Messalina set text

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

For she had become so inflamed with love for Gaius Silius, the most handsome of Roman youth,

1: ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilen feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur.

that she drove out Iunia Silana, a noble woman, from his marriage and took possession of the now wife-less adulterer.

1: neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat:

And Silius was not unaware of the scandal or the danger:

1: sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum,

but he knew that death would be certain if he refused, and if he consented, there would be some hope of concealing the crime:

1: et si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse:

and if he consented, there would be some hope of concealing the crime:

1: simulque se magna praemia accepturum.

and at the same time he would receive great rewards.

1: igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.

Therefore he decided to neglect the future and to enjoy the present.

2: illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum,

As for Messsalina, she came repeatedly to his house, not secretly but with many companions,

2: egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque;

she clung to him when he went out, she gave him wealth and honours;

1: Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est.

Messalina was on fire with a new and, you might say, insane love.

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

finally slaves, freedmen, and the luxurious furnishings of the emperor were often seen at the adulterer's house.

2: at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.

But Claudius was ignorant of what was going on in his own marriage.

2: iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

Messalina, because of the ease of her adulteries, now turned to new pleasures.

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

Silius, whether through fatal insanity or thinking that danger itself was the remedy for imminent dangers, was urging the concealment to be broken off:

2: quippe non expectandum, dum princeps senesceret.

for obviously he should not have to wait until the emperor grew old.

2: se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum.

He himself was unmarried, childless, prepared for marriage and for adopting Britannicus.

3: eadem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate,

He said that the same power would remain for Messalina, with added security,

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

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

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

Messalina, not through love towards her husband, but fearing that Silius, having obtained supreme honours, would reject her, hesitated for a long time;

3: sed tandem persuasum.

but at last she was persuaded.

3: nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

For she longed for the respectable name of marriage because of the magnitude of her outrageousness.

3: nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur,

And she delayed only until Claudius set out for Ostia to attend a sacrifice,

3: cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat

she celebrated all the solemnities of marriage.

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

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

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

however they had hope that if they persuaded Claudius of the enormity of the crime, Messalina could be crushed, condemned without trial;

4: sed periculum esse 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 not be closed to her even if she confessed.

4: Narcissus, occasiones quaerens, cum Caesar diu apud Ostiam moraretur, duas eius paelices largitione et promissis perpulit delationem subire.

Narcissus, seeking opportunities, while Caesar was delaying for some time at Ostia, persuaded two of his concubines with bribery and promises to undertake the accusation.

4: 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 a private interview was given, having fallen down at Caesar's knees, exclaimed that Messalina had married Silius;

4: altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.

the other concubine confirming this, Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned.

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

He said, 'Do you know about your divorce? For the people and Senate and soldiers have seen the marriage of Silius;

4: ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.'

and unless you act quickly, the husband will hold the city.'

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

Meanwhile, not only rumour, but messengers from all sides hurried to Messalina, to report that Claudius had found out everything and was coming prepared for revenge.

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

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

5: illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent, ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit, quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium;

She however, although misfortune took away her ability to plan, at once decided to go to meet and be seen by her husband, because often had he been a means of salvation for her;

5: misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia should go into the embrace of their father.

5: Atque interim, tribus omnio comitantibus - tam repens erat solitudo -

And meanwhile, with only three accompanying her - so sudden was her solitude -

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

after she had gone through the city on foot, she entered the road to Ostia on a cart by which refuse from the gardens was taken away.

5: nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.

She aroused no pity in the citizens because the appalling nature of her scandals prevailed.

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

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

6: Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens;

However, Narcissus shouted her down, recalling her and Silius' marriage;

6: simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit, quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

at the same time he handed over a writing tablet as proof of her lust, by which he distracted Caesar's gaze.

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

Not long after, the children were offered to him as he entered the city, but Narcissus ordered them to be removed

6: mirum inter haec silentium Claudii:

Througout all of this, Claudius' silence was strange:

6: omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

he obeyed his freedman in everything; who had prepared an assembly of soldiers in the camp.

6: apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit:

With Narcissus forewarning him, the emperor said a few words in their presence:

6: continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

from then on, there was continuous shouting from the soldiers, demanding the names of the guilty persons and their punishment.

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

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

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

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

7: tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

even then she displayed such great arrogance.

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

And if Narcissus had not hastened her execution, ruin would have turned upon her accuser.

7: nam Claudius domum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit,

For Claudius, having returned home, when was aglow with dinner and wine,

7: imperavit ut femina misera (hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt) ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.

ordered that the poor woman [for they say that Claudius used these words] be present on the next day to plead her case.

7: quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit,

When Narcissus heard this and saw that the emperor's anger was subsiding and that his love for her was returning,

7: timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam;

he feared, if he delayed, the approaching night and the memory of the conjugal bedroom;

7: igitur prorumpit denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem:

therefore he rushed out and ordered the centurions and a tribune, who was present, to carry out her execution:

7: ita imperatorem iubere.

he said that this was the emperor's order.

8: missus quoque unus e libertis:

One of the freedmen was also sent:

8: is raptim in hortos praegressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam:

going on ahead hurriedly into the gardens, he found Messalina stretched out on the ground:

8: adsidebat mater Lepida, aque florenti filiae haud concors fuerat;

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

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

but in her daughter's last moments of need, she had been turned to pity and was urging her not to await executioner:

8: transiisse vitam neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum.

she tried to persuade her that her life was over and that she should look for nothing other than a fitting death.

8: sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto;

But there was nothing honourable in Messalina's heart, having been corrupted by pleasures;

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

tears and useless complaints were poured out, when the gates were broken open by the forces of the people arriving and there at her side stood the tribune.

8: tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit ferrumque accepit;

Then for the first time Messalina understood her situation and took up a dagger;

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

this she put to her throat or breast through panic, but in vain, till she was stabbed by a thrust from the tribune.

8: corpus matri concessum.

Her body was handed over to her mother.