extract 4 - non solum ... eos iussit - annotations

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

personified

everyone knows

peak of tension - Claudius knows

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

amazing gardens - built in 60BC

separate immediately - not strong in the face of danger

abandon each other as soon as there is danger

give up any idea of being together

relationship = not strong, meaningless love, just for scandal

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

connotations of military term - using her beauty as defence

done this before - manipulative

misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

play on his heart - soften his anger

using the children to escape from the anger

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

• emphasising her downfall + solitude - people distance themselves form her

• now in disgrace

• foot instead of a carriage - fall from power

• likening her to trash - disgrace + humiliation

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat

emphatic position = highlight no pity

strong word - shocking, appalling nature

suffering the consequences of actions

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

frequentative + imperfect = repeatedly and consitently = insistence of demand

order is reversed - Octavia is younger child needs mother - softens anger

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

• power struggle - shouts her down

• unsure of what they actually contain - names, witness statements?

• successfully distracting claudius - outplayed Messalina, cannot be persuaded

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

• imperfect - incomplete action

• decisive action - Narcissus is now in control