This essay explores the transformation of Livy's Lucretia in The Early History of Rome to other historical accounts like Ovid's Fasti, St. Augustine's The City of God Against the Pagans, and Rembrandt's two paintings of Lucretia to reflect and highlight how scholars and artists have manipulated the legend to reflect the religious, political, or historical attitudes of the time. To account for the distinctiveness of each scholar or artist, I offer a close reading that contextualizes the response to the themes of gender, rape, and suicide found in Lucretia's legend. This essay will demonstrate the different representations of women and Lucretia and how scholars used Lucretia as a didactic tool to teach approved behaviors.