Today’s Totally Random
Lines
‘Have done,’ quoth he: ‘my uncontrolled
tide
Turns not, but swells the higher by this let.
Small lights are soon blown out, huge fires abide,
And with the wind in greater fury fret:
The petty streams that pay a daily debt
To their salt sovereign, with their
fresh falls’ haste
Add to his flow, but alter not his taste.
Tarquin
Now from where I’m sitting, if I give you just a little context, I believe you should have no problem understanding exactly what Tarquin is saying. But unfortunately, I think I’m probably wrong in that assumption.
Let’s try anyway.
This is Tarquin talking. He’s stolen into Lucrece’s bedroom late at night with the intent of having his way with her. She is scared to death and wants no part of him. That’s not going to stop him. Remember, the poem is alternately titled Lucrece or The Rape Of Lucrece. Our victim has just spent a number of lines trying to talk Tarquin out of raping her. Today’s lines are part of Tarquin’s response to this plea. And one more bit of help: the word let in the second line can be taken to mean obstacle. In this case he’s referring to the obstacle of her trying to stop him.
Soooo, got it? Probably not.
Okay, here’s the Pete's short version:
First two lines: Stop talking. You’re not going to stop me, you’re just making
me want to do this more.
Next two lines: Like a large fire that grows bigger in a wind, my urge grows
stronger with your resisting it.
Last three: Okay, I can’t quite figure out what this metaphor is saying, but
I’m pretty sure it’s more of the same.
Now do you see it?
Never mind, Mojo.
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