messalina 7

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

Meanwhile Messalina in the gardens of Lucullus was prolonging her life, and composing prayers, with a mixture of hope and anger

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat. ac nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset, vertisset pernicies in accusatorem.

even then she was displaying such great arrogance. And if narcissus had not hastened her execution, ruin 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.

Claudius, having returned home, where he grew warm with dinner and wine, ordered that the poor woman (for they say that Claudius used these words) be present the next day to plead her case.

quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit, timebat,

When narcissus head this and saw that his (claudius’) anger was weakening and his love returning, he (narcissus) was afraid

si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam; igitur prorumpit

if he delayed, of the approaching night and his memory of the conjugal bed; therefore he burst in

denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem: ita imperatorem iubere

and ordered the centurions and the tribune, who was present, to carry out her execution: this, (he said), the emperor was ordering