He will undoubtedly follow you in this eminent uprising. I can already see the arrogant<hr>
Tarquin driven from Rome, his infamous son perishing at an unknown hand and falling bloodied<hr>
into the dust. For I doubt that the gods would allow him to die by a hand as<hr>
deserving as yours. Yes, Collatin, victory is yours. I already see all the soldiers revolting<hr>
and all the citizens rising up. Hatred for the tyrant and a desire for freedom will drive them all<hr>
in the same manner. And may the gods wish that I am the victim who obtains the freedom of<hr>
the homeland through their benevolence. Yes, Collatin, all the soldiers who are in his camp and<hr>
who are fighting today under his banners will become more fierce enemies than the<hr>
inhabitants of Ardea that he is currently besieging.<hr>
        So go and spread my misfortune everywhere, and believe me, no one will be able to accuse me and<hr>
will only incriminate Tarquin. But I know that I will not hear what the people will say.<hr>
After having been my own accuser, my own witness and my defence, it is now time for me<hr>
to be both my judge and my executioner. Yes, Collatin, I must die, and do not tell me<hr>
that since my will is innocent, I should live to have the pleasure of seeing how you will<hr>
avenge me. It's enough that you assure me of your vengeance so that I can die with ease. But I<hr>
could never live with pleasure. There is a Lucrece in me that I cannot bear. I must<hr>
separate from her, she is infernal to me. I can't see her, I can't tolerate her. I have to give<hr>
her blood to justify the other and to support the retaliation you are going to undertake. When<hr>
the people of Rome see Lucrece stabbed with her own hand so as not to succumb to her<hr>
misfortune, they will more easily believe that a woman who loved her honour more than her life did not<hr>
lie. This last action will justify all of yours. It will arise from the blood<hr>
I will shed to help you punish the tyrant, and thus, I will contribute to my own<hr>
revenge. My tears would undoubtedly have less effect than my blood, but my death will move<hr>
the people as much as it moves you. Yes, Collatin, yes, my father, my loss will greatly affect you<hr>
You will feel obliged to avenge both the honor and life of your wife<hr>
and your daughter, which will make you even more furious against the oppressor. So don't tell me<hr>
that my death is useless or misinterpreted. No, those who judge justly will not<hr>
consider it as the result of this crime. Remorse usually brings more<hr>
tears than blood, but death is the remedy for the brave or desperate. The<hr>
guilt is always a sign of weakness to me, and those who are capable of feeling it<hr>
can always live even after failing. History shows that almost all those who have<hr>
attempted their own life did it to escape the cruelty of fate, to avoid a shameful death<hr>
or to save themselves from slavery, and not because they felt guilty.<hr>
When we fail, we are always lenient with ourselves, and few<hr>
people have sentenced themselves to death. So do not tell me that the blood I will shed<hr>
will dirty my life more than it will erase the outrages of the tyrant, for my death is not at all<hr>
commanded by guilt.<hr>
<hr>
<hr>
                                                      81<hr>