Messalina translation

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est.

Messalina was on fire with a new and you might say crazy passion.

nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exaserat

For she was so inflamed with love for Gaius Silius, the handsomest of the young men in Rome,

ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam,

that she drove out Junia Silana, a noble woman,

matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur.

from her marriage and had the now wifeless adulterer all to herself.

neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat:

And Silius was not unaware of the scandal or the risk:

sed intellexit exitium, si abunueret, fore certum et,

but he realised that if he were to refuse, his death would be certain and 

si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spen esse;

if he were to consent, there was some hope of concealing his crime;

simulque se magna praemia accepturum.

And at the same time that he would receive great benefits.

igitur placuit neglegere futura, praesentibus frui.

Therefore he decided to disregard the future and enjoy the present.

illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventiat

She came frequently to his house, not furtively, but with many companions

domum, egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque;

She was always with him when he went out, and she gave him wealth and honors;

postremo servi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur.

Eventually slaves, freedmen and the luxurious furnishings of the emperor were often seen in the presence of the adulterer.

at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.

But Claudius was ignorant of what was going on in his own marriage.

iam Messalina propter facultatem adulterorium,

Messalina, because of the ease of her adulteries, now

ad nova libidines versa est.

turned to new pleasures.

Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium

Silius, whether due to some fatal madness or thinking that the answer

imminentium periculorum ratus, 

to this threatening danger was to face up to the danger itself,

abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat: quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret.

urged that the concealment be thrown off, for obviously they shouldn’t have to wait until the emperor grew old.

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum.

He pointed out that he was unmarried, childless and was ready for marriage and to adopt Britannicus.

eandem Messalinae potential mansuram esse,

He said that the same power would remain for Messalina,

addita securitae, si praevenirent Claudium,

with added security, if they could forestall Claudius,

qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.

who was slow to suspect intrigue but was quick to temper.

Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius

Messalina, not in love with her husband, but fearing that Silius

summa adeptus se sperneret, diu haesitavit;

having obtained supreme power, might reject her, hesitated for a long time;

sed tandem persuasum.

but at last she was persuaded.

Nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae;

For she longed for the respectable name of marriage on account of the the magnitude of its outrageousness;

nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur,

And she delayed only until Claudius set out for Ostia for the purpose of a sacrifice.

cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.

and then celebrated all the ceremonies of marriage.

igitur domus principis inhorruit, maximeque ei qui

Therefore the emperor’s household shuddered, and those who

Potentiam habebant timuerunt ne res verterentur;

held power were especially afraid that there would be a coup.

Spem tamen habebant, si Claudio de atrocitate

However they had hope that if they could persuade

sceleris persuasissent, Messalinam posse

Claudius of the enormity of the crime, Messalina could be

opprimi sine quaestione damnatam;

overcome and condemned without a trial;

Sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret,

but they believed that there was a danger that he might listen to her defense

neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.

and that his ears might not be closed even to her confession.

Narcissus, occasionem quaerens, cum Caesar

Narcissus, searching for an opportunity when the emperor

diu apud Ostiam moraretur, duas eius paelices

was delayed for a while at Ostia, prevailed upon two of Claudius’ concubines

largitione et promissis perpulit delationem subire.

with bribery and promises to act as informers.

exim Calpurnia ( id alteri paelici nomen) ubi datum est

Then Calpurnia (that was the name of one of the other concubines) when

secretum, ad genua Caesaris provolua nupsisse

a private interview was granted, fell down at the emperor’s knees and

Messalinam Silio exclamat;

shouted out 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 “discidium-ne tuum,” inquit, “novisti?

He said “Do you know of your divorce?

Nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites;

For the people and the senate and the army witnessed the marriage of Silius;

Ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.”

and unless you act quickly, her husband will have control of the city.”

non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii

Meanwhile, not only rumor, but messengers from all over

ad Messalinam contendunt, qui Claudium omnia cognovisse

hurried to Messalina to report that Claudius had found out everything

Et venire promptum ultioni adferrent.

and was coming ready for revenge.

Igitur Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius dissimulando

Therefore they went off in different directions, Messalina into the gardens of Lucullus, and Silius

metui ad forum digrediuntur.

to the forum to conceal his fear.

Illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent,

However, although these unfavourable events took away her ability to think straight,

ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit

she decided to go to meet and be seen by her husband at once,

quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium;

an approach which had often been a lifeline for her,

misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia go and embrace their father.

atque interim, tribus omnino comitantibus -tam repens erat solitudo -

And meanwhile, with only three attendants - so sudden was their solitude -

postquam per urbem pedibus ivit, 

 after going through the city on foot, 

Vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat.

she got onto the road to Ostia, in a cart in which the garden rubbish was being removed.

Nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia 

She aroused no pity in the citizens because 

flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.

The appalling nature of her scandalous activities carried more weight.

et iam erat in aspectu Claudii clamitabatque ut audiret

And now she was face to face with Claudius and she kept on shouting that he should listen

Octaviae et Britannici matrem. Narcissus tamen obstrepuit,

to the mother of Octavia and Britannicus. However Narcissus shouted her down,

Silium et nuptias referens; simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit,

reminding him of Silius and the wedding; at the same time he handed over notebooks as proof of her lustful acts,

quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

with which he averted the emperor’s attention.

nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi,

Not long afterwards, his children would have presented themselves to him as he entered the city,

Sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit.

But Narcissus ordered them to be removed.

Mirum inter haec silentium Claudii:

Amidst all this Claudius’ silence was strange:

Omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

he was obeying his freedman in all things; it was he who prepared an assembly of the soldiers in the camp.

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

With Narcissus forewarning them, the emperor said a few words in their presence:

continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum

From then on there was continuous shouting from the soldiers, demanding the names of the guilty persons 

Et poenas flagitantium.

And their punishment.

ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, nec moras temptavit,

Silius was led to the platform and did not attempt a defense nor delaying tactics,

sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur.

but prayed that his death be hastened.

interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam,

Meanwhile, Messalina, in the gardens of Lucullus, was prolonging her life,

Componere preces, nonulla spe et ira;

and composing prayers, with a mixture of hope and anger;

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

even then she was displaying such great arrogance.

Ac nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset,

and if Narcissus had not hastened her execution,

vertisset pernicies in accusatorem.

ruin would have turned upon her accusor.

nam Claudius domum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit,

For Claudius, having returned home, where he was warm with dinner and wine,

imperavit ut femina misera (hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt)

commanded that the poor woman (for they say that Claudius used this word)

ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.

be present on the next day in order to plead her case.

Quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit,

When Narcissus heard this and saw that the emperor’s anger was weakening and that his love was returning,

Timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem

He was afraid, if he delayed of the approaching night

et uxorii cubiculi memoriam;

and the emperor’s memory of his wife’s bed;

igitur prorumpit denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno

Therefore he rushed out and gave orders to the centurions and the tribune,

qui aderat, exsequi caedem: ita imperatorem iubere.

who was present, to carry out her execution: and that the emperor ordered it so.

Missus quoque unus e libertis;

One of the freedmen was also sent;

is raptim in hortos praegressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam;

He hurriedly went ahead into the gardens and found Messalina, stretched out on the ground;

asidebat mater Lepida, quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat;

Her mother Lepida, who had not been on friendly terms with her daughter, while she was flourishing, was sitting beside her;

sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad misericordiam versa

but in her last moments of need she was turned to pity and

Suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur; transiise vitam

was urging her not to wait for the executioner; that her life was over

neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum.

and that she should look for nothing other than an honourable death.

Sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto;

but there was nothing honourable in Messalina’s heart, which had been corrupted by lust;

lacrimae et questus inriti effundebatur,

her tears and useless complaints were pouring out

cum impetu venientum pulsae sunt fores adstititque tribunus.

when the gates were broken open by the force of people coming and the tribune stood by her.

Tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit

Then, for the first time, Messalina realised her fate

ferrumque accepit; quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens,

and accepted a dagger; moving this tentatively towards her throat or breast in vain,

ictu tribuni transigitur.

she was stabbed by a blow from the tribune.

corpus matri concessum.

Her body was handed over to her mother.