person
Lucretia
also: Lucrécia, Lucrezia
A legendary Roman noblewoman (c. 509 BCE) whose rape by Sextus Tarquinius, son of the last king, and subsequent suicide became the founding myth of the Roman Republic. Her story — of violated honor redeemed by death — is one of the most potent symbols of Roman virtue and was a touchstone for poets and dramatists from Livy to Shakespeare.
Reading notes
- The Tragedy of Man §6 Lucretia
A legendary Roman noblewoman (c. 509 BCE) whose rape by Sextus Tarquinius, son of the last king, and subsequent suicide became the founding myth of the Roman Republic. Her story — of violated honor redeemed by death — is one of the most potent symbols of Roman virtue and was a touchstone for poets and dramatists from Livy to Shakespeare.