134 The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, by 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 inflamed with Lucrece’s 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
dispatched 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.