arrival, and the Tarquinii, were kindly received; the husband, proud
of his victory, gave the young princes a polite invitation. There an
evil desire of violating Lucretia by force seized Sextus Tarquinius;
both her beauty, and her proved chastity urged him on. Then, after
this youthful frolic of the night, they returned to the camp.

After an interval of a few days, Sextus Tarquinius, without the
knowledge of Collatinus, came to Collatia with one attendant only:
there he was made welcome by them, as they had no suspicion of his
design, and, having been conducted after supper into the guest
chamber, burning with passion, when all around seemed sufficiently
secure, and all fast asleep, he came to the bedside of Lucretia, as
she lay asleep, with a drawn sword, and with his left hand pressing
down the woman's breast, said: "Be silent, Lucretia; I am Sextus
Tarquinius. I have a sword in my hand. You shall die if you utter a
word." When the woman, awaking terrified from sleep, saw there was no
help, and that impending death was nigh at hand, then Tarquin declared
his passion, entreated, mixed threats with entreaties, tried all means
to influence the woman's mind. When he saw she was resolved, and
uninfluenced even by the fear of death, to the fear of death he added
the fear of dishonour, declaring that he would lay a murdered slave
naked by her side when dead, so that it should be said that she had
been slain in base adultery. When by the terror of this disgrace his
lust (as it were victorious) had overcome her inflexible chastity,
and Tarquin had departed, exulting in having triumphed over a woman's
honour by force, Lucretia, in melancholy distress at so dreadful a
misfortune, despatched one and the same messenger both to her father
at Rome, and to her husband at Ardea, bidding them come each with a
trusty friend; that they must do so, and use despatch, for a monstrous
deed had been wrought. Spurius Lucretius came accompanied by Publius