Messalina Set Text

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est. nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exarserat ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur.

Messalina was burnt with a new, crazy, as it were, love. For she had been so inflamed for Gaius Silius, the most handsome of the Roman youth, that she drove Iunia Silana out of his marriage and took possession of her free lover.

neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat: sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et, si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse;

Nor was Silius unaware of the scandal or the danger. But he understood that it would be certain death, if he refused, and if he agreed, there would be some hope of hiding the crime.

simulque se magna praemia accepturum. igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.

And at the same time, he would receive great rewards. Therefore he decided to ignore the future and enjoy the present.

illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum, egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque;

Messalina repeatedly came to his house, not secretly but with many companions, she clung to him as he went out, and gave him wealth and honours;

postremo servi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur. at Claudius matrimonii sui erat ignarus.

finally, the slaves, freedmen, and furnishings of the emperor were being seen at the house of the adulterer. But Claudius was unaware of the state of his marriage

iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

Now Messalina, on account of the ease of the adultery, was turned to new pleasures.

Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum ratus, abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat.

Silius, whether out of fatal madness or thinking that that dangers themselves were the cure for the imminent dangers, was urging for the concealment to be thrown off.

quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret.

For obviously, they should not wait, until the emperor grew old.

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum.

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

eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate,

The same power would remain for Messalina, with security added,

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

if they forestalled Claudius, who was unsuspicious of the plots, but quick to anger.

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

Messalina hesitated for a long time, not out of love for her husband [Claudius], but afraid that silius, having obtained supreme power, would reject her.

sed tandem persuasum. nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

But at last she was persuaded. For she coveted the name of marriage, on account of the scale of her outrageousness.

nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur, cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.

Nor did she delay longer, until Claudius set out for Ostia for a sacrifice, she celebrated all the ceremonies of a wedding.

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

And so the household of the emperor shuddered, and especially those who had power were afraid that the situation would change.

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

However they had the hope, that, if they could persuade Claudius regarding the enormity of the crime, Messalina, condemned without a trial, could be crushed.

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

But there was a danger that he would hear her defence, and that his ears might be closed, even to her confessing

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

Narcissus, looking for opportunities, when Caesar was delaying for a long time in Ostia,

duas eius paelices largitione et promissis perpulit delationem subire.

persuaded two of his concubines with bribes 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 (the name of one concubine), when a private interview was given, having fallen at the knees of Caesar, shouted out that Messalina had married Silius.

altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat

With the other concubine confirming these things, Calpurnia demanded Narcissus to be summoned.

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

He said, "Did you know about your divorce? For both the people and the senate and the soldiers have seen the wedding of Silius;

ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.'

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

non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam contendunt, qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et venire promptum ultioni adferrent

Meanwhile, there was not only a rumour, but also messengers hurried on all sides to Messalina, in order to report that Claudius had found everything out, and was coming, ready for revenge.

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

Therefore Messalina and Silius went in different directions, she to the gardens of Lucullus and he to the forum for the sake of disguising their fear.

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

She however, although misfortunes took away her ability to plan, decided to go to meet and be seen by her husband at once,

quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium;

which had often been a means of salvation for her

misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

And she sent for Britannicus and Octavia to go into the embrace of their father.

Atque interim, tribus omnio comitantibus - tam repens erat solitudo -postquam per urbem pedibus ivit,

But meanwhile, with only three accompanying her - so sudden was her desertion - after she went through the city on foot,

vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat.

she entered the street leading to Ostia in a cart, in which the rubbish of the garden is taken away.

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.

She evoked no pity in the citizens since the appalling nature of the scandal bore more weight.

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

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

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens;

However Narcissus shouted her down, recalling Silius and the marriage.

simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit, quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

At the same time, he handed over writing tablets as proof of her lusts, with which he distracted the attention of Caesar.

nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi, sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussitmirum inter haec silentium Claudii:

Not much later, the children were being offered up to Claudius as he entered the city, but Narcissus ordered them to be moved away. Suprising among these things was the silence of Claudius:

omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

in everything, he was obeying a freedman, who prepared the assembly of soldiers in the camp.

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

In front of them, while Narcissus was forewarning, the emperor said few words:

continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

from then on the continuous uproar of the soldiers demanding the names and punishments of the defendants.

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

Silius, having been led to the tribunal, did not attempt a defence or delaying tactics, but prayed that death would be hastened.

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

Meanwhile, Messalina was prolonging her life in the gardens of Lucullus, and composing prayers, with some hope and some anger.

tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

For even then she displayed such arrogance.

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

And unless Narcissus had hastened her execution, she would have turned the ruin onto her accuser.

nam Claudius domum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit, imperavit ut femina misera

For Claudius, having returned home, when he grew warm with dinner and wine, ordered that the wretched woman

(hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt) ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.

(for they say that Claudius used this word) be present to plead her case the next day.

quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit, timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam;

When Narcissus heard this, and saw that anger was growing weak and love was returning, he was fearing, if he delayed, the approaching night and the memory of his wife's bedroom.

igitur prorumpit denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem: ita imperatorem iubere.

Therefore he rushed out and ordered the centurions and tribune, who was present, to carry out the execution: thus did the emperor order.

missus quoque unus e libertis: is raptim in hortos praegressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam:

One of the freedmen was also sent: he, having hurriedly gone ahead into the gardens, found Messalina sprawled on the floor.

adsidebat mater Lepida, aque florenti filiae haud concors fuerat;

Her mother Lepida sat beside her, who had not been on friendly terms with her prospering daughter;

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

but having been turned to pity in her final crisis, she was urging her not to wait for the executioner.

transiisse vitam neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum.

Her life was over, and nothing other than a proper death must be sought.

sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto;

But nothing honest entered into the mind of Messalina, which was corrupted by lust.

lacrimae et questus inriti effundebantur, cum impetu venientium pulsae sunt fores adstititque tribunus.

Tears and useless complaints were being shed, as the doors were broken down with the force of those coming, and the tribune stood by.

tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit ferrumque accepit;

Then for the first time, Messalina understood her fate, and accepted a sword:

quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per tretidationem admovens, ictu tribuni transigitur.

as she moved it in vain to her throat or her chest out of panic, she was stabbed with the thrust of the tribune.

corpus matri concessum.

Her body was handed over to her mother.