William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic prose and verse read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.

‘But no perfection is so absolute
That some inpurity doth not pollute.’

The Rape of Lucrece follows a popular story from one of Shakespeare's favourite ancient writers, Ovid. Lucrece is the angelic wife of Collatine, an illustrious Roman general. She is coveted and eventually attacked by Prince Tarquin, Collatine's best friend.

All of the Shakespeare plays within the ARGO Classics catalogue are performed by the Marlowe Dramatic Society and Professional Players. The Marlowe was founded in 1907 with a mission to focus on effective delivery of verse, respect the integrity of texts, and rescue neglected plays by Shakespeare’s contemporaries and the less performed plays of Shakespeare himself. The Marlowe has performed annually at Cambridge Arts Theatre since its opening in 1936 and continues to produce some of the finest actors of their generations.

Thurston Dart, Professor of Music at London University and a Fellow of Jesus College Cambridge, directed the music for this production.

The full cast includes: Readers: Tony Church; George Rylands; Peggy Ashcroft; Denis McCarthy; Peter Holmes; Peter Orrl Janette Richer.

This European theatre gem, despite its short length, has been a top performing piece in the ARGO Classics catalogue. Its compelling narrative and the profound delivery of verse make it a must-read for all Shakespeare enthusiasts.

For fans of Paul Werstine (The Merchant of Venice), Sparknotes (Merchant of Venice), and Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman).

The Rape of Lucrece (Argo Classics)

The Rape of Lucrece (Argo Classics)