Stanza 82 - Explanation

Original Stanza

She conjures him by high almighty Jove,
By knighthood, gentry, and sweet friendship's oath,
By her untimely tears, her husband's love,
By holy human law, and common troth,
By heaven and earth, and all the power of both,
That to his borrow'd bed he make retire,
And stoop to honour, not to foul desire.

🔍 Line-by-Line Analysis

Line-by-Line Breakdown:

• "She conjures him by high almighty Jove,"

  • conjures: Implores, begs, appeals to, invokes.
  • high almighty Jove: Zeus, the king of the gods in Roman mythology, representing supreme power and authority. Jove is used here instead of Jupiter, emphasizing a lofty and powerful image.
  • Literary Device: Allusion (to Roman mythology), invoking a sense of divine power and moral order.
  • Meaning: Lucrece begins her desperate plea by invoking the most powerful god, hoping to appeal to Tarquin's sense of piety or fear of divine retribution.

• "By knighthood, gentry, and sweet friendship's oath,"

  • knighthood: The code of chivalry, representing honor, loyalty, and protecting the weak.
  • gentry: His noble birth and status, carrying obligations and expectations of honorable behavior.
  • sweet friendship's oath: The bond of trust and loyalty between friends, which Tarquin is betraying as a guest in Lucrece's house.
  • Literary Device: Anaphora (implied - "By...") - building intensity with a list of ideals.
  • Meaning: Lucrece appeals to Tarquin's identity and social standing, reminding him of the values he should uphold. She appeals to their assumed friendship and the promises inherent in that bond.

• "By her untimely tears, her husband's love,"

  • untimely tears: Her premature grief and distress, caused by Tarquin's presence and intentions.
  • her husband's love: The affection and trust that Collatine has for her, which Tarquin is violating.
  • Literary Device: Pathos (emotional appeal). The tears and love are designed to evoke sympathy and compassion.
  • Meaning: She appeals to his pity, emphasizing her own suffering and the damage he is inflicting on her marriage and her husband's happiness.

• "By holy human law, and common troth,"

  • holy human law: The moral and legal codes that govern society, including marriage vows and the prohibition of adultery.
  • common troth: Basic human decency, fidelity, and trust. Troth means faith or pledged fidelity.
  • Literary Device: Parallelism (holy human law/common troth), emphasizing the interconnectedness of divine and human expectations.
  • Meaning: She invokes the established social order and the fundamental principles of honesty and faithfulness that bind people together.

• "By heaven and earth, and all the power of both,"

  • heaven and earth: The entirety of creation, representing everything that exists.
  • all the power of both: A re-emphasis of Jove earlier in the stanza, alluding to the ultimate authority in the universe and the repercussions of evil actions.
  • Literary Device: Hyperbole (exaggeration for effect), underlining the vastness and seriousness of the situation.
  • Meaning: She broadens her appeal to encompass all of existence, suggesting that Tarquin's actions are not only a violation of earthly rules but also a transgression against the very fabric of the universe.

• "That to his borrow'd bed he make retire,"

  • borrow'd bed: Lucrece's bed. It's "borrowed" because Tarquin is a guest in her house.
  • retire: Withdraw, go away, depart.
  • Literary Device: Metonymy (using "borrow'd bed" to represent the entire act of sexual violation).
  • Meaning: She pleads with him to leave her bed and her chamber, acknowledging the specific act he intends to commit.

• "And stoop to honour, not to foul desire."

  • stoop to honour: Lower himself to the level of acting honorably, implying it's below his current intention. (The verb "stoop" often has a negative connotation, suggesting condescension, but here, it's used ironically to highlight the contrast between his present actions and true honor).
  • foul desire: His lustful and corrupt inclinations.
  • Literary Device: Juxtaposition (placing "honour" and "foul desire" in direct contrast), emphasizing the moral choice Tarquin faces.
  • Meaning: She urges him to choose honor over his base instincts, to control his passions and act in a virtuous manner.

Overall Meaning of Stanza 82:

This stanza is a powerful and desperate plea from Lucrece to Tarquin, using a comprehensive range of appeals to try to dissuade him from raping her. She invokes divine authority, social conventions, moral obligations, personal relationships, and the fundamental principles of right and wrong. She hopes to trigger a sense of conscience and shame in Tarquin, urging him to reject his lustful desires and choose the path of honor instead. The sheer scope of her appeals highlights the magnitude of the crime Tarquin is about to commit and the moral crisis at the heart of the poem. It is a desperate attempt to stop the inevitable by appealing to every possible virtue or sense of obligation Tarquin might possess. It tragically underscores the futility of her efforts.