Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita 1.58.3–4

When neither pleas nor threats of death break Lucretia's resolve, Sextus Tarquinius adds the threat of posthumous disgrace: that he will kill a slave and place the body beside her, leaving her to be remembered as an adulteress.

 

Tier 1

Cum Lucretia perterrita ex somno excitata videret nullum auxilium prope mortem imminentem,

tum Tarquinius coepit fateri amorem, sperare, miscere minas precibus et petere femininum animum omnibus modis.

Cum Tarquinius videbat Lucretiam obstinatam et metum mortis non cogere Lucretiam, Tarquinius addit indignitatem ad metum:

Tarquinius dixit nudum servum mortuum positurum esse cum mortua Lucretia ut dicatur mortua in sordido adulterio.

Written by Robert Amstutz

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