Stanza 260 - Explanation

Original Stanza

But now he throws that shallow habit by,
Wherein deep policy did him disguise,
And armed his long-hid wits advisedly,
To check the tears in Collatinus’ eyes.
“Thou wronged lord of Rome,” quoth he, “arise!
Let my unsounded self, supposed a fool,
Now set thy long-experienced wit to school.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Let's break down Stanza 260 of Shakespeare's "The Rape of Lucrece":

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "But now he throws that shallow habit by,"

  • "But now": A transitional phrase, indicating a shift in Tarquin's behavior or intent.
  • "he": Referring to Tarquin, the rapist.
  • "throws that shallow habit by": Metaphorically, Tarquin is discarding a pretense or a disguise. "Shallow habit" implies a superficial or inadequate facade. He's dropping the act he was putting on.

• "Wherein deep policy did him disguise,"

  • "Wherein": Referring to the "shallow habit" mentioned previously; the means by which he was disguised.
  • "deep policy": Suggests cunning, craftiness, and strategic thinking; the method of disguise.
  • "did him disguise": Indicates that his policy, his cunning, had previously hidden his true intentions.

• "And armed his long-hid wits advisedly,"

  • "And": Continues the thought, adding to Tarquin's shift.
  • "armed his long-hid wits": A metaphor. Tarquin's intelligence and ability to think strategically ("wits") are "armed," meaning he is now actively employing them for a specific purpose. "Long-hid" implies that these wits were concealed until now.
  • "advisedly": He is acting deliberately and with forethought. He is planning his actions.

• "To check the tears in Collatinus’ eyes."

  • "To check": To stop, control, or stem.
  • "the tears in Collatinus' eyes": Collatinus, Lucrece's husband, is in grief, and this is a direct indication of his suffering.
  • Overall meaning: Tarquin is now using his intelligence to hide or prevent his true reason for being in this situation and to change the tears he has caused.

• “Thou wronged lord of Rome,” quoth he, “arise!

  • “Thou wronged lord of Rome,”: Tarquin addresses Collatinus and is attempting to sound consoling and concerned. It is ironic because Tarquin is the one who has wronged him.
  • "quoth he": Shakespearean way of saying "said he."
  • "arise!": An imperative command; an order for Collatinus to stand up, indicating Tarquin's desire to take control.

• "Let my unsounded self, supposed a fool,"

  • "Let": Imperative, meaning that Tarquin wants to allow the following to occur.
  • "my unsounded self": Implies that Tarquin hasn't been fully explored or tested; he's been underestimated.
  • "supposed a fool": Others believe that Tarquin has been considered foolish.

• "Now set thy long-experienced wit to school."

  • "Now": Emphasizes that the action is taking place in the present.
  • "set thy long-experienced wit to school": A metaphor. Tarquin is implying that Collatinus, with his long experience, needs to learn from Tarquin's supposed folly. This is an insulting way of trying to show that Collatinus' wit is now going to be taught to him.

Overall Meaning:

This stanza depicts a pivotal moment in Tarquin's manipulation. He discards the mask of deception ("shallow habit"), revealing his true, cunning self ("deep policy"). He actively and consciously uses his intelligence to control the situation and manipulate Collatinus, using flattery and insults to try to hide the fact that Tarquin did something wrong. Tarquin wants to take control of the situation and is trying to hide his motives from Collatinus.

Literary Devices:

• Metaphor:

  • "throws that shallow habit by" - The mask of deception.
  • "armed his long-hid wits" - The employment of his intelligence.
  • "set thy long-experienced wit to school" - To have Collatinus learn from Tarquin.

• Personification:

  • "wits advisedly" - giving a characteristic to wits

• Irony:

  • "Thou wronged lord of Rome" - Tarquin is the one that wronged Collatinus.

• Alliteration:

  • "deep policy"

• Imperative Mood/Command:

  • "Arise!" "Let..."