[Away from Rome at a military camp, young military men including Sextus Tarquinius and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, having been left to idleness and drinking, argue over whose wife is most virtuous; they decide to go to Rome and find out. They find all but Lucretia- who is chastely spinning wool at home- at a party drinking and gossiping.]
With all courtesy Lucretia rose to bid her husband and the princes welcome, and Collatinus, pleased with his success, invited his friends to sup with him. It was at that fatal supper that Lucretia's beauty, and proven chastity, kindled in Sextus Tarquinius the flame of lust, and determined to debauch her.
A few days later Sextus, without Collatinus's knowledge, returned with one companion to Collatia, where he was hospitably welcomed in Lucretia's house, and, after supper, escorted, like the honored visitor he was though to be, to the guest-chamber. Here he waited till the house was asleep, and then, when all was quiet, he drew his sword and made his way to Lucretia's room determined to rape her. She was asleep. Laying his left hand on her breast, 'Lucretia.' he whispered, 'not a sound! I am Sextus Tarquinius. I am armed- if you utter a word I will kill you.' Lucretia opened her eyes in terror; death was imminent, no help at hand. Sextus urged his love, begged her to submit, pleaded, threatened, used every weapon that might conquer a woman's heart. But all in vain; not even the fear of death could bend her will. 'If death will not move you,' Sextus cried, 'dishonor shall. I will kill you first, then cut the throat of the slave and lay his naked body by your side. Will they not believe that you have been caught in adultery with a servant- and paid the price?' Even the most resolute chastity could not have stood against this dreadful threat.
Lucretia yielded. Sextus enjoyed her, and rode away, proud of his success.
The unhappy girl wrote her father in Rome and to her husband in Ardea, urging them both to come at once with a trusted friend- and quickly, for a frightful thing had happened. Her father came with Valerius, Volesus's son, her husband with Brutus, with whom he was returning to Rome when he was met by the messenger. They found Lucretia sitting in her room, in deep distress. Tears rose to her eyes as they entered, and to her husband's question, 'Is it well with you?' she answered, 'No. What can be well with a woman who has lost her honor? In your bed, Collatinus, is the impress of another man. My body only has been violated. My heart is innocent, and death will be my witness. Give me your solemn promise that the adulterer will be punished- he is Sextus Tarquinius. He it is who last night came as my enemy disguised as my guest, and took his pleasure of me. That pleasure will be my death- and his, too, if you are men.'
The promise was given. One after another they tried to comfort her. They told her she was helpless, and therefore innocent; that he alone was guilty, It was the mind, they said, that sinned, not the body; without intention there could never be guilt.
'What is due to him,' Lucretia said, 'is for you to decide. As for me I am innocent of fault, but I will take my punishment. Never shall Lucretia provide a precedent for unchaste women to escape what they deserve.' With these words she drew a knife from under her robe, drove it into her heart, and fell forward, dead.
Her father and husband were overwhelmed with grief. While they stood weeping helplessly, Brutus drew the bloody knife from Lucretia's body, and holding it before him cried: 'By this girl's blood- none more chaste till a tyrant wronged her- and by the gods, I swear that with sword and fire, and whatever else can lend strength to my arm, I will pursue Lucius Tarquinius the Proud, his wicked wife, and all his children, and never again will I let them or any other man be King in Rome.'
