Messalina style points

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est (1,12)

Messalina was on fire with a new and, as it were, mad love (swc, metaphor)

in C. Silium…ita exarserat (1,12)

she had become so inflamed [with lust] for Gaius Silius (swc=exarserat, metaphor)

iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum (1,12)

the most handsome of the Roman youth (superlative)

neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat (1,12)

neither was Silius unaware of the scandal or danger (litotes)

exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et, si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse (1,12)

if he refused, death would be certain and, if he agreed, there was some hope of hiding the crime (opposites, swc of facinoris=crime)

neglegere futura praesentibus frui (1,12)

to ignore the future and enjoy the present (chiasmus)

ventitat domum…adhaeret…dat (1,12)

she came repeatedly to his house…she was always with him…she gave him (historic present, tricolon)

servi, liberti, paratus pricipis(1,12)

finally slaves, freedmen, and the luxurious furnishings of the emperor(tricolon)

at Claudius matrimonii sui erat ignarus (1,12)

But Claudius was unaware of the state of his marriage (delay of ignarus)

ad novas libidines versa est(12,26)

turned to new lusts (swc=libidines)

fatali insania (12,26)

fatal madness (swc=insania)

ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum(12,26)

the dangers themselves were the cure of the dangers which were threatening (polyptoton)

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum(12,26)

he himself was unmarried, childless and ready for marriage and for adopting Britannicus (tricolon)

diu haesitavit; sed tandem persuasum(12,26)

hesitated for a long time: at last she was persuaded (contrast of swift decision and diu)

ob magnitudinem infamiae(12,26)

because of the magintude of its outrage (swc=infamiae)

cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat(12,26)

she celebrated all the ceremonies of marriage (historic present)

domus principis inhorruit(27,35)

the household of the emperor shuddered (personification, swc=inhorruit)

de atrocitate sceleris(27,35)

of the enormity of the crime (swc=sceleris)

Messalinam posse opprimi(27,35)

Messalin could be crushed (swc=opprimi)

nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat (35,41)

exclaimed that Messalina had married Silius (historic present)

Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat(35,41)

Calpurnia asked for Narcissus to be summoned (historic present)

‘discidiumne tuum’ inquit ‘novisti?…’(35,41)

He said "Did you know of your divorce?”(direct speech, sarcasm)

matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites(35,41)

the people and senate and soldiers have seen the marriage of Silius ([delay of] tricolon, polysyndeton)

tenet urbem maritus(35,41)

her husband will hold the city (promotion of tenet, delay of maritus)

non solum rumor(42,49)

not only the rumour(personification of rumour)

undique nuntii ad Messalinam contendunt(42,49)

on all sides messengers hurried to Messalina(hyperbole=undique, historic present)

Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius … ad forum digrediuntur(42,49)

they went in separate directions, Messalina to the gardens of Lucullus, Silius to the forum (asyndeton, historic present)

atque interim(49,59)

and meanwhile(connectives)

tribus omnino comitantibus – tam repens erat solitudo(49,59)

with only three accompanying - so sudden was her solitude (contrast of previous description of having “many companions”)

vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur(49,59)

by a cart, with which the refuse of the gardens was being removed (swc=purgamenta[refuse/rubbish])

Ostiensem viam intrat(49,59)

she entered the via Ostiensis(historic present)

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit(49,59)

she aroused no pity in the citizens (harsh c alliteration)

flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat (49,59)

the appalling nature of her crimes was prevailing (swc of both flagitorum+deformitas)

et iam(49,59)

and now (connectives)

ut audiret Octaviae et Britannici matrem(49,59)

that he listen to the mother of Octavia and Britannicus (COP:trying to get sympathy using heir to the throne)

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit(49,59)

Narcissus, however, shouted her down (short sharp phrase)

codicillos libidinum indices tradidit(49,59)

he handed over writing tablets, proofs of their lusts(swc=libidinum)

mirum inter haec silentium Claudii(60-69)

Amongst these things the silence of Claudius was strange(ellipsis)

continuus dehinc clamor(60-69)

from then on there was a persistent shouting(ellipsis, harsh c alliteration)

Silius … non defensionem, non moras temptavit(60-69)

Silius…did not attempt a defence, nor delaying tactics(anaphora of non)

precatus est ut mors acceleraretur.(60-69)

he prayed that his death might be hastened (swc=precatus)

Messalina… prolatare vitam, componere preces(60-69)

Messalina prolonged her life … composed her prayers (historic infinitive, asyndeton)

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.(60-69)

even then she was displaying such great arrogance(promotion of tantam)

nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset (68,77)

if Narcissus had not hastened her execution(promotion of caedem)

vertisset pernicies in accusatorem (68,77)

the ruin would have turned onto her accuser (swc=pernicies)

Narcissus … languescere iram redire amorem vidit(68,77)

Narcissus … saw that his anger was declining and his love was returning (asyndeton, juxtaposition)

prorumpit denuntiatque(68,77)

rushed out and ordered(historic present)

exsequi caedem(68,77)

to carry out the execution(swc=caedem)

ita imperatorem iubere(68,77)

the emperor ordered thus (short sharp statement, alliteration?)

missus quoque unus e libertis(77,89)

One of the freedmen was also sent (promotion of missus)

is raptim in hortos praegressus repperit Messalinam(77,89)

he having gone on ahead hurriedly to the gardens found Messalina (swc=raptim)

Messalinam, humi fusam(77,89)

Messalina, stretched out on the ground (swc=fusam)

florenti filiae … supremis eius necessitatibus(77,89)

her prosperous daughter; but having turned to pity with her extreme crisis (contrast)

suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur(77,89)

she urged that she might not await the executioner(circumlocution of suicide)

animo, per libidines corrupto (77,89)

mind, corrupted through lust (swc=corrupto)

lacrimae et questus inriti effundebantur(77,89)

tears and useless complaints were being poured out(metaphor, hyperbole)

cum impetu venientium pulsae sunt fores(77,89)

when the gates were broken down by the attack of those who were coming (promotion of impetu)

ictu tribuni transigitur (77,89)

she was stabbed with a thrust of the tribune (historic present)

corpus matri concessum(77,89)

The body was handed over to the mother (harsh c alliteration)

ante lucem ibat(P1,12)

before daybreak he would go (imperfect tense=repeated action)

ad officum…delegatum(P1,12)

to his assigned duty (in charge of fleet at Misenum on the Bay of Naples)

iacebat in sole, liber legebatur, adnotabat excerpebatque(P1,12)

he would lie in the sun, a book would be read, and he would make notes and take extracts (preponderance of verbs, asyndeton)

dicere etiam solebat nullum librum esse tam malum ut non aliqua parte prodesset.(P1,12)

he was even accustomed to say that no book was so bad that it was not of use in some part (litotes)

lavabatur,deinde gustabat dormiebatque(P1,12)

he was washed, then he would have a snack and sleep (preponderance of verbs)

ante lucem…post cibum…post solem…super cenam(P1,12)

before dawn…after food…after sun…over dinner (time phrases)

haec inter medios labores urbisque fremitum(P13,23)

These things [he did] in the midst of work and the bustle of the city (ellipsis)

dum destringitur tergiturque, audiebat aliquid aut dictabat(P13,23)

while he was being rubbed down and dried he would listen to or dictate something

(preponderance of verbs {passive vs active})

quasi solutus ceteris curis(P13,23)

as though freed from his other concerns(qu/c alliteration)

cuius manus hieme manicis muniebantur(P13,23)

his hands were protected in winter by long sleeves (swc-muniebantur [lit. were fortified])

ne caeli quidem asperitas ullum studii tempus eriperet(P13,23)

not even the harshness of the weather might take away any time for study

(swc=eriperet [lit. to deprive]

‘poteras’ inquit ‘has horas non perdere’(P13,23)

‘you should not waste those hours’ he said (direct speech)

perire omne tempus arbitrabatur(P13,23)

he thought that all time was wasted (chiasmus)