Messalina lines 75-89

missus quoque unus e libertis

One of the freedmen was also sent;

is raptim in hortos praegressus

he, having gone on ahead hurriedly into the gardens,

repperit Messalinam, humi fusam

found Messalina, poured out on the ground;

adsidebat mater Lepida

her mother Lepida was sitting next to her,

quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat

who had not been on friendly terms with her daughter as she flourished,

sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad misericordiam versa

but having turned to pity in her extreme time of need,

suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur

was urging her not to await the executioner:

transiisse vitam

[she said] her life was finished

neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum

and there was not anything other than a fitting death to be sought.

sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo

But there was nothing honourable in Messalina's mind,

per libidines corrupto

which had been corrupted by lusts;

lacrimae et questus inriti effundebantur

tears and useless complaints were being poured out,

cum impetu venientium pulsae sunt fores

when the doors were broken open by the assault of those coming,

adstititque tribunus

and there stood the tribune.

tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit

Then for the first time Messalina understood her fate

ferrumque accepit

and accepted the blade;

quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens

while in vain putting it to her throat or breast because of the trembling,

ictu tribuni transigitur

she is run through by the tribune's thrust.

corpus matri concessum

Her body was granted to her mother.