Adultery Flashcards
Messalina novo et quasi insano amore incensa est.
Messalina was set on fire by a new and as it were mad love.
nam in C. Silium, iuventutis Romanae pulcherrium,
For she had been inflamed with love for Gaius Silius, a very handsome man of the Roman Youth,
ita exarserat ut Iuniam Silanam, nobilem feminam,
to such an extent that she drove out Iunia Silana, a noble woman,
matrimonio eius exturbaret liberoque adultero potiretur.
from her marriage and took him free from a wife as her adulterous lover.
neque Silius flagitti aut periculi nescius erat:
And Silius was not unaware of the scandal or the danger,
sed intellexit exitium, si abnueret, fore certum et,
but he understood that, if he were to refuse, his destruction would be certain,
si consentiret, nonnullam facinoris celandi spem esse;
and that if he were to agree, there would be some hope of concealing the crime,
simulque se magna praemia accepturum.
and at the same time he would recieve great rewards.
igitur placuit neglegere futura praesentibus frui.
Therefore, he decided to ignore the future and enjoy the present.
illa non furtim sed multis cum comitibus ventitat domum,
She, not secretly, but with many companions, came repeatedly to his house,
egredienti adhaeret, dat opes honoresque;
she always stuck to him as he left, she gave him wealth and honours;
postremo servi, liberti, paratus principis apud adulterum saepe videbantur.
finally slaves freedmen, the property of the emperor were seen at the house of the adulterer often.
at Claudius matrimonii sui ignarus.
But Claudius was unaware of his own marriage.
iam Messalina propter facilitatem adulteriorum ad novas libidines versa est.
Now Messalina turned to new pleasures on account of the ease of her adulteries.
Silius, sive fatali insania an ipsa pericula remedium imminentium periculorum ratus,
Silius, whether from fatal madness or thinking the dangers themselves were a cure of the dangers that threatened,
abrumpi dissimulationem urgebat: quippe non expectandum, dum princeps senesceret.
was urging her to throw off concealment: obviously they should not wait until the emperor was growing old.
se celibem orbum, nuptiis et adoptando Britannico paratum.
He said that he was unmarried, childless and ready for marriage and adopting Britannicus.
eandem Messalinae potentiam mansuram esse, addita securitate,
He said that the same power would remain for Messalina, with added security,
si praevenirent Claudium, qui insidiis incautus sed ad iram celer esset.
if they were to forestall Claudius, who was slow to suspect intrigue, but quick to anger.
Messalina, non amore in maritum, sed verita ne Silius summa adeptus se sperneret,
Messalina, not from love for her husband, but fearing that Silius would reject her once he had obtained supreme power,
diu haesitavit; sed tandem peruasum.
hesitated for a long time; but at last she was persuaded.
nomen enim matrimonii concupivit ob magnitudinem infamiae.
For she longed for the name of marriage because of the size of her outrageousness.
nec ultra morata quam dum sacrificii gratia Claudius Ostiam proficisceretur,
And after she waited only until Claudius set out to Ostia for the purpose of sacrifice,
cuncta nuptiarum sollemnia celebrat.
she celebrated all the ceremonies of marriage.
