[4,66] Ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ τὸ στρατόπεδον ἀπῄει πονηρὰν καὶ ὀλέθριον ἐπιθυμίαν ἐκπεπληρωκώς, ἡ δὲ Λουκρητία δεινῶς φέρουσα τὸ συμβεβηκὸς ὡς εἶχε τάχους ἐπιβᾶσα τῆς ἀπήνης εἰς Ῥώμην ᾤχετο, μέλαιναν ἐσθῆτα περιβαλομένη καὶ ξιφίδιόν τι κρύπτουσα ὑπὸ τῇ στολῇ, οὔτε προσαγορεύουσα κατὰ τὰς συναντήσεις οὐδένα τῶν ἀσπαζομένων οὔτ´ ἀποκρινομένη τοῖς μαθεῖν βουλομένοις, ὅ τι πέπονθεν, ἀλλὰ σύννους καὶ κατηφὴς καὶ μεστοὺς ἔχουσα τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς δακρύων. ὡς δ´ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν εἰσῆλθε τοῦ πατρός· ἔτυχον δὲ συγγενεῖς ὄντες τινὲς παρ´ αὐτῷ· τῶν γονάτων αὐτοῦ λαβομένη καὶ περιπεσοῦσα τέως μὲν ἔκλαιε φωνὴν οὐδεμίαν προϊεμένη, ἔπειτ´ ἀνιστάντος αὐτὴν τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τί πέπονθεν ἀξιοῦντος λέγειν· Ἱκέτις ἔφη γίνομαί σου πάτερ δεινὴν καὶ ἀνήκεστον ὑπομείνασα ὕβριν, τιμωρῆσαί μοι καὶ μὴ περιιδεῖν τὴν σεαυτοῦ θυγατέρα θανάτου χείρονα παθοῦσαν. Θαυμάσαντος δ´ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων καὶ τίς ὕβρικεν αὐτὴν καὶ ποδαπὴν ὕβριν ἀξιοῦντος λέγειν· Ἀκούσῃ τὰς ἐμάς, ἔφη, συμφοράς, ὦ πάτερ, οὐκ εἰς μακράν· χάρισαι δέ μοι ταύτην πρῶτον αἰτουμένῃ τὴν χάριν· κάλεσον ὅσους δύνασαι πλείστους φίλους τε καὶ συγγενεῖς, ἵνα παρ´ ἐμοῦ τῆς τὰ δεινὰ παθούσης ἀκούσωσι καὶ μὴ παρ´ ἑτέρων. ὅταν δὲ μάθῃς τὰς κατασχούσας αἰσχρὰς καὶ δεινὰς ἀνάγκας, βούλευσαι μετ´ αὐτῶν, ὅντινα τιμωρήσεις ἐμοί τε καὶ σεαυτῷ τρόπον καὶ μὴ πολὺν ποίει χρόνον τὸν διὰ μέσου.

[4,66] When it was day, Sextus, having gratified his wicked and baneful passion, returned to the camp. But Lucretia, overwhelmed with shame at what had happened, got into her carriage in all haste, dressed in black raiment under which she had a dagger concealed, and set out for Rome, without saying a word to any person who saluted her when they met or making answer to those who wished to know what had befallen her, but continued thoughtful and downcast, with her eyes full of tears. When she came to her father's house, where some of his relations happened to be present, she threw herself at his feet and embracing his knees, wept for some time without uttering a word. And when he raised her up and asked her what had befallen her, she said: "I come to you as a suppliant, father, having endured terrible and intolerable outrage, and I beg you to avenge me and not to overlook your daughter's having suffered worse things than death." When her father as well (p479) as all the others was struck with wonder at hearing this and he asked her to tell who had outraged her and in what manner, she said: "You will hear of my misfortunes very soon, father; but first grant me this favour I ask of you. Send for as many of your friends and kinsmen as you can, so that they may hear the report from me, the victim of terrible wrongs, rather than from others. And when you have learned to what shameful and dire straits I was reduced, consult with them in what manner you will avenge both me and yourself. But do not let the time between be long."