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Tarquin

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Last king of Rome, whose son’s rape of Lucretia sparked the Republic’s founding

Detailed Definition
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus was expelled for tyranny after the Lucretia incident. Poets reference him as the archetype of despotic rule, symbol of sexual and political violation, and the necessary villain whose fall births liberty.
Example
Example in poetry:
Tarquin appears in Roman and Renaissance poetry as the archetypal tyrant whose lust leads to the fall of monarchy; Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece” uses Tarquin to explore honor, violation, and political revolution; Poets reference Tarquin’s overthrow to symbolize the birth of republicanism and civic virtue; His name becomes synonymous with abuse of power and sexual violence; Modern verse may use Tarquin to critique patriarchal authority and the silencing of victims; Tarquin’s legacy serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of unchecked desire.
Additional Notes
Tarquin refers to Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, the last king of Rome, whose son’s rape of Lucretia sparked the Republic’s founding; in poetry, Tarquin symbolizes tyrannical lust, the abuse of power, or the catalyst for liberty—Shakespeare’s “The Rape of Lucrece” explores his crime; essential for analyzing poems on honor, revolution, and the gendered origins of political change.
Also Known As
Tarquin the Proud Lucius Tarquinius Superbus
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