📚 Overview

Stanza 248 - Explanation

Original Stanza

Stone-still, astonished with this deadly deed,
Stood Collatine and all his lordly crew,
Till Lucrece’ father that beholds her bleed,
Himself on her self-slaughtered body threw,
And from the purple fountain Brutus drew
The murd’rous knife, and, as it left the place,
Her blood, in poor revenge, held it in chase;

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Let's break down this powerful stanza from Shakespeare's The Rape of Lucrece:

1. "Stone-still, astonished with this deadly deed,"

2. "Stood Collatine and all his lordly crew,"

3. "Till Lucrece’ father that beholds her bleed,"

4. "Himself on her self-slaughtered body threw,"

5. "And from the purple fountain Brutus drew"

6. "The murd’rous knife, and, as it left the place,"

7. "Her blood, in poor revenge, held it in chase;"

Overall Meaning:

This stanza is a vivid portrayal of the immediate aftermath of Lucrece's suicide. The men are initially paralyzed by shock. We see the raw grief of her father, and Brutus begins to take control of the situation by removing the knife, perhaps as a symbol of taking action to seek justice. The overwhelming bloodshed is described in vivid detail, as Shakespeare uses metaphors and personification to emphasize the tragedy and the futility of revenge at this moment. The stanza sets the scene for Brutus's decision to avenge Lucrece and rouse the Romans against the Tarquins, which is a key turning point in the poem.

Key Literary Devices:

📚 Overview