MESSALINA SET TEXT 1-66

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est

Messalina was set on fire by a new and, as it were, insane love.

nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum,

For she had grown so enflamed towards Gaius Silius, the most handsome of the Roman youth

ita exarserat ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam,

that she drove out Junia Silana, a noble woman,

matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur

from her marriage and took possession of him unencumbered as her adulterous lover.

neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat:

Nor was Silius unaware of the scandal or the danger:

sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et,

but he understood that death would be certain if he refused and

si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse;

if he agreed, there was some hope of hiding the crime;

si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse;

, if he agreed, there was some hope of hiding the crime;

simulque se magna praemia accepturum.

and at the same time (he understood) that he would receive large rewards.

igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.

Therefore, he decided to ignore the future and enjoy the present.

 illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum

She came repeatedly to his house, not furtively but with many companions, she was always with him whenever Silius appeared in public (literally = went out)

, egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque

and she gives him wealth and honours.

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

Finally, the slaves, the freedmen, the luxurious furnishings of the emperor were often seen at the house of the adulterer

at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.

But Claudius was ignorant of (the state of) his marriage.

iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

Now Messalina, because of the ease of her adulteries, was turned to new lusts.   

Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum ratus,

Silius, whether from some fatal insanity or thinking that the cure for impending dangers was actual danger,

abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat:

he began to urge for the concealment to be thrown off:

quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret. 

for obviously he was urging that they must not wait until the emperor grew old.

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum. 

He said that he was unmarried, childless and ready to marry and adopt Britannicus.

eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate,

Messalina would have the same power as before, with added security,

 si praevenirent Claudium, qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.

if they forestalled Claudius, who was slow to suspect intrigue but quick to anger.  

Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius summa adeptus se sperneret,

not out of love for her husband, but afraid that Silius would reject her having obtained supreme power;

diu haesitavit; sed tandem persuasum. 

hesitated for a long time; but at last she was persuaded.

nomen eius matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

For she craved the name of wife because of the sheer scale of the outrageousness.

 nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur,

She waited only until Claudius set out to Ostia to perform a sacrifice

 cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.

and then celebrated all the solemnities of marriage.

igitur domus principis inhorruit, maximeque ei qui potentiam habebant timuerunt ne res verterentur:

Therefore the household of the emperor shuddered, and those who had power were especially afraid that there would be a coup.

spem tamen habebant, si Claudio de atrocitate sceleris persuasissent, Messalinam posse opprimi sine quaestione damnatam;

they hoped that if they persuaded Claudius of the enormity of the crime, Messalina could be crushed, condemned without a trial;

sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret, neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.

but they believed that there was a danger that he would hear her defence and that his ears would not be closed to her even if she confessed.

 Narcissus, occasiones quaerens, cum Caesar diu apud Ostiam moraretur,

Narcissus, looking for opportunities, since Caesar was lingering for a long time at Ostia,

duas eius paelices largitione et promissis perpulit delationem subire.

induced two of his (i.e. Claudius’) concubines with bribery and promises to undertake an accusation.  

exim Calpurnia (id alteri paelici nomen), ubi datum est secretum, ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat;

Then Calpurnia (that was the name of one of the concubines), when she was granted a private interview, she fell down at the knees of Caesar and exclaimed that Messalina had married Silius

altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat. 

with the other concubine confirming these things, Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned.

qui ‘discidiumne tuum’ inquit ‘novisti? nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites;

That man said “Do you know of your divorce? For the people, the senate and the soldiers have seen the marriage of Silius;

 ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.’

and unless you act quickly, the new husband holds the city.”

non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam

Meanwhile, not only rumour, but messengers hurried from all directions to Messalina,  

contendunt, qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et venire promptum ultioni adferrent.

who were reporting that Claudius knew everything and that he was coming, ready for revenge.  

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

Therefore they went in different directions, Messalina to the gardens of Lucullus, Silius to the forum to conceal his fear

  illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent, ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit,

She, however, although misfortune was taking away the ability to plan, immediately decided to meet her husband and be seen by him,

 quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium; misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

which had often been a source of salvation to her; and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia were to go straight into the arms of their father.

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

And meanwhile, with only three companions – so sudden was her solitude –

postquam per urbem pedibus ivit, vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat. 

after she had gone through the city on foot, she took the Via Ostiensis on a cart which removed garden refuse.

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat. 

She evoked no pity in the citizens because the appalling nature of her scandals carried more weight.

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

And now she was in sight of Claudius and she was demanding loudly that he listen to the mother of Octavia and Britannicus.

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens;

Narcissus, however, shouted down Messalina, telling the story of Silius and the marriage

simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit, quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

; at the same time he handed over some writing-tablets as proof of her debaucheries to avert the gaze of

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

Not long after his children were being brought forward as he entered the city, but Narcissus ordered for them to be removed.

mirum inter haec silentium Claudii: omnia liberto oboediebat;

Throughout the proceedings Claudius maintained a strange silence: he obeyed the freedman in everything;

qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

he prepared a meeting of the soldiers in the camp.

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

With Narcissus forewarning them, the emperor spoke a few words amongst the troops:

continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

thereafter there was a persistent cry from the soldiers demanding the names of the guilty people and their punishments.

 ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, non moras temptavit, sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur.     

Having been led to the platform, Silius attempted no defence and no delays, but he prayed that his death would be hastened.