Messalina

Messalina incensa est.

Messalina was set on fire

novo et quasi insano amore

a new and almost insane love

nam in ita exarserat

For she was so in inflamed with love

C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrimum

Gaius Silius, the most handsome of the Roman youth

Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam

Iunia Siliana, a noble woman

matrimonio eius exturbaret

She drove her out of marriage with him

liberoque adultero potiretur

And she had an adulterer who was unencumbered

neque Silius nescius erat

And Silius was not unaware

flagitii aut periculi

scandal or danger

sed intellexit exitium fore certum

He understood that death would be certain

si abnueret

if he refused her

si consentiret

if he agreed

nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse

There would be some hope of concealing the crime

simulque se accepturum

He would accept

magna praemia

Great rewards

igitur placuit neglere futura

Therefore it suited him to ignore the future

praesentibus frui

To enjoy the present

illa ventitat domum

That woman came frequently to his home

non furtim

not furtively

sed multis cum comitibus

but with many companions

egredienti adhaeret

when he went out she clung to him

dat opes honoresque

she gave him money and honours

servi, liberti, paratus principis

slaves, freedmen, and the property of the emperor

postremo saepe videbantur.

finally they were often seen.

apud adulterum

at the house of the adulterer

iam Messalina ad novas libidines versa est

By now Messalina turned to new pleasures

propter facilitatem adulteriorum

because of the ease of her adulteries

quippe non exspectandum

indeed that they should not wait

dum princeps senesceret

for the emperor to grow old

nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum

ready for marriage and adopting Britannicus

se caelibem, orbum

that he himself was unmarried, childless

eandem potentiam

the same power

Messalinae mansuram esse

it would remain for Messalinae

addita securitate

with added security

si praevenirent Claudium

if they forestalled Claudius

qui insidiis incautus

who was unsuspicious of intrigue

sed ad iram celer

but quick to anger

non amore in maritum

not from love toward her husband

verita ne Silius se sperneret

fearing that Silius might spurn her

summa adeptus

having obtained supreme powers

diu haesitavit

hesitated for a long time

sed tandem persuasum

but at last she was persuaded

nomen enim matrimonii concupivit

for she longed for the name of marriage

ob magnitudinem infamiae

because of the sheer magnitude of her outrageousness

nec ultra morata quam dum

After waiting only until

Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur

Claudius was setting out for Ostia

sacrificii gratia

for the purpose of making a sacrifice

cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat

she celebrated all the ceremonies of marriage

igitur domus principis inhorruit

and so the emperor’s house shuddered

ei qui potentiam habebant

those who held power

maximeque timerunt ne res verterentur

they were especially afraid that things would be overturned

spem tamen habebant

however they had hope

si Claudio persuasissent

if they persuaded Claudius

de atrocitate sceleris

about the enormity of her crimes

Messalinam posse opprimi

Messalina could be crushed

sine quaestione damnatam

condemned without trial

sed periculum esse

but there was a danger

ne ille defensionem audiret

that he would hear her defence

neve clausae aures non essent

his ears would not be closed to her

etiam confitenti

even when she confessed

Narcissus duas eius paelices perpulit

Narcissus induced two of his concubines

occasiones quaerens

seeking opportunities

cum Caesae diu apud Ostiam moraretur

since Caesae was delaying for a long time at Ostia

largitione et promissis delationem subire

bribery and promises to undertake an accusation

(id alteri paelici nomen)

(that was the name of one concubine)

exim Calpurnia ad genua Caesaeis provoluta

Then Calpurnia, falling down at Caesar’s knees

ubi datum est secretum

when she was given a private meeting

nupsisse Messalinam Silio exclamat

she exclamed that Messalina had married Silius

altera paelice haec confirmante

when the other concubine confirmed this

Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat

Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned

‘discidiumne tuum novisti'?’

‘Do you know about your divorce?’

‘qui matrimonium Silii vidit’

‘for they have seen Silius’ marriage’

‘populus et senatus et milites’

‘the people and the senate and the soldiers’

‘ac nisi celeriter agis’

‘unless you act quickly’

‘tenet urbem maritus’

‘he will hold the city as her husband’

non solum rumor, sed nuntii

not only the rumour, but messengers

interea undique ad Messalinam contendunt

In the meantime they rushed to Messalina from all directions

qui Claudium omnia cognovisse adferrent

they announced that Claudius knew everything

et venire promptum ultioni

and he was coming, ready for revenge

igitur Messalina Silius digrediuntur

therefore Messalina and Silius went in different directions

Messalina Lucullianos in hortos

Messalina went to the gardens of Lucullus

Silius dissimulando metui ad forum

Silius went to the forum to conceal his fear

quamquam res adversae consilium eximerent

because the misfortune took away her plan

illa tamen ire obviam et aspici a marito statim constituit

she decided to meet and be seen straight away by her husband

quod saepe ei fuerat subsidium

because he had often been a lifeline to her

misitque up Britannicus et Octavia irent

and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia

in complexum patris

into their father’s embrace

tribus omnino comitantibus

with only three accompanying her

tam repens erat solitudo

so sudden was her desertion

postquam per urbem pedibus ivit

after going through the city on foot

atque interim Ostiensem viam intrat

And meanwhile, she entered the Via Ostiensis

vehiculo quo purgamenta hortorum eripiuntur

a cart by which refuse from the gardens is taken away

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit

She aroused no pity from the citizens

quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat

because the appalling nature of her scandals carried more weight

et iam erat in aspectu Claudii

and she was now in Claudius’ sight

clamitabatque ut audiret Octaviae et Britannici matrem

and she kept demanding loudly that he heard the mother of Octavia and Britannicus

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit

Narcissus however shouted her down

Silium et nuptias referens

bringing up Silius and their marriage

libidinum indices

proof of her pleasures

simul codicillos tradidit

at the same time he handed over a writing’tablet