IGCSE Latin Messalina Set Text Translation

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est.

Messalina was ablaze with a new and, as it were, mad love.

nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exarserat ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur.

For she had become so inflamed with love for Gaius Silius, the most handsome of the Roman youth, that she drove Junia Silana , a noble woman, from her marriage, and took possession of a [now] free adulterer.

neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat: sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et, si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse; simulque se magna praemia accepturum.

And Silius was not unaware of either the scandal or the danger: but he understood that, if he refused, death would be certain and, if he consented, there was some hope of hiding the crime; and at the same time he would receive great rewards.

igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.

Therefore it pleased him to ignore the future and enjoy the present.

non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum, egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque; postremo servi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur.

She went repeatedly to his house, not in secret but with many companions, she was always with him when he left, and she gave him wealth and honours; finally slaves, freedmen, the luxurious furnishings of the emperor were often seen at the house of an adulterer.

at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.

But Claudius was unaware of [what was happening in] his marriage.

iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

Now Messalina, because of the ease of her adulteries, turned herself to new pleasures.

Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum ratus, abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat:

Silius, whether through a madness sent by fate or thinking that danger itself was the cure for impending dangers, began to urge the concealment to be thrown off:

quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret.

for [he said that] obviously they shouldn't wait until the emperor grew old.

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum.

He was unmarried, childless, ready for marriage and to adopt Britannicus.

eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate, si praevenirent Claudium, qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.

The same power would remain with Messalina, with added peace of mind, if they forestalled Claudius, who was slow to suspect intrigue but quick to anger.

Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius summa adeptus se sperneret, diu haesitavit; sed tandem persuasum.

Messalina, not out of love for

her husband, but rather afraid that Silius, having obtained supreme power, would spurn her, hesitated for a long time but at last it was persuaded.

nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

For she longed for the name of marriage, because of the sheer scale of the outrageousness.

nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur, cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.

Having delayed not longer than until Claudius set out to Ostia for the purpose of a sacrifice she celebrated all the ceremonies of marriage.

igitur domus principis inhorruit, maximeque ei qui potentiam habebant timuerunt

ne res verterentur:

Therefore the house of the emperor shuddered, and those who had power most of all were afraid that [the order of] things would be overturned:

spem tamen habebant, si Claudio de atrocitate sceleris persuasissent, Messalinam posse opprimi sine quaestione damnatam;

however, they had hope that if they had persuaded Claudius of the enormity of the crime, Messalina could be crushed, having been condemned without a trial;

sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret, neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.

but there was a danger Claudius would hear her defence, and that his ears would not be closed even to her confessing.

Narcissus, occasiones quaerens, cum Caesar diu apud Ostiam moraretur, duas eius paelices largitione et promissis perpulit delationem subire.

Narcissus, seeking opportunities, since Caesar was lingering in Ostia for a long time, induced two of his concubines with bribery and promises to undertake a denunciation.

exim Calpurnia (id alteri paelici nomen), ubi datum est secretum, ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat;

Then Calpurnia (this was the name of one concubine), when a private audience was granted, having fallen at Caesar's knees xclaimed that Messalina had married Silius

altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.

with the other concubine confirming this, Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned

qui 'discidiumne tuum' inquit 'novisti? nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites;

He said 'Were you aware of your divorce? For the people and the senate and the soldiers saw Silius's wedding

ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.'

and unless you act quickly, the husband takes control of the city.'

non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam contendunt, qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et venire promptum ultioni adferrent.

Meanwhile, not only rumour but also messengers hurried everywhere to Messalina, to report that Claudius had found everything out and was ready to come back for vengeance.

igitur Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius dissimulando metui ad forum digrediuntur.

Therefore, Messalina went off to the gardens of Lucullus, and Silius, to conceal his fear, to the [duties of] the forum.

illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent, ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit, quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium;

She, however, although disaster was hindering her [ability to] plan, decided to go to meet him and to be seen by her husband immediately, because this had often been a means of salvation for her;

misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

and she sent orders for Britannicus and Octavia to go to the embrace of their father

atque interim, tribus omnino comitantibus tam repens erat solitudo - postquam per urbem pedibus ivit, vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat.

And meanwhile, with only three companions for her solitude was so sudden - after she had gone through the city [Rome] on foot, in a cart on which the rubbish of the gardens is taken away, she entered on the road to Ostia.

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.

She roused no sympathy from the citizens, because the appalling nature of her scandals overtook her.

et iam erat in aspectu Claudii clamitabatque ut audiret Octaviae et Britannici matrem.

And now she was in Claudius's sight and she was demanding loudly that he listen to Octavia's and Britannicus's mother

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens; simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit, quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

Narcissus, however, shouted her down, reminding him of Silius and the wedding; at the same time he gave him notebooks as proof of the debaucheries, with which to turn Caesar's attention.

nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi, sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit.

Not long after, as he entered the city, the children were being brought over to him, but Narcissus ordered them to be removed.

mirum inter haec silentium Claudii:

Claudius's silence during these goings-on was remarkable:

omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

he obeyed his freedman in everything; he, Narcissus, organised an assembly of soldiers in the camp

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

Among these soldiers, with Narcissus forwarning, the emperor said a few words:

continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

from then on there was a continuous cry from the soldiers demanding the names and punishment of the guilty parties.

ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, non moras temptavit, sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur.

Silius, led to the platform, did not attempt a defence or any delay, but prayed for death to be hastened.

interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam, componere preces, nonnulla spe et ira:

Meanwhile Messalina was prolonging her life in the gardens of Lucullus, was composing entreaties, with considerable hope and anger:

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

even then she was displaying such arrogance.

ac nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset, vertisset pernicies in accusatorem.

And unless Narcissus not sped on her slaughter, Death would have turned on her accuser.

nam Claudius domum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit, imperavit ut femina misera (hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt) ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.

For Claudius, having returned home, when he had grown warm with dinner and wine, ordered that the pitiable woman (for, as they say, Claudius used this word) should come to him the next day to plead her case. )

Quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit, timebat, si

moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam;

When Narcissus heard this, and saw [Claudius's] anger subside and love return, he was afraid that if he delayed, the next night would bring memories of his wife's bed;

igitur prorumpit denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem:

therefore he rushed out and ordered the centurions and the tribune, who was present, to carry out the slaughter:

ita imperatorem iubere.

[he said that] the emperor was giving such orders.

missus quoque unus e libertis:

One of the freedman was sent too:

is raptim in hortos progressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam; adsidebat mater Lepida, quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat;

he, hurriedly going on ahead to the gardens, found Messalina, stretched out on the ground; her mother, Lepida, was sitting beside her, who, while her daughter was successful, had not been on friendly terms with her

sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad misericordiam versa suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur:

but, roused to pity in her final times of need, she urged Messalina not to wait for the assassin:

transisse vitam neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum.

[she said that] life was over, and that nothing respectable could be sought other than death.

sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto;

But there was nothing honourable in Messalina's soul, which had been corrupted by pleasures;

lacrimae et questus inriti effundebantur, cum impetu venientem pulsae sunt fores adstititque tribunus.

tears and empty complaints were pouring out, the doors were broken open with the force of those people coming, and the tribune stood by.

tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit ferrumque accepit;

Then for the first time Messalina understood her fate and took a sword

quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens, ictu tribuni transigitur.

as she was putting it to her neck and chest in vain because of her trembling, she was stabbed by a blow from the tribune

corpus matri concessum.

The body was handed over to her mother.