quotes analysis

analysis imported from quizlet

What can you say about the sentence "Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est"?

Insano- Strong word, leads her to betray her husband

Incensa est- Passionate love, Tacitus doesn't approve since normal marriage is business focused, not love focused

What can you say about the sentence "nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum, ita exarserat "?

Pulcherrimum- Superlative stresses his beauty

Exarserat- Repeated verb of burning

What can you say about the sentence "ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam, matrimonio eius exturbaret"?

Nobilem Feminam- Tacitus is disapproving that she has treated a noble woman like this

Exturbaret- Puts blame on Messalina

What can you say about the sentence "liberoque adultero potiretur."?

Potiretur- Strong verb shows Messalina's control in the relationship

What can you say about the sentence "neque Silius flagitii aut periculi nescius erat:"?

Flagitii aut periculi- Shows that he knows about the danger, creates tension

What can you say about the sentence "simulque se magna praemia accepturum."?

Magna praemia- Motivated by rewards, his intentions arent as innocent as before

What can you say about the sentence "Igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui."?

Chiasmus

What can you say about the sentence "illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat donum, egredienti adhearet, dat opes honouresque;postremo servi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur."?

Illa non furtum- Litotes adds emphasis

Adhaeret- Sticks to him blatantly, tension

Venitat, adhaeret, dat- Tricolon of histoic present adds vivedness

Servi, liberti, paratus- Asyndetic tricolon, more shocking as the tricolon advances

What can you say about the sentence "Claudius matromonii sui erat ignarus"?

Ignarus- emphatic position emphasises Claudius' obliviousness

What can you say about the sentence "iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est."?

Iam- Suggests the affair is ongoing, stresses its length

Adulteriorum- Plural suggesting multiple, series of adulterers

Novas libidines- new pleasures show she is bored and yearns for excitement

What can you say about the sentence "Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium imminentium pericukkorum ratus, abrumpi dissimultationem urgebat: quippe non exspectandum, dum princeps senescret?

It uses a Chiasmus

The repeated ‘um’ creates an ominous feel

Polyptoton stresses danger

What can you say about the sentence "se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum"?

Caelibem- Irony, silius was driven out of his marriage

et adoptando Britannico paraum- implying and suggesting the emperor will die

Tricolon

What can you say about the sentence "eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse,addita securitate, si praeventirent Claudium, qui indidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset."?

si praevenirent- she isnt in a secure position because she is cheating

Insidiis incautus - Silius is further describing the misconception that he is daft and gullible

sed ad iram celer esset- shows danger of him

What can you say about the sentence "Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius summa adeptus se sperneret, diu haesitavit; sed tandem persuasum."?

She has selfish motivation, doesnt love Claudius

What can you say about the sentence "nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae."

She is motivated by outrage which appeals to her

What can you say about the sentence "nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur, cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat."

Claudius is either dedicating a temple or there is a grain shortage

What can you say about the line, "igitur domus principis inhorruit, maxime ei qui potentiam habebant timuerunt ne res verterentur: spem tamen habebant,si Claudio de atrocitate sceleris persuasissent, Messalinam posse opprimi sine quaestione damnatam; sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret, neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent."?

Domus princips- Metaphor/personification, the imperial staff are worried, creates shock and alarm

Atrocitate- strong word

ne ille defensionem- first danger that he might listen to her

What can you say about the line, "Narcissus, occasiones quaerens, cum Caesar diu apud Ostiam moraretur, duas eius paelices largitone et promisis perpulit delationem subire."?

Paelices- double standards in Roman times

largitone et promissis- bribery and promises shows desperation

What can you say about the line, "exim Calpurnia (id laritone paelici nomen), ubi daum est secretum, ad genua Caesaris provoluta nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat; altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat."?

Provoluta- dramatic word

supisse Messalinam Silo exclamat- chiasmus

postulat- dramatic word

What can you say about the line, "qui "discidiumne tuum' inquit 'novisti? nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites; ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus."?

discidium tuum- direct speech

populus et senatus et milites- tricolon with increasing threat emphasising and stressing how everyone knows about the scandal

ac nisi celeriter agis- creates tension

tenet- present tense heightens drama and adds immideicy

What can you say about the line, "non solum rumor interea, sed undique nuntii ad Messalinam contendunt, qui Claudium omnia cognovisse et venire promptum ultioni adferrent."?

rumor- personified

undique- everyone knows, creates tension

venire promptum ultioni- tension rising, he wants revenge

What can you say about the line, "igitus Messalina Lucullianos in hortos, Silius dissimulando metui ad forum digtrdiuntur."?

metui- shows fear

digrediutur- shows the weakness of and insincerity of the relationship since it split up

What can you say about the line, "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"?

consilium eximerent- shows losing control of the situation

subsidium- is a military term, she is using her beauty like a man uses an army

Britannicus et Octavia- manipulative, using her children to soften the blow

What can you say about the line, "atque interim, tribus omnio comitanibus tam repens erat solitudo- postquam per urbem pedibus ivit, vehiculo, quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur, Ostiensem viam intrat."?

tribus omnio comitanibus- people are distancing themselves from her, she has to be walked rather than carried

tam repens- shows how quickly she fell

purgamenta- carried in a rubbish truck, humiliating

What can you say about the line, "nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat"?

nullam- emphatic position stresses no pity

deformitas- strong word indicates she has done something really bad

What can you say about the line, "et iam in aspectu Claudii clamitabatque ut audiret Octavia et Britannici matrem."?

clamitabatque- frequentive and imperfect conveys insistence

Octavia- youngest first, trying to soften the blow since they need their mother

What can you say about the line, "Narcissus tamen obtrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens; simul codicillos libidinum, indices tradidit, quibus bisus Caesaris averet"?

obstrepuit- shouts her down

Silium et nuptias referens- reminding him of the affair and marriage

codicillos- unknown notebook (containing previous relations, evidence etc)

What can you say about the line, "nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi, sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit"?

Narcissus amoveri eos iussit- takes the decisive action, he is the active one taking control

What can you say about the line, "Mirum inter haec silentium Claudii: omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit."?

mirum- emphatic position creates emphasis of "strange"

omnia- emphatic position emphasizing everything

liberto-there is a role reversal, inversion of the norm since he is the emperor

oboediebat- Claudius isn't taking the main role in the crisis,

contionem militum- fighting for Claudius

What can you say about the line, "apud eos praemonte Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit: continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium."?

princeps pauca- he talks before Claudius, suggesting pore power than him, and shows trust and loyalty in Narcissus

continuus dehinc clamor- harder for Claudius to back dow

militum nomina- soldiers are on his side

reorum- hasnt given enough information

poenas flagitantium- ensures Messalina's punishment since he can't back down

What can you say about the line, "ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, non moras temptavit, sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur."?

Silius- They want to execute Silius first because he's a man and because Messalina is their empress

non moras temptavit- gives up as soon as he was caught and asks for a hastened death

What can you say about the line, "interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam, componere preces, nonnulla spe et ira: tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat."?

prolatare vitam, componere- historic infinitives add vividness

preces- probably letters to Claudius, not prayers to the Gods

spe et ira- mix of emotions

tantam superbiam etiam- negative emphasis

What can you say about the line, "ac nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset, vertisset pernicies in accusatorem."?

Chiasmus showing contrast, how easily they can destroy each other

Sibilance- as if Tacitus is hissing in disapproval

balance and symmetry in the sentence, the situation is on a knife edge

What can you say about the line, "nam Claudius donum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit, imperavit ut femina misera (hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt) ad causam dicendam postridie adesset."?

incaluit- Claudius is weakening

femina misera- shows his sympathy

()- addition as if Tacitus cant believe how soft Claudius is

ad causam dicendam- what Narcissus was trying to avoid

What can you say about the line, "quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit, timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam; igitur prorumpit denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem: ita imperatorem iubere."?

languescere iram redire amorem- insynditon

propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam- wine reminds him and softens his heart

prorumpit denuntiaque- historic present and juxtaposition

centurionibus et tribuno- officers to guard the emperor

aderat- relative clause, freedman happens to be there

ita imperatorem iubere- needs the emperors permission, he has enough influence and power to order them

What can you say about the line, "missus quoque unsus e libertis: is raptim in hortus praegressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam; adsidebat mater Lepida, quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat;"?

libertis- personal friend of Narcissus who he trusts

humi- emphatic position at the end of the clause

fusam- adds to the drama

haud concors- Messalina had brought about the death off Lepida's second husband

What can you say about the line, "sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad misericordiam versa suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur: transiisse vitam neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum"?

misericordiam- arousing pity

percussorem opperiretur- suicide is ore honourable than her execution, good advice

mortem decoram- try to salvage pride

What can you say about the line, "sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto; larimae et questus inriti effundebantur, cum impetu venientium pulsae sunt fores adstititque tribunus."?

sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo- Tacitus keeps attacking Messalinas character
larimae et questus inriti- no sympathy from Tacitus
pulsae sunt fores- dramatic
tribunus- emphatic position

What can you say about the line, "tunc primam Messalina fortunam suam intellexit ferrumqueaccepit; quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens, ictu tribuni transigitur."?

ferrumqueaccepit- has given up hope

trepidationem- she is afraid

transigitur- historic present