will tarnish my life more than it will erase the tyrant's outrages, for my death is not at all<hr>
commanded by guilt.<hr>
       No, Collatinus, my intention is too pure, and the gods are too honest to allow<hr>
all men to be unjust to me. I do not do this out of remorse or despair,<hr>
but out of reason. I have laid out my motives for you, so no longer challenge my will, for you<hr>
could not prevent it anyway. Think about revenge, not my survival, for one can be<hr>
glorious while the other would be useless to you. Plus, my example will never persuade<hr>
Roman ladies to betray their honor. I must justify the esteem they have always held<hr>
for my wisdom. I sacrifice my life for my own glory, for that of my homeland, for that of<hr>
Spurius Lucretius, and for yours. But do what you must do after<hr>
my death. Do not forget anything to avenge me, use iron, fire and poison. All forms of<hr>
violence are just against usurpers. Reason should be joined with force when<hr>
bravery alone is not enough to destroy them. Think about the justice of your cause, remember my purity,<hr>
the love you have always had for me and that I’ve had for you. Never forget my<hr>
passion for glory and my hatred for wickedness. Consider me as unfortunate and not guilty. And with all these things, Collatinus, you can foster an irreconcilable hatred<hr>
towards the tyrant. But let's not delay any longer a revenge so upright. Go, Collatinus, go,<hr>
end this sad discourse by ending my life. Here's the dagger I'm holding, with which I can<hr>
punish myself, avenge you, and show you how to pierce the heart of the usurper.<hr>
<hr>
<hr>
                                                 Effect of this discourse<hr>
<hr>
       This speech resulted in the flight of Sextus Tarquin, the exile of his father, the loss<hr>
of his kingdom and the start of the Roman Republic. The assaulter of Lucretia paid this affront<hr>
with his life and his crown. No crime was ever punished as well, no offense was so<hr>
well avenged. The death of this unfortunate woman armed a whole people. Her blood created<hr>
the expected effect and the name of Tarquin became so detested by everyone that even among those who had<hr>
taken part in driving out tyrants, the Romans felt forced to change this name as they could no longer<hr>
endure it.<hr>
<hr>
<hr>
                                                     Notes<hr>
<hr>
       Lucretia is a Roman woman known for her beauty and the wife of Tarquin Collatinus,<hr>
a powerful man and close to King Tarquin. After being raped and threatened by Sextus<hr>
Tarquin, the son of the king, the young woman takes her own life. It is following this tragic event<hr>
that Rome is said to have gone from monarchy to republic.<hr>
<hr>
<hr>
<hr>
                                                         80<hr>