full book XIV

Gaio Vipstano C. Fonteio consulibus diu meditatum scelus non ultra Nero distulit

when Gaius Vipstanus and Gaius Fonteius were consuls, Nero no longer put off the crime which he had contemplated for a long tine

vestutate imperii coalita audacia

his boldness was firmly established by the length of his reign

et flagrantior in dies amore Poppaeae,

and he was more passionate by the day with love for Poppaeae,

Quae sibi matrimonium et discidium Octaviae incolumi Agrippina haud sperans 

who, hopeless of marriage for herself and divorce for Octavia while Agrippina was unharmed 

Crebris criminationibus, aliquando per facetias incusare principem et pupillum vocaret

(She) accused the emperor with frequent accusations and sometimes through cutting remarks and called him a ward

qui iussis alienis obnoxius non modo imperii, seb libertatis etiam indigeret.

Who, at the mercy of the commands of others, lacked not only command, but even freedom.

Cur enim differri nuptias suas?

for why was their wedding being defferred?

Formam scilicet discplicere et triumphalis avos. 

No doubt her beauty was displeasing, or her ancestors with their triumphs. 

An fecunditatem et verum animum?

Or was it her fertility and her sincere affection?

Timeri ne uxor saltem iniurias patrum,

it was feared that, as a wife at least, the oppression of the senators

Iram populi adversus superbiam avaritiamque matris aperiat.

The anger of the people towards the arrogance and greed of his mother she would reveal to him.

quod si nurum Agrippina non nisi filio infestam ferre posset, redderetur ipsa Othonis coniungo:

but if Agrippina could tolerate no daughter in law who was not hostile to her son, then let her be returned to marriage with Otho:

Ituram quoquo terrarum, ubi audiret potius contumelias imperatoris quam viseret

she would go anywhere on earth where she could hear of the insults to the emperor rather than see them

Periculis eius immixta.

While mixed up herself in the dangers to him (his dangers)

haec atque talia lacrimis et arte adulterae penetrantia nemo prohibebat,

no one prevented these and other such things from sinking in with the tears and arts of an adulterer,

Cupientibus cunctis infringi potentiam matris 

since all wished the mother’s power to be broken 

Et credente nullo usque ad caedem eius durata filii odia.

And none believed that the son’s hatred would endure to the point of her slaughter.

tradit Cluvius ardore retinendae retinendae Agrippinam potentiae eo usque provectam

Cluvius relates that Agrippina was carried so far by her desire to retain power

ut medio diei, cum id temporis Nero per vinum et epulas incalesceret,

that in the middle of the day, at the time when Nero was growing warm from wine feasting,

offerret se saepius temulento comptam et incesto paratam;

She rather often offered herself to the drunken man dressed up and ready for incest;

Iamque lasciva oscula et praenuntias flagitii blanditias adnotantibus proximis,

when his intimates were already noticing the provocative kisses and the caresses that foretold of scandal,

Senecam contra muliebris inlecebras subsidium a femina petivisse,

Seneca sought help from a woman against womanly enticements,

immissamque Acte libertam

And the freedwoman Acte was sent in,

quae simul suo periculo et infamia Neronis anxia

who, anxious simultaneously about her own danger and the infamy of Nero

Deferret pervulgatum esse incestum gloriante matre,

would report that the incest was common knowledge due to his mother’s boasting,

Nec toleraturos milites profani principis imperium.

And that the soldiers would not tolerate the command of an impious emperor.

Fabius Rusticus non Agrippinae sed Neroni cupitum id memorat

Fabius Rusticus relates that the incest was desired not by Agrippina, but by Nero

Eiusdemque libertae astu disiectum.

And that it was disrupted by the cunning of the freedwoman.

Sed quae Cluvius eadem ceteri quoque auctores prodidere,

But other authors have also recorded the same facts as Cluvius,

et fama huc inclinat,

and rumour leans in this direction,

Seu concepit animo tantum immanitatis Agrippina,

whether Agrippina [actually] conceived such a great monstrosity in her mind,

Seu credibilior novae libidinis meditatio in ea visa est

or whether the consideration of this new lust seemed more credible in her

Quae puellaribus annis stuprum cum Lepido spe dominationis admiserat,

who had committed debauchery in her girlish years with Lepidus in the hope of power,

Pari cupidine usque ad libita Pallantis provulta

had postrated herself with equal desire even at the will of Pallas,

Et exercita ad omne flagitum patrui nuptiis.

And had become practiced in all manner of depravities with marriage to her uncle.

Igitur Nero vitare secretos congressus,

Nero, therefore avoided private meetings with her,

Adscendentem in hortos aut Tusculanum vel Antiatem in agrum laudare quod otium capesseret.

He praised her when she went away to the gardens or country estates at Tusculum or Antium in the grounds of taking leisure.

Postremo, ubicumque haberetur, praegraven ratus interficere constituit,

Finally, considering her a most serious problem wherever she might be kept, he decided to kill her,

Hactenus consultans, veneno an fero vel qua alia vi.

Taking advice on this point only, whether to use poison, or the sword, or some other violent means.

Placuitque primo venenum.

Poison was his first choice.

Sed inter epulas principis si daretur,

But if it were given at a feast of the emperor,

Referri ad casum non poterat tali ian Britannici exitio;

It could not be ascribed to chance, since such had already been Brittanicus’ demise;

Et ministros temptare arduum videbatur mulierus

And it seemed difficult to corrupt the servants of a woman

Usu scelerum adversus insidias intentae;

Who was alert to the plots given her experience of omens;

Atque ipsa praesumendo remedia munierat corpus.

And she herself had fortified her body by taking remedies beforehand.

Ferrum et caedes quonam modo occultaretur, nemo reperiebat;

No one was able to work out the means by which slaughter by the sword might be concealed;

Et ne quis illi tanto facinori delectus iussa sperneret metuebat.

And he was afraid that anyone chosen for such a great crime as that might reject his orders.

Obtulit ingenium Anicetus libertus

The freedman Ancietus offered a plan

classi apid Misenum praefectus et pueritae Neronis educator

who was freedman of the fleet at Misenum and the tutor of Nero in his boyhood

ac mutuis odiis Agrippinae invisus.

and hated by Agrippina with loathing that was mutual

Ergo navem posse componi docet

He accordingly explained that a ship could be constructed

Cuius pars ipso in mari per artem soluta effunderet ignaram:

Of which a part could be broken up by design while actually out at sea to tip her out unaware:

Nihil tam capax fortuitorum quam mare;

He said that nothing had as much scope for accidents as the sea;

Et si naufragio intercepta sit,

And if she were cut off by a shipwreck,

Quem adeo iniquum, ut sceleri adsignet, quod venti et fluctus deliquerint?

Who would be so unjust as to ascribe to crime that the wind and waves had done wrong?

Additurum principem defunctae templum et aras et cetera ostentandae pietati.

The emperor would assign to the dead woman a temple and altars and other things to show his sense of duty.

Placuit sollertia, tempore etiam iuta,

This ingenuity pleased him, also helped by the date,

Quando Quinquatrum destos dies apud Baias frequentabat.

Which was when he was celebrating the festival of the Quinquatrus at Baiae.

Illuc matrem elicet,

He lured his mother there,

Ferendas parentium iracundias et placandum animum dictitans,

Saying again and again that the tantrums of parents had to be put up with and that their spirit had to be placated,

Quo rumorem reconciliationis efficeret accuperetque Agrippina,

So that he might start a rumour of reconciliation so that Agrippina might accept it,

Facili feminarum credulitate ad gaudia.

With the ready credulity of women for cheerful news.

Venientem dehinc obvius in litora

Coming to meet her there as she came to the shore

(Nam Antio adventabat)

For she was arrivinf from Antium)

Excepit manu et complexy ducitque Baulos.

He welcomed her with his hand and an embrace and led her to Bauli.

Id villae nomen est,

This was the name of the villa,

Quae promunturium Misenum inter et Baianum lacum flexo mari adluitur.

Which is lapped by an inlet of the sea between the promontory of Misenum and the lake of Baiae.

Stabat inter alias navis ornatior,

Among others stood a more ornate ship,

Tamquam id quoque honori matris daretur:

As if that too was given as a tribute to his mother’s honour:

Quippe sueverat triremi et classiariorum remigio vehi.

Indeed she had been accustomed to triremes and to being conveyed by a crew of sailors.

Ac tum invitata ad epulas erat,

And then she was invited to a feast,

Ut occultando facinori nox adhiberetur.

So that night might be used to conceal the crime.

Satis constitit extitisse proditorem

There was no doubt that there was an informer

Et Agrippinam auditis insidiis, an crederet ambiguam,

And that Agrippina, having heard of the trap and doubting whether to believe it,

Gestamine sellae Baias pervectam.

Was conveyed to Baiae in a sedan chair.

Ibi blandimentum sublevavit metum:

There his flattery assuaged her fear:

Comiter excepta superque ipsum collocata.

She was courteously received and was given the place of honour above even him.

Iam pluribus sermonibus, modo familiaritate iuvenili Nero et rursus adductus,

Now Nero with much conversation, at times with youthful familiarity and others seriously,

Quasi seria consociaret, tracto in longum convictu,

As though communicating serious things, when the banquet had been drawn out at length,

Prosequitur abeuntem, artius oculis et pectori harens,

Pursued her closely when she went away, clinging to her more closely with his eyes and to her breast,

sive explenda simulatione,

Either in completing his preface,

Seu periturae matris supremus aspectus quamvis ferum animum retinebat.

Or because the final sight of his doomed mother held onto his soul, however wild it was.

Noctem sideribus inlustrem et placido maru quietam quasi convincendum ad scelus dii praebuere.

The gods provided a night bright with stars and peaceful with a calm sea, as if to provide proof of the crime.

Nec multum erat progressa navis,

Nor had the ship progressed far,

Duobus e numero familiarum Agrippinam comitantibus,

With two of Agrippina’s household accompanying her,

Ex quis Crepereius Gallus haud procul gubernaculis adstabat,

Of these, Crepereius Gallus was not standing far from the tiller,

Acerronia super pedes cubitantis reclinis

Acerronia was reclining over the feet of the woman as she lay down

paenitentiam filii et reciperatam matris gratiam per gaudium memorabat,

And recalling the remorse of her son and the recovered influence of the mother with joy,

Cum dato signo ruere tectum loci plumbo grave,

Then a signal was given and the roof on that spot, weighted with a lot of lead, collapsed,

Pressusque Crepereius et statim exanimus est:

And Crepereius was crushed and died instantly:

Agrippina et Aceronia eminentibus lecti parietibus ac forte validioribus quam ut oneri cederent, protectae sunt.

Agrippina and Aceronia were protected by sides of the bed which were high and were by chance too strong to give way beneath the burden.

Nec dissolutio navigii sequebatur,

Nor did the break-up of the ship follow,

Turbatis omnibus et quod plerique ignari etiam conscios impediebant.

Since everyone was in disarray and the ignorant majority were already hindering those in the know.

Visum dehinc remigibus unum in latus inclinare atque ita navem submergere;

It then seemed a good idea to the oarsmen to put their weight on one side and thereby sink the ship;

Sed neque ipsis promptus in rem subitam consensus,

But there was not ready agreement among them for this sudden plan,

Et alii contra nitentes defere facultatem lenioris in mare iactus.

And the others straining on the other side provided the opportunity for a more gentle descent into the sea.

Verum Acerronia imprudentia dum se Agrippinam esse utque subveniretur matri principis clamitat,

Indeed Acerronia while constantly shouting, with a lack of forethought, that she was Agrippina and that help should be given to the emperor’s mother,

Contis et remis et quae fors obtulerat navalibus telus conficitur.

She was finished off with poles and oars and with whichever naval weapons that chance had provided.

Agrippina silens eoque minus adgnita

Agrippina was silent and hence less recognised

(Unum tamen vulnus umero excepit)

(She did however receive one wound to her shoulder)