Messalina 60-77

mirum inter haec silentium Claudii:

Amidst all of this, Claudius' silence was remarkable:

omnia liberto oboediebat;

he obeyed his freedman in everything;

qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

it was his freedman who arranged for an assembly of the troops in their headquarters.

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

Among them, with Narcissus forewarning the emperor, the emperor said a few words.

continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

Thereafter, there was continuous uproar among the soldiers, demanding the names of the guilty and their punishments.

ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, non moras temptavit,

Silius, led onto the platform, attempted no defence, no delay,

sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur.

but instead prayed that his death might be quick.

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

Meanwhile Messalina prolonged her life in the Gardens of Lucullus and composed prayers, with some hope and anger:

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

such great arrogance even then was she displaying.

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

And if Narcissus had not sped up her execution, she would have turned the ruin on her accuser.

nam Claudius domum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit,

For Claudius, having returned home, when he had relaxed with dinner and wine,

imperavit ut femina misera (hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt) ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.

ordered that the 'poor' woman (for they say Claudius used this phrase) should be present the next day to plead her case.

quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit,

When Narcissus heard this and saw that Claudius' anger was weakening and his love returning,

timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam;

he feared, if he delayed, the approaching night and the memory of the marriage-bed.

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

Therefore he rushes out and orders the centurions and a tribune who was present to carry out the execution:

ita imperatorem iubere.

"Thus the emperor orders."