Latin Literature Messalina Content and Style - Lines 27-38

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

Therefore, the emperor’s household shuddered, and particularly those who held any power feared lest the state be overturned

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

nevertheless, they had some hope that if the convinced Claudius about the enormity of the crime, Messalina could be condemned without a trial and overthrown.

sed periculun esse ne ille defensionem audiret, never clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.

But there was a danger that Claudius might listen to her defence or that his ears might not be closed to her, even if she confessed.

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

Narcissus, looking for opportunities, since Caesar was delaying for a long time at Ostia, compelled two of his concubines by means of largesse and promises to submit an accusation.

exim Calpurnia (id alteri paelici nomen), ubi datem est secretum, ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat;

Then Calpurnia (that was the name of one of the two concubines), when she was given a secret audience, prostrating herself at the knees of Caesar, shouted that Messalina had married Silius;

altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.

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

domus…inhorruit: Line 27

‘household shuddered’ This is an example of personification which makes the scene more vivid and emphasises the severity - so bad that the entire house shakes in disapproval.

‘verterentur’ line 28

‘overturned’ This is passive and the agent is unclear which gives a mysterious sense - makes the passage more interesting.

‘spem’ line 29

‘hope’ This is a positive emotion used about a negative outcome - this emphasises the ‘evil’ of the freedmen, which in this case is secrecy and cunning.

‘Claudio…Messalinam’ lines 29 and 30

‘Claudius…Messalina’ The balanced placement of these names (at the start of successive clauses) stresses there reliance on one another - the reaction of Claudius describes Messalina’s fate

‘atrocitate’

‘enormity’ This is a very strong word which emphasises the crime.

‘opprimi’ line 30

‘overthrown’ This is a passive verb without an agent which is used to create a sense of the freedmen concealing their behaviour.

the repeated ending ‘ione’ lines 30,31,33,34

All of the nouns with this ending are abstract, which conveys a sense of vagueness. This is used to emphasise the ‘might’s.

‘damnatam’ line 30

‘comdemned’ This word is emphasised due to its emphatic position at the end of a phrase.

‘periculum’ line 31

‘danger’ Contrast as it should be a good thing that Messalina is able to defend herself.

‘neve clausae aures.’ line 32

‘his ears might not be closed’ This is a metaphor which physicalizes the pyschological process, placing emphasis on this. Could also suggest that this is only a possibility, not a fact.

‘confitenti’ line 32

‘confess’ This is a present participle without a noun, which places focus on the action rather than the actor, so focus is taken away from Messalina and placed on her confession.

‘paelices…promissis perpulit.’

‘compelled [two of] his concubines [by means of largess and] promises.’ The alliteration of P creates an image of spitting, perhaps to show Tacitus’s disgust at messalina? or the cunning?

‘provoluta’ line 36

‘prostrating herself [at the knees of]’ This is supplication and the action (grasping at knees) suggests mercy should be shown to the concubine as she is worried about C’s reaction.

‘nupisse’ line 37

‘married’ The verb has been brought forward in the passage to stress the enormity of the crime.

‘Messalinam Silio’ line 37

These names juxtapose each other and create a literary image of their marriage. Silius is in the dative which creates a sense of Messalina being the perpetrator.

‘exclamat’ line 37

‘shouted’ This word at the end of a phrase emphasises the volume and also suggests that they had to wait a long time to declare this.

‘exclamat…confirmante…postulat.’

‘shouted…confirmed…demanded.’ These verbs are all in the vivid present tense which engages and emphasises as it suggests the action is happening right here and right now.

‘haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.’

‘confirmed this, Calpurnia demanded Narcissus be summoned.’ The alliteration of the hard ‘C’s stresses the accusatory mode of speech.

What were the names of Claudius’s main concubines and who were they named after?

Calpurnia - caesar’s wife and Cleopatra - Caesar’s mistress/queen of Egypt

Who were the freedmen mention by pronoun ‘ei’ in the passage?

Callistus (most beautiful), Narcissus and Pallas (greek goddess). These freedmen were very powerful and most likely instrumental in the removal of Messalina.

Narcissus context

Narcissus was one of Claudius’s chief advisors. He was very rich (400 million sesterces). He was forced to commit suicide after Nero became emperor due to his ‘backing of the wrong horse’ when choosing another wife for Claudius.