Rape and death of Roman Lucretia To her husband’s question, “Is
all well?,” Lucretia replied: “Far from it; for what can be well
with a woman when she has lost her honour? The print of a
strange man is in your bed. Yet my body only has been violated;
my heart is guiltless, as death shall be my witness.” … Taking a
knife which she had concealed beneath her dress, she plunged it
into her heart, and sinking forward upon the wound, died as she
fell. (Livy Book I. 57-60) A discussion about the acceptable
reasons for ending one’s life (see our previous post) can profit
from the opinion of our forefathers, the Ancients, and from that
of the Renaissance men, who channelled ancient thought into
modernity. Most of the quotes are taken from the French
Renaissance writer Montaigne (II:3), whose Gutenberg English
text is available in the translation of Charles Cotton (1630 –
1687). See also the original French text. Note to readers To
many, old writings are a terrible bore. They are wrong in my
view. Ancient writings, act