# Tarquin — Poetry character guide

> Tarquin in Poetry by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Lust - breathed Tarquin, Lust, Enchanted Tarquin, Sextus Tarquinius, Lucius Tarquinius

**First appearance:** 0001-the-rape-of-lucrece

## Who they are

The king's son who leaves the siege of Ardea bearing a lightless fire, inflamed by another man's praise of a chaste wife he means to make unchaste.

## Relationships

### [Lucrece](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/lucrece)

_psychological_

Tarquin obsessively desires Lucrece and rapes her, making her his victim and driving her to suicide.

### [Collatine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/collatine)

_friendship_

Collatine and Tarquin are fellow Roman noblemen and friends, a bond Tarquin betrays by raping Collatine's wife.

### [Collatinus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/collatinus)

_social_

Collatinus and Tarquin are acquaintances in Roman high society, their connection shattered by Tarquin's crime.

### [Sinon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/sinon)

_psychological_

Sinon is a figure of deceit whom Lucrece compares to Tarquin, seeing both as treacherous manipulators.

### [Lucrece](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/lucrece)

_psychological_

Tarquin obsessively desires Lucrece and rapes her, making her his victim and driving her to suicide.

## In the story

### [The Argument](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/chapters/the-argument)

Struggles with his lust and conscience, ultimately committing the rape.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters/tarquin
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/poetry_28_se/characters