dead,
By thy bright beauty was it newly bred.

"I see what crosses my attempt will bring ;
I know what thorns the growing rose defends;
I think the honey guarded with a sting;6
All this beforehand counsel comprehends:
But will is deaf, and hears no heedful friends;
Only he hath an eye to gaze on beauty,

And dotes on what he looks, 'gainst law or duty.

"I have debated, even in my soul,

What wrong, what shame, what sorrow I shall breed ;
But nothing can affection's course control,
Or stop the headlong fury of his speed.
I know repentant tears ensue the deed,
Reproach, disdain, and deadly enmity;
Yet strive I to embrace mine infamy."

This said, he shakes aloft his Roman blade,
Which, like a falcon towering in the skies

6 "I am well aware that the honey is guarded with stings."

Affection for lust or sensual desire. See vol. vii. page 148, note 21.

Coucheth the fowl below with his wings' shade,
Whose crooked beak threats if he mount he dies:
So under his insulting falchion lies

Harmless Lucretia, marking what he tells

With trembling fear, as fowl hear falcon's bells.9

"Lucrece," quoth he, "this night I must enjoy thee:
If thou deny, then force must work my way,
For in thy bed I purpose to destroy thee:
That done, some worthless slave of thine I'll slay,
To kill thine honour with thy life's decay;

And in thy dead arms do I mean to place him,
Swearing I slew him, seeing thee embrace him.

"So thy surviving husband shall remain
The scornful mark of every open eye;
Thy kinsmen hang their heads at this disdain,
Thy issue blurr'd with nameless 10 bastardy:
And thou, the author of their obloquy,

Shalt have thy trespass cited up in rhymes,
And sung by children in succeeding times.

"But if thou yield, I rest thy secret friend :
The fault unknown is as a thought unacted;
A little harm done to a great good end
For lawful policy remains enacted.

The poisonous simple 1 sometimes is compacted

8 Coucheth in the sense of causeth to couch. To couch here means to cower or to crouch. See vol. xiv. page 61, note 7.- Like is simply equivalent to as. Repeatedly so. See vol. iii. page 72, note 15.

9 Bells were a frequent appendage to falcons. See vol. ix. page 10, note 5. 10 Children born out of wedlock were said to have no names; it not

being known who their fathers were. Sce vol. xvi. page 14, note 5. 1 Simple is, properly, herb, but was used for drug.