Messalina style notes

Insano (mad)

Negative word choice

Incensa est (fired) and ita exarserat (burned)

Dramatic word choice, metaphor using fire imagery, synonyms of each other for emphasis

Iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum (the most handsome of the Roman youth)

Comparing Silius positively to the other presumably good looking men of Rome, emphasising his attractive qualities

Adultero (adulterer), flagitii (disgrace), periculi (danger), exitium (ruin) and abnueret (reject)

Semantic field of immorality and destruction - foreshadowing Silius and Messalina’s future deaths

Neque (not) and nescius (unaware)

Double negatives, with repeating prefix -ne

Neglegere futura et praesentibus frui (to ignore future events and enjoy the present circumstances)

Chiasmus (ABBA), drawing attention to their deliberate affair and Tacitus’ sarcasm at their foolish behaviour. A=infinitives, B=time phrases

Non furtim (not secretly)

Negative word choice, highlighting her cruel nature as she doesn’t try to protect anyone’s feelings, showing Messalina’s negative traits

Ventitat (visit frequently), adhaeret (cling to) and dat (give)

Tricolon of actions benefiting Silius, Tacitus is emphasising the number of bad things Messalina does

Servi (slaves), liberti (freedmen) and paratus (furnishings)

Tricolon of things that Messalina is taking from the emperor to Silius, showing her blatant bad behaviour. The imagery builds to leave the worst to last, the furnishings as it is most outrageous and unacceptable. The asyndeton also makes the list seem like it has no end, and emphasises the speed in which their relationship has spun out of control

Apud adulterum (at the house of the adulterer)

Alliteration of ‘a’ emphasises her bad qualities and choices, Tacitus has no respect for Silius as he doesn’t use his name, revealing his judgement

Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus (Silius was unaware of the state of his own marriage)

Chiasmus (ABBA), highlighting his lack of knowledge and creating pity for the reader that everyone knows but him

Novas libidinous (new lusts)

Tacitus left out the shocking details intentionally so that the reader assumes the worst, preventing himself from revealing facts to create mystery and tension

Fatali insania (fateful folly)

Strong word choice, giving Tacitus’ opinion and promoting that idea as correct because he has placed it first, foreshadowing Silius’ tragic end

Sive (whether) and an (or)

Contrast as Tacitus guesses Silius’ motives

Pericula (danger)

Repetition, insinuating that Silius is stupid to think that danger can be less dangerous

Caelibem (single), orbum (childless) and nuptiis (marriage)

Tricolon describing Silius, using asyndeton to create a faster pace as there isnt the use of and to break up the speech

Insidiis incautus (oblivious to treachery)

Alliteration of ‘i’ to emphasise Claudius’ innocence among Messalina’s adulteries

Non amore in maritum (not because of love for her husband)

Sarcasm as Messalina hasn’t ever shown any love to the emperor, her husband

Non (not) and sed (but)

Contrast that their relationship is simply for power rather than true love, creating sympathy in the reader

Silius summa adeptus sperneret (Silius might spurn her if he obtained supreme power)

Sibilance creating a sinister tone

Concupivit (crave)

Strong word choice involving negativity and desperation, and the prefix -con creating an even stronger word

Infamiae (disgrace)

Negative word choice, which is delayed for dramatic effect

Sollemnia (rite)

Tacitus is being sarcastic, because Messalina is already married so there are no rites that she is performing

Celebrat (celebrate)

Historic present to create vividity of image, drawing the reader into the illegal marriage

Domus (home/household)

Hyperbole to emphasise the fact that Messalina has destroyed a household, so Tacitus calls her a home wrecker

Inhorruit (shudder)

Powerful word choice with negative emotions of fear and coldness, -in is a strengthening prefix to add drama

Atrocitate (enormity), sceleris (crime), damnatam (condemn), defensionem (defence), confitenti (confess)

Semantic field of legal terminology emphasising the damage that Messalina is causing

Opprimi sine quaestionem damnatam (condemned without a trial and overthrown)

Chiasmus (ABBA) emphasising the outcome that could happen and the effect on Messalina’s life that it would cause. The additional information emphasises Claudius’ weakness and Messalina’s power

Neve clausae (not closed)

Double negative, showing that Claudius is currently weak in power yet forgiving

Promissis perpulit (promise and compel)

The plosives alliteration of ‘p’ emphasises Narcissus’ bribery

Provoluta (throw), exclamat (shout) and postulat (demand)

Dramatic word choices, including the use of historic present as well for vividity of the scene. Additionally, ‘provoluta’ indicates begging for Claudius to be on her side and not angry with her

Messalinam (Messalina married Silius)

Putting the blame on Messalina and leaving out Silius’ part, revealing Tacitus’ bias, invoking sympathy for Messalina’s fate and also on Claudius as he has an unfaithful wife

Et (and)

Polysyndeton (including the word and) to exaggerate the effect, and to make it seem like more people know than in reality

Populus (people), senatus (senate) and milites (soldiers)

Tricolon adding emphasis to Claudius’ embarrassment, and revealing how public Messalina’s affair was, including all three classes - politicians, army and the people to show that everyone who used to respect him is now laughing at him

Urbem maritus (husband and city)

Added drama by leaving the phrase to last, revealing the threat the Silius has over the emperor’s power

Non solum (not only) and sed (but)

Contrast to emphasise drama and including details for vividity

Undique (from all sides) and omnia (everything)

Hyperboles to emphasise the extent of Messalina’s knowledge

Contendunt (hurry)

Historic present creating a vivid scene and fast pace adding to the sense of drama and that time is running out

Messalina Lucullianos in hortos (Messalina to the gardens of Lucullus), Silius ad forum degrediuntur (Silius to the forum)

Contrast of the characters’ fates shown through their different directions, protecting themselves

Dissimulando metui (to hide his fear), aspici a marito (be seen by her husband)

Contrast between the characters’ emotions - Silius is afraid but doesn’t want to seem like it, whereas Messalina Is more confident and bravely meeting with the person who could kill her

Misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent (sent instructions that Britannicus and Octavia should go to embrace their father)

Messalina’s manipulation of her children, using them to lower Claudius’ anger and placate him. She is reminding Claudius that they have a happy family together

Omnio (at the most)

Hyperbole, exaggerating Messalina's aloneness

Sollitudo (isolation)

Messalina has been abandoned by most people, and she has few allies left

Postquam (after), per (through), pedibus (on foot)

Plosive alliteration showing Tacitus’ disapproval and scorn

Quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur (the refuse of the gardens was being taken away)

Tacitus adds details that would be embarrassing for Messalina to make her look worse and make fun of her

Civibus commovit quia (aroused no pity because)

‘C’ alliteration, the harsh sounds reflecting the citiens’ disapproval

Clamitabatque (shout repeatedly) and obstrepuit (shout down)

Contrast in tenses - imperfect vs perfect, showing an imbalance in power between Messalina and Narcissus

Matrem (mother)

Delayed for drama, again Messalina is using their children for her benefit

Obstrepuit (shout down), referens (referring), tradidit (handed over)

Tricolon of Narcissus’ actions, emphasising his power and influence over the emperor

Offerebantur (present), amoveri (take away)

Passive tenses used to show that the children have no agency or free will, and are treated as objects

Liberi (children)

Delayed for drama, making it seem like the children are unimportant, when in reality, Narcissus has fears that the sight of his children will persuade him to save Messalina

Mirum inter haec silentium (silence amid these events was surprising)

Chiasmus to reveal the balance between the characters - Claudius remains silent while Narcissus and Messalina shout. The emphatic placement adds to the surprising nature of Claudius’ silence

Omnia (every)

Hyperbole to exaggerate the power that Narcissus has over the emperor, which makes it seem like Narcissus is the emperor as he influences Claudius greatly

Liberto (freedman)

Tacitus is judging Narcissus for his influence as he was once a slave. It is embarrassing for Messalina that he is winning over the emperor’s wife in control of Claudius’ actions

Paravit (prepare), apud (at the house), praemonente (advise beforehand), Princeps (emperor)

Plosive alliteration to indicate anger of the soldiers, but also Narcissus at Messalina’s outrageous actions. Tacitus is making the soldiers more passionate

Continuus (continuous)

Hyperbole as it is unlikely that the soldiers really were shouting continuously, including over the top of the emperor! Tacitus also uses emphatic placement to put it at the start of the sentence, highlighting the soldiers’ passion

Non (not)

Anaphora (repetition of the start of a phrase) and a double negative to make it seem surprising that Silius has given in, also highlighting the extent to which Silius cannot escape from his situation

Precautus est (pray)

Word choice connoting weakness, cowardice and desperation - Silius is philosophically accepting his fate and preparing for death

Interim (meanwhile)

Contrasting Messalina’s reaction with Silius’ as she is hopeful while he is hopeless

Prolatare (prolong)

Historic infinitive to create a vivid scene and highlight Messalina’s desire to remain alive

Nonnula (some)

Audacity and pride of Messalina because she shouldn’t have hope or anger but she does, contrasting expectations of Roman women

Caedem (slaughter), pernicies (destruction)

Strong word choices with emotive language and negative and dramatic connotations

Narcissus properavisset vertisset […] accusatorem (Narcissus hastened her slaughter […] accuser)

Chiasmus highlighting the danger to Narcissus if things didn’t work out in his favour. He was behaving riskily and potentially causing his own destruction. A=Narcissus, B=verb

Incaluit (be heated)

Metaphor for growing hot - Tacitus is being deliberately vague, growing the suspense as it is unclear how Claudius will act; he could be angry after having a drink, or he could be comforted by the wine and warm food

Misera (wretched)

Tacitus chooses that word as the reader doesn’t know if Claudius is feeling sympathetic, negative or compassionate towards Messalina at this point

Ferunt (they say)

The vague word choice adds to suspense as the reader doesn’t know who is speaking here. It also implies that none of Tacitus’ previous words that Claudius supposedly said was true, revealing the falseness of some of the story

Languescere iram redire amorem (anger was abating and love was returning)

Chiasmus emphasising Claudius’ changing opinion to add suspense and drama to the tale. A=infintive, B=object

Audivit (heard), vidit (saw), timebat (fear)

Tricolon in the past tense, Narcissus is thinking about what he should do

Amorem (love), timebat (fear), memoriam (memory)

Alliteration of ‘m’ emphasises the softness of Claudius’ thoughts and his lack of anger

Prorumpit denuntiatque (burst forth and ordered)

Historic present making Narcissus’ actions more vivid and dramatic, with the addition of the earlier tricolon, there are 5 verbs in lose proximity describing Narcissus’ actions, speeding up the pace. The strengthening prefixes -pro and -de make the verbs stronger and more powerful and impactful

Caedem (slaughter)

Delayed for suspense, so that the reader doesn’t know what is about to happen

Ita imperatorem iubere (this is what the emperor was ordering)

Alliteration of ‘i’ creates a harsh, painful and discomforting sound - Narcissus feels annoyed that Messalina has used Claudius to get out of trouble to this extent

Messalinam humi fusam (Messalina lying on the ground)

Delayed for suspense - there is also a rhyme in the middle of the words for relation to pain

Adsidebat (sit beside)

Emphatic placement of putting it as the first word of the sentence draws attentions to Messalina’s mother’s actions, showing her role as verbs aren’t commonly at the start of the sentence

Florenti (flourish), concors (harmony)

Contrast of positive words - it is ironic and sad that their relationship didn’t exist while Messalina has much life left, but now that her life is at threat, they have formed a bond

Florenti filiae (flourishing daughter)

Fricatives remind the listener of blubbering tears - a deliberate choice of letter to show distress at Messalina’s downfall

Sed supremis eius necessitatibus (but in her final hours of need)

Sibilance of ‘s’ alliteration creating a sinister tone, foreshadowing Messalina’s death

Transiisse (ended)

Emphatic placement emphasising the imminent death that Messalina is facing

Mortem (death), transiisse vitam (ended life), pulsae sunt (attack), ferrum (sword), iugulo (throat)

Semantic field of brutality and violence, giving an impression of the abrupt nature of the happenings, that Messalina was so suddenly tried and found guilty after so long of committing adultery)

Nihil honestum (nothing honourable), per libidines corrupto (corrupted by her lusts)

Messalina’s corruption shown through the harsh word choices - Tacitus shows no sympathy for her whatsoever

Tribunus (tribune)

Emphatic placement is later in the sentence, reflecting that the tribune arrived later than expected, and creating suspense as Messalina might die

Transigitur (pierce)

Historic present providing vividity of the scene and relaying the dramatic nature of Messalina’s death. It makes the events more shocking to the reader as it seems like they are witnessing Messalina’s murder. A contemporary reader would think that justice has been served and that she deserved her death, while a modern reader might sympathise with Messalina’s fate

Corpus (body)

Tacitus is trying to erase her from history as she has just become a body with no identity or name - she is worthless.

Corpus matri concessum (the body was granted to the mother)

Messalina’s death is very abrupt, shown through the short sentence which concludes Tacitus’ story of her life. He used a passive verb to reflect that Messalina was helpless, and controlled at the end of her life, a victim. Tacitus leaves the reader with a sense of Messalina’s worthlessness, that her actions were pathetic and he dehumanised her life. She is a forgettable character.