quotes memorisation

translation imported from quizlet

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est

Messalina was set alight with a new and almost insane love

nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exarserat

For, she had been so inflamed (with love) for Gaius Silius, the most handsome of the Roman Men

ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret

that she drove Junia Silana, a noble woman, out of her marriage

liberoque adultero potiretur.

and took possession of her unencumbered adulterer

neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat:

Nor was Silius unaware of the scandal or danger:

sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum

but he understood, if he refused, death would be certain,

et, si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem essse;

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

simulque se magna praemia accepturum.

and at the same time he would receive great 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 donum,

She repeatedly visited his house, not furtively, but with many companions,

egredienti adhearet, dat opes honouresque;

She was always with him when he went out, she gave him money and honours

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

finally, the slaves, freedmen, property of the emperor were often seen at the house of the adulterer.

Claudius matromonii sui erat ignarus

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

iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

Now, because of the ease of the adulterer Messalina turned to new pleasures

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

Silius, whether because of madness sent by fate or thinking the dangers themselves to be a remedy for the imminent dangers

abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat:

was urging that he concealment be thrown off

quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret.

indeed it was not necessary to wait for the emperor to grow old.

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum

He was unmarried, childless, and ready to adopt Britannicus.

eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse,

The same power would remain for Messalina,

addita securitate

with added security,

si praeventirent Claudium,

if they forestalled Claudius,

qui indidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.

who was slow to suspect intrigue but was quick to anger.

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

Messalina, not because of love for her husband, but fearing that Silius, having obtained supreme power would reject her, hesitated for a long time;

sed tandem persuasum.

but at last she was persuaded.

nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

For she had longed for the name of marriage because of the magnitude of its outrageousness

nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur,

Waiting until Claudius set out to Ostia to make a sacrifice,

cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.

she celebrated all the ceremonies of marriage.

igitur domus principis inhorruit,

Therefore the household of the emperor shuddered,

maxime ei qui potentiam habebant timuerunt ne res verterentur:

and those who had power, feared greatly that there would be a coup:

spem tamen habebant,

however they had hope,

si Claudio de atrocitate sceleris persuasissent,

if they persuaded Claudius about the enormity of the crime,

Messalinam posse opprimi sine quaestione damnatam;

that Messalina might be able to be crushed by being condemned without a trial;

sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret,

but there was danger that he might listen to her defence,

neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.

and that his ears might not be closed (to Messalina) even if she confessed.

Narcissus, occasiones quaerens,

Narcissus, seeking opportunities,

cum Caesar diu apud Ostiam moraretur,

while Caesar delayed for a long time at Ostia,

duas eius paelices largitone et promisis perpulit delationem subire.

induced two of his courtesans by bribery and promises to undertake the denunciation.

exim Calpurnia (id laritone paelici nomen), ubi daum est secretum,

Then when a private interview was given, Calpurnia (that was the name of one of the courtesans)

ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat;

having fallen down at the knees of Caesar exclaimed that Messalina had married Silius;

altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.

when the other courtesan confirmed this, Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned.

qui "discidiumne tuum' inquit 'novisti?

He said, "Do you know about your divorce?

nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites;

For the people and senate and soldiers saw Silius' marriage

ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus."

and unless you act quickly, her husband holds the city."

non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam contendunt,

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

qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et venire promptum ultioni adferrent.

to report that Claudius had found out everything and was coming ready for revenge.

igitus Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius dissimulando metui ad forum digtrdiuntur.

Therefore they separated, Messalina to the gardens of Lucullus, Silius , to disguise his fear, to the forum

Illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent,

She however, although the disaster took away her ability to plan,

ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit, quod saepe ei fuerat subdidium;

at once decided to go to meet and be seen by her husband, which had often been a means of salvation for her;

misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia should go to the arms of their father.

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

And meanwhile, with three of her companions only- so sudden was her desertion-

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

after she went rhough the city by foot, she entered the Ostian road in a vehicle which removed the refuse (rubbish) of the gardens.

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.

She aroused no pity in the citizens because the appalling nature of her crimes carried more weight

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

And now, she was in sight if Claudius and was shouting that he should listen to the mother of Octavia and Britannicus.

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens;

However Narcissus shouted her down, telling the story of Silius and the marriage;

simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit,

and at the same time he handed over notebooks as proof of her debauchery,

quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

with which he distracted the attention of Caesar.

nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi,

Not long afterwards his children were presented to him as he was entering the city

sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit.

but Narcissus ordered them to be removed.

Mirum inter haec silentium Claudii:

Amidst these things, the silence of Claudius was strange:

omnia liberto oboediebat;

he obeyed his freedmen in everything;

qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

he (Narcissus) prepared an assembly of soldiers in the camp

apud eos praemonte Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

With Narcissus forewarning them, the emperor added a few words in their presence:

continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

from then there was a continuous uproar from the soldiers demanding the names of the guilty people and their punishment

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

Silius, taken to the platform, tried no defence, no delaying tactics, but prayed that his death might be hastened.

interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam,

Meanwhile Messalina was prolonging her life in the Gardens of Lucullus,

componere preces, nonnulla spe et ira:

she was composing prayers, some in hope and anger:

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

such pride she was displaying even then.

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

And if Narcissus had not hastened her execution, she would have turned the ruin onto her accuser.

nam Claudius donum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit,

For Claudius having returned home, when he grew warm with wine and dinner,

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 word) should be present in the next day to plead her case

quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit,

When Narcissus heard this and saw that his anger was dying down and his love was 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 rushed out and ordered centirons and a tribune who was present to carry out the execution:

ita imperatorem iubere.

saying that the emperor had ordered it thus.

missus quoque unsus e libertis:

One of the freedmen was also sent:

is raptim in hortus praegressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam;

he having gone on ahead into the garden found Messalina, prostrate on the ground;

adsidebat mater Lepida, quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat;

Her mother Lepida was sitting beside her, who had not been on friendly terms with her prosperous daughter;

sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad misericordiam versa suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur:

but having returned to pity in her last time of need was urging her not to await the executioner:

transiisse vitam neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum.

her life was over and nothing other than a decent death should be sought.

sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto;

But there was nothing honourable in Messalina's mind, which had been corrupted by lust;

larimae et questus inriti effundebantur,

tears and useless complaints were pouring out,

cum impetu venientium pulsae sunt fores adstititque tribunus.

when the doors were broken down by the force of those coming and the tribune stood there.

tunc primam Messalina fortunam suam intellexit ferrumque accepit;

Then for the first time Messalina understood her misfortune and accepted the sword;

quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens,

applying it in vain through her trembling to her throat or her chest,

ictu tribuni transigitur.

she was stabbed by a blow from the tribune.

corpus matri concessum.

Her body was handed over to her mother.