Of battles, and the long and perilous seige;
And when I laid me down at night to sleep,

'Twas with a lighten'd heart, . . I knew thee safe,
My visions were of thee.

Nay hear me out!

And be thou wise in vengeance, so thy wife
Not vainly shall have suffered. I have wrought
My soul up to the business of this hour

That it may stir your noble spirits, prompt
Such glorious deeds that ages yet unborn
Shall bless my fate. At midnight I awoke,..
The Tarquin was beside me! O my husband!
Where wert thou then! gone was my rebel strength,..
All power of utterance gone! astonish'd, stunn'd,
I saw the coward ruffian, heard him urge
His damned suit, and bid me tamely yield, ..
Yield to dishonour. When he proffer'd death,..
Oh I had leapt to meet the merciful sword!
But that with most accursed vows he vow'd
That he would lay a dead slave by my side,
Murdering my spotless honour... Collatine!
From what an anguish have I rescued thee!
And thou my father, wretched as thou art,
Thou miserable, childless, poor old man,...

Think, father, what that agony had been!
Now thou mayst sorrow for me, thou mayst bless
The memory of thy poor, polluted child.

Look if it have not kindled Brutus' eye!
Mysterious man! at last I know thee now,
I see thy dawning glories!.. to the grave
Not unrevenged Lucretia shall descend;
Not always shall her wretched country wear
The Tarquins yoke! ye will deliver Rome,
And I have comfort in this dreadful hour.

Thinkest thou, my husband, that I dreaded death?
O Collatine! the weapon that had gored
My bosom, had been ease, been happiness, . .
Elysium, to the hell of his hot grasp.
Judge if Lucretia could have fear'd to die!

Stabs herself.

Songs

of the

American Indians.