Latin Historical Text: Messalina's Trial and Execution

One of the freedmen was also sent

missus quoque unus e libertis

he, having gone on ahead hurriedly into the gardens

is raptim in hortos praegressus

found Messalina, poured out on the ground

repperit Messalinam, humi fusam

her mother Lepida was sitting next to her

adsidebat mater Lepida

who had not been on friendly terms with her daughter as she flourished

quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat

but having turned to pity in her extreme time of need

sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad misericordiam versa

was urging her not to await the executioner

suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur:

her life was finished

transiisse vitam

and there was not anything other than a fitting death to be sought

neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum

But there was nothing honourable in Messalina's mind

sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo

which had been corrupted by lusts

per libidines corrupto

tears and useless complaints were being poured out

lacrimae et questus inriti effundebantur

when the doors were broken open by the assault of those coming

cum impetu venientium pulsae sunt fores

and there stood the tribune

adstititque tribunus.

Then for the first time Messalina understood her fate

tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit

and accepted the blade

ferrumque accepit;

while in vain putting it to her throat or breast because of the trembling

quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens,

she is run through by the tribune's thrust

ictu tribuni transigitur.

Her body was granted to her mother

corpus matri concessum.

Meanwhile Messalina in the Gardens of Lucullus was prolonging her life, was putting together entreaties

interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam, componere preces,

with some hope and anger

nonnulla spe et ira:

such great arrogance was she displaying even then

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

And if Narcissus had not hastened her execution

ac nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset,

she would have turned the ruin onto her accuser

vertisset pernicies in accusatorem.

For Claudius, having returned home

Nam Claudius domum regressus,

when he was warm with dinner and wine

ubi cena vinoque incaluit,

he gave orders that the poor woman

imperavit ut femina misera

(for they say that Claudius used this word)

(hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt)

should be present the next day to plead her case

ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.

When Narcissus heard this

quod ubi Narcissus audivit

and saw that his anger was dying down and his love returning

et languescere iram redire amorem vidit,

he feared, if he delayed, the approaching night and the memory of his wife's bedroom

timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam;

therefore he burst forth

igitur prorumpit

and ordered the centurions and the tribune, who was present, to complete the execution

denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem:

[he said that] the emperor ordered it thus

ita imperatorem iubere.

During all this Claudius' silence was strange

mirum inter haec silentium Claudii:

in everything he obeyed his freedman

omnia liberto oboediebat;

that man prepared the assembly of the soldiers in the camp

qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

In their presence, with Narcissus giving instructions first, the emperor gave a few words

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

from then on there was a continuous uproar of soldiers demanding the names of the guilty and their punishments

continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

Silius, brought to the platform, did not attempt a defence or any delaying tactics

ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, non moras temptavit,

but begged that his death be hastened

sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur.

And meanwhile, with three people in total accompanying

atque interim, tribus omnino comitantibus

- so sudden was her desertion -

- tam repens erat solitudo -

after she went through the city on foot

postquam per urbem pedibus ivit,

she embarks on the road to Ostia in a cart in which the refuse of gardens is taken away

vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat.

She aroused no pity in the citizens

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit

because the appalling nature of the scandal carried more weight

quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.

And now she was in Claudius' sight

et iam erat in aspectu Claudii

and she was shouting repeatedly that he should listen to the mother of Octavia and Britannicus

clamitabatque ut audiret Octaviae et Britannici matrem.

Narcissus, however, shouted her down, mentioning Silius and the marriage

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens;

at the same time he handed over note-books as proofs of her infidelities

simul codicillos libidinum índices tradidit,

by which he might draw away Caesar's attention

quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

And not much later his children were presented to him as he was entering the city

nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi,

but Narcissus ordered them to be removed

sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit.