Latin Messalina

Latin

Messalina was on fire with a new and you might say crazy passion

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est.

For she was so inflamed with love for Gaius Silius, the handsomest of the young men of Rome that she drove out Junia Silana, a noblewoman, from her marriage bed, and had the wifeless adulterer all to herself.

nam in C. Silium, inventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exarserat ut Juliam Silanam, nobilem feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur.

And Silius was not unaware of the of the scandal or the risk; but he realised that if he were to refuse, death would be a certainty; but if he were to consent there would be some hope of concealing his crime; and at the same time he would receive great benefits.

neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat; sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et, si consentiret, nonullam facinoris celandi spem esse; simulque se magna praemia accepturum.

Therefore he decided to forget about the future and enjoy the present.

igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.

As for Messalina she came repeatedly to his house, not furtively but with a number of attendants: she was always with him when he went out and she gave him both money and honors, eventually slaves, freedmen and the luxurious furnishings of the emperor were often to be seen in the presence of the adulterer.

illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum, egredienti adhaerat, dat opes honoresque: postremo servi, liberti, parates principus apud adulterum saepe videbantur.

Claudius, though was ignorant of what was going on in his own marriage

Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.

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

iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

Silius whether due to some fatal madness or thinking that the danger itself was the remedy against imminent danger, argued for the throwing off of all concealment; for obviously they shouldn't have to wait until the emperor to grow old

Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum ratus, abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat; quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senesceret.

He pointed out that he was unmarried and childless and was ready for marriage and to adopt Britannicus.

se caelibem, orbem, nuptiis et adoptando Britannicus paratum.

He said that Messalina would keep the same power, with added security, if they could forstall Claudius who was slow to suspect intrigue but quick to get angry.

eandem Messalinae potentium mansuram esse, addita securitate si praevenirent Claudium, qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.

Messalina, not out of love for her husband, but rather fearing that Silius having gained supreme power would reject her, hesitated for a long time; but at last she was persuaded.

Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius summa adeptes se sperneret diu haesitavit; sed tandem persuasum.

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

nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

And having lingered only until Claudius set out to Ostia in order to attend a sacrifice, she then celebrated all the solemnities of marriage.

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

Thus the emperors household shuddered and those who held power were especially afraid that there would be a coup; but they had hope that they could convince Claudius of the enormity of the crime and that Messalina could be overcome and condemned without a trial; but they believed that there was the danger that he might listen to her defense and that his ears might not be closed even to her confession.

igitur domus principis inhorruit, maximeque ei qui potentiam habebant timuerunt ne res verterentur; spem tamen habebant, si Claudio de atrocitate sceleris persuasissent, Messalinam posse opprimi sine quaestione damnatam; sed preiculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.

Narcissus, looking for the right opportunity, when the emperor delayed for a while at Ostia, prevailed upon two to of Claudius courtesans, by means of promises and bribery, to make the accusation.

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

Then Calpurnia (that was the name of one of the courtesans, when she was granted a private interview, after falling down at the emperors knees exclaimed that Messalina had married Silius; while the other courtesan was confirming this, Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned.

exim Calpurnia (id alteri paelici nomen) ubi datum est secretum, ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat; altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.

He said "did you know about your divorce?" For the people and the senate and the army have seen the wedding of Silius; and unless you act quickly her husband will have control of the city.

qui 'discidium tuum' inquit 'novisti? nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites; ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem marius.'

Meanwhile there was not only rumour but messengers from all over hurried to Messalina to report that Claudius had found out everything and was on his way, ready for revenge.

non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad messalinam contendunt, qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et vinere promptum ultioni adferrent.

Therefore Messalina and Silius went off in different directions; she to the gardens of Lucullus, he to the forum to conceal his fear

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

However although these misfortunes took away her ability to plan, she decided to go to meet her husband at once, and to be seen by him, which had often been a lifeline to her; and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia should go to embrace their father.

illa tamen, quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit, quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium; misitque ut Britannicus et Octavia in complexum patris irent.

And meanwhile with only three attendents, so sudden was her solitude, after she wandered through the city on foot, she got onto the road to Ostia, in a cart, in which garden rubbish was being removed.

atque interim, tribus omnino comitantibus - tam repens erat solitudo - postquam per urbem pedibus ivit, vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Osteinsem viam intrat.

She evoked no pity in the citizens because the appalling nature of her scandals carried more weight.

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.