GCSE Latin - Messalina - Translation

Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est.

Messalina burned with a new and seemingly insane love.

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

For she had been so inflamed with passion for Gaius Silius, the most handsome of the Roman youth, that she expelled Junia Silana, a woman of noble birth, from her marriage and took possession of her now unattached lover.

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.

Silius was not unaware of his disgrace or the danger he was in, but he understood that, if he refused, his destruction would be certain, and, if he agreed, that there would be some hope of hiding the crime; and at the same time, that he would receive great rewards.

igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.

He therefore decided to ignore the future and enjoy the present.

illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum, egredienti adhaeret,

That woman came repeatedly to his house, not secretly but with many companions, clinging to him whenever he went out.

dat opes honoresque; postremo servi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur.

Finally, the slaves, freedmen, and furnishings of the Emperor were often seen at her lover's home!

at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.

But Claudius was unaware of the state of his marriage.

iam Messalina propter facilitate adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.

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

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

Silius, whether from a fatal madness or supposing that for the looming dangers, dangerous actions were themselves the remedy, was urging that the concealment be thrown off, for obviously there was no need to wait until the emperor got old.

se caelibem, orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum. eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate, si praevenirent Claudium, qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.

(He said that) he was unmarried, childless and ready to adopt Britannicus, and that Messalina's power would stay the same, with added security, if they pre-empted Claudius, who was not on his guard against treachery but was swift to anger.

Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius summa adeptus se sperneret, diu haesitavit;

Messalina hesitated for a long time, not out of love for her husband, but fearing that Silius, having obtained supreme power, might reject her.

sed tandem persuasum. nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.

But at last, she was persuaded, for she longed for the name of 'wife' because of the scale of the scandal.

nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam profisceretur, cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.

Having delayed only until Claudius set out to Ostia for the sake of a sacrifice, she celebrated all the religious rites of a wedding.

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

Therefore, the Emperor’s household shuddered, and those who had power were especially afraid that the state might be overthrown.

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

They had hope, however, that, if they persuaded Claudius of the hideousness of the crime, Messalina could be crushed; condemned without a trial.

sed periculum esse ne ille defensionem audiret, neve clausae aures etiam confitenti non essent.

But (they believed) that there was a danger that he might listen to her defence, and that his ears would not be closed to her even if she confessed.

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

Narcissus, seeking an opportunity, since Caesar was delaying for a long time in Ostia, induced two of his concubines with bribery and promises to undertake an accusation.

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

Then Calpurnia (that was the name of one of the concubines), when a private interview was granted, having flung herself before Caesar's knees, shouted that Messalina had married Silius.

altera paelice haec confirmante, Calpurnia cieri Narcissum postulat.

While the other concubine was confirming this, Calpurnia demanded that Narcissus be summoned.

qui ‘discidiumne tuum’ inquit ‘novisti? nam matrimonium Silii vidit populus et senatus et milites; ac nisi celeriter agis, tenet urbem maritus.’

“Did you know,” he said, “about your divorce? For the people and the senate and the soldiers have seen Silius’ marriage; and unless you act quickly, her husband will hold the City.”

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

Meanwhile not only rumour, but messengers hurried to Messalina from all sides to report that Claudius had found out everything and was coming ready for revenge.

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

Therefore, they went in different directions: Messalina to the Gardens of Lucullus, and Silius, in order to disguise his fear, to the forum.

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.

She however, although the challenging situation prevented any planning, decided to go at once to meet and be seen by her husband - a course of action which had often been of assistance to her - and she sent orders that Britannicus and Octavia should go into their father’s embrace.

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

And meanwhile, with only three companions - so sudden was her isolation - after going through the City on foot, she took the road to Ostia in a cart used to remove garden-waste.

nullam misericordiam civibus commovit quia flagitiorum deformitas praevalebat.

She evoked no pity from the citizens because the appalling nature of her crimes outweighed everything.

et iam erat in aspectu Claudii clamitabatque ut audiret Octaviae et Britannici matrem.

And now she was in Claudius’ sight and repeatedly shouting that he should listen to the mother of Octavia and Britannicus.

Narcissus tamen obstrepuit, Silium et nuptias referens; simul codicillos libidinum indices tradidit, quibus visus Caesaris averteret.

Narcissus however shouted her down, referring to Silius and the wedding. At the same time, he handed over a writing-tablet with details of her wantonness, with which he distracted Caesar's attention.

nec multo post urbem ingredienti offerebantur liberi, sed Narcissus amoveri eos iussit.

Shortly afterwards, as he was entering the City, his children were offered to him, but Narcissus ordered them to be removed.

mirum inter haec silentium Claudii: omnia liberto oboediebat; qui contionem militum in castris paravit.

Amidst all this, Claudius was strangely silent. In everything he obeyed his freedman, who arranged an assembly of the soldiers in the camp.

apud eos praemonente Narcisso princeps pauca verba fecit: continuus dehinc clamor militum nomina reorum et poenas flagitantium.

Within this meeting, with Narcissus giving advance warning, the Emperor spoke a few words, after which, there was a continuous uproar from soldiers demanding the names of the guilty and their punishment.

ductus Silius ad tribunal non defensionem, non moras temptavit, sed precatus est ut mors acceleraretur.

Silius, having been led to the platform, attempted no defence and no delay, but prayed that his death be expedited.

interim Messalina Lucullianis in hortis prolatare vitam, componere preces, nonnulla spe et ira: tantam superbiam etiam tum gerebat.

Meanwhile in the Gardens of Lucullus Messalina was prolonging her life and composing a plea with some hope and anger: even then she was displaying such great arrogance.

ac nisi caedem eius Narcissus properavisset, vertisset pernicies in accusatorem.

And if Narcissus had not hastened her execution, ruin would have recoiled upon her accuser.

nam Claudius domum regressus, ubi cena vinoque incaluit, imperavit ut femina misera (hoc enim verbo Claudium usum esse ferunt) ad causam dicendam postridie adesset.

For Claudius, having returned home, when he had been warmed by dinner and wine, ordered that the poor woman (for they say that Claudius used this word) be present on the next day to plead her case.

quod ubi Narcissus audivit et languescere iram redire amorem vidit, timebat, si moraretur, propinquam noctem et uxorii cubiculi memoriam;

When Narcissus heard this and saw that anger was subsiding and love was returning, he feared, if he delayed, the next night and the memory of the conjugal bedroom.

igitur prorumpit denuntiatque centurionibus et tribuno, qui aderat, exsequi caedem: ita imperatorem iubere.

Therefore, he burst out and declared that the centurions and the tribune who was present were to carry out the murder, and that the Emperor had ordered this.

missus quoque unus e libertis: is raptim in hortos praegressus repperit Messalinam, humi fusam;

One of the freedmen was also sent. He, having gone on ahead into the gardens, found Messalina prostrate on the ground.

adsidebat mater Lepida, quae florenti filiae haud concors fuerat;

Sitting beside her was her mother Lepida, who had not been on good terms with her daughter while she prospered.

sed supremis eius necessitatibus ad misercordiam versa suadebat ne percussorem opperiretur: transiisse vitam neque aliud quam mortem decoram quaerendum.

but moved to pity by her final crisis, she was seeking to persuade her not to wait for the executioner, that that her life was over, and that there was nothing to be sought but an honourable death.

sed nihil honestum inerat Messalinae animo, per libidines corrupto;

But in Messalina’s soul, corrupted by lusts, there was no integrity.

lacrimae et questus inriti effundebantur, cum impetus venientium pulsae sunt fores adstititque tribunus.

Tears and useless complaints were being poured out, when the gates were broken down by the onrush of the arriving soldiers, and the tribune stood at hand.

tunc primum Messalina fortunam suam intellexit ferrumque accepit; quod frustra iugulo aut pectori per trepidationem admovens, ictu tribuni transigitur. corpus matri concessum.

Then for the first time, Messalina understood her fate and accepted a blade. Moving it in panic to her throat or her chest in vain, she was run through by the tribune’s blow. Her body was yielded up to her mother.