Messalina lines 60-69: 'Narcissus arranges the assassination of Messalina'

For my own revision GCSE OCR 2025

mirum inter haec silentium Claudii: omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

Claudius’s silence amid these events was surprising: he obeyed the freedman in every respect. (Narcissus) prepared a meeting of the soldiers in the camp.

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit: continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

In their presence, after a previous warning by Narcissus, the emperor spoke a few words: then (there arose) a continuous shouting of the soldiers who demanded the names of the guilty and punishments.

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

Silius, brought into the tribunal, did not attempt a defence or delaying tatics, but begged that he might be killed quickly.

interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam, componere preces, nonnulla spe et ira: tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

Meanwhile, Messalina prolonged her life in the gardens of Lucullus, composed a petition, with some hope and anger: even then she displayed such great pride.

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

And if Narcissus had not hastened her slaughter, destruction would have turned onto the accuser.