4 Now it happened that Collatinus was then at the camp, but his wife, who was a Roman woman, the daughter of Lucretius, a man of distinction, entertained him, as a kinsman of her husband, with great cordiality and friendliness. But, for my part, I am persuaded that he too was a grandson of Egerius, 108 inasmuch as he was of the same age as the sons of Tarquinius, as Fabius and the other historians have recorded for the chronology confirms me in this opinion. 3 This man is said by Fabius to have been the son of Egerius, who, as I have shown earlier, 107 was the nephew of Tarquinius the first Roman king of that name, and having been appointed governor of Collatia, was not only himself called Collatinus from his living there, but also left the same surname to his posterity.
2 At this time Sextus, the eldest son of Tarquinius, being sent by his father to a city called Collatia to perform certain military services, lodged at the house of his kinsman, Lucius Tarquinius, surnamed Collatinus.
But as the Ardeates bravely defended themselves and the siege was proving a lengthy one, both the Romans who were in the camp, being fatigued by the length of the war, and those at Rome, who had become exhausted by the war taxes, were ready to revolt if any occasion offered for making a beginning. The truth was, however, that he had designs against this city on account of its wealth, since it was the most flourishing of all the cities in Italy. 1450, The New York Public Library.64 1 Tarquinius 106 was then laying siege to Ardea, alleging as his reason that it was receiving the Roman fugitives and assisting them in their endeavours to “Lucretia”, illumination from the manuscript “Des cleres et nobles femmes”, ms. The remaining prominent families finally instituted a republic, with Collatinus being one of the first consuls. Lucretia's rape and suicide thus led to the fall of the Roman monarchy, with the royal family of the Tarquinii being ragefully expelled from the city. Desperate, the woman denounced the rape and asked for an oath of vengeance: then, while the men were still debating the proper course of action, she took a dagger she had hidden inside her dress and, torn apart by pain and humiliation, she stabbed herself in the heart. Shocked and terrified, Lucretia could do nothing but surrender to Sextus' threats.Īfter the fact, Sextus returned to the siege, while Lucretia called for her husband and father. Managing to enter her rooms unnoticed, Sextus threatened to kill her with his sword or frame her for adultery unless she had given herself to him. Intrigued by Lucretia's chastity, one of the king's sons, Sextus Tarquinius, later returned to the house alone. Being certain of his wife's virtue, Collatinus brought home the company in the middle of the night: there they found Lucretia placidly weaving wool together with her maids - while the other wives were found lavishly banqueting with friends.
While engaged in the siege of Ardea, Collatinus, together with other noblemen, began arguing and imagining what their wives would be doing while they were away. Lucretia was a Roman noblewoman married to Collatinus, who was related to Tarquinius Priscus, fifth king of Rome. As always, a new Wednesday means a new story from famous women in history as narrated by Boccaccio! This time, our weekly Women's Wednesday features Lucretia and the tragic events that led to the birth of the Roman Republic.
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